Mark Watches ‘The Next Generation’: S02E09 – The Measure of a Man

In the ninth episode of the second season of The Next Generation, Picard must defend Data’s humanity. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek. 

Trigger Warning: For discussion of slavery, transphobia.

Holy shit, THIS EPISODE IS SO GOOD. WHAT THE HELL! This feels like it fits perfectly within The Next Generation canon, and yet it also doesn’t feel like ANY SINGLE EPISODE OF THIS SHOW PRIOR TO IT. I really don’t do the whole MASSIVE LIST OF FEELINGS thing these days anymore (I like the challenge of fleshing out my ideas from a draft into a full post), but I just have too much to say. I’m gonna be all over the place here, y’all. CONSIDER THIS A COMPLIMENT.

• So, let’s start with a tiny observation I made on video but which hadn’t made its way to a review: It’s really cool that they’re using Chief O’Brien more!
• Even if this entire episode hadn’t focused on Data’s humanity, I still would have loved the poker game in the cold open. This season has been heavy on character development for Data, which I’m perfectly fine with, but it’s also been nice to get these little updates of his. He’s always struggling to understand humans better, and this is part of that learning process. Bluffing is not something he’s programmed to understand, so it’s why Riker knows he’ll beat him.
• Anyway, the opening premise of this episode was pretty shocking all on its own. Someone wants to take apart Data for science? And there’s no time limit given for this? NO, THANK YOU, I’LL PASS.
• Here’s the thing: This starts off as a very bad, not good idea, and then Melinda Snodgrass’s script goes to AN EVEN WORSE PLACE. It’s bad enough that Data might have been taken away from the Enterprise for an unknown length of time, but then Commander Maddox goes above Picard’s head to order Data to come with him.
• Oh.
• OH, IT’S ON.
• I love how quickly this crew jumps in to defend Data, particularly Picard. Well, it’s not quite instant; there’s that pivotal scene where Data uses Geordi’s visor as a metaphor for what Maddox is asking of him, and I love that he makes it uncomfortable for Picard. Asking Data to submit himself to a dangerous and possible destructive procedure because it might improve him isn’t fair. It’s even worse when he’s legally compelled to do it!
• Captain Louvois and Captain Picard slinging burns at one another: ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL AGES. Holy shit, I loved it.
• But I adored that this episode showed us how fiercely Picard fought for his friend and crew member. He did hours of research to find an out for Data, and even recommending Data resigning from the Federation, something that absolutely could not have been easy for him. That’s not an option that Picard would have ever considered if he didn’t see this as a desperate move to save Data.
• And this is precisely the moment this script goes from being a fairly typical (but entertaining) rumination on humanity and androids to WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS SO DISTURBING AND IT HAS HORRIFYING IMPLICATIONS.
• I’m glad that happens. I’m glad that this turns into an exploration of property, one that has a horrifying real-world implication THAT IS ACTUALLY OPENLY AND EXPLICITLY ADDRESSED WITHIN THE EPISODE ITSELF.
• WHICH NEVER FUCKING HAPPENS WHEN GENRE STORIES BORROW FROM MARGINALIZATION.
• Oh, let’s also add to the angst by forcing Riker to be the prosecution. HA. HAH ha ahaha ah ahhkfj ad;fk; adf;lkj.
• I don’t care how artificial this aspect is, it’s good drama, and I support it. The “courtroom” scenes? Ridiculous and dramatic and I would not change it in any way.
• The challenge, then, is to find a way to prove that Data cannot be Federation property. Of course, we think that’s obvious because Data is alive? I don’t know, I’ve never considered him anything but a person, even though I know he isn’t a human. He deserves the rights of personhood. However, once Riker delivers his prosecution, we worry. Why? Because Riker is ruthless in demonstrating Data’s lack of life. Data’s super strength, his computing capabilities and his construction might be weird, but his off switch? That alone seemed so damning to me. How the hell could Picard upend that?
• I just… I just love Guinan so much, and I love the insight and historical context she gives to this episode. She points out that Maddox’s victory would all but guarantee that any future androids will become “disposable creatures.”
• The show invokes slavery – as it rightly should, since that’s the clearest example of a “disposable creature” as mandated by law and practice – as the metaphor that will be created by this precedent. Guinan’s guidance is precisely what Picard needs because it’s the aspect of this decision that’ll have the most horrifying affect. If the androids are ruled as property, they will forever have their own free will stripped from them, to be agents of the Federation and nothing more.
• THAT’S FUCKING TERRIFYING.
• Thus, “The Measure of a Man” gives us the best monologue of the entire show up to this point. Picard’s defense of Data is, simply put, stunning. It’s a work of art. It’s a demonstration that even if these people are certain that Data is a machine, they are not certain about Data’s humanity. That small, tiny, minuscule lack of certainty is all they need to refuse to make him property.
• He has intelligence. He has self-awareness. And not one person in that room could claim that Data did not have consciousness, so how could Maddox then claim that Data was nothing but property?
• Also note: Maddox deliberately misgenders Data repeatedly throughout this episode until Picard’s monologue. It’s really distracting, but I did understand why he did it. He truly didn’t see Data as a person.

This episode honestly felt monumental. And as important as it was for Data’s character, I also thought it was a huge bit of development for Riker and Picard, too. They’re a significant part of the story here, and they contribute to how it unfolds. That matters because it builds the camaraderie of the Enterprise, to show us that these people care beyond the necessity of the job. It’s important!

Seriously, y’all. What a fantastic episode!

The video for “The Measure of a Man” can be downloaded here for $0.99.

Mark Links Stuff

– The Mark Does Stuff Tour 2015 is now live and includes dates across the U.S., Canada, Europe, the U.K., and Ireland. Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be the remainder of The Legend of Korra, series 8 of Doctor Who, and Kings. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
- Mark Does Stuff is on Facebook! I’ve got a community page up that I’m running. Guaranteed shenanigans!
– If you would like to support this website and keep Mark Does Stuff running, I’ve put up a detailed post explaining how you can!
– Please check out the MarkDoesStuff.com. All Mark Watches videos for past shows/season are now archived there!