The cards are dealt, and Riker's new card is the five of hearts, as we see three hearts, compared to Data's pair of queens, ace high. garykmcd. (TNG: "The Last Outpost", "Lonely Among Us", "The Loss"; DS9: "The Forsaken") Hard and fast definitions of sentience across biologic… Elsewhere an Admiral getting a tour of the federation's flagship nonchalantly gives a transfer order to Brent Spiner's Commander Data, ordering him to report to the robotics laboratory of Brian Brophy's awfully greasy Commander Maddox. Maddox is infuriated at this complication and does little to hide it, angrily insisting that one way or another Data will be reporting to him the next day. Report Save. Data bets five cautiously, whereas O'Brien calls, but Riker raises five more. When Data expresses doubts about Maddox's likelihood of success, he refuses to undergo the procedure and resigns his commission. They do the dirty work. After the victory, Riker, deeply affected by the gravity of nearly costing a friend and colleague his life, prefers the solitude of the Enterprise's darkened observation lounge looking out at the stars more than attending Data's victory celebration on the holodeck. 19 of 20 people found this review helpful. ", "That act injured you and saved me. What began as a simple debate about Commander Data's personal rights and freedoms quickly blossomed into … The USS Enterprise-D is visiting the newly-built Starbase 173 for a crew rotation. When pushed for a little more detail Maddox reveals to Picard that the transfer will involve the dismantling our favorite android with little or no hope of putting the tin man back together. Maddox and Data greet each other with familiarity; Data explains to Picard that Maddox was the sole member of a Starfleet special admissions panel to oppose Data's admission to Starfleet Academy, on the basis that Data was not a sentient lifeform, who briefly looks annoyed with the memory. "You're talking about slavery." He soon finds himself the center of a judicial inquiry to determine if he is just a machine and a piece of property or a sentient being who has the right to make his own decisions. 10. Star Trek TNG - S02E09 - The Measure Of A Man. Data, still genuinely concerned that Dr. Maddox has not yet demonstrated his ability to make good on that promise, argues that the substance and flavor of his experiences would be lost, reduced to mere facts. But that's a truth that we have obscured behind a... comfortable, easy euphemism. In spite of this, Maddox claims the risks to Data are "negligible.". Data calls, but O'Brien folds. I will not forget it." She states that Data can neither resign nor can he refuse to undergo Maddox's procedure. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." "After that." Of the Starfleet medals, he answers that they serve no purpose other than that he simply wanted them, wondering out loud to Picard if that demonstrates vanity. Star Trek: The Measure of a Man — The Measure of Us All by Caemeron Crain January 23, 2020, 12:00 am Star Trek , in its various iterations, has frequently grappled with the question of moral status , and does so perhaps most directly in “The Measure of a Man.” Broadly speaking, this is the question of who counts, morally . ", "...and the unenviable task of prosecuting this case would fall on you, Commander, as the next most senior officer of the defendant's ship." Some people will just never get it, and while I concede that some people are also in danger of getting it a bit too much, classing Star Trek as just sci fi can mean you miss out on some real gems. Back on the Enterprise, Captain Picard recounts Riker's devastating prosecution to Guinan in Ten Forward, admitting that he himself was ready to believe that Data was only a machine after Riker's arguments. How outrageous. Follow. Still smarting from Data's sudden resignation, Maddox has found a legal loophole he can use to get his experiment back on track. !What looks better than a Starfleet uniform? Extrapolation 2003, Summer, 44, 2 Take your love for this iconic episode by hanging this beautifully designed Star Trek: The Next Generation Juan Ortiz The Measure of a Man Wrapped Canvas in your home or office. Data comments about Riker's facial expression being a "poker face", but Riker asks if Data is "playing or not?". Riker reveals his face-down card as the two of spades, which raises a resounding groan from the table. In the 24th century, an important component of sentience in biological lifeforms was considered to be intelligence. Picard questions Data about the holocube of Tasha Yar, taking the time to set it out and activate it, stating for the record that he has "no other portraits of [his] fellow crewmates." Written by Data reminds Riker in his immutable manner that had he not agreed to prosecute the position in favor of Maddox, they would not have been afforded the opportunity to defend the position that Data is sentient and legally entitled to the full panoply of rights and freedoms accorded sentient beings in the Federation, as Louvois would have ruled summarily in favor of Maddox's position. It is Lieutenant Commander Data's first official game, but he has studied up on the subject and explains it in detail as the cards are dealt. When Captain Picard is unable … "I see. I am not using this for profit in any capacity, and do not intend to do so. The revelations about Star Trek: Picard's Romulan/Starfleet conspiracy retcons the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2 episode "Measure of a Man". I don't know, do you? Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. "Yes!" Star Trek. ", "Your Honor, a courtroom is a crucible; in it we burn away irrelevancies until we are left with a pure product: the truth, for all time. ", "I am the culmination of one man's dream. He offers the Teaser's earlier poker game as an example: he had absorbed all the available literature on the subject of Poker to prepare for the game, but when he actually played it, found it bore little resemblance to the rules as published. But that's not the issue at all, is it? Add to this the ever classy Whoopie Goldberg drawing some parallels from history to the debate raging today, and a show about aliens becomes an impeccably presented morality play, asking where does the line between service and slavery fall? WATCH: Star Trek History: Measure of a Man WATCH: Star Trek: The Next Generation — Do You Remember What I T… WATCH: Star Trek: Discovery - Captain Pike … The Enterprise is parked at a newly established starbase for crew rotation and resupplying/offloading. Are you sure?" Data is put on trial to find out if he should have human rights or if he is considered property of Starfleet. ← 34th of 176 produced in TNG → Of the book, Data says that it is a reminder of his friendship and service with the captain. 2. He asks if Data would be happier with another officer, but Data places his complete confidence in Picard's abilities. It was then drip fed in to pop culture with animation and feature films. What is he then? ; Hilarious in Hindsight:. Hard as it is to believe, that's 26 years ago. ", "Consider that in the history of many worlds there have always been disposable creatures. At the start the Enterprise and her crew are visiting a nice big space station for some essential maintenance, little aware that some old flames and new slimeballs are waiting to disrupt the interstellar harmony aboard ship. Riker then compels Data to bend a rod of parsteel, despite Picard's objection based on the fact that many creatures in the Federation are possessed of mega-strength. Captain Louvois notes to Maddox that he no longer refers to Data as an "it" but as a "he", inferring that he now ascribes to Data "personhood.". We are en route to newly established Starbase one seven three for port call. Realizing this to be the jarring truth of the matter, Picard dismisses Data and has the computer pull all relevant information of Starfleet regulations on officer transfers to a PADD for further research, intending to find a way to block Data's transfer. In the meantime, Riker does research for the hearing, and uses his authorization to look up Data's technical schematics. ...waiting. "You see he's met two of your three criteria for sentience, so what if he meets the third, consciousness, in even the smallest degree? Data reveals – with what can only be interpreted as discomfort – that Yar was "special" to him because they had been intimate with one another. If, by your experiments, I am destroyed, something unique – something wonderful – will be lost. A reluctant Commander Riker is pressed into representing Commander Maddox's position; Riker initially refuses to participate in the hearing on the grounds that he vehemently disagrees with the premise of the case: Not only does Riker consider Data legally possessed of the same rights and freedoms of all sentient beings under Federation law, but also because Riker considers Data a comrade and friend, and on a personal level does not wish to be compelled into potentially placing a friend in harm's way. WATCH: Star Trek History: The Measure of a Man startrek.com - StarTrek.com Staff. The Measure of a Man? "I think that's a little harsh." The cards are dealt a final time, and Riker receives a four of hearts, which causes a moan from the others – Riker may have a flush. Citing that Data is essentially hardware built by a man and programmed with software written by a man, Riker then moves behind Data and abruptly deactivates him, proclaiming "Pinocchio is broken; its strings have been cut." ", Director Robert Scheerer examines an arm prop, The rarely seen "interim uniform" worn by admirals in the 2nd season. — Martin Luther King, Jr. On Starbase 173, Louvois begins the hearing, acting as judge. Data expresses his sincere gratitude at the ignominy Riker had endured, but that had, in its effect, saved him. While a classic Kirk episode would involve a punch up, a neurotic but deadly cosmic female in not much clothing and a gorn, Stewart's theatre background allowed classic Picard episodes to become more talky affairs. While they reminisce and tease each other playfully, the pair is approached by Admiral Nakamura, accompanied by Commander Bruce Maddox, a Starfleet cyberneticist. He is initially pleased to find what he was looking for... but then remembers why he was doing so in the first place. 9 months ago | 2.2K views. Tell me: are these just words to you? Well, here it is...make it a good one. level 2. And an army of Datas, all disposable? Data himself arrives to ask why Riker hasn't joined them, who sullenly explains his guilt over his role in the trial. "The Measure of a Man," one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most-dramatic and most-memorable episodes, debuted on February 13, 1989. ... but I personally haven't been able to find the perfect star trek game. The episode holds up well, as its story—Picard arguing that Data is a sentient being with the accompanying freedoms and rights—is as timely as ever. Meanwhile, four of the senior staff and Chief Miles O'Brien sit down in Commander Riker's quarters for a game of poker.