TNG: “Elementary, Dear Data”

Date: March 11, 2020

Season 2, Episode 3

Setting the Stage: I watched this episode via DVD, because there was a weird thing happening with Netflix. I was surrounded by a dear friend, who had not watched this episode in several years, and two cats who were very affectionate. I wanted to note that it was also pointed out I spelled “Pulaski” incorrectly in the last post – I will endeavor to do better in the future. I actually watched three episodes today, but I’m super exhausted and only have it in me to write about this one.

On the coronavirus front, NC State has extended Spring Break by a week and plans to move toward online classes after that. Thankfully I have contingency plans for my contingency plans and my students will continue to get their education whether they want it or not. Sorry Fred!

Favorite Quote:

Moriarty: Then perhaps we’ll meet again some day, Madam.

Pulaski: It could be a long time. Time won’t pass for you, but I may be an old woman.

Moriarty: But I’ll still fill you with crumpets, Madam. I detest long goodbyes. You have the arch.

Moriarity being the perfect gentleman, or was he?

The Enterprise arrives early for a rendezvous so they are basically in a holding pattern for the next three days. La Forge takes Data to the holodeck because he wants to play Holmes and Watson where Data plays the former and La Forge plays the latter. On the first run through of the program Data speeds through to the end and takes all the fun out of it. As La Forge laments at the bar Pulaski buds in and claims Data couldn’t deduce a unique problem if it bit him in his android ass, so Data takes on the challenge. Pulaski, La Forge, and Data enter the holodeck for try two, but Pulaski is not impressed so La Forge ups the ante. However he ups it too far and creates a Professor Moriarty that becomes sentient and abducts Pulaski.

Inspector Lestrange finds the pair to bring them to a murder victim where La Forge takes a stab at deduction (no pun intended, even though the victim was strangled) but Data proves he has the “Holmes stuff”. After that brief interlude that actually proves Data can actually deduct like Holmes, they decide to go back to trying to find Dr. Pulaski. They find Moriarty and he is able to interact with the computer – this is not good.

Data freaks out and tries to shut down the program but the override has been entered and Moriarty knows what the Enterprise looks like, he just is unsure of what it is. Pulaski does a good job of playing “dumb” and not answering any of Moriarty’s questions or pretending that she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The bridge crew meets to figure out what to do and Picard decides he’s got to join Data and wears, wait for it, a top hat! Worf also gets spiffed up in case he is needed. Moriarty knows that Holmes is really Data and that Picard is the captain, but all he wants is to exist outside of the program. Once he finds this is unattainable, he gives control of the ship back.

The actor who plays Moriarty (Daniel Davis) is “Niles” from The Nanny (and many, many other amazing things) and I am so excited because he’s a gem. He’s excellent in this episode but not quite what I expected of Moriarty. I have a soft spot for Sherlock Holmes and have loved the movies with Robert Downey Jr., The Great Mouse Detective, and the TV shows Sherlock (2009) and Elementary. Okay, enough about my love for Sherlock Holmes – I know you want to hear about what I thought about the episode. Well, it was awesome. It was a Trek-inspired Holmes homage and a follow-up to a first season episode. I am beginning to see that the holodeck as a plot device is going to become a thing, but it worked in this episode. I also enjoyed seeing Data panic and realize what was wrong well before La Forge did. I’m also happy that Data was able to show Pulaski “what for”, except she didn’t really get to witness it because she was all kidnapped and stuff. Overall I really enjoyed this episode and give it 8 slices of perfectly slices prosciutto topped with 5 slices of fresh mozzarella on freshly baked Italian bread with a little bit of balsamic vinegar. In non-Italian terms, that’s an 8.51 on the Richter scale my friends.

TA Out!