The Measure of a Man

[JonnyQuest037]

Well, you & Christopher are both big TMP fans, so I can see you two having similiar tastes in Trek stories.

 

[Boxyno1]

There could have been a simple solution behind this idea of Data not learning much about humanity before his assignment to the Enterprise, and that would be to suggest that he maybe could have come straight out of the academy and assigned to the Enterprise. I do not see the need for him to have a 20 year career before the Enterprise as it is both confusing to his character's early season's behaviour, and serves little purpose anyway, apart from his rank.

Sure this would mean him being an ensign, but various early episodes could have demonstrated his superhuman potential, and certain acts could have led him to rise up through the ranks, and by Season 7 he could have made Lieutenant Commander.

Just some thoughts

 

[sonak]

That's actually a really good idea, and as you said, would have been more consistent and made more sense character-wise. I don't think it would have made much of a difference story-wise if he were an Ensign or a Lt. J.G. early in the series.

 

[Warped9]

So he's an Ensign. that still doesn't wash because he'd still be having human interaction for twenty some years before getting to the Enterprise. He would definately have learned something along the way.

 

[Boxyno1]

So he's an Ensign. that still doesn't wash because he'd still be having human interaction for twenty some years before getting to the Enterprise. He would definately have learned something along the way.

Why would he?

He'll go through 3 years of Starfleet Academy and then he gets assigned to the Enterprise as his first posting

Why does it have to be 20 years? It could be just 5 years, two years of living with Dr Soong before the Crystaline Entity attacks, hell it could just be 4 years

 

[MikeH92467]

The original backstory of Data being in Starfleet for 20 years never did make much sense. If they had made him an Ensign that would have led to fewer continuity blips. That said, it's really on repeat viewing and further consideration (for me) that any real problems arise with the episode. The premise that an ambitious, but misguided expert might ask for reconsideration of the sentience question in hopes of getting his hot little hands on Data works well enough for the first viewing, which after all is the point of a weekly series.