The Star Trek in-joke it took me 30 years to get

[JonnyQuest037]

Placed in General Trek because this touches on both TNG and TOS.

In "Unification, Part 2," Picard, Data, and Spock are being held captive in a room by Sela. Fortunately, they devise a way to get out pretty quickly:

SPOCK: Commander Data, are they still unaware that we have access to their computers?
DATA: I believe so, Ambassador.
SPOCK: Then perhaps you and I can find a way to create a diversion.

So Spock and Data create a hologram version of Riker and two security guards as a distraction. Then, we have this humorous bit of dialogue with Picard and Data:

PICARD: Well done, Mister Data. Though I don't think you got Commander Riker's hair quite right.
DATA: I will be more observant in the future, sir.

And sure enough, Holo-Riker's hair is parted on the side, with a forelock out of place and hanging down slightly. It's honestly is a bit out of character for Data to make a mistake like that, but ah, what the heck, it was a cute bit.

Watching "Unification, Part 2" on H&I last night, it suddenly struck me where I'd seen that hairstyle before...

https://twitter.com/TrumbullComic/status/1404618095214350337​

...And then it all became clear. It wasn't Data that gave Holo-Riker that hairstyle, it was SPOCK! Our favorite Vulcan was obviously thinking about an old friend who practiced "cowboy diplomacy" as a matter of course and gave Holo-Riker the TOS Kirk hairstyle as a tribute. And now I have a new addition to my headcanon.

 

[NCC-73515]

That's funny XD
I always hated that part because it makes no sense for Data to make such mistakes, and there was no need to do it at all. But if it was Spock... what the hell, it's fine XD