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Old 09-08-2021, 06:54 PM
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DATA: Jenna has clearly demonstrated how she feels about me, but I am not capable of returning those feelings.
RIKER: Data, when you get involved with another person, there are always risks of disappointment, of getting hurt.

Uh, Will, you didn't address Data's concern. In fact, you completely misinterpreted Data's statement in order to make a more general observation.

DATA: I cannot be hurt. But she can.
RIKER: Jenna knows that and she has obviously decided to take the chance.

No, she's hasn't. She's desperate and misinterpreting Data's actions.

RIKER: Data, when it really works between two people, it's not like anything you've ever experienced. The rewards are far beyond simple friendship.
DATA: How far, sir?
RIKER: That's what I'm hoping you're going to find out.
DATA: Thank you, Commander.

Will does know that Data doesn't have emotions, right? Plus, if this is a subtle reference to sex, he knows about Data and Tasha by now, doesn't he?

DATA: Captain, I am seeking advice in how
PICARD: Yes, I've heard, Data, and I would be delighted to offer any advice I can on understanding women. When as I have some, I'll let you know.

This is a good gag, Data's been talking to everyone on the senior staff (although I do wonder what Beverly's advice would've been), and word gets around.

(Meaningless aside alert! In the novel "Guises of the Mind" a pair of nuns comes aboard to help set up an orphanage on a planet. Data takes an interest in the subject of religion, and so of course asks his friends their opinions on the subject. Picard describes the church in his hometown and seems to treat the subject as a source of comfort whether or not there is a God. Worf refers to his family's gods (a clear discontinuity) and says he'll talk about the rituals as long as Data keeps it a secret. Guinan describes god as a singular idea that can be one person or several, a changeable approach. It's also mentioned that there are Jews and ritualistic Native Americans onboard that Data consults.)

JENNA: They're lovely. Come in. What are they?
DATA: A variety of crystilia. Their fragrance is an evolutionary response to the acrid nature of the atmosphere on Telemarius Four.

Acrid means it has an unpleasant taste or smell. I'm dubious as to whether a good smell is really chemically opposite to a bad smell.

Only mention of Telemarius IV.

JENNA: You didn't talk to the entire ship about us.
DATA: No. In actuality, less than one percent of the Enterprise crew was involved. It was necessary to balance theory with experiential referents.

Okay, here's a question. Of the 1,012 people on board, how many are "crew?" If Data is to be believed, he only talked with four crew (Guinan doesn't count). So that means at least 400 crew.

JENNA: This is all part of a programme?
DATA: Yes. One which I have just created for romantic relationships.
JENNA: So I'm just a small variable in one of your new computational environments?
DATA: You are much more than that, Jenna. I have written a subroutine specifically for you. A programme within the programme. I have devoted a considerable share of my internal resources to its development.
JENNA: Data, that's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me.

You could argue that "real" people also create such personas, but I won't go into detail for fear of being lynched.

DATA: You have often expressed dissatisfaction with the spartan nature of my quarters. Is this an attempt at embellishment?
JENNA: The cat's out of the bag.
DATA: Spot?

How incomplete is the dictionary in Data's head? Did they pawn off the job to the lowest bidder who turned out to be a particularly inept Pakled?

COMPUTER: Warning. Atmospheric decompression in Bridge Observation Lounge.

As opposed to the Sickbay Observation Lounge?

DATA: The transparent aluminum alloy of this window is exhibiting a pattern of transient electrical currents.
PICARD: Explanation?
DATA: I have none. The rate is characteristic of a subspace distortion, but I am picking up no evidence of a subspace field.

I'm not sure how many of you know about piezoelectricity, but the notion of a subspace equivalent is intriguing.

DATA: Honey? I'm home.

This is always worth a laugh.

JENNA: I'll have a Calaman Sherry.

Only mention, but it did make it into the Star Trek Cookbook. Mix strawberry, kiwi, and sparkling apple cider as an equivalent. An Okudagram in Quark's presents this as a possible drink.

DATA: Darling, you remain as aesthetically pleasing as the first day we met. I believe I am the most fortunate sentient in this sector of the galaxy. Now, you relax. Put your feet up and I will take care of everything.

This is funny because it combines the cliched script with Data's need to insert more complicated vocabulary.

JENNA: Kiss me.
(they kiss)
JENNA: What were you just thinking?
DATA: In that particular moment, I was reconfiguring the warp field parameters, analysing the collected works of Charles Dickens, calculating the maximum pressure I could safely apply to your lips, considering a new food supplement for Spot--
JENNA: I'm glad I was in there somewhere.

It makes you wonder how many other things Data was thinking about. And given that Data never sleeps (at least, not yet), how much does he think about on a given day?

And when he routes key computer functions through his brain, how many fewer things does he think about?

PICARD: I'm going to pilot the shuttle.
RIKER: Captain, it's my duty as First Officer to safeguard the lives on this ship, including yours. The Enterprise can't afford to lose you, sir. Certainly not in this situation.

In this situation you could argue that the shuttle is safer than the ship. Of course in real life Picard is separated because Stewart is directing and it's useful to keep him off the set as much as possible.

JENNA: You were so kind and attentive. I thought that would be enough.
DATA: It is not?
JENNA: No, it's not. Because as close as we are, I don't really matter to you. Not really. Nothing I can say or do will ever make you happy or sad, or touch you in any way.

I wish they could've resolved this in more than one scene, as it is it smacks too much of the scriptwriter getting bored of the topic and getting rid of it ASAP.

The Fiver

Data: I will now draw on various romantic figures to create a satisfactory evening, such as Ward Cleaver, Bob Hartly, Commander Riker, and The Famous Mister Ed.
D'Sora: Why don't you spare me the trouble of calling you a weirdo and get out now?

I don't think I ever watched Leave it to Beaver or Mister Ed as a child. I've watched my share of old shows in my time (stuff like Addams Family and Beverly Hillbillies comes to mind immediately), not those. Bob Hartly is from the series Newhart. The joke is that none of these, even Riker, is really a romantic figure.

Data: Dinner is served.
D'Sora: Sorry, Data, but I can't stay. I just came to tell you that it's over between us. (leaves)
Data: Maybe it was the fact that dinner was my silicon suspension....
(Data puzzles his puzzler until his puzzler is puzzled at Ludicrous Speed)

A good joke.

Memory Alpha

* This story is inspired by all those fans who were obsessed with Spock romantically in the TOS days. At least that makes sense because Spock does have emotions, he just suppresses them.
* They didn't like having to insert the dark matter stuff, but felt like they had to. They say that people would ask what the ship is doing, but my response is that they did it clumsily with forced peril.
* First episode directed by Stewart.
* I'm annoyed at the revelation that directors were randomly assigned to stories. Directors should be assigned to stories that suit them.
* The site attempts to explain Data's multiple contractions by saying that these statements were more or less him playing soundbytes, not actually speaking. Yeah, good luck with that.
* Ronald Moore thinks that people don't recognize this episode enough. I disagree. When half the episode is a forced technobabble that only exists to break up talky scenes, you don't have a class-A episode.

Nitpicker's Guide

* Why does Data have opinions on closet organization when he wears the same thing 99% of the time? He probably keeps his Sherlock Holmes costume on one side, and that's it.
* Phil also noted the "Dauphin" thing.
* If there wasn't decompression in the observation lounge, how did the furniture get shoved to one side?
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