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Episode
108
Datalore
What does it mean to be alive? What does it mean to find out that you are not exactly one of a kind? Can Data find a new sense of being now that he has a brother? Or will the TV curse of the evil twin prevail? Find out when we put Datalore in the Mission Log.
The picture on the back cover of the original LaserDisc release for this episode looked a little different:
VHS Ad
Looks like bad Photoshop. :/
Pp.
What a TERRIBLE picture…
Is that really Brent Spiner on the left, or maybe that was the stand-in?
Yeah – that’s the stunt double !
backtracking now…I think it was a bummer they introduced the contraction limitation to Data’s program w/o being able to fully implement it in the next 6 years properly. Better if they addressed his ability to use contractions the next year or so….., wow to the laserdisc pic…just woW!
An interesting point you guys made about Wesley. Initially I had been annoyed with Picard and Riker on how they treated him but now I realize that he should have approached it differently. Like how Tasha Yar waited for Data to exit the room and then asked the question strictly as the head of security.
Oh, the Evil Twin. What an original concept. And of course Brent Spiner would suggest it. What actor wouldn’t want the chance at more airtime?
Well, at least he’ll never go so far as to demand an episode where he plays THREE roles…
Ahem…
Oh, and congratulations on getting to shoehorn in another reference to “robot guts”!
It seemed like it was about the right time…
Perhaps Lore was schizophrenic from containing all the disparate memories of the colonists, setting up illogical and emotional contradictions, which his AI brain could not handle. Akin to the explanation of HAL 9000 going “crazy” by having to withhold crucial information from Bowman and Poole, which set an irreconcilable conflict against his basic programming to successfully run the ship and help the mission to Jupiter.
Now that is an interesting idea… could it be that human flaws are responsible for the android’s deepest problems.
I don’t like this episode. There are huge plot holes, it was extremely predictable, and the characters seem kind of dumb by their usual standards.
Weirdly enough, this was the first time I found Wesley to be annoying. But it did drive me crazy that he was so unprofessional and moody.
The parts I did like were the ones when the crew was navigating the terminology of AI life. Though of course I’ve never experienced this specific instance, something about it felt so relatable. I guess it reminded me of finding myself in the deep end of a nuanced and complex discussion and trying to phrase things correctly. I studied politics and international relations (Middle East focus) in college and every now and then you have to be VERY specific with what words you choose.