2.6 — “The Schizoid Man”
Plot: The Enterprise answers a distress call for the medical rescue of Dr. Ira Graves, a brilliant (we are told) researcher in the isolated location of Gravesworld. In a twist, he turns out to have Damay’s disease, instead of Graves’. Damay’s disease is incurable. But when the doctor passes on, the crew comes to realize that he has not totally left them, but has instead transferred his consciousness to Mr. Data.
Thoughts: Eh, s’alright. Graves is a pig, and immediately turns all women he comes into contact with into unequal, second class beings with behavior which would have been loutish in the 1950s. Wish fulfillment much for the season two writers’ room? The Damay’s disease supposedly changed Graves’ personality, although when he is “cured” by transferring into Data’s body, his personality seems exactly the same. I feel like they never committed to whether he is back to normal or whether his behavior is still affected.
Nor is there any sign of his reputed brilliance to make you think that losing him would be a sacrifice. I think of Dr. Corby from “What Are Little Girls Made Of.” He really seemed brilliant, and so it was tragic to realize that by transferring his consciousness into an android he had lost part of what made him essentially human, and didn’t know it. This guy is made of good riddance from start to finish.
But, you know. The plot makes sense. It has a dramatic arc, and Brent Spiner is not unequal to the task of portraying a different personality inhabiting his body, although he’s no Leonard Nimoy. We saw Spock taken over by different aliens in “Return to Tomorrow” and “Is There In Truth No Beauty,” and they were totally distinct personalities. Nimoy is a genius.
The episode is pretty good, but it’s no earth shaker. It doesn’t have that spark that makes Star Trek special. Some elements of the episode are nevertheless very good. I like starting out with Pulaski’s medical log. The optical effects trick they used to make the turbolift appear to actually work is cool. Interesting things happen with the lighting, especially, and the set design, and the blocking of Data and Picard’s final confrontation in Engineering. The show was grasping for greatness in some areas. The writing lags behind.
It passed the time, but episodes like this do not make legendary series. Warp 3.
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