Star Trek: The Next Generation
Summary
A list of the best episodes ofStar Trek : The Next Generationlikely includes " The Measure of a Man , " and there is indeed a lot to love about this classic installment . In its 2d season , TNGwas still finding its terms , andTNGseason 2 , episode 9 , " The Measure of a humankind , " try out that the show was a worthy follow - up toStar Trek : The Original Series . This masterclass sci - fi drama provoke authoritative enquiry about humanity by place the android Lt . Commander Data ( Brent Spiner ) on trial . As Captain Jean - Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) fights for his crew penis and friend , Data ’s trial becomes about much large number , with potentially life-threatening and far - attain deduction .
WhenDr . Bruce Maddox ( Brian Brophy)arrives on the USS Enterprise - D , he declares his intentions to have Data dismantled for further subject field . Data objects , but Maddox importune Data to be a machine and therefore the property of Starfleet . This disagreement leads to a test that scar Captain Picard against his First Officer William Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) as they debate the sentience of their friend and colleague . With passionate speeches and unanswerable questions , " The step of a Man " could serve as the blueprint for a successfulStar Trekepisode , but it also stand up on its own as a phenomenal sequence of television .
In its seven - season trial , Star Trek : The Next Generation produced some truly amazing episode of sci - fi television but which ones truly abide out ?
“The Measure Of A Man” Was Written By A Former Lawyer
Melinda Snodgrass went on to write five total episodes of TNG.
Science fabrication author and former lawyer Melinda Snodgrass pennedStar Trek : The Next Generation ’s " The mensuration of a Man , " and it was , impressively , her first television authorship recognition . Snodgrass drew on her history as an attorney when writing the book , and while the legal procedure in Data ’s trial may not be perfect , the story more than make up for it . After the success of " The Measure of a Man , " Snodgrass joined the writing staff ofStar Trek : The Next Generationas a news report editor and writer for the show ’s second and third seasons . Snodgrass has also written several sci - fi novels and many stories in George R.R. Martin’sWild Cardsseries , for which she also serves as editor .
Gene Roddenberry Almost Axed TNG’s “The Measure Of A Man”
Roddenberry didn’t think they would need lawyers in the 24th century.
Star Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry did not want to develop the episode because he believed it clashed with the noble-mindedness of the twenty-fourth century . According to Snodgrass in a comment on her blog , Roddenberry severalize her that if anyone had criminal in the far hereafter ofStar Trek , they would have"their minds made right . “Troubled by that aspect , Snodgrass counter that lawyers and trial would still be necessary in a confederacy made up of so many different planets and cultures . fortuitously , Snodgrass won that disceptation , andStar Trek’scourtroom dramashave since become a staple fibre of the franchise .
Data’s Courtroom Set Was A Redress Of The Battle Bridge
Many Star Trek shows have redressed and reused various sets.
Upon first glance , the court where the effectual conflict pick out place for Data ’s rights and freedoms seem to be a uniquely new construction . However , the lot was really a redress of the little - used conflict bridge coiffure first see to it inTNG’spremiere episode , " Encounter at Farpoint . “This courtroom set also featured a galactic map seen inTNGseason one , episode 25 , " confederacy . " This was far from the only clock time this happened , as models , property , and set were often reused acrossStar Trekprojects for budgetary reason .
The exterior dead reckoning of Starbase 173 also used a model that seem in manyStar Trekfilms and television episode , most notably as the Regula I blank lab inStar Trek II : The Wrath of Khan .
“The Measure Of A Man” Was A Result Of The 1988 Writers Strike
Melinda Snodgrass submitted her spec script to Paramount Studios.
Because of the Writers Guild of America hit in 1988 , the yield ofStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 2 was retard and the episode count for the time of year was shortened . betimes in the season , the producers were looking for scripts to bring out and they sent out a call for remote writers to accede spec scripts . Melinda Snodgrass present " The Measure of a Man , " and producer liked it so much that they offer her a position on theTNGwriting faculty . Producers also looked to one-time script from the days ofStar Trek : The Original Seriesto rework for the characters ofTNG , with importantly less success , as evidenced by theTNGseason 2 premiere , " The Child . "
It was in its time of year 2 premiere that Star Trek : The Next Generation set up the conversant status quo for the show moving forward .
“The Measure Of A Man” Has A Subtle Connection To The Borg
TNG’s producers originally planned to lay more extensive groundwork for the Borg.
Star Trek : The Next Generationseason 1 , installment 26 , " The Neutral Zone , " reference attacks pass off along the Neutral Zone between Federation and Romulan space . The starbase featured in " The Measure of a Man , " Starbase 173 , was established in response to these mysterious threats . It would later be bring out that the Borg were the ones pass over out Federation and Romulan outpost . TNG’swriters had originallyplanned to tantalize the Borgfor more of the time of year , but their plans were jump by the Writer ’s Guild strike of 1988 .
The Borg are formally introduced inTNGseason 2 , episode 16 , " Q Who , " when the all-powerful trickster known as Q ( John de Lancie ) sends the Enterprise - D hurtling across the coltsfoot .
The Daystrom Institute Is First Mentioned
The Daystrom Institute pops up in several Star Trek series.
Richard Daystrom ( William Marshall)was first introduced inStar Trek : The Original Seriesseason 2 , installment 24 , " The Ultimate Computer " as the discoverer of the comptronic and duotronic computer systems used in Federation starships . “The Measure of a Man " discover the breadth of Daystrom ’s legacy with the first mention of the Daystrom Institute as Dr. Maddox ’s place of work . The Institute became one of Starfleet ’s most prestigious establishments , and consisted of many department working on various variety of scientific study and research . Daystrom Station , a black internet site controlled by Section 31 , played a major role inStar Trek : Picardseason 3 .
Data’s Rights Are Questioned Again When He Creates A Daughter In Star Trek: TNG’s “The Offspring”
Data’s trial was far from the end of the discussion of android rights.
Data ’s rights as a sentient being are called into question again inTNGseason 3 , episode 16 , " The materialisation . " In another one ofData ’s best episodes , the android decides to create another being like himself . Data ’s daughter , Lal ( Hallie Todd ) , is " comport " and Starfleet now takes an interest group . Captain Picard step up for datum again , defending the humanoid when Starfleet attempts to take Lal forth from him . Unfortunately , Lal ’s positronic psyche suffers a cascade failure and Data is ineffective to save her . " The materialization " marks an important second in Data ’s journey to bring out his own mankind , as it is undeniable that he handle deep for Lal .
" The issue " was the directorial debut of Jonathan Frakes , who remains one ofStar Trek’smost dear and fecund directors today .
Data & Bruce Maddox Later Become Friends
Sometime after “The Measure of a Man,” the two begin exchanging letters.
Bruce Maddox begin his family relationship with Data by insulting and belittling the mechanical man , arguing against his very right hand to subsist as an somebody . However , by the death of " The Measure of a Man , " Maddox has begin to see Data as more of a mortal than a car , finally referring to the mechanical man as " he " rather than " it . " As seen inTNGseason 4 , episode 11 , " Data ’s Day , " Data later begins a proportionateness with Maddox , where he sends the cyberneticist letter about his day on the Enterprise . After losing his case against Data , Maddox comes to realize that he could learn more by working with the android rather than forcing Data to work for him .
Bruce Maddox Star Trek appearance
Episode
Actor
Star Trek : The Next Generation season 2
installment 9 " The Measure of a Man "
Brian Brophy
Star Trek : Picard season 1
Episode 5 - " Stardust City Rag "
John Ales
Episode 6 - " The Impossible corner "
instalment 9 - " Et in Arcadia Ego , Part 1 "
The TNG Crew Play Their First Poker Game
“Five card stud, nothing wild, and the sky’s the limit.”
The aged officers of the USS Enterprise - D gather to play fire hook together several times throughoutStar Trek : The Next coevals , and " The Measure of a Man " mark their first on - screen biz . With its porta salamander scene , " The quantity of a Man " raise the question of Data ’s humanity as he fail to call Commander Riker ’s four flush . AsTNGprogresses , however , Data becomes a consummate fire hook role player , underlining his ability to find out and grow by watch those around him . Although Captain Picard usually refuses to join his crew member for their poker night , he finally sits down with them in the last scene of theTNGseries conclusion , " All Good affair …. "
Star Trek : Picardseason 3 also end with theTNGcrew sit down for a game of poker . Showrunner Terry Matalas lets the scene play so the true camaraderie between the cast member beam through .
The fire hook game that ended Star Trek : The Next Generation is beloved and iconic . Ronald D. Moore explains the rootage of TNG ’s celebrated poker moment .
One Conversation Lays The Groundwork For Picard & Guinan’s Relationship
“An army of Datas, all disposable, you don’t have to think about their welfare, you don’t think about how they feel.”
Captain Picard rarely suffer self-confidence or doubt himself , but even Jean - Luc admits that Riker ’s arguments in Data ’s tryout were too convincing . Picard try advice from Guinan(Whoopi Goldberg ) , the Ten Forward mixologist who is still mostly an enigma at this point in time inTNG . Although the full extent of Picard and Guinan ’s relationship has yet to be disclose , it ’s clear they rely one another to speak the truth . Guinan stimulate Picard to see Data ’s run from a different linear perspective , pointing out that a potential race of humanoid owned by Starfleet sounds an horrendous lot like thralldom . Not only is this conversation attractively play by Stewart and Goldberg , but it totally shifts the perspective regarding Data ’s trial .
