Star Trek: The Next Generation
"Data's Day"
Air date: 1/7/1991
Teleplay by Harold Apter and Ronald D. Moore
Story by Harold Apter
Directed by Robert Wiemer
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
In what proves to be a nice little device, "Data's Day" employs the conceit of Data writing a letter to Bruce Maddox (the guy who put Data's rights on trial in "The Measure of a Man") in order to supply us a first-person narration and a "day in the life" approach to observing everyone's favorite android. Data does not sleep, so the episode appropriately begins not with him waking up, but with him running the bridge's night shift just before everyone else clocks in.
The story's approach is structurally refreshing — and because it involves Data's bafflement over human emotions, it has an amusing whimsy. Sure, we've seen most of this before, but this time we get to experience more of it from Data's point of view. The story thrusts him into the middle of the upcoming wedding of Keiko and Miles O'Brien, and when Keiko has cold feet, she unwisely uses Data as the conduit for communicating this information to Miles. Unaware of the emotional fallout of a wedding being called off, Data delivers the message to Miles as if it's good news. Not a hilarious joke, but a whimsically effective one. Data's bafflement is offset by those, like Geordi, who take human nature for granted; Geordi assures Data that the wedding, inevitably, will go forward.
Worth the price of admission is a scene where Crusher teaches Data how to tap dance, which reveals the disparity between his technical abilities and his social understanding. He can match step for step the most complicated tap-dancing moves, but is at a loss as to where to look and when to smile while slow-dancing.
Amid the lighter elements is a mysterious plot involving Vulcan Ambassador T'Pel (Sierra Pecheur) and a rendezvous with a Romulan warbird onto which she is to beam for negotiations. When T'Pel is apparently killed in a transporter accident, it's Data's natural ability for logic that is able to discover that she was not, and that she's actually a Romulan spy returning home with information. (The ensuing standoff, for once, ends with the Enterprise retreating with empty hands.) While this more meaty plot seems at odds with the story's lighter tone, in the context of Data's observations and narration, it works. "Data's Day" is not groundbreaking, but it is pleasant.
Previous episode: The Loss
Next episode: The Wounded
Like this site? Support it by buying Jammer a coffee.
65 comments on this post
Fri, Mar 7, 2008, 2:32pm (UTC -5)
It was a constant chess game between the two sides, with each trading the advantage (in "The Defector", there was the fantastic showdown, with Tomalak's chilling description of how we would display the Enterprise's broken hull in the Romulan Senate, only for him to be surrounded on all sides by Klingon Birds of Prey).
The episode also contained a classic line from Data:
"My hair does not require trimming, you lunkhead"
Fri, Jun 15, 2012, 6:26pm (UTC -5)
Wed, Aug 29, 2012, 11:13pm (UTC -5)
I think this is a great introductory episode to the world of Trek to a novice, too.
Tue, Nov 6, 2012, 1:15am (UTC -5)
Sun, Mar 24, 2013, 10:40am (UTC -5)
Wed, Nov 6, 2013, 11:38am (UTC -5)
Mon, Nov 11, 2013, 6:06am (UTC -5)
Tue, Dec 24, 2013, 12:19pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Feb 16, 2014, 9:47pm (UTC -5)
But, they explained that Jay, when she reacts surprised at his request, he informs her that he found she was a champion tap dancer. So naturally she assumed he wanted to learn to tap dance.
Thu, Mar 13, 2014, 5:56pm (UTC -5)
First, the one that doesn't. Riker orders him to do something or other at the science station regarding the Neutral Zone. Data's comments to Maddux mentions that it's a good thing he's not human, or else he would be distracted by uneasiness. Meanwhile, we see him looking back at Riker while nervously drumming his fingers. Huh? I can see Data unconsciously lying to himself, but that would be consciously lying. Surely he knows that he was not working for X number of seconds while he looked back? So why would he lie to Maddux? Even worse, why would he be drumming his fingers? There's no way that nervous tic would be built in to his programming; he must have added it himself. Which means he knows what he's doing, which means his protestations to the contrary are wrong. It simply is not a realistic interpretation of Data. I don't know if that was the director's idea or Spiner's or the writer's, but it should have been excised. The voiceover with Data actually working would have been fine.
Then later we have Data mentioning to Maddux that he wishes he had a "gut" in order to figure out what the Ambassador was doing by testing him. Now this one does work. There's no magic organ in the gut that gives you a gut feeling; it's our ability to form conclusions based on limited data and our willingness to believe in those conclusions. And those are abilities Data does have, or at least can have. He obviously formed the conclusion, at least hypothetical, that the ambassador had ulterior motives for those questions. And he has the ability to investigate that further. It is his own self-doubt that is stopping him (which we see in Peak Performance and Defector as two other examples). His desire for a gut feeling is understandable, but a typical self-doubting human also wishes they had a gut feling about stuff. So in this instance, he did no have sufficient cause to investigate further, and so he held back. But he still did have a "gut feeling" whether he knew it or not.
As for the story as a whole, it was very wel done. The three plots (Data's letter, the wedding, and the Romulan) were all pulled off well, providing both humor and drama as appropriate. And the format of the story allowed both the humor and the drama to be included without feeling like one cheapens the other. Overall, a very nice change of pace that provides for a very enjoyable hour.
Sat, May 24, 2014, 11:44am (UTC -5)
I enjoyed this episode, not because of the cleavage shot. I did find it a little unbelievable that after all this time with humans Data would still think that announcing that the wedding was cancelled would cheer up Chief O'Brien. But I think that a serviceable 2 1/2 stars is warranted. Not ground-breaking, just enjoyable.
Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 2:44am (UTC -5)
Sun, Jul 5, 2015, 4:05pm (UTC -5)
Add to that some rather enjoyable character development for O'Brien, the introduction of Keiko and Spot, excellent scenes that use the rest of the main cast and their personalities well and the rather shocking twist at the end (which leaves the good guys outclassed by the Romulans) and you have a wonderfully enjoyable episode.
It's not ground-breaking or classic by any means, but definitely a pleasant offering.
8/10
Thu, Sep 3, 2015, 5:40pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Sep 13, 2015, 10:53am (UTC -5)
However, the main sub-plot with the Romulans seems slightly superfluous, and was presumably added to give a lightweight episode some more gravitas. But while this is not entirely convincing, it does lead to a conclusion that Picard cannot resolve, which is rare enough.
With welcome introduction to Keiko (and indeed Spot), this is a little gem. 3 stars.
Fri, Nov 13, 2015, 9:28am (UTC -5)
Geordi had a nice line in this one: "Next time, maybe I should deliver the good news." Also in this scene, I liked how Brent used his face to convey happiness. He brightened his smile, lifted up his hairline, had an android twinkle in his eyes... He tried to make it look like Data was making them feel at ease, because this was, after all, 'good news'. Little touches by Brent always made Data a favorite of mine.
Yes, the smile while dancing made the episode. But why wouldn't Data have just gone to the holodeck in the first place, and ask for 'dance partner'? Then he'd give the paramaters to the computer (wedding dances, traditional) and go from there. Ah... because we needed Crusher to tell him to smile, so we could have the great shot after she left. :)
Lastly, it was good to show the different shifts on the ship. I'd always figured Picard was first shift, Riker was second, and Data was third. If it's first shift, Picard is in the big chair, Riker is sleeping or relaxing, and Data is doing whatever it is Data does (see Data's Day (Oh, wait, this IS Data's Day)). It is alluded to in other episodes, where they call Picard to the bridge or Riker is in bed, but so many times, they are just cruising along talking about nothing in particular and they are all on the bridge. Nope. Although Data could do multiple shifts, but they want to treat him like everyone else it seems, unless it's an emergency.
Enjoy the day everyone... RT
Tue, Mar 15, 2016, 7:59pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Apr 14, 2016, 4:04pm (UTC -5)
What works well about this show is that it actually handles some big events such as a ship wedding with an officer and a Romulan espionage plot, keeping the whole thing very grounded in Data's observations.
Also, although Data is obviously on stage in this episode, we get to see sides of other main characters we don't usually see such as Crusher and her dancing and even Worf going shopping for wedding gifts. It's also nice to see more of O'Brien, as he'll be a pivotal character in next week's "The Wounded".
Sat, May 14, 2016, 12:54am (UTC -5)
And the fact that you were getting a look at humanity through Data's eyes was a nice perspective.
However, judging by all the comments once again I do have a rather unique take on this episode. There is a rather obvious joke here that no one seems to have gotten. At least no one has commented on it. Including Jammer.
Ok, one of the plot devices was an impending wedding between Keiko and O'Brian. And another plot was the fact that the Enterprise unwittingly delivers a Romulan spy to her brothers in arms. And what was the name of the Romulan ship? The Devoras. A word that sounds almost identical to the word divorce. Get the joke now? A wedding is taking place but always looming in the background is the threat of the Devoras. (Divorce.)
Come on guys. Please tell me I'm not the only fan on the planet that got this little joke.
Sat, Jul 2, 2016, 12:18pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Jul 2, 2016, 12:52pm (UTC -5)
Now, I'm no expert, but a quick google search tells me that Irony is saying something but meaning the opposite. Sarcasm is, apparently, when something is said with a similar effect, but also with intention to harm.
Now, since Riker said "Charming woman" whilst out of earshot of T'Pel, I believe his remark IS classified as irony.
Mon, Jul 4, 2016, 4:22pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Jul 4, 2016, 7:11pm (UTC -5)
Yeah, Irony is confusing, there are so many classifications and mis-uses of it that it's meaning is rather muddled.
There's this type of irony, which I guess is verbal irony?
Then there's the irony as used in writing and the like, such as dramatic, tragic and situational irony, where different pieces of information are known to different characters (or the audience) but not each other.
So yes, irony is confusing. As it should be befitting it's literary effects. That it is what it describes however, is NOT ironic, merely coincidence, which is not what Irony is.
Heck, I never paid that much attention in English class, why do I care so much now? :-P
Mon, Jul 4, 2016, 7:16pm (UTC -5)
It further occurs to me that you may have already known all that, and yet I must confess by looking it up and typing it out, I actually helped my understanding of irony to be better.
Thu, Sep 8, 2016, 11:11am (UTC -5)
I noticed it too, but I'm still not sure it was on purpose.
My favorite part of this episode (besides Data's creepy smile) is when Data says there's only a 17% chance Picard will follow protocol and not pursue the Romulan ship, and a moment later he's proven right. There's something thrilling about that moment, and it makes you just love the captain.
Thu, Sep 8, 2016, 11:24am (UTC -5)
Tue, Oct 25, 2016, 10:46pm (UTC -5)
Tue, Oct 25, 2016, 11:16pm (UTC -5)
One thing we've seen repeatedly for Data is that when he researches some aspect of humanity on his own time he comes out with a technically accurate but incomplete sense of what that thing is about. He'll spot some aspect of it - for instance, the rhythm and footwork - while neglecting to realize some even more critical aspect to dancing with a partner, such as for example the feelings of the person you're with, the social element to it, the very fact of how it 'feels' to hold another person in your arms, and so forth. Crusher would be just the person to let Data in on what the *really* important thing to examine is. Once she gives him some preliminary explanation, sure, he can go off alone and explore the footwork. But the human element is what he's always failing to understand, and I think by this point in the series he's aware enough of his blind spot to know to go to a human before going to the computer. I would actually call it progress that he goes straight to Crusher for this.
As a complete aside, though, we can recognize that this is the perfect opportunity for the writers to show off the fact that Gates is a dancer. It's always nice to allow the actors to show off side talents, such as when they can sing, dance, or play an instrument. So even *if* there was no reason to have a dancing scene in the show, we could allow a little poetic indulgence to give Crusher a moment to show her stuff.
Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 11:22pm (UTC -5)
The discussion about irony reminds me of conversations I've had with British people. They seem curiously obsessed with irony and act oddly superior about Americans being relatively literal minded.
Sun, Mar 26, 2017, 6:08pm (UTC -5)
You are not sure if the joke about the Devoras was on purpose? Come on, these people are professional writers. Something like that didn't just happen by accident. It was totally on purpose. Just to see if people are paying attention.
Tue, Apr 18, 2017, 6:09am (UTC -5)
Mendak was one of the best Romulan foils for Picard, his voice & body language deliberately held unemotionally tight with just enough of a whiff of threat & sarcasm. Also great to see Picard knowing when to retreat, a great sign of a captain.
Great episode.
Thu, May 25, 2017, 9:01pm (UTC -5)
This ep is one that proves Miles and Keiko should never have married. If I had been carry on the way she did, I NEVER would gotten married EVER.
And Data writing to that god awful Maddox that wanted to pull him apart in THE MEASURE OF A MAN.......well, Data will never understand how to be human because he can't run from danger.
Mon, May 29, 2017, 8:14am (UTC -5)
It all works reasonably well, and manages to avoid being corny, though it strays close now and then. At at least one point Data seems to casually mention some pretty high security Starfleet matters to his pal, but perhaps this was edited out, or he simply never ended up sending it.
One of the comparatively rare times when Trek manages to combine comedy (or at least something approaching it) and drama in a single episode fairly successfully.
Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 4:47am (UTC -5)
Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:17pm (UTC -5)
Jammer gives this episode 3 stars, but I'd bump it to 4 (for its sheer novelty value). This episode, with its narration and relaxed pace, also seems to have influenced Enterprise's "Dear Doctor".
Wed, Mar 7, 2018, 3:23pm (UTC -5)
I liked the relatively soapy aspects of the episode but hard to think of Data planning on getting married someday since we all now know he has a looming date with destruction in Nemesis.
Wed, Mar 21, 2018, 12:24am (UTC -5)
Sun, Mar 25, 2018, 7:18pm (UTC -5)
Sun, May 6, 2018, 1:34am (UTC -5)
Sat, Jun 9, 2018, 11:12am (UTC -5)
I love the ending, where Data talks about wanting to grow, change and become more than he is today.
Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 7:05pm (UTC -5)
What's great to see is a day in the life of the Enterprise crew -- interesting to hear about all the things that were going on through Data's monologue. Monologues tend to work quite well on Trek.
Definitely a nice act was Crusher teaching Data to dance and the android's grin. The 2 clearly have some talent and I didn't mind spending a couple of minutes witnessing it.
As for the Keiko/O'Brien wedding -- just another example for Data to witness some unusual human emotions and behaviors. Keiko's cold feet is a good start to her generally annoying appearances on TNG and DS9. The teaser for the episode got off to a good start with Data conveying to O'Brien that the wedding's off. Of course there is plenty of Data putting humans in awkward situations when he doesn't understand some of the human aspects.
The Romulans at this stage are interesting foes -- very devious and capable. They score a win over Picard here. More to come on this whole reunification thing...
When the wedding's back on I believe Picard starts off with the same line as Kirk in "Balance of Terror" before he pronounces O'Brien and Keiko as husband and wife.
Good enough for 3 stars for "Data's Day" -- cool that it was tied to "The Measure of a Man" with Data's monologue to Maddox (guess they're on good terms). Whether or not Data does truly portray an emotionless android perfectly is up for debate but in many ways he does it well, although there may be the little slip here and there where he reacts more humanly. "Learning" about humanity through Data's eyes -- a tried and tested aspect of sci-fi/Trek.
Tue, Jul 10, 2018, 11:13am (UTC -5)
And is this the only time in Trek there has been a barber/salon scene? I've been through VOY, DS9, ENT and now TNG, and don't remember anyone getting a haircut.
Riker being Riker, chatting up a "pretty" woman, trying to flatter and seduce the redhead on the bridge with his war story...
Mon, Jul 16, 2018, 10:05am (UTC -5)
Thu, Oct 11, 2018, 3:38am (UTC -5)
A slight episode. It’s decent. Doesn’t hold a lot of replay value.
I did enjoy seeing more areas of the ship like the salon and replimat
The joking around with Geordi was a nice scene
Data’s discussion about marriage and one day possibly getting married himself was a good one. The dancing scene was fair. The T’Pel plot was not very interesting until her “death” and the ensuing investigation. The cold feet before marriage is very well worn and didn’t do much for me.
Sat, Apr 6, 2019, 8:47pm (UTC -5)
Loved this one! It combined two of my favourite elements: Data and A Day in the Life.
I don't hate Keiko as much as some over on the DS9 board. I said why in my review on the very last episode.
Sun, May 12, 2019, 8:36am (UTC -5)
My favourite scene is Worf and Data shopping for wedding gifts. Wonder if Worf ended up getting the swan!
What the hell was T'pel wearing on her head when trying to trick Data into giving her info?! It was like a Vulcan pixie hood with special cut outs for the ears. Hilarious!
Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 6:01pm (UTC -5)
A fun episode that explores what it means to be friends, and to be human.
As you can tell if your reading these on the comment stream, I was home from work today and did a binge watch.
This was my fave of the day. Just fun.
Good one!
Sun, Mar 29, 2020, 9:25pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 4:38pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Jun 6, 2020, 7:17am (UTC -5)
This one does highlight a flaw in the very idea of Data, though. He's very often shown to be curious about things, not understanding ideas that are simple and everyday to humans, and always having to ask. In this one, his people skills are so lamentably awful that he cheerfully tells O'Brien that his wife-to-be has called off their marriage, assuming he'll be happy about it because it's what she wants.
And yet we're supposed to accept that this synthetic person with limited empathy with and understanding of humans is a senior officer to hundreds of personnel aboard the Enterprise, and occasionally in charge of the whole ship.
Sat, Jul 11, 2020, 5:01am (UTC -5)
If I remember the first logs correctly I think this episode he's messing about with an experimental program to try and better figure out emotions? He seems to have much less common sense this episode than usual probably because he's still having to test and tweak it
Sun, Jul 19, 2020, 12:13am (UTC -5)
Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 7:11pm (UTC -5)
Birth
Marriage
Divorce (alluded to in the romulans ships name Devoras)
Death (apparent death of Ambassador Tpel)
Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 7:55pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Mar 6, 2021, 11:18am (UTC -5)
Thu, Mar 25, 2021, 3:14pm (UTC -5)
Sun, May 9, 2021, 4:41am (UTC -5)
I also really enjoy how at least one later episode references events from this one. I wouldn't have minded if TNG did that more often but maybe too much more and they would have been overdoing it.
Mon, May 31, 2021, 8:44pm (UTC -5)
Tue, Jun 1, 2021, 1:46pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 2:15am (UTC -5)
Moments of note:
- in the barbershop - as well as Data ‘s attempt at banter! - we got a glimpse of aliens aboard that we don’t usually see. I know the blue barber is seen again, but there was also a customer that was very different from humans who never reappears?
- continuity error: there were at least 2 occasions that crewmen (Data and Crusher) responded to communicator summons without first tapping their badge.
- sad that we have already lost Wesley’s replacement, Ensign (or Lieutenant?) Allenby.
- with Data’s fascination with marriage and his conversation with Troi about it, it was amusing that the Romulan ship was called The Divorce, though I’m sure it wasn’t spelled that way!
- I noticed that Data’s ridiculous grin when learning to slow-dance, was cured by the time of the actual wedding. Who taught him that?
- I know we see Keiko again but I can’t remember if it’s during TNG, or DS9.
I’m almost tempted to give 4 stars, but I thought the B story - while good - might have been better suited to a different episode? Even so, 3.5 stars at least.
Mon, Nov 8, 2021, 9:43pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Feb 3, 2022, 6:19pm (UTC -5)
"Meanwhile, we see [Data] looking back at Riker while nervously drumming his fingers."
I find it distracting at best and annoying at worst when bridge characters turn around and look when something that has nothing to do with them is happening. For example, in "Sarek," Riker and Picard are yelling at each other, and Wesley Crusher — who is supposed to be DRIVING THE GODDAMN SHIP — turns around and looks at them. So does the woman sitting next to him (in the "Sulu" seat). I don’t know anything about military or kinda-sorta-military protocol, but I find it hard to believe that an actual soldier or sailor or other service-person would do that, or could get away with it if they did.
Fri, Feb 4, 2022, 9:46am (UTC -5)
"So does the woman sitting next to him (in the "Sulu" seat)."
That's OPS. The job O'Brien has on DS9 is what Data does on TNG, other than when he's doing a million other things too. I guess it pays not to sleep. Actually come to think of it I do that too...
Tue, Jan 24, 2023, 4:43pm (UTC -5)
Crusher and Data dance, Data's eyes on her feet.
Crusher: 'Look up, Data.'
Data looks up at the ceiling.
Sun, May 14, 2023, 3:06pm (UTC -5)
*Looks at screen cap of Beverly and Data tap-dancing*
That's probably why. But I've heard really good things about this episode, so I'll try it tonight.
Submit a comment
◄ Season Index