1.13 — “Datalore”
Plot: The Enterprise visits Omicron Theta system, where it is revealed that Data was found, fully formed, 26 years earlier on a dead farming colony world. Data’s origins are still a mystery, which is reason enough for Picard to divert the ship for an investigation of the planet’s surface. Geordi finds a secret underground laboratory, where the away team discovers a second, disassembled android. They discover that Data’s creator was Doctor Noonien Soong, a scientist inspired by Isaac Asimov’s Robot series to try to construct a positronic brain.
The robot is Lore, Data’s twin, constructed first, and with a greater facsimile of human emotion. Unfortunately, these emotions serve only to make him ambitious. To quote Shakespeare, “And, therefore, since I cannot prove a lover . . . I am determined to prove a villain.”
Thoughts: This episode is fun, albeit marred at the end by the hamfisted use of Wesley Crusher, who of course figures out the mystery before everyone else, but just can’t get anyone to listen. It’s so unfair how they discriminate against child geniuses in the 24th century! Seriously, I don’t understand why the character is written so badly. It’s like no one on staff has ever seen a real teenager before. Picard just conveniently forgets all the other times Wesley has saved the ship, and the Traveler’s message.
It’s an odd idea that Data was found and not made, yet Starfleet has not made serious attempts to understand where he came from, or to replicate his functioning, instead allowing him to enlist and rise through the ranks of Starfleet. I’m sure this is the product of very advanced thinking, but it seems kooky to me.
Really, no one has investigated the planet before now? The underground laboratory does not seem hard to find. Why was it hidden in the first place?
Spiner is so good, though! Watching him play scenes with himself is more entertaining than watching him play scenes with Frakes, McFadden, Wheaton, or Crosby. How will the character process the knowledge that his own functioning was deliberately impaired, to keep him from evolving into a monster, like his twin?
Zack Handlen is quoted on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datalore) pointing out that Data, who is not supposed to be able to use contractions, uses the contraction “I’m” immediately after Lore is beamed out into space. Whoops. We also have an instance here of the transporter being used as a weapon. That thing is terrifying–more dangerous than the Holodeck! Which, others explained earlier, is just another form of transporter used to spread more terror and violence through the galaxy.
There are, to be sure, dumb things about this episode. When the crystal entity attacks the colony, the kids all stop to draw pictures, and then the parents stop to post them on the wall. Proud parents! The pictures aren’t any good, though, in fact, they all look strangely the same. Poor art direction. The whole “can’t use contractions” thing… meh.
Yet “Datalore” shows how much potential this series has, if it ever gets out of its own way. Please give us more stories involving mysteries and adventures on foreign planets! This premise is aces with little added brilliance required. And, for all its structural problems, TNG is blessed with some very fine actors. Spiner and Stewart are at the head of the class.
Also, I really like this episode’s score! I look forward to seeing Lore again. Grade: Pass.
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