A Fistful of Datas (7 Nov. 1992)

While the crew is experiencing some much needed down time, Worf and his son go on an Old West excursion in the holodeck, where they meet several versions of Data serving as the bad guy after an experiment in Engineering goes wrong.

Director:

Patrick Stewart

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Robert Hewitt Wolfe (teleplay),

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data / Frank Hollander / Eli Hollander / Henchman / Bandito / Annie Meyers
Brian Bonsall	...	Alexander Rozhenko
John Pyper-Ferguson	...	Eli Hollander
Joy Garrett	...	Annie Meyers
Jorge Cervera Jr.	...	Bandito
Majel Barrett	...	Enterprise Computer (voice)

Storyline

When a supply ship is a day late, the Enterprise crew has an unexpected day to kill in leisure. Geordi and Data get permission to do an experiment, taking the main computer off line a few hours and Data's circuit running various systems, but a small physical burn-out in Data causes a series of malfunctions in him, such as his vocabulary and voice aberrations, but also various glitches in the many functions of the ship's computer, such as keeping track of recordings of say Picard's flute music or the text of a play Crusher and Riker are in. It's worst of all for Worp, who was ordered by Picard to indulge in some purposeless leisure, and chose to join his son Alexander on the holodeck as sheriff and deputy, with period adept Troi as mysterious stranger, in Deadwood, a Wild West evocation, in which two Data-like villains appear, also father and son, with daunting android abilities and no regular computer-restraint..

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Plot Keywords:

24th century | character name in title

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1992 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Six Points Texas, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When playing Durango, Marina Sirtis tried to blow smoke rings but Michael Dorn cut her off and said "Stop it! Don't be funnier than me, this is my show!" That may explain why Deanna blows smoke in his face instead.

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Goofs

Although the program takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota, a map of Arizona can be seen in Worf's office.

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Quotes

Counselor Deanna Troi: There's a gunfighter out there who has the speed and accuracy of an android. And in two hours, he's going to try to kill you.

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Crazy Credits

This western inspired episode ends with the Enterprise flying into the sunset...

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Connections

References Rio Bravo (1959)

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Soundtracks

"Star Trek: The Next Generation End Credits"
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User Reviews

The Good, the Bad and the Klingon!

When the Enterprise crew are enjoying a welcome bit of time off Worf and Alexander enter the Holodeck and become the Sheriff and his Deputy in the old west. In Engineering Geordi and Data are experimenting with a new link up for Data to access problems when the main computer isn't working properly. The experiment goes awry and the ship goes haywire producing poetry on some of the padds and the replicators start producing cat food! On the holodeck all Worf and Alexander's adversaries start looking like Data. This gives Brent Spiner a real chance to stretch again, the guy is brilliant on both the holodeck and back on the Enterprise where the real Data starts acting like a character from the old west which is a good laugh, especially seeing the crew's reaction to it! On the holodeck Worf must find a way to beat his enemies who all have not only Data's looks, but his abilities too. Worf, through a bit of genius, is victorious. The last scene on the holodeck is a howl! The closing scene is nice and we get to see Worf in a rare grin!