142. The Measure of a ManFORMULA: Court-Martial + A Requiem for Methusalah + Where No One Has Gone Before (but it defies formula)
WHY WE LIKE IT: Great courtroom theatrics, coupled with some touching and tought-provoking scenes.
WHY WE DON'T: Can't come up with anything... How about Maddox's age? It doesn't really jibe with Data's timeline.
REVIEW: That's two in a row now, and I dare say this episode is better than the last. In fact, I think it rightfully has its place in TNG's top 10, the earliest episode to merit that position in my opinion. Data's sentience is addressed in a courtroom episode that transcends that genre and manages to touch me profoundly.
There are two big moment for me. One is when Riker goes up against Data and uses the Pinocchio metaphor he came up with back in Encounter at Farpoint, when he first took to the android, to nail the case shut. Not only is it great oratory, but the "what have I done" look on his face after that is priceless. Right after it, we get a scene between Picard and Guinan where she makes Picard see the truth behind the case: That treating Data like property is tantamount to signing off on slavery. The way she does this ("You're talking about slavery." "I think that's a little harsh.") is brilliant, and comes from just the right actress too. It has real weight and sends Picard into his own great oratory. (Face it, we don't know anything about 24th-century law, so oratory is what good tv lawyering is all about. Picard has always been great at this.) Anyway, I don't mind telling you those two scenes make me sob.
The episode also scores points by making Maddox somewhat sympathetic, and Data extremely gracious to both the cyberneticist and Riker. Captain Louvois is bit of an odd character, but I think the characterization is consistent even if her moods are not. She seems to be someone with a big mouth, who nonetheless has trouble with confrontation. She wants to be sassy and say what she thinks, but at the same time, regrets it when there are consequences to her words (I know the feeling well). I can definitely see how Picard developped a grudge against her, and that's well played too, since it seems undeserved. But life is like that. Nice touches throughout.
LESSON: Toasters are people too.
REWATCHABILITY - High: One of my all time favorites (in my personal top 3, I would imagine), it starts off with an interesting question about android sentience, and becomes so much more. Great work.
Comments