Elementary, Dear Data (3 Dec. 1988)

An attempt to provide Data with a challenging Sherlock Holmes holodeck RPG scenario backfires when its Prof. Moriarty character accidentally becomes self-aware.

Director:

Rob Bowman

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Brian Alan Lane,

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	...	Lieutenant Geordi La Forge / Dr. John Watson
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data / Sherlock Holmes
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher (credit only)
Diana Muldaur	...	Doctor Pulaski
Daniel Davis	...	Professor James Moriarty
Alan Shearman	...	Inspector Lestrade
Biff Manard	...	Ruffian
Diz White	...	Prostitute
Anne Ramsay	...	Ensign Clancy (as Anne Elizabeth Ramsay)
Richard Merson	...	Pie Man

Storyline

When the Enterprise arrives a few days early at its rendezvous point to meet the USS Victory, the crew have a bit of leisure time on their hands. For Data and Geordi Laforge, it means a trip to the holodeck and 221B Baker St. With Data in the role of Holmes and Laforge as Dr. Watson, they take on a challenge from Dr. Pulaski that Data couldn't solve a genuine mystery. Data has a bit of time adjusting to a real mystery - as opposed to one for which he knows the outcome. In giving the holodeck computer its instructions however, Geordi's specifications for an opponent results in a far superior creation than expected putting them and the entire ship in danger.

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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

Release Date:

3 December 1988 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title refers to the expression "Elementary, My Dear Watson" which was created for movie adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes character. The line does not appear in the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories.

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Goofs

Moriarty hands Data a piece of paper upon which is a sketch of the Enterprise. Data immediately storms off the holodeck, and shows the paper to LaForge. As the paper was holographic, it should have vanished the moment it was removed from the holodeck. However, other episodes have established that some objects (such as food) are actually replicated within the holodeck, and thus are "real" (i.e. not holographic), depending on the needs of the program and its user.

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Quotes

Lieutenant Geordi La Forge: It's human nature to love what we don't have.

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Connections

Referenced in Star Trek: Voyager: Alter Ego (1997)

User Reviews

this is wonderful!

A lot of the loose threads are left for other episodes. I'm not just referring to ship in a bottle, but also to measure of a man. Admittedly it bugged me when the Issue of Data's computer-like intelligence, which was the catalyst for the doctor's challenge and thus for the main problem, was not answered but one would need an entire episode at least to answer it and that is given to them about 6 episodes later.

For now Moriarty is a great villain and well performed by Daniel Davis. The entire episode has a metaphysical plot-hole the size of this continent but hey, Star Trek IS metaphysical! watch the above named episodes to get a sense of fulfillment to the issues raised. There are a few minor errors but this episode is amusing, intriguing, silly and classic all at once. Of how many episodes can that truly be said ? 4 or 5 stars.