"Fistful of Data's" is just not a good episode!

[Jayson1]

I watched it today and it still has the same problems it always does when I watch it. Extra's and production values were needed big time when it comes to the Western Town. It looked like a ghost town with so few people in it. It has Alexander in it and that almost never works. It's a western were nobody dies and to make it worst Worf is made to look weak when he won't shoot the bad guy because he son is watching. Feels like a Halmark moment instead of something a Klingon would do. Plus it chickens out and once again gives in to homophobia when the bar maid who now looks like Data doesn't Kiss him in the end, but just rests her head next to him.

I will say I did like Data using western slang in the ship scenes and I like little stuff like Picard not being able to play his flute in the teaser without people coming in or the scene with Data and LaForge were Geordi says something like "I don't see you as just a machine" and Data says "Thank You, I don't see you as just another biological organism."

Jason

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Oh look, it's the douchey CAG from the Battlestar Pegasus as the bad guy!

 

[somebuddyX]

John Pyper-Ferguson! Nice, I thought he was pretty solid in Alphas.
A Fistful of Datas is fine. It's not homophobic if Worf doesn't want to kiss Data or someone looking like Data.

 

[Jayson1]

John Pyper-Ferguson! Nice, I thought he was pretty solid in Alphas.
A Fistful of Datas is fine. It's not homophobic if Worf doesn't want to kiss Data or someone looking like Data.

The Homophobia is more about the Data/Woman not wanting to kiss him. Worf's reaction felt pretty much in character for me.

Jason

 

[John Clark]

John Pyper-Ferguson! Nice, I thought he was pretty solid in Alphas.
.

Agreed. He also portrayed my favourite character on The Last Ship.

 

[Bagofmostlywatr]

I like it, it's a good, fun, episode. Also benefits from being one of the few where Troi actually gets to do something other than play the victim.

 

[Tenacity]

Get a little back story on Troi and her father, it's easy to forget sometimes that she is half Human.

An enjoyable lite episode, Picard isn't overpowering almost every scene.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Best line in the whole episode is with Deanna going all badass:

"I suggest y'all find another line of work..."

 

[Amaris]

I enjoy it, mainly because of Troi. She really gets into the character of Durango, and I think it works.

 

[Tosk]

It's not great, but it is fun. And sometimes that's all I need.

 

[Mojochi]

Brent Spiner can ACT! No really... LOOK! He's doing it right now, by playing multiple stereotypes, just in case you were wondering if all he could do was play an emotionless android. NOT TRUE. He has many other unimpressive things he can do, like sound creepy or mock Southern accents

God, I hate wasting an entire episode trying to prove Spiner can do more than be lifeless. It's the same reason I can barely tolerate Masks. At least in Brothers, there's some context, & backstory etc...

 

[Tosk]

Ugh, why'd you have to mention Masks?

 

[Jayson1]

I think I forgot to mention the main reason I dislike the episode and that is that is a holodeck episode. The worst kind were the holodeck is used as a excuse for everyone to dress up in period clothes. Not to mention the holodeck breaks down and the safety protections once again also break down. Also it's has a very underated cliche in Trek I get tired of and that is people loosing communication. Usually it's because of strange tech particles in the atmosphere of a planet and i'm not even sure how it went down in this episode, where they are still on the ship

Jason

 

[Herbert]

I like the weirdness of Masks. Fistful of Datas has never been a favorite episode. I think I may have watched it once or twice at most. However, I should check it out again to see if my opinion has changed.

 

[DonIago]

I find it a fun, mostly harmless episode. Not in the top 10, probably not in the top 20, but a heck of a lot better than many other episodes.

 

[TV's Frank]

The Homophobia is more about the Data/Woman not wanting to kiss him. Worf's reaction felt pretty much in character for me.

Jason

I don't think there is any homophobia in that moment at all - it was a creative choice either made by the writers, Spiner as actor or Patrick Stewart as actor... I seriously doubt any of them made the decision because they were homophobic. Would you really characterize them as such in real life?

 

[Paradise City]

There's no "homophobia" in that episode, let's not get silly now. Fistful is a good, lite episode. And Spiner can act well; he's good when he plays Soong. And I enjoyed Masks. I have no issue with that episode. Good episodes.

 

[Jayson1]

I don't think there is any homophobia in that moment at all - it was a creative choice either made by the writers, Spiner as actor or Patrick Stewart as actor... I seriously doubt any of them made the decision because they were homophobic. Would you really characterize them as such in real life?

I doubt the writers and the actors would be homophobic. The people above them I am not so certain. Considering that gay people's very existence hadn't even been established in a franchise that goes back to the 60's says something. Also TNG was treated as family friendly entertainment and a gay kiss or even a gay person is something I imagine they felt like it would just anger it's more conservative viewers so instead of having a backbone they caved, like most tv did back then.

Remember Troi's foot massage from season 3 was enough to get angry letters from fans. A kiss in 1993 would most likely have gone down in history favorable compared to Kirk kissing Uhura. It might have even been the first but i'm not sure. I know "Rosseane" did a episode were Rosseane got kissed by a woman but not sure what year that was or if their were other gay kisses before that.

Jason

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Homophobia is more about the Data/Woman not wanting to kiss him.

Not wanting to kiss somebody != homophobia

 

[Jayson1]

Not wanting to kiss somebody != homophobia

I mentioned above it wasn't Worf's reaction that was the issue but the bar maid not going in for a kiss that felt off to me. The whole point of the scene is to make Worf feel uncomfortable because it's basically Data in drag wanting to kiss him and the program won't end until the Bar maid gets to be with Worf/the hero of the story.

The natural way to end that it seems would be with her finally getting the kiss from the hero who she has been sort of pursing the whole story. It's no different than how kissing has been used in countless love stories to show the couple have found love with each other. When the story ends without a kiss it feels false, and not how that kind of story would have really ended. Not to mention it's simply more funnier with Worf having to kiss Data in drag at the end.

Jason