"Clues"

[J. Allen]

Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote:

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There is just too much crap like this that you have to rationalize later that keeps me from embracing this episode. Sure, I would love to see a similar written episode, with Data committing treason to protect the crew, but I think they needed to redo the whole script

Eh, I think it worked out just fine. It's easy to point out possible flaws, but that's because we know everything that's going on, and hindsight is 20/20.

[eepruls]

Alrik wrote:

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After following this thread for the last couple of days, ironically Clues just happened to be on last night. With everything that has been pointed out, it allowed me to pick up on a couple of things that I had never noticed before.

After their first trip through the 'wormhole' when Picard asks how long they were out, Data does say "Approximately 30 seconds." However, on the redo, his answer is "30 seconds sir". Which leads to a more interesting observation. Initially Picard is still full of questions and orders that they reverse heading back towards the Class M planet. This time Data suggests that doing so could put the Enterprise at further risk. Riker then suggests that they could send a probe and Date litterally cuts him off saying that it would certainly be sufficient. This leads to one of those Patrick Stewart moments. While giving Data a stare his eyes go from kind of a 'what the hell is up with you?' to an 'oh shit' look in a matter of 2 seconds. He replies with "Make it so. And put out a hazzard advisory to Starfleet."

So now I'm left to wonder after watching this ep for the 'umpteenth' time, was Picard left with at least some knowledge of the repercussions they would face should they go back?

I always think the same thing at the end of this episode. The first time it happened, Picard wanted to investigate and go back (and there were no 'clues' at that point). They launched a probe and Data modified the results to indicate that it was no longer class M. That later became a 'clue'.

At the end of the episode, Picard doesn't want to go back but they do launch a probe again. Wouldn't they discover that the images of the planet were tampered with, just like the first time? I wish when they were planning to get it right the second time that they mentioned how they would modify the probe so that it returned something that wouldn't become a clue and cause them to start the hunt again. It was the mysterious M class planet that started the entire investigation.

I have always wondered about the time differential between the ship and Starfleet. Wouldn't they all be wondering why Data is saying they were only out for 30 seconds yet Starfleet time is two days ahead? Seems like a major problem with the story.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

eepruls wrote:

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I always think the same thing at the end of this episode. The first time it happened, Picard wanted to investigate and go back (and there were no 'clues' at that point). They launched a probe and Data modified the results to indicate that it was no longer class M. That later became a 'clue'.

At the end of the episode, Picard doesn't want to go back but they do launch a probe again. Wouldn't they discover that the images of the planet were tampered with, just like the first time? I wish when they were planning to get it right the second time that they mentioned how they would modify the probe so that it returned something that wouldn't become a clue and cause them to start the hunt again. It was the mysterious M class planet that started the entire investigation.

I have always wondered about the time differential between the ship and Starfleet. Wouldn't they all be wondering why Data is saying they were only out for 30 seconds yet Starfleet time is two days ahead? Seems like a major problem with the story.

I agree. There's just too many problems with the story.

[Ghrakh]

hmm, well, maybe on the second go-around, Data prepared a better fake image and readings for the probe in advance, one that wouldn't raise suspicions. The alien's biochemical stasis thing (I assume it was a blanket "knockout" system of some kind) turned into a dues ex machina in that it could also remove select memories, and apparently, also remove the effects on Deanna of being taken over. Yet, wouldn't it have stopped Crusher's plants from growing? Was Spot knocked out?

But all that aside, I think this overall was a good episode, because it really centered around the question of the ironclad trust everyone has in Data, and it was unsettling to see him act this way.

[Snaploud]

eepruls wrote:

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I have always wondered about the time differential between the ship and Starfleet. Wouldn't they all be wondering why Data is saying they were only out for 30 seconds yet Starfleet time is two days ahead? Seems like a major problem with the story.

That was explained with the wormhole time distortion explanation. Regardless, I think all these nit-picks are explained very well in the episode, and they even leave an opening (as pointed out) for Picard to purposely not investigate due to a vague remembrance (should we choose to interpret it that way).

[J. Allen]

Snaploud wrote:

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That was explained with the wormhole time distortion explanation. Regardless, I think all these nit-picks are explained very well in the episode, and they even leave an opening (as pointed out) for Picard to purposely not investigate due to a vague remembrance (should we choose to interpret it that way).

Yeah, I still think at the end there is this inference that Picard has this vague feeling of "don't pursue this", and so he doesn't.

[Snaploud]

I also think the critics are focused way too much on the idea that the evidence couldn't be fixed. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter if it was going to work (something very much debatable). This was Picard's only shot at getting the Enterprise safely home, so he had to take the chance. He may have even purposely had Beverly keep some of his memories in order to make sure their second go-around would work.

[Alrik]

^
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Agreed. If not, why else would he have issued a hazard advisory the second time around? His memories of the past two days may have been wiped, but he was left with something.