Data's Day

"Data's Day" is the 85th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 11th episode of the fourth season. This episode introduces Keiko O'Brien and Data's pet cat, Spot.

"Data's Day"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 11
Directed byRobert Wiemer
Story byHarold Apter
Teleplay by
Featured musicRon Jones
Cinematography byMarvin Rush
Production code185
Original air dateJanuary 7, 1991 (1991-01-07)
Guest appearances

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, as Data contemplates the impending marriage of his friend Keiko Ishikawa to Transporter Chief Miles O'Brien, he learns about the peculiar minutiae – such as last-minute jitters and ballroom dancing – that surround human nuptials. At the same time, he investigates the apparent death of the Vulcan ambassador whom the Enterprise was ferrying to the Neutral Zone in order to conduct treaty negotiations with the Romulans.

Plot

Transporter Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and civilian botanist Keiko Ishikawa (Rosalind Chao) are about to be married, and Data (Brent Spiner) has been asked to give the bride away. After Keiko calls off the wedding, Data seeks advice from Geordi (LeVar Burton) and Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis). He attempts to convince Keiko to go through with the wedding. Data asks Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) to teach him how to dance. She instructs him in tap dance and ballroom dancing.

Meanwhile, the Enterprise is taking Vulcan ambassador T'Pel (Sierra Pecheur) to a secret meeting with a Romulan ship. T'Pel asks Data about the Enterprise's defense capabilities, but claims she was merely testing Data's security safeguards. During the Enterprise rendezvous with a Romulan warbird T'Pel is seemingly killed during a transport accident. However, Data deduces that T'Pel was not really killed, and that the Romulans beamed her away and staged the accident.

Picard returns to the neutral zone and intercepts the Romulans. He learns that T'Pel is actually a Romulan spy using the Enterprise to return to the Romulans. Multiple warbirds enter the neutral zone and Picard retreats into Federation space.

Keiko agrees to proceed with the wedding. She and Miles are married by Captain Picard. Data notes that he understands the emotions of love and belonging.

Production

This was the first episode with Data's cat, Spot.[1] The cat is not actually named until a later appearance.[2]

Reception

WIRED magazine ranked "Data's Day" as one of the best of Star Trek: The Next Generation in a 2012 review.[3] They praise masterful acting by Brent Spiner as Data throughout the episode, offering what they call a "Pinocchio perspective" on the plot.[3] In 2019, ThoughtCo ranked "Data's Day" as the 7th best episode of this series, pointing out its special and emotional view of a day aboard the Enterprise-D.[4]

In 2019, Den of Geek noted this episode for featuring romantic elements, pointing out the wedding of Chief Miles O'Brien and Keiko.[5] This episode was noted by the Chicago Tribune in 1996 for introducing the character of Keiko as played by actress Rosalind Chao, she was also featured as a reoccurring character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.[6]

This episode was noted in To Boldly Go: Essays on Gender and Identity in the Star Trek Universe for featuring the marriage of Keiko and O'Brien, which was the only successful long term relationship in the entirety of Star Trek.[7] They also note that their stories are continued on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and that they go on to have two children, Molly and Kirayoshi.[7]

In 2019, Screen Rant ranked "Data's Day" the seventh funniest episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.[8]

In 2020, Gamespot recommended this episode for background on the character of Data.[9]

In 2021, Cinemablend ranked this one of the top ten episodes of TNG.[10]

In 2021, Tom's Guide said this was a more "personal" episode that helped give the Star Trek universe "a new sense of reality".[11]

Tor Books gave it 7 out of 10.[12]

Home video

"Data's Day" was released in the United States on September 3, 2002, as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation season four DVD box set.[13]

On April 23, 1996, this was released on LaserDisc in the United States, paired with "The Wounded" on one double-sided 12 inch disc.[14]

References
  1. Clark, Mark (June 1, 2013). Star Trek FAQ 2.0 (Unofficial and Unauthorized): Everything Left to Know About the Next Generation, the Movies and Beyond. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781480355019.
  2. Okuda, Michael; Okuda, Denise (1996). Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future. Pocket Books. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-671-53610-7.
  3. SCOTT THILL (September 25, 2012). "The Best and Worst of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Sci-Fi Optimism". WIRED magazine. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  4. Nigel Mitchell. "10 Best Episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation". ThoughtCo. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  5. "10 Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes Awkwardly Romantic Enough For Valentine's Day". Den of Geek. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  6. Features, Ian Spelling, New York Times Special (December 26, 1996). "ROSALIND CHAO LIKES PART-TIME STATUS ON 'DS9'". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved June 23, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Farghaly, Nadine; Bacon, Simon (May 31, 2017). To Boldly Go: Essays on Gender and Identity in the Star Trek Universe. McFarland. ISBN 9781476668536.
  8. "Star Trek: The 10 Funniest TNG Episodes Ever". ScreenRant. July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  9. "Star Trek Picard: 10 Next Generation Episodes That Will Catch You Up On Data". GameSpot. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  10. "The 10 Best Star Trek The Next Generation Episodes, Ranked". CINEMABLEND. February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  11. April 2021, Marshall Honorof 12 (April 12, 2021). "Prepare for Picard Season 2 with every Q episode, ranked". Tom's Guide. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  12. "Data's Day" rewatch by Keith R. A. DeCandido
  13. Ordway, Holly E. (September 9, 2002). "Star Trek the Next Generation – Season 4". DVD Talk. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  14. "LaserDisc Database - Star Trek Next Generation #085/86: Data's Day/The Wounded [LV 40270-185]". www.lddb.com. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
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