Star Trek: The Next Generation 6.09

The Quality of Life

The Enterprise visits a potential mining operation on Tyrus 7A. Captain Picard and Lieutenant Commander La Forge need to evaluate the particle fountain and report back to Starfleet. Doctor Farallon, inventor of the particle fountain, is having trouble keeping it up and and running. This leads to the discovery that she has also created small, robotic assistants that she calls Exocomps.

The Exocomps exhibit considerably more intelligence and ability than most robots. One of them refuses to follow and order that would have placed it in danger of being destroyed. Data posits that the Exocomps might be a form of life similar to himself, despite looking radically different. Doctor Farallon thinks that the Exocomp that refused to follow an order just malfunctioned.

No one, including Captain Picard and Lieutenant Commander La Forge buy into Data's theory. They test Data's contention but Data later finds that the test is flawed thus nullifying the results. It isn't until after Data threatens to allow Picard and La Forge to die rather than sacrifice the three Exocomps that someone, Commander Riker, starts to come around to Data's point of view.

Doctor Farallon finally comes around to Data's point of view (at least to some degree) and promises to treat the Exocomps more humanely going forward.

Thoughts

I had to recreate my write up for this episode because I deleted my first draft by accident.

This episode was directed by William Frakes. It is the third episode that I have seen that he directed. The other two are 3.16 (The Offspring) and 4.21 (The Drumhead).

It seems a little odd how easy it was for Data to prevent Commander Riker from using the Exocomps as he saw fit without regard for their personhood. It also seems a bit strange that Data didn't even get a reprimand for his actions considering that if Commander Riker hadn't come around to his point view then Picard and La Forge would have died from exposure to deadly radiation.

This episode didn't blow me away with its brilliance but I enjoyed it. The most interesting aspect for me is the determination with which Data pursues the notion that the Exocomps are sentient life, even though he doesn't use that exact term.