By Owen Quinn Photos copyright Paramount Pictures
A lot has been made and written about how the adults of the starship Enterpise D became dumb when the story demanded it. This happened a lot when Wesley was involved, not the fault of the actors, especially Wil Wheaton, but the writing.
Roddenberry saw Next Generation as a literal continuation of the Kirk era, right down to the rock sets and stories like Code of Honour and Justice, which was pretty risque.
In the battle, no one even thinks that the captain’s sudden illness is connected to the arrival of the Ferengi with his old ship, the Stargazer in tow. Datalore is a prime example of dumbing down Picard to the point, it makes him look stupid. Season one and two were certainly finding their feet, with conflicting voices pulling in different directions behind the scenes and it showed. I sometimes wonder, did the actors ever stop and point this out to the producers? You want your character to shine but do you speak or risk being being seen as a nuisance on a new show?’
Indeed, I know Martin Landau who played John Koenig on Space 1999 was very vocal in the filming of the second season. Many of the scripts left a lot to be desired and he certainly let Freiberger know it.
For some reason, Datalkore stands out for me as the worst example of Picard being dumbed down for the sake of the story. Not that Riker is too far behind him, but in the episode, the Enterprise stops at Data’s homeworld. He was found lying out in the open and all the colonists had vanished. Inside an underground bunker, they find another android, an exact duplicate of Data.
Riker says, “How many more datas are there?”
Geordi repleis, “Looks like just these two. I mean, that and the real Data.”
Data asks, “Commander, can this be another me or possibly my brother?”
This is important because it only makes what is to come that more obvious. So we have three senior officers state the found android is Data’s exact double, his twin.
In the staff meeting, Picard states that if Data’s duplicate functions , it may answer a lot of questions. Note the word duplicate. An exact copy. The meaning of duplicate is “exactly like something else; especially through being copied. having corresponding or identical parts.”
When the android, whom we learn is called Lore, is assembled, Riker states
“It certainly is a good match for Data, sir.”
Picard replies. “You think so? Really?”
This has always stuck in my head for some reason. Were the writers thinking ‘let’s put a line in where someone disagrees with the rest of the cast who have said it is a double of Data’. It wasn’t necessary and did nothing for the character. It is plainly Data’s twin. I know they are always looking to give characters nuances so we get different reactions but this is a clunker. This is on par when Riker goes with an outspoken Wesley and Lore (pretending to be Data) to check on the supposedly incapacitated Lore.
Lore fools Riker and says himself, “And you want to be as stupid as them, dear brother?”
Riker reports that he saw Lore, lying unconscious, becoming violent when it sensed Wesley and Riker being there. That is so not what happened. And when the crystalline entity turns up, Lore reveals he can speak to it. Still believing that he is talking to Data, Picard is aghast that Data has not revealed this to him as his captain. When the entity backs off, Geordi says, “Now that is what I call communicating”. What the hell does that mean? Add to that Picard is taken aback when Data does not understand the order, ‘make it so’.
Throwing Wesley and Beverley off the bridge also demeans Picard here. If you think about it, it demeans the entire crew. When Wesly stands up and calls them out for not believing him, not one person stands up for him. Nor does it dawn on anyone that Lore switching with Data is a possibility. Alright, Picard tells Tasha to send security to keep an eye on “Data” but it isn’t enough.
When they dumb everyone down like this, it’s cringe worthy and Wesley being the only one that sees Lore for what he is, is badly handled by the writers too. It’s easy to blame the actor on this but wrong. If someone asks you to make an omelette and hands you a tin of beans and celery stick, what you going to do?
I recall the final line of the episode from Riker.
“I only wish we were all as well balanced, sir.”
If only the writing was more balanced and made sense.
I know we are only in the first season and compared to the delights which we get over the next seven years, Datalore serves as a case study of sacrificng character and their integrity for the sake of poor writing. This does not show a respect for the audience but indicates the notion that the Trekkies will love anything they put out. While Datalore has some good moments, it fails on so many other levels.
Thank God, better was yet to come.
To see how it is Picard’s fault that Lore returned to threaten the Federation, click on the article below.
The Time Warriors and Beyond 