I recently began to re-watch TNG. I've found myself enjoying the "data moments" and was wondering if anyone could point me towards some more. Two of my favorites so far are Data's Sherlock Holmes in The Lonely Among Us and the dinner scene in Haven ("please resume the petty bickering").
Data Moments
- Thread starter Farrens
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His interactions with Q in "Deja Q" are brilliant. His dead pan reactions to all of Q's whining are some of the funniest and most endearing stuff he's done on the show. It starts off simply comedic with him basically having to 'babysit' and act as a mediator with Q while everyone is pissed off at and suspicious of him.
Then, it then turns into a rather poignant story when Data gets himself hurt in Q's defense and teaches him something about selflessness. Him repeating Q's description of the crew as "little trained minions" and the look on his face as he's trying to deny that he's sticking up for Q when Troi says, "it appears you have an advocate, Q" crack me up. This all leads to that wonderful classic moment at the end where he cracks up, thanks to Q's 'gift'.
Then, it then turns into a rather poignant story when Data gets himself hurt in Q's defense and teaches him something about selflessness. Him repeating Q's description of the crew as "little trained minions" and the look on his face as he's trying to deny that he's sticking up for Q when Troi says, "it appears you have an advocate, Q" crack me up. This all leads to that wonderful classic moment at the end where he cracks up, thanks to Q's 'gift'.
^ For the win.
For amusing Data moments, I always liked "The Royale" and "Outrageous Okona." "Offspring" is a brilliant and emotional Data episode. "The Most Toys" is riveting. "Birthright, Part I" is deeply profound. But I think "Deja Q" just might be, overall, the best.
For amusing Data moments, I always liked "The Royale" and "Outrageous Okona." "Offspring" is a brilliant and emotional Data episode. "The Most Toys" is riveting. "Birthright, Part I" is deeply profound. But I think "Deja Q" just might be, overall, the best.
OMG. A Data appreciation thread! I love Brent Spiner as Data and Lore. There are so many wonderful eps and moments with Data.
Some of my favorite are The Royale ("Baby needs a new pair of shoes"
Datalore, The Offspring, Brothers, Data's Day, In Theory, Silicon Avatar, Cause and Effect, A Fistful of Datas, and Starship Mine (Data has some very funny scenes in that one).
Some of my favorite are The Royale ("Baby needs a new pair of shoes"
Datalore, The Offspring, Brothers, Data's Day, In Theory, Silicon Avatar, Cause and Effect, A Fistful of Datas, and Starship Mine (Data has some very funny scenes in that one).
Oh I had forgotten about Starship Mine! "How long can two people talk about nothing?" Was a great episode.
Yeah, Data and the host guy basically have a 'bullshitting'/trivial small talk version of a dance-off there. Delightfully cornball. 
It is easy to forget Data's fun stuff due to all the wonderful Picard action going on in that one. But yeah, Data working on perfecting his small talk program...what a hoot!
Starship Mine is definitely on my list of favorite TNG episodes. Its got so much goodly goodness!
Starship Mine is definitely on my list of favorite TNG episodes. Its got so much goodly goodness!
Two words:
Data's Beard.
Data's Beard.
When he leans over in Naked Now. I know it's coming but the way Brent Spiner does it still gets to me!
I like the end of Gambit part two when he insists on taking Riker to the brig.
There is a nice moment at the end of Tin Man with him and Deanna Troi remembering Tam Elbrum, and another nice moment at the end of The Measure of a Man with him and Riker.
The saucer crash in Generations when he wraps his arms around Troi.
The end of The Offspring when he comes back to the bridge and takes up his station as if nothing has happened.
There is a nice moment at the end of Tin Man with him and Deanna Troi remembering Tam Elbrum, and another nice moment at the end of The Measure of a Man with him and Riker.
The saucer crash in Generations when he wraps his arms around Troi.
The end of The Offspring when he comes back to the bridge and takes up his station as if nothing has happened.
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Yeah, Deja Q is just a wonderful combination of actors & characters with Spiner & DeLance. Starship Mine has a jewel in it to with that small talk scene, for sure. I'm sentimental. I thought Data & Spock had some memorable exchanges in Unification.
I'm not sure how other people feel about it, but "In Theory" is a pretty brilliant character study for him. He is also one of the more enjoyable parts of Time's Arrow
Honestly though, nothing amazes me more, with that character, than when he shows his truly emotionless nature, to its fullest effect. The two examples which stand out are how he manages to slam the ice door, on his abductor, at the end of The Most Toys, by essentially telling the guy that he had no feelings at all, about everything he valued being taken away from him
But nothing, I mean nothing, will ever be as icy cold as when he shut down that crazy lady at the end of Silicon Avatar. After how that lady had projected all her feelings about her son onto Data, what he said to her would probably have driven her insane, or made her suicidal, & he did it with all the coldness of it being any other equation he might have to consider
They were pretty careful about how often they had him do something like that, but boy they were great both times. lol though I suppose buring down the community's aquaduct, in "Ensigns of Command" could've seem rather cold to, but not really
I'm not sure how other people feel about it, but "In Theory" is a pretty brilliant character study for him. He is also one of the more enjoyable parts of Time's Arrow
Honestly though, nothing amazes me more, with that character, than when he shows his truly emotionless nature, to its fullest effect. The two examples which stand out are how he manages to slam the ice door, on his abductor, at the end of The Most Toys, by essentially telling the guy that he had no feelings at all, about everything he valued being taken away from him
But nothing, I mean nothing, will ever be as icy cold as when he shut down that crazy lady at the end of Silicon Avatar. After how that lady had projected all her feelings about her son onto Data, what he said to her would probably have driven her insane, or made her suicidal, & he did it with all the coldness of it being any other equation he might have to consider
They were pretty careful about how often they had him do something like that, but boy they were great both times. lol though I suppose buring down the community's aquaduct, in "Ensigns of Command" could've seem rather cold to, but not really
I am right there with you! In Theory is definitely Spiner/Data at his finest. That show/script/direction is at it's finest!
And yes! Silicon Avatar! Amazing!
Yeah, I find "Unification" to be pretty disappointing in its use of Spock overall, but I love that Spock and Data scene. I think Spock's conversation with Data was the best part of both episodes and the only part where the writers truly utilized Nimoy's presence in the best way possible. I love how they subtly, but naturally acknowledged how Spock and Data are similar, but different and endearing for some of the same reasons in that all-too-brief conversation.
And speaking of great moments where Data was cold, I love his interaction with the prejudiced-against-androids crewman in "Redemption, Part II". It really makes you wonder if Data is actually offended when the guy requests a transfer because he doesn't believe an android would make a good captain. I can't help but think Data must have taken at least a little pleasure in saying he understands why the man wants the transfer, before flatly stating, "request denied".
Even better is when the crewman bitches at Data for giving orders that put other crew members in jeopardy because he "doesn't give a damn about them" and Data very sternly orders "DO IT!". Way to assert yourself, Data!
It's so cool how Data proves wrong everyone who underestimates him in that episode...not just the crewman, but Sela as well, who stupidly assumes that the ship with "the android Captain" will be the weak link in the armada. She sure made the wrong call there. 
And speaking of great moments where Data was cold, I love his interaction with the prejudiced-against-androids crewman in "Redemption, Part II". It really makes you wonder if Data is actually offended when the guy requests a transfer because he doesn't believe an android would make a good captain. I can't help but think Data must have taken at least a little pleasure in saying he understands why the man wants the transfer, before flatly stating, "request denied".
Even better is when the crewman bitches at Data for giving orders that put other crew members in jeopardy because he "doesn't give a damn about them" and Data very sternly orders "DO IT!". Way to assert yourself, Data!
It's so cool how Data proves wrong everyone who underestimates him in that episode...not just the crewman, but Sela as well, who stupidly assumes that the ship with "the android Captain" will be the weak link in the armada. She sure made the wrong call there. 
I loved how Data handled himself in The Most Toys, especially how he finally pulled the trigger.
It was also hillarious how he pretended to be a statue when the bad guy tried showing him off. Very clever.
I was moved by Soong's death scene in Brothers. When Data said he couldn't grieve, and Soong tells him he will. To me, that seemed to indicate he had emotions all along.
It was also hillarious how he pretended to be a statue when the bad guy tried showing him off. Very clever.
I was moved by Soong's death scene in Brothers. When Data said he couldn't grieve, and Soong tells him he will. To me, that seemed to indicate he had emotions all along.
This makes me think of another thing about season one that I don't like. I'm a huge Data fan and love many of the episodes mentioned (his scene with Nimoy in Unification in particular), but something about him really grates on my nerves in much of that first season. I suppose they were just working the character out, or I could just be completely off the mark, but he even now tends to get on my nerves a lot in those early episodes.
^ I agree with you. I've been rewatching TNG and had skipped the first two seasons (b/c in general, in mho, they suck).... but i was going through the series too quickly. So i reluctantly popped in the first season. GAH! Now i remembered why i skipped it. In my opinion, the writing was awful and the characters were almost absurd. It makes me wonder how the show got past that particularly awful first season.
BUT, i do think they were shaking out the moths and working on the characters, filling them out more realistically, etc. And yep, Data was annoying (but i still think Troi was more so).
Once you get into the third season, Data pretty much shines in every episode.
Brent Spiner rocks.
BUT, i do think they were shaking out the moths and working on the characters, filling them out more realistically, etc. And yep, Data was annoying (but i still think Troi was more so).
Once you get into the third season, Data pretty much shines in every episode.
Brent Spiner rocks.
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