I groaned when the captain said that Wesley would return but was pleasantly surprised that his role as savior was appropriate in this episode, albeit no surprise.
It makes sense that he is more interested in preparing for his dinner date with Ashely Judd than whatever his mother wants and then his discussion with Ashely about their love of tinkering with devices to learn how they work flows nicely into their decision to learn how the game works.
Unfortunately, many other things do not make any sense at all, beginning with Riker not immediately retrieving his communicator. This was probably intended to show that he's so deep in lust that he's not thinking clearly but it stuck out like a sore thumb as incongruent with his character.
It is in line with Riker's character that he would let a woman talk him into a questionable activity, but it felt ridiculous that he would so willingly use a device into his eyes like that, let alone everyone else on the ship, but we simply have to accept that and let go of our doubts to enjoy the episode.
But how was Geordie susceptible? The writers should have said that he was on an away mission or something, rather than glossing it over.
The other big incongruency was how large the effect was on everyone. It made no sense that they set up the episode with everyone being very busy, then when people stop being productive, nobody notices?! It would have made more sense for the opening to be that there's a lull in activity while they're enroute somewhere, where people have time to catch up on personal activities. Then they could drop out unnoticed. (Can't believe that Guinan would fall for this, so she is absent.)
Why does Data not protect his off switch?! That annoys everyone. Why not have the doctor say that she needs to run a test but then covertly cuts some wires so that Data cannot move but let's him keep speaking. "Doctor, what did you do? I cannot move!" "Sorry Data, just a minute." and then she severs the wires to his speech center and we see fear or confusion in his eyes (we all know that he shows plenty of emotion). It's far better to see what they did to data than to have people twice explain it in words.
The next massive plot hole was an unaffected Geordie not being able to determine what is wrong with Data and going to Data's quarters to look for clues. That made no sense. Again, better for Geordie to be absent.
Minor point, Ashley says "The cuts are precise. Look how clean the edges are" before she magnifies the view. It would make more sense to say that after the magnification. I.e. Before magnification "What could sever those connections?!" then after magnification she says her line to show that it must be sabotage.
It's unfortunate that the only way that the writers can generate suspense is by not showing that Wesley and Ashley were able to fix Data.
I didn't understand what Wesley was doing by running away. Where was he going? What was he planning to do? It only made sense later as a diversion.
Presumably the writers wanted the chase scene to provide some action but it was very cliché to have the hero's partner succumb to the zombies and leave the hero running for his life. It would have been more exciting if Ashley and Wesley were working together, not on some technical solution, but hiding Data so that he could work. Perhaps keeping people out of sick bay. They would set up a distraction for the doctor to occupy her. They might have to inject a medical assistant with a sedative and place them in stasis. There could be good action there. Eventually someone discovers that Data is awake but barricaded in the sick bay, so Warf and Riker have to break in, they break though the door before Data is finished, so Wesley and Ashley have a phaser fight with Warf and Riker, eventually losing. As Warf and Riker approach data, he turns around and flashes them with the light. Warf and Riker then protect data while he programs the lights in the bridge to flash, perhaps flashing the doctor when she walks in on them. Data then flashes the bridge lights while Picard is talking to the alien, so that we see her confusion and gradual understanding of what has happened. When she realizes that the game is up, she turns to leave and a few moments later when Picard realizes what is happening, the Enterprise quickly chases and captures her ship.
There are several rooms in the sick bay, so Wesley and Ashley could place a dummy copy of data in a chair faced away from the door, and then stand at the door as if to protect data. When Warf and Riker break in they demand to see data and push past Wesley to grab data but are left holding a mannequin. When they turn around in surprise, Data is there to flash them.
Wouldn't that be more interesting than a zombie chase and Data suddenly appearing on the bridge to flash a light. Also, Data must flash them one by one but no-one even tries to stop him. (Boring.)
It was definitely an entertaining episode and now, decades later, very heartwarming to see a young Ashely Judd.
It makes sense that he is more interested in preparing for his dinner date with Ashely Judd than whatever his mother wants and then his discussion with Ashely about their love of tinkering with devices to learn how they work flows nicely into their decision to learn how the game works.
Unfortunately, many other things do not make any sense at all, beginning with Riker not immediately retrieving his communicator. This was probably intended to show that he's so deep in lust that he's not thinking clearly but it stuck out like a sore thumb as incongruent with his character.
It is in line with Riker's character that he would let a woman talk him into a questionable activity, but it felt ridiculous that he would so willingly use a device into his eyes like that, let alone everyone else on the ship, but we simply have to accept that and let go of our doubts to enjoy the episode.
But how was Geordie susceptible? The writers should have said that he was on an away mission or something, rather than glossing it over.
The other big incongruency was how large the effect was on everyone. It made no sense that they set up the episode with everyone being very busy, then when people stop being productive, nobody notices?! It would have made more sense for the opening to be that there's a lull in activity while they're enroute somewhere, where people have time to catch up on personal activities. Then they could drop out unnoticed. (Can't believe that Guinan would fall for this, so she is absent.)
Why does Data not protect his off switch?! That annoys everyone. Why not have the doctor say that she needs to run a test but then covertly cuts some wires so that Data cannot move but let's him keep speaking. "Doctor, what did you do? I cannot move!" "Sorry Data, just a minute." and then she severs the wires to his speech center and we see fear or confusion in his eyes (we all know that he shows plenty of emotion). It's far better to see what they did to data than to have people twice explain it in words.
The next massive plot hole was an unaffected Geordie not being able to determine what is wrong with Data and going to Data's quarters to look for clues. That made no sense. Again, better for Geordie to be absent.
Minor point, Ashley says "The cuts are precise. Look how clean the edges are" before she magnifies the view. It would make more sense to say that after the magnification. I.e. Before magnification "What could sever those connections?!" then after magnification she says her line to show that it must be sabotage.
It's unfortunate that the only way that the writers can generate suspense is by not showing that Wesley and Ashley were able to fix Data.
I didn't understand what Wesley was doing by running away. Where was he going? What was he planning to do? It only made sense later as a diversion.
Presumably the writers wanted the chase scene to provide some action but it was very cliché to have the hero's partner succumb to the zombies and leave the hero running for his life. It would have been more exciting if Ashley and Wesley were working together, not on some technical solution, but hiding Data so that he could work. Perhaps keeping people out of sick bay. They would set up a distraction for the doctor to occupy her. They might have to inject a medical assistant with a sedative and place them in stasis. There could be good action there. Eventually someone discovers that Data is awake but barricaded in the sick bay, so Warf and Riker have to break in, they break though the door before Data is finished, so Wesley and Ashley have a phaser fight with Warf and Riker, eventually losing. As Warf and Riker approach data, he turns around and flashes them with the light. Warf and Riker then protect data while he programs the lights in the bridge to flash, perhaps flashing the doctor when she walks in on them. Data then flashes the bridge lights while Picard is talking to the alien, so that we see her confusion and gradual understanding of what has happened. When she realizes that the game is up, she turns to leave and a few moments later when Picard realizes what is happening, the Enterprise quickly chases and captures her ship.
There are several rooms in the sick bay, so Wesley and Ashley could place a dummy copy of data in a chair faced away from the door, and then stand at the door as if to protect data. When Warf and Riker break in they demand to see data and push past Wesley to grab data but are left holding a mannequin. When they turn around in surprise, Data is there to flash them.
Wouldn't that be more interesting than a zombie chase and Data suddenly appearing on the bridge to flash a light. Also, Data must flash them one by one but no-one even tries to stop him. (Boring.)
It was definitely an entertaining episode and now, decades later, very heartwarming to see a young Ashely Judd.