In the ninth episode of the sixth season of The Next Generation, I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
WELL, THAT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNEXPECTED AND REALLY GOOD AND I’M TOTALLY FINE, I SWEAR.
See, this is why this show matters, and it is episodes like “The Quality of Life” that prove to me that there’s a reason why The Next Generation is so beloved by so many people. Granted, I knew that before this episode. I don’t mean to suggest that it’s taken me this long to appreciate it. (Oh god, SEASONS THREE AND FOUR.) But part of what makes Mark Watches compelling to me is that I get a chance to understand other people. Even if the Mark Does Stuff project started more out of a morbid curiosity than anything else (because I needed to know why people liked Twilight so much), it quickly morphed into a way for me to get a chance to explore fandom.
And let’s be real: the Star Trek fandom is one of the largest and longest-existing fandoms that’s still going strong today. As I’m sure I mentioned before, I grew up in a Star Wars household, which some people HATED A GREAT DEAL, but I never got a chance to watch Star Trek. I of course knew it was a thing, but it wasn’t until this site that I got to experience it. And I liked The Original Series! It was a wonderful trip through an iconic series. Granted, it took a bit for The Next Generation to hit their stride, but it’s with episodes like “The Quality of Life” that I understand the obsession specifically with this crew.
I know I’m real close to starting a new Star Trek show, so I’ll be interested to see if I develop a “favorite” cast, but for now, I love this one. I love that this episode is unmistakably about Data and his character growth over the course of the show. Data is alive, a fact we accept, and this episode forces these characters to rethink whether or not another machine has achieved sentience. It’s such an emotional journey both because of the emotional ramifications for Data and because of what this means for his relationship with Picard.
There’s just so much here that’s cleverly conceived. We’re meant to appreciate and admire Farallon’s ambition. Truly, she’s not that much different than many of the characters on the Enterprise, all who have pursued risky hypotheses in order to better the world. While we may start at a familiar place, “The Quality of Life” takes us to a deeply uncomfortable conundrum: what if the robots Farallon has constructed have now achieved sentience? What if they’re actually alive?
I know that recently, I wondered why Data wasn’t used for certain storylines, and this episode is like a giant response to that. You cannot remove him from this story. It’s inherently about him for a couple of reasons. The obvious is on display: as a living machine, Data has a vested interest in proving that the Exocomps are alive once he suspects they are. Unfortunately, even that task is not all that simple, and his tests to prove this point towards some sort of artificial intelligence, but they’re not definite.
This gives way to the first time in the series that Data acts solely on a belief or an intuition. Even saying this feels like a huge act! Data cannot prove absolutely that the Exocomps are alive, but when Picard and Geordi are put in danger, Data refuses to send the Exocomps to their death. It’s an incredible moment, both for the tensions it provides and the depth that it gives Data. It’s not like he doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation, either. In his arguments with Dr. Farallon, it’s clear that he comprehends how serious this all is. And for what it’s worth, I adored that Data refused to accept that Dr. Farallon’s intentions are what mattered here. There’s a huge difference between the examples she invokes!
Now, I think this episode was meant to be deliberately upsetting. Data was willing to put two of his very best friends at risk of death just to protest the possible death of the Exocomps. I’m sure many people felt as infuriated as Riker did about this. How could Data do that? Were these robots worth the loss of Geordi and Picard’s life? But I think that’s simplifying the issue in a way that ignores why Data felt so strongly about this. The final scene of “The Quality of Life” purposefully references “The Measure of a Man” to demonstrate why Data did what he did. In that moment, Data knew that if he did not at least stand up for the Exocomps, no one would. In a moment when Data’s own sentience was denied and dismissed, Picard was his defender. Data was merely returning the favor and passing it along to a possible life form that had no defenders.
It’s the most human thing he’s ever done, and so is MY ETERNAL CRYING.
The video for “The Quality of Life” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
– IÂ will be at Borderlands Books, Book Riot Live, and Windycon this fall! 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 Kings, season 1 of Sense8, season 1 of Agent Carter, seasons 1 & 2 of The 100, Death Note, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. 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!
