Plot Synopsis: Data helps the only survivor of a wrecked ship, a young boy, cope with the loss of his parents. Meanwhile, the crew investigates the cause of the wreck.
Plot A and B Analysis: The somewhat lengthy teaser sets up a fine mystery. Starfleet has lost contact with the Vico, a ship investigating a black cluster. The Vico‘s whole front half is ripped apart and an away team finds one survivor: a 12- or 13-yr old boy named Timothy. Plot A is about how the boy adjusts to what happens, plot B is about the mystery of the Vico. They’re so closely intertwined this could easily be considered one plot. After Data rescues him, the kid tells a story about some invaders that boarded the ship and killed everyone. The ship’s computer is shot, no help there. As the crew investigates, however, they discover inconsistencies in Timothy’s story. Deanna notices his attachment to Data and assigns him to be with Timothy to help him through this difficult time. After five minutes with him Timothy decides he’s now an android too, and he and Data become android buddies! Their scenes together are the most enjoyable part of the episode. Meanwhile, the Enterprise begins feeling disturbances from gravitational waves inside the cluster which gradually increase and begin to endanger the ship. When Picard, Troi and Data confront Timothy we learn a bit more, and Data is able to use Timothy’s memories to save the Enterprise. Overall this episode holds together and is interesting and very watchable throughout.
Favorite Scenes: There are multiple moments that are funny or touching between Data and Timothy. When Data first sees a model temple Timothy is building and he asks what Data thinks, he tells the kid how much his work sucks. Later, when Timothy follows him into the corridor and Data gets in the turbo lift, Timothy waves at him and Data waves back. Data tries to comb Timothy’s hair, but he imitates Data’s head movements so much that it’s distracting, and when he finds out about it moves his own head in almost the same way. They both thank Dr. Crusher in unison when she finishes examining him. Timothy yawns, so Data tries to imitate it. Later they sip drinks together, which also involves a meaningful discussion. The most tense moment is the climax, when the Enterprise is about to be destroyed from a gravity wave in spite of increasing their shields as much as possible. Data asks the captain to drop their shields, which Riker thinks is “suicide,” but Data simply steps up from the back of the bridge and says to Picard, “Captain–drop the shields.”
Use of Cast/Characters: Picard is simply the captain in this episode. His main role is to do what Troi recommends, then do what Data says during the climax and to save the ship. We do get some character development about Geordi: we learn he was caught in a fire at age 5, his parents not able to find him for a few minutes. Brent Spiner does his usual excellent job at subtle acting here. The audience is reminded why we love Data so much as we see him work with the boy. Some of his reactions show us how far he has come as a character, such as switching gears and complimenting Timothy on something he had just emotionally demolished him on a moment ago–he wouldn’t have done that back in season one. Beverly, Riker and Worf get the least from this episode. While this is a “Data episode”, it’s almost a Troi episode also. She gives what the audience readily accepts is some good advice in this situation: let him go through the process, spend time with his hero, let Data share with the boy his desire to become more human. She correctly interprets what’s happening, spends some quality time with the boy herself, and guides everyone along. It’s cool. Joshua Harris plays Timothy and does a pretty good job for a child actor.
Blu Ray Version: The dark interior of the Vico is much clearer, and the exterior shots of the damaged ship look great. Pause at 22:11. If you look really close you can see the label on Timothy’s door reads “Guest Accomodations.” I guess folks in the 24th century can’t spell either! It’s easy to miss, but if you pause at 31:38 you’ll notice a 20th century power cord hanging from the desk console in the background, right before the cut back to Data.
Nitpicks: The only nitpick I have is a technical one and it’s aimed at Patrick Stewart’s direction, or whoever the editor was. In the 41st minute when Data orders Picard to drop the shields, there is at least one too many cuts between this directive and Picard’s response. We cut from Data to Picard, back to Data, back to Picard, to the gravity wave, then back to Picard before he says ‘make it so.’ It just feels too long before Picard gives the order and the audience in my opinion is thinking he should have acted a little sooner, either deciding to trust Data or not trust him. It’s a split second decision that seems like it took too many seconds. I’d take out the cut to the gravity wave. Okay, there’s one more. Phasers and disruptors might not work in a battle, but wouldn’t torpedoes?
Overall Impression: This episode is actually better than I remember. It’s wonderful to see Data, who is childlike himself in some ways, relating to a child. I like the idea that an android’s presence could be restful and healing to someone in pain, and Brent gives a wonderful performance. It’s also nice to see Deanna in her role as ship’s counselor as well. It’s stories like these that humanize the crew of the Enterprise. They’re not just a bunch of explorers, or scientists, or soldiers fighting the forces of evil. They are family. Wouldn’t you like to be in a place where people work together to take care of each other the way these folks do? I don’t even mind the required ‘danger to the ship’ in this episode, it works well in the context. Pretty much everything works well here. I rate this episode 4 out of 5 stars.
Behind the Scenes/Trivia: Patrick Stewart directed this episode, his second. It’s coincidentally also a Data episode. Data is heavily involved in the next episode he directs, A Fistful of Datas. I do like the subtle parallel between Data and Timothy’s father: both second officers of a starship. Nowhere does the episode state how old Timothy is, but the actor was born in 1978 and this episode was shot in 1991, so I erred a little on the conservative side. In Star Trek a ‘black cluster’ forms when several protostars collapse in proximity with each other. In actual astronomy this term does not exist. If you’re wondering, yes, the term enantiodromia is an actual psychological term. It’s not exactly used accurately here, nor is it one that any trauma therapist (of which I am one) would ever use, unless they were a strict Jungian. It was during the shooting of this episode, on the sixth day of filming, that the cast learned of the death of Gene Roddenberry. Data is actually “painting” one of Dan Curry’s paintings, the visual effects supervisor. This is the second time the Breen are mentioned, but we won’t actually meet any Breen until the DS9 episode Indiscretion.
Missable/Unmissable? This is not a top tier season five episode like Darmok or The Inner Light, but it’s a good one. Missable, but my recommendation is to watch it unless you only like action and explosions. My recommendation for the next episode is to skip it entirely.