What if Data...

[c0rnedfr0g]

... had become L.Q. "Sonny" Clemonds' sideman? He seemed to consider it for at least 0.68 seconds (nearly an eternity for an android).

from The Neutral Zone:
SONNY
(to Data)
What say, son -- you'd make a hell
of a sideman.

DATA
That offer does present a certain
fascination.

 

[Alrik]

Interesting question. Here's a couple of things to keep in mind.

Four episodes later in The Outrageous Okona, Data found out that the 'stage life' wasn't for him. So his time with Sonny would likely have been very short lived. More important though, The Measure of a Man didn't occure until 9 episodes later. With that in mind, would Star Fleet have taken the same stand in Data's resignation? If so, would Picard been as quick to stand up for his rights as an individual? It's one thing to stand up for him when is life is on the line, but it might have been looked at completely differently by Picard in helping to stop Data from making a unwise choice.

 

[zephramc]

I always wanted to find out what happened to the Wall Street tycoon. It would have been interesting to revisit the guy in a later TNG season or even DS9.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

A TNG spin-off:
The Country Singer and the Android

 

[WendellM]

Sonny would probably fall (further) off the wagon before too long and sell Data for a still and a used shuttlecraft. More seriously, I think that while traveling the galaxy in a variety show would expose him to some new things, Data was in the best place he could be aboard the Enterprise to learn about humanity and existence itself.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

A TNG spin-off:
The Country Singer and the Android

Do I smell a Peabody???

 

[LeadHead]

I always wanted to find out what happened to the Wall Street tycoon. It would have been interesting to revisit the guy in a later TNG season or even DS9.

I think there's some TNG novel that revisits him. Can't for the life of me remember the exact one though.

 

[Trekker4747]

A TNG spin-off:
The Country Singer and the Android

That would've made a great police action/drama.

 

[Myasishchev]

I always wanted to find out what happened to the Wall Street tycoon. It would have been interesting to revisit the guy in a later TNG season or even DS9.

I think there's some TNG novel that revisits him. Can't for the life of me remember the exact one though.

I forget the name, but he's an ambassador to Ferenginar iirc.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

A TNG spin-off:
The Country Singer and the Android

That would've made a great police action/drama.

Yeah, it would. I'd been thinking more of a drifter series like The Fugitive and The Magician where Data and Sonny blow into different towns, getting caught up helping some poor girl or family or whatever, and deal with their problems. But a police action/drama would be perfect too.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

A TNG spin-off:
The Country Singer and the Android

That would've made a great police action/drama.

Yeah, it would. I'd been thinking more of a drifter series like The Fugitive and The Magician where Data and Sonny blow into different towns, getting caught up helping some poor girl or family or whatever deal with their problems. But a police action/drama would be perfect too.

Sounds more like they're two members of a 24th Century A-Team.

Now, who're the other members....

 

[Trekker4747]

A TNG spin-off:
The Country Singer and the Android

That would've made a great police action/drama.

Yeah, it would. I'd been thinking more of a drifter series like The Fugitive and The Magician where Data and Sonny blow into different towns, getting caught up helping some poor girl or family or whatever deal with their problems.

Yeah that's more the lines I was thinking of. They travel the streets and roads of 24c America, a traveling country duo of music and problem solving.

And naturally it'd also have plenty of Data learning humanity under the unique totalage of Sonny.

 

[trekjiro]

I always wanted to find out what happened to the Wall Street tycoon. It would have been interesting to revisit the guy in a later TNG season or even DS9.

I looked this up.
The business guy was Ralph Offenhouse.
The lady was Clare Raymond.

This was the last episode of S1 'The Neutral Zone' if anyone forgot.
My guess is that Offenhouse would've fallen to some crooked business somewhere down the line. Maybe with the Ferrenghis. Sonny would probably fallen to his devices even more. The lady would probably adjust and grow the most overall with a new family on earth my guess.

 

[Rush Limborg]

This one Trek novel had Offenhouse as the Federation Ambassador to the Ferengi.

He had them eating out of his hand--and he also gained Picard's respect in the process!

Goes to show what happens when a bunch of wannabes encounter a REAL capitalist!

 

[zephramc]

Thanks for the info Rush, trekjiro, and LeadHead.

 

[ParticleMan]

This one Trek novel had Offenhouse as the Federation Ambassador to the Ferengi.

He had them eating out of his hand--and he also gained Picard's respect in the process!

Goes to show what happens when a bunch of wannabes encounter a REAL capitalist!

And in the Destiny books, he's referred to as "Secretary Offenhouse" by Fed President Bacco. Perhaps the UFP needs a Secretary of the Treasury/Commerce to deal with the Ferengi and other civilizations in spite of the Federation being a moneyless economy?

 

[Rush Limborg]

Thanks for the info Rush

No problem!

 

[Rush Limborg]

And in the Destiny books, he's referred to as "Secretary Offenhouse" by Fed President Bacco. Perhaps the UFP needs a Secretary of the Treasury/Commerce to deal with the Ferengi and other civilizations in spite of the Federation being a moneyless economy?

Well...the UFP does have "credits".

Not hard-cash "money", but it certainly is currency.

At any rate, I'd love to pick up more on ol' Ralph. His bickering with Picard aside, he was just plain COOL!

 

[Alrik]

And in the Destiny books, he's referred to as "Secretary Offenhouse" by Fed President Bacco. Perhaps the UFP needs a Secretary of the Treasury/Commerce to deal with the Ferengi and other civilizations in spite of the Federation being a moneyless economy?

Well...the UFP does have "credits".

Not hard-cash "money", but it certainly is currency.

At any rate, I'd love to pick up more on ol' Ralph. His bickering with Picard aside, he was just plain COOL!

I liked his character as well. One of the funniest parts of the Ep was when he was on the Comm Pannel with Picard:

"I am sick and tired of being put
off by you and your staff. This
is the worst run ship I have ever
been on. You could take some
lessons from the Q-E Two. Now
that's an efficient operation."

 

[Red Ranger]

And in the Destiny books, he's referred to as "Secretary Offenhouse" by Fed President Bacco. Perhaps the UFP needs a Secretary of the Treasury/Commerce to deal with the Ferengi and other civilizations in spite of the Federation being a moneyless economy?

Well...the UFP does have "credits".

Not hard-cash "money", but it certainly is currency.

At any rate, I'd love to pick up more on ol' Ralph. His bickering with Picard aside, he was just plain COOL!

I liked his character as well. One of the funniest parts of the Ep was when he was on the Comm Pannel with Picard:

"I am sick and tired of being put
off by you and your staff. This
is the worst run ship I have ever
been on. You could take some
lessons from the Q-E Two. Now
that's an efficient operation."

I love how pissed Picard gets when Data explains to him what the Q-E II was. "He's comparing the Enterprise to a cruise ship?" -- RR