In "Datalore" the Enterprise visits the planet where Data was first discovered. An old farming colony, the planet's surface is now barren and uninhabitable. The away team discovers an abandoned underground base where an unassembled Data clone is sitting in storage.
They crew decides to take it aboard and try to put it together. After turning it on, we learn that this clone is named Lore and both robots were built by the infamous Dr. Soong. Lore reveals that the original colony was consumed by a giant crystalline being that fed off of their energy. The crew starts showing Lore around the ship. It's clear to audience members that there's something off about this Lore character.
At one point Lore poisons his brother Data and turns him off, assuming Data's identity and ship role. He reveals to Data in a monologue that he's friends with this crystalline being and plans to feed the ship's crew to it once it drops the shields. He sends a message to this being which then quickly pursues the Enterprise.
Lore (masquerading as Data) talks to the being and plans to drop the shields when teleporting something off of the Enterprise. But Wesley and Crusher have their suspicions about Data and have turned back on the real one. Data and the two Crushers pursue Lore and fight it out with him. Data tosses Lore onto the transporter and Wesley sends him out into space. With Data redeemed, the crew head back on their original flight path.
This is the best TNH episode we've had this far in Season 1. It starts off really strong with the introduction of Data's back story and an evil twin plot line. The third act gets a bit messy but I think Spiner does a great job of juxtaposing the two roles and giving them unique identities. I also enjoy the fight scene where they're just flinging giant (supposedly) heavy barrels back and forth off of one another.
There's also something so satisfying about hearing people tell Wesley to shut up. (Let's ignore the fact that he's totally right in this instance.)
There's not really a subplot here which makes this episode extremely focused on its one storyline. Data is one of my favorite TNG characters so any episode where we get TWO of him is okay in my book.
They crew decides to take it aboard and try to put it together. After turning it on, we learn that this clone is named Lore and both robots were built by the infamous Dr. Soong. Lore reveals that the original colony was consumed by a giant crystalline being that fed off of their energy. The crew starts showing Lore around the ship. It's clear to audience members that there's something off about this Lore character.
At one point Lore poisons his brother Data and turns him off, assuming Data's identity and ship role. He reveals to Data in a monologue that he's friends with this crystalline being and plans to feed the ship's crew to it once it drops the shields. He sends a message to this being which then quickly pursues the Enterprise.
Lore (masquerading as Data) talks to the being and plans to drop the shields when teleporting something off of the Enterprise. But Wesley and Crusher have their suspicions about Data and have turned back on the real one. Data and the two Crushers pursue Lore and fight it out with him. Data tosses Lore onto the transporter and Wesley sends him out into space. With Data redeemed, the crew head back on their original flight path.
This is the best TNH episode we've had this far in Season 1. It starts off really strong with the introduction of Data's back story and an evil twin plot line. The third act gets a bit messy but I think Spiner does a great job of juxtaposing the two roles and giving them unique identities. I also enjoy the fight scene where they're just flinging giant (supposedly) heavy barrels back and forth off of one another.
There's also something so satisfying about hearing people tell Wesley to shut up. (Let's ignore the fact that he's totally right in this instance.)
There's not really a subplot here which makes this episode extremely focused on its one storyline. Data is one of my favorite TNG characters so any episode where we get TWO of him is okay in my book.