Fourth Season - Episode 099

IN THEORY

Stardate: 44932.3 - 44935.6
Rating: 10 Humour: ++ Action: - Tension: + Romance: ++

Alternate Titles: Work: "BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO"
German: "DATAS ERSTE LIEBE"

Written By: Menosky, Joe
Moore, Ronald D.
Director: Stewart, Patrick
Executive: Berman, Rick
Piller, Michael
Roddenberry, Gene
Supervisor: Taylor, Jeri
Producer: Livingston, David
Co-Producer: Lauritson, Peter

Cast

Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Patrick Stewart
Cmd. William T. Riker: Jonathan Frakes
Lt.Cmd. Geordi LaForge: LeVar Burton
Lt. Worf: Michael Dorn
Doctor Beverly Crusher: Cheryl Gates McFadden
Counselor Deanna Troi: Marina Sirtis
Lt.Cmd. Data: Brent Spiner
Guinan: Whoopi Goldberg
Jenna DeSaura: Michele Scarabelli
O'Brien: Colm Meaney
Keiko: Rosalind Chao
Ens. McKnight: Pamela Winslow

Plot

A crewman who recently broke up with her boyfriend starts making passes at Data and he tries to understand about love, dating and relationships. Even advice from his fellow shipmates in unhelpful in understanding the complexi- ty his new-found relationship with DeSaura. Meanwhile, the Enterprise at- tempts to cope with mysterious "dark matter" which causes portions of the ship to desolidify at random.

This episodes is one of the more subtly humorous of this season's stories. Data's attempts at understanding love reminds us all of how awkward our own first attempts were and how complex and confusing the situation is. Data, as an android without the capacity to exhibit emotion is hilariously stiff and mechanical in dealing with the situation.

Goofs

  • In the teaser, Data finishes telling Jenna the reasons why she broke up with Jeff. She and Data then close up the photon torpedo, and she moves off to a control panel. On top of the torpedo rests a black, hand-sized deviceamajig. Data stands up, holding some sensormajig in his left hand. The scene then shifts to Data walking towards Jenna, and the sensormajig is now in his RIGHT hand (with no indication that he ever shifted it there), and Jenna is holding the deviceamajig she left on top of the torpedo (with no indication that she ever went back to get it).

In-Jokes

  • The line "Now would be a good time", spoken by Picard, is completely reminiscent from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which, in turn, was used by Kirk during "The Doomsday Machine".
  • Also, while it is not be visible in the actual show, someone on the production crew re-labeled the shuttle pod "PONTIAC NCC-1701-D".

Quotes

Data: "Would you like to cancel our agreement ??"
Jenna: "No, It's for my own good."

Data: "I'm seeking advice on --"
Picard: "Yes, Mr. Data, I've heard, and I would be delighted to share my understanding of women with you.. I'll let you know when I have some...."

Data: "Honey? I'm home!"

Revised: 13061997

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