Elementary, Dear Data
- Episode aired Dec 5, 1988
- TV-PG
- 46m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
4.4K
YOUR RATING
An attempt to provide Data with a challenging Sherlock Holmes holodeck program backfires when its Professor Moriarty character accidentally becomes self-aware.An attempt to provide Data with a challenging Sherlock Holmes holodeck program backfires when its Professor Moriarty character accidentally becomes self-aware.An attempt to provide Data with a challenging Sherlock Holmes holodeck program backfires when its Professor Moriarty character accidentally becomes self-aware.
Wil Wheaton
- Wesley Crusher
- (credit only)
Anne Ramsay
- Ensign Clancy
- (as Anne Elizabeth Ramsay)
Rosemarie Baio
- Holographic Widow
- (uncredited)
Majel Barrett
- Enterprise Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Michael Braveheart
- Crewman Martinez
- (uncredited)
Jeffrey Deacon
- Command Division Officer
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaPicard utters "merde", the French word for "shit". As it was said in a foreign language, it passed the TV censors. Merde is sometimes translated as "damn" in subtitles. This is not euphemism but reflects common usage in French. French conversation is relaxed about the use of swearwords with sexual connotations, whose literal translations would be considered very strong or taboo in English. For example, "Je m'en fous" literally means "I don't give a f***" but is used by the French in the same way as the milder "I don't care."
- GoofsMoriarty hands Data a piece of paper upon which is a sketch of the Enterprise. Data immediately storms off the holodeck, and shows the paper to La Forge. As the paper was holographic, it should have vanished the moment it was removed from the holodeck. However, other episodes have established that some objects (such as food) are actually replicated within the holodeck, and thus are "real" (i.e. not holographic), depending on the needs of the program and its user (as well as the plot of the individual show).
- Quotes
Moriarty: Is the definition of life "Cogito ergo sum" - I think, therefore I am?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Yes, that is one possible definition.
Moriarty: It is the most important one - and for me, the only one that matters.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Star Trek: Science vs. Fiction: Holodeck und Hologramme (2006)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
Featured review
Then I'll still fill you with crumpets, madam
Data, Geordie and Dr Pulaski enter the holodeck following an interesting wager.
This is an enjoyable episode with a nice bit of philosophy and some entertaining character moments.
The plot is good but slightly stretches its own plausibility by asking us to buy into the mortal danger posed by a holographic character. It could have been equally interesting just posing the existential questions from Moriarty as part of a general holodeck adventure.
The strength of the episode mainly comes from the humour associated with Data and Geordie role playing Holmes and Watson. It is quite amusing and refreshing to have the characters in this setting, particularly Data who is suited to the nerdish qualities of being a super-sleuth. Dr Pulaski's presence works well as she continues to challenge Data's sentience and links with the main theme.
The visuals are good with a nice bit of set design and costuming in place for the holodeck scenes.
Brent Spiner and Daniel Davis are particularly good, while Diana Muldaur and LeVar Burton give strong support.
The main point of the episode is to tackle the philosophical themes in a light-hearted way. To do this you cannot take it as seriously as some other reviewers have. It's meant to be fun and for me it is.
For me it is a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.
This is an enjoyable episode with a nice bit of philosophy and some entertaining character moments.
The plot is good but slightly stretches its own plausibility by asking us to buy into the mortal danger posed by a holographic character. It could have been equally interesting just posing the existential questions from Moriarty as part of a general holodeck adventure.
The strength of the episode mainly comes from the humour associated with Data and Geordie role playing Holmes and Watson. It is quite amusing and refreshing to have the characters in this setting, particularly Data who is suited to the nerdish qualities of being a super-sleuth. Dr Pulaski's presence works well as she continues to challenge Data's sentience and links with the main theme.
The visuals are good with a nice bit of set design and costuming in place for the holodeck scenes.
Brent Spiner and Daniel Davis are particularly good, while Diana Muldaur and LeVar Burton give strong support.
The main point of the episode is to tackle the philosophical themes in a light-hearted way. To do this you cannot take it as seriously as some other reviewers have. It's meant to be fun and for me it is.
For me it is a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.
helpful•92
- snoozejonc
- May 27, 2021
Details
- Runtime46 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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