Data this and Data that

[Qonundrum]

In rewatching seasons 1 and 2 (again), I really started to warm up to influence of Questor on the Data character and to the point I'm not merely appreciating or tolerating it, but enjoying it more than how Data would be used in season 3. In underdog episodes such as

• Elementary, Dear Data
• Pen Pals
• The Royale
• Unnatural Selection (since Data has biochemical blop (thank you "The Naked Now") he could be affected, but as he also admits he is cognizant and reflective of others as he posits concern to Dr Pulaski's health, thus demonstrating sentience...)

even

• "The Outrageous Okona" (which for all its problems actually tries and gets the Data subplot right, if nothing else...)

Data learning a bit more* about humanity always had some deftness to it that I didn't always pick up on. Damn emotions keeping me looking at other things, I simply hate emotions...

* sorry for the pun

Season 3-onward shows him as being completely emotionless and reminding everyone he's an android, and not always for any needed reason except to pad out the script or save on crafting new dialogue (often to the same end as script padding). They did keep the "sentience" running them going, even to its detriment at times (but by season 6 the barrel scrapin' had begun anyway)...

...that and later seasons ditched the biochemical stuff too. Though it's easier to understand why for that as having to see Data get a fluid exchange every few years because the algae glop running through his liquid-cooled subsystem that doubles as a backup energy source is not one anyone'd necessarily want to see...)

...but for me, seasons 1 and 2 feel more authentic in exploring Data. (It also elevates meanings behind Lore's story to Data regarding his creation - which is downright creepy in more ways than one.)

So while I won't officially vote in the poll, my vote does go to choice #1.

 

[Orphalesion]

Who's Questor? Googling that brought nothing up that seemed relevant...

 

[Admiral Archer]

Who's Questor? Googling that brought nothing up that seemed relevant...

It's a reference to "The Questor Tapes". Questor was another Gene Roddenberry android character from another series he had planned, whom Data was supposedly based off or inspired by. According to Wikipedia, they only managed to make a made-for-TV movie of "The Questor Tapes" in 1974, but Trek Alumni Gene Coon apparently was on the project with Roddenberry, and D.C. Fontana wrote the novelization.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I disagree with that assessment of Data.

Maybe he reminded people of his emotionlessness more in those seasons, but he was in more situations that tested the fringes of his emotional behavior. Those seasons showed us that while Data can not experience emotions directly, he develops emotional attachments and behaviors in his own way and exceed his programming. The Most Toys in particular but in many cases.

This isn't much different than how he's presented in Measure of a Man or Peak Performance either, so I'm not sure what you're referring to. I guess he played his mannerisms a little more for comic impact than his more deadpan approach in the later seasons.

Also, in Okona they did a horrible job. They did an episode about Data learning humor but did it with jokes that were completely unfunny in a way the characters in the show reacted like they were hilarious.

 

[Arpy]

I would have liked a combo of the two but earlier Data was more intriguing for maybe being more cybernetically sophisticated.

 

[Mojochi]

I really don't have an issue with post-season 2 Data, apart from it being a tad tiresome hearing him remind everyone all the time, but no more than Worf's or Spock's constant character trait reminders, or Troi's sensing BS. It's a Star Trek trope for them all to do that, more than anything.

As for Data, I don't see it as a step back in character development, so to speak. To me, it represents a new aspect, that fits within what I call the "read between the lines" character dynamics of the later seasons. Just like Worf is always going on about honor, whilst simultaneously doing irreparable disservice to his own child, or Riker being lamented as heroic, while hiding some pretty dark history, that's the methods of the later seasons.

So too is Data a character in contradiction, one who goes on about his emotionlessness, while, to some degree, being personally blinded to his own nature. He uses contractions plenty, but thinks he can't. He had no clue he's even been designed to have a dream program, & is at times oblivious to his own emotional presence (& not so oblivious at times, like the nervous finger tapping in Data's Day)

Point being, read between the lines. Not everything they say is to be taken at face value IMHO, even though there might be a predilection to the contrary. I still see Data as the same Data, just in a bit more denial about himself.

As has been said, there's far better exploration of his character in episodes like The Most Toys, where at the end, he almost seems to be using his emotional detachment as a social weapon to further punish Fajo, in having being defeated by someone who doesn't even seem to care. That's not just emotionless IMHO. We're meant to read more from that.

He probably sends Kila Marr to the funny farm after he shuts her down with that same weapon. Could it be that Data made a choice to deliberately be more android-like because "playing to the stereotype" made his interactions easier to navigate? For a character who represents racism, that would be an interesting thing to add IMHO.