ALL SCI-FI

[Bogmeister]

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ELEMENTARY, DEAR DATA episode #3, s2 / Air Date: 12/5/88 written by Brian Alan Lane; Directed by Rob Bowman

_______ Star Trek STNG - Elementary, Dear Data


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This was the next holodeck-centered story (after The Big Goodbye in the 1st season).

This one suggests — subtly — the dangers of really advanced computer technology; remember The Ultimate Computer episode from TOS? Or, of course, the Terminator & Matrix film series?

It seems like the more advanced these computer programs get, the more dangerous it gets for humanity — even in the Trek universe. It's a bit strange to look at a TNG episode in which all the conflict and danger is centered around the holodeck, supposedly strictly an entertainment device, like a future version of a computer game. It's like — aren't there enough problems in outer space?

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What is a little goofy in this story is that La Forge, Dr. Pulaski and Data combine their trouble-making talents and cause the threat to the Enterprise! Since they have 3 days to wait for a rendevous with another starship, the Victory, they kill time playing Sherlock Holmes & Watson in the holodeck. Everything is too easy for Data, who has memorized all the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This frustrates La Forge.

Then big-mouth Pulaski chimes in, claiming that Data would fail if faced with a new unwritten challenge. La Forge ups the ante by asking the computer to create an adversary which could defeat Data. This results in the upgraded Moriarty holo-character (Daniel Davis), a program which becomes self aware.

It now comprehends the existence of the Enterprise and the 'outside' world. It captures Pulaski and even threatens the ship with some weird machine.



Daniel Davis is very good as the newly-enlightened "Moriarty program" and he returned in a sequel in the 6th season (Ship in a Bottle).

This episode again offers thoughts about artificial intelligence and different perspectives to reality. But the concepts here raise interesting questions without providing any answers. As mentioned, this hints at a dangerous aspect to the computer technology, but there are no discussions about creating more safeguards.

Someone like La Forge says one wrong thing to the computer and a holo-character gains control of the ship. Shouldn't there be talk of revamping the systems? And why, for that matter, would there be an option for the safety measures being 'off' anyway? Just asking for trouble is my outlook.

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Also, there is no conflict resolution to the intriguing story. Moriarty simply changes his mind about proceeding as he planned after a chat with Picard — very anti-climactic, an on-going problem with story structure on early TNG episodes. Still.

BoG's Score: 6 out of 10


BoG
Galaxy Overlord Galactus

[Bud Brewster]

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I enjoyed this episode when I first saw it, but I have to admit that Bogmeister's assessment of the problems with the story's execution are correct. Apparently screenwriter Brian Alan Lane was so fond of the concept that he didn't want to address the fact that it made the safeguards on the computer look ineffective!

Mr. Lane might have considered the idea of explaining the danger which the computer created as being the fault of glitches in a recent upgrade. But that would have probably been too ambitious for the audience in 1988. PCs were only about a decade old, so most of the public was that familiar with the intricacies of computer software.

But Bogmeister's was right about the episode leaving a lot of unanswered questions. The strength of the story lies in it's characters, and they carry the story pretty well.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

In the original version, Picard figured out that if Moriarty could affect the Enterprise, then that meant that he was now real, and he could walk out of the holodeck whenever he wanted. The idea of the master of crime running loose in the universe scared Picard half to death. His solution was to lie to Moriarty, and trick him into going into storage.

Gene Roddenberry nixed this ending, as it didn't fit his socialist utopia vision of the future. He said that Star Fleet Officers NEVER lie under any circumstances. They are better than that and will deal with any consequences.

This was one of his many edicts that caused writers to flee the show.

David.

[Bud Brewster]

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The ship's computer could become sentient and provided Moriarty with the ability to think like a human being. But a holodeck character is limited to the confines of holodeck because of the holo-emitters which create it.

So, the idea that Moriarty's body could become real and leave the holodeck is impossible . . . unless the holodeck somehow managed to do what the replicators did, and it manufactured a solid, self-sustaining body for him.

I supposed that would explain it.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

Trivia for Elementary, Dear Data December 05,1988 }

The impressive Victorian London set was constructed on Stage 16 in three days. Workers worked around the clock to build the street, 2 alleys, warehouse, wharf side, Moriarty's lair.

The estate of author Arthur Conan Doyle contacted Paramount Studios informing them that the estate would require a usage fee for the character of Sherlock Holmes should the series ever use the famous detective again on an episode.

Daniel Davis was a wonderful guest star on this episode.

Yes, their are unanswered questions and the resolution is unsatisfying in spite of the awesome sets and fine performances.

This was an intriguing premise about the Holodeck and A.I. awareness.

Unfortunately ST:TNG would shovel out more episodes of the Holodeck run amok so that it became an ongoing joke.

It's a wonder Star Fleet Command didn't shut the Holodecks down until its numerous bugs were worked out.

[Krel]

[Bud Brewster]

[Gord Green]

Most of the holodeck episodes seemed to be a chance to get away from the cosmic-space crisis of the week and tell a more character driven internal story.

That being said I enjoyed most of them. The Dixon Hill stories got to be a bit noirish and the Sherlock Holmes ones were just fun to watch.

The ONE series I enjoyed the most though were the CAPTAIN PROTON stories from ST:VOY!

From Memory Alpha Wiki :

"Captain Proton, Spaceman First Class, Protector of Earth, Scourge of Intergalactic Evil, at your service!"



Captain Proton was the protagonist of the holographic novel The Adventures of Captain Proton, a story created by USS Voyager crewmember Tom Paris.



In the story, Proton has a sidekick Buster Kincaid, played by Harry Kim on a number of occasions, and a secretary, Constance Goodheart.





He fought against the "evil forces" of Doctor Chaotica and Queen Arachnia.





The program was built to look like 1930s science fiction B-movie serials.











During this program, the holoprojectors would display in black and white. Real people and objects entering the holodeck would also appear in monochrome.




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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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I was not really very impressed by the Dixon Hill holodeck episodes. Rather than just let Picard enjoy his P.I. fantasy and actually solve his fictional case, the writers chose to make it yet another "holodeck malfunction" story.



If the idea of an entire episode about Picard as the P.I. seems too far removed from a Star Trek story, perhaps the episode could start with Picard wrestling with a dilemma connected with the ship's current mission, and he decides to get his mind off the problem for a while by enjoying some holodeck time.

At the end, when he succeeds in solving a case as Dixon Hill, he leaves the holodeck feeling refreshed and more confident. Then he solves the problem concerning the mission by using something he learned while pretending to be Dixon Hill.


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)