If an Android practices sneezing in his quarters, but only Wesley is there it see it, does he still sound like a mediocre actor in need of lessons? Seeing as how we find out Data was activated 26 years ago, spent 4 years at Star Fleet Academy, 3 as an ensign, and 10 to 12 as a Lieutenant you'd think this whole fascination with humanity thing would have run its course already.
Down on the planet Geordi uses his special powers to analyze the soil and discover a secret laboratory. They find another Data inside said lab, give us a nice shot of his rump, and then skip the rest of the unboxing so we can get down to the business of assembling him back aboard the Enterprise.
Data gets called to the debriefing so Picard can give the audience a lesson in comparative anatomy before being called back down to what definitely isn't sickbay so Crusher can shut him down and cut him open. Chief Engineer Argyle is back but Dr. Crusher will lead the reassembly in what looks more like surgery than engineering in order to drive the point home that Data is more man than he is machine. Before we know it we've got our new Android up and running and he says his name is Lore. Splendid!
Picard calls Data to his ready room in order to question is loyalty while Lore, Wesley, and Geordi give the audience a lesson in helm control. Riker tricks Lore into revealing that he has an 8th grade level understanding of mathematics so Data scolds him before singing the praises of one Wesley Crusher. I'd also like to point out that its the black man in the scene who likes the sound of Lore referring to Data as "My Brutha" because I think it's funny to point that out.
Meanwhile, Data and Lore banter in his quarters. Lore admits to lying as soon as he was activated so Data gives him full access to his computer. On the bridge, Tasha uses her "turbo sensors" (I am not joking, that's what she says) in order to figure out that Lore is snooping around looking for ways to incapacitate Data. She then goes on to question Data's loyalty in front of the bridge crew and Picard is totally cool with it. So cool with it that he sings her praises.
Once Lore pulls the switcharoo that nobody saw coming he begins to explain the plot and the case of the missing farm land is solved. Since there are still about 15 minutes of episode left, Lore sets up Wesley "Scrappy Doo" Crusher to save the day.
The farm gobbler shows up looking pretty wonderful for late 80s VFX so Geordi uses his super power on it and reports back to the bridge. Wesley starts to show some maturity and acts on the obvious so Riker and Picard discipline him accordingly.
After Riker puts his gullibility on full display, Lore kicks Data in the head a few times before heading back to the bridge and suggesting the implementation of Star Fleet protocol 47A: "Beam a tree out into space and shoot it with phasers to demonstrate one's power". Picard concurs so Lore heads to the turbo lift to fight with Worf. I'm sure the writers would have created turbo phasers, turbo transporters, and turbo replicators if they had been giving the chance.
I'm also sure the Writers didn't consider the racial implications of one of the whitest character on the show delivering a beat down to one of the blackest. I mean, you could just see it as an Android fighting a Klingon which is really pretty epic, but I've wrested with my White Fragility enough to know that I HAVE to see race here order to prove I am not racist. You see how irritating that is?
I digress.
Back on the bridge Picard pimp slaps Wesley with his mouth. His mother quickly follows suit despite some initial misgivings. And while it's clear at this point that Lore is something of a psychopath, his disposition towards Wesley is in line with yours and mine so I think we should let his psychopathy slide and find a way to integrate him into the Enterprise crew.
The episode concludes with some android on android action. The troublesome little man-child saves the day because of course he does. All is forgiven as Wesley reassumes his rightful place as the star of the show, his mother is sent back to sickbay where she belongs, and the Crystalline Entity retreats because it can see the credits closing in at warp speed.
As bad as this episode is, it is necessary viewing to properly understand several episodes in later seasons as well as an important recurring character.
Verdict: "SHUT UP WESLEY"
Reviewer's note:
In fairness to Wesley, this is the first episode where I begrudgingly start to relate to his character. Perhaps the writers thought if they dumped on him enough the audience would start to endear themselves to him out of pity. Or perhaps while I was growing up I never felt like the adults were listening to me when I understood the plot better than they did. In either case, Wesley isn't wrong. The bridge crew should have been wise to what Lore was up to from the get go. Their stupidity and naivete, especially that of Riker and Picard, suggests to me that they deserved to die at the hands of the Crystalline Entity. Of course that would have put a damper on the rest of the season.
Down on the planet Geordi uses his special powers to analyze the soil and discover a secret laboratory. They find another Data inside said lab, give us a nice shot of his rump, and then skip the rest of the unboxing so we can get down to the business of assembling him back aboard the Enterprise.
Data gets called to the debriefing so Picard can give the audience a lesson in comparative anatomy before being called back down to what definitely isn't sickbay so Crusher can shut him down and cut him open. Chief Engineer Argyle is back but Dr. Crusher will lead the reassembly in what looks more like surgery than engineering in order to drive the point home that Data is more man than he is machine. Before we know it we've got our new Android up and running and he says his name is Lore. Splendid!
Picard calls Data to his ready room in order to question is loyalty while Lore, Wesley, and Geordi give the audience a lesson in helm control. Riker tricks Lore into revealing that he has an 8th grade level understanding of mathematics so Data scolds him before singing the praises of one Wesley Crusher. I'd also like to point out that its the black man in the scene who likes the sound of Lore referring to Data as "My Brutha" because I think it's funny to point that out.
Meanwhile, Data and Lore banter in his quarters. Lore admits to lying as soon as he was activated so Data gives him full access to his computer. On the bridge, Tasha uses her "turbo sensors" (I am not joking, that's what she says) in order to figure out that Lore is snooping around looking for ways to incapacitate Data. She then goes on to question Data's loyalty in front of the bridge crew and Picard is totally cool with it. So cool with it that he sings her praises.
Once Lore pulls the switcharoo that nobody saw coming he begins to explain the plot and the case of the missing farm land is solved. Since there are still about 15 minutes of episode left, Lore sets up Wesley "Scrappy Doo" Crusher to save the day.
The farm gobbler shows up looking pretty wonderful for late 80s VFX so Geordi uses his super power on it and reports back to the bridge. Wesley starts to show some maturity and acts on the obvious so Riker and Picard discipline him accordingly.
After Riker puts his gullibility on full display, Lore kicks Data in the head a few times before heading back to the bridge and suggesting the implementation of Star Fleet protocol 47A: "Beam a tree out into space and shoot it with phasers to demonstrate one's power". Picard concurs so Lore heads to the turbo lift to fight with Worf. I'm sure the writers would have created turbo phasers, turbo transporters, and turbo replicators if they had been giving the chance.
I'm also sure the Writers didn't consider the racial implications of one of the whitest character on the show delivering a beat down to one of the blackest. I mean, you could just see it as an Android fighting a Klingon which is really pretty epic, but I've wrested with my White Fragility enough to know that I HAVE to see race here order to prove I am not racist. You see how irritating that is?
I digress.
Back on the bridge Picard pimp slaps Wesley with his mouth. His mother quickly follows suit despite some initial misgivings. And while it's clear at this point that Lore is something of a psychopath, his disposition towards Wesley is in line with yours and mine so I think we should let his psychopathy slide and find a way to integrate him into the Enterprise crew.
The episode concludes with some android on android action. The troublesome little man-child saves the day because of course he does. All is forgiven as Wesley reassumes his rightful place as the star of the show, his mother is sent back to sickbay where she belongs, and the Crystalline Entity retreats because it can see the credits closing in at warp speed.
As bad as this episode is, it is necessary viewing to properly understand several episodes in later seasons as well as an important recurring character.
Verdict: "SHUT UP WESLEY"
Reviewer's note:
In fairness to Wesley, this is the first episode where I begrudgingly start to relate to his character. Perhaps the writers thought if they dumped on him enough the audience would start to endear themselves to him out of pity. Or perhaps while I was growing up I never felt like the adults were listening to me when I understood the plot better than they did. In either case, Wesley isn't wrong. The bridge crew should have been wise to what Lore was up to from the get go. Their stupidity and naivete, especially that of Riker and Picard, suggests to me that they deserved to die at the hands of the Crystalline Entity. Of course that would have put a damper on the rest of the season.