Spoilers for TNG S04E14 Clues
!The Enterprise encounters a planet inhabited by an isolationist species who uses a fake wormhole to knock people out so they can somehow mask their presence. OK, I'm with it so far.
This trap fails on Data who revives the crew and the aliens say they need to destroy the Enterprise to stop people finding out about them. Picard points out that if the Enterprise is destroyed Starfleet will come looking for them. Again, so far so good.
The aliens agree to let the crew live if they can wipe everyone's memory and order Data to never say what happened. This memory wipe takes 24 hours so they modify the computer records to make everyone think a day hasn't passed and they were actually out for 30 seconds. Then they do it again when the crew realises after finding some unforseen clues, so now at least 48 hours has passed. This is where it lost me.
I can understand them not realising straight away if they're in deep space and not communicating with Starfleet, but surely they're going to figure out their chronometer is 2 days off eventually and go back to try and figure out what went on?!<
The one where DoucheMcBurger tried to claim Data was starfleet's property and therefore he should be allowed to study his brain so they could make more datas, and Ryker just folded and prosecuted the case like, "hey, he's my friend, but I'm going to argue to get his brain fried because I'll lose my job."
also, in Voyager, there's the entire Year of Hell story arc that just annoys the hell out of me. Classic example of why time travel should be offlimits to any sci-fi writer or producer. (Exceptions exist, of course. Dr. Who... but then time travel is kinda the point there, and it never takes itself seriously.) it's just too much of a cop out to be like "Oh. we reset the timeline and it's all good." Same with that episode where the planet blew up from something and Janeway gets sucked into the past with Paris. (this is where the romance began, probably. and this shit leads to having salamanders for kids...)
(Trial and Tribulations in DS9 is the rare exception, mostly because it was just a gratuitous nod to one of the best TOS episodes ever.)
IIRC, Riker prosecutes Data because if he opts not to do so, they will not have the trial and Data will immediately become the property of Starfleet. He does not want to do it, but is told that if at any point he is thought to be half-assing his duty, they will end the trial and find for Starfleet.
I don't think they have much experience with races that were built by other races being considered sentient and have been accepted by the UFP, so I can understand a lack of precendent here.
And I would think that if Worf pulled off Riker's arm, hilarious though it may be, there would be little doubt about the point he was trying to make between the difference in a painful dismemberment and the disassembly of a toaster.
I would really like to see the exchange with worf ripping off one of Riker's arms animated in lower decks.
I don't know how military trials are usually held in modern navies (where Star Trek obviously take ispiration from) but arranging Piker vs Picard is not only an asshole move (for the two, not only for Data) but also a clear conflict of interests and there's no way the judge gets a fair representation of both sides.
Also, this episode has a very good theme, but onestly falls flat for a very simple reason: Data is already a starfleet member, he presumably applied to starfleet academy, graduated and got enrolled on a ship. He is part of a crew, has had promotions and is capable of taking command. Doesn't that mean he is already recognized as a sentient being? Or do they give ranks to computers as well?
Yeah that's always been my issue, if he's property why did he go to officer school and hold command positions on multiple ships? It's absurd.
The UFP (and starfleet would follow that,) would already have a test.... a guideline that could be followed to determine if [whatever species] qualified as 'sentient'. the prime directive would literally not work with out such a test. As for Data being built by someone... that's irrelevant. Also, there is some weak precedent in Data's commission as a starfleet officer.
This is why Worf should use a really sharp bat'leth. he won't even feel it. It's not Data's fault Ryker is of an inferior design, in any case.
you might be right about the pretext of why ryker did it. still a prick, though.
Remind me. I did a rewatch a few months ago, and did it slowly over the course of a few months. ....
Wasn't that the second time that datas sentience came into question?
it was the first, there was another episode in the third season with Lal.
Oh man.. Picard gets PISSED that Data had a child. Which felt entirely out of character to me.
To be fair, one of Picards first orders to Ryker is “I don’t like children and don’t let me be an ass”
The only child he doesn’t look at in disgust is Wesley. (Totally unrealistic, if we’re honest.)