Watching Jen's journey into Trek fandom is a satisfying sociological experience. Moments like that one are great reminders of the many light years she's already traveled.
Data's expression, or lack thereof, when deciding he must eliminate Fajo, and later when informing Fajo of the loss of his collection, are two great examples of Brent Spiner's acting ability. The subtle shift between his 'resting Data face' and this uber-serious mask of inscrutability, is genius-level acting. It's the scariest face on TV -- that of a mannequin who's been pushed too far.
Like when he ordered the XO o the Sutherland to fire, and had to tell him again "FIRE!" There's a little demon in our android friend. Just a touch of the Lore.
Data has always had morals. And he's been learning humanity since the start of the show. This episode shows a more nuanced understanding (remember, his captor said he would keep killing to ensure Data's compliance). This isn't an 'evil' Data. It's a human Data.
I don't think it makes him more human, this is basically the trolly problem given to a computer. Since diverting the trolly to kill one person only kills one person and leaving the trolly alone kills 5 people, logically you take the action to kill the one person. Only a human with ethics believes that there is an option here. Do I take action and kill the one person or not take any action and allow 5 others to die. On the one hand, I am killing someone and have to live with that for the rest of my life, on the other hand I can take no responsibility for the 5 deaths as I did not kill them making it easier on my conscience.
@@libertarianguy5567but a regular computer would probably have concluded that total compliance was the best outcome for this particular trolly problem, as it would have saved everyone. Data’s desire to be free and wanting justice were pretty human-like traits.
Grindstone3838 You’re assuming that his captor wouldn’t kill anyone else if Data complied. That isn’t a safe assumption. Something else could set him off, or he could simply decide that he enjoys killing and do so for no reason.
@@daerdevvyl4314 i don’t think a computer would choose to actively kill someone now to avoid potential deaths in the future. Otherwise Data would just go around killing anybody who he thinks are likely to kill others in the future. Kivas has shown no evidence that he would kill anyone as long as they comply.
I'd say calm and collected Data did fire that gun. When things come to it, you really don't want to cross him the wrong way. It's not that he get's mad (yet) but he can really do that Terminator kind of determination. Spock by comparison is a hothead.
15:02 Data says “Perhaps something occurred during transport.” He didn’t lie. Something did occur…he fired the weapon. Data is learning the nuances of not revealing everything but he’s not lying.
In this context, what does "perhaps something occurred during transport" mean? It means he doesn't want to say he fired a lethal weapon in order to kill him. Data knows it wasn't some sort of mishap with transport which is what he's implying, therefore he is lying by concealing the bottom line. Omitting information is a form of deception.
He was responding about the disruptor shot, not about why it was fired. It could have been straight literal interpretation, being evasive, or an assumption they knew about the strict logic of his morality and thus wouldn't need to ask about it so that it would have to be about the literal shot.
I just love this one. Data was perfectly willing to stick with passive resistance until he found out his captor was willing to continue killing people to get his way. As soon as he decided that there was a larger threat, he was ready to act. Perfectly reasonable all around. Well done, writers.
@@bobbolondz2701 He would rather not be seen as the kind of Android that would kill a person. Remember, his personhood is still very much ambiguous and he's been treated as an object for most of his life. Being branded the 'Killer Android' would be a real possibility, if not by Riker than by others.
IMO it is a damn crime Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner never earned an Emmy. In fact, I believe Stewart was vocal in his disgust that Spiner never received one as he considered Brent's work as Data to be one of the best acting performances he has ever seen.
“He who dies with the most toys wins.” -This was a well-known saying in the 1980s. It was a tongue-in-cheek justification of the greed which became normalized in that decade.
Saul Rubinek later would play a collector in Warehouse 13. In season 4 Brent Spiner would guest in Warehouse 13 with Saul Rubinek playing the protagonist and Brent Spiner playing the antagonist
Even the look on Riker's face in the Transporter Room showed he had his doubts about Data. And the end line by Data..."I do not feel pleasure... I am only an android." It had a sinister vibe to it 🤔 and I LOVED it 😍
I think Fajo tossed the disruptor because he was genuinely shocked and horrified by his first actual murder. I don't think he had actually killed someone before. But then, a minute later, he was realizing that actually...he kind of liked it.
He's especially good, considering considering he was a last moment replacement for the original actor that made an attempt to end his life during filming.
@@mego73 They had actually been filming for a few days before they had to replace him. There's some of those unused scenes floating around RU-vid, but I gotta say Rubinek's performance is superior.
@@mego73 I thought David Rappaport had actually killed himself. Another late replacement for TNG that ended up being fantastic was David Warner in the two part episode "Chain of Command". He plays a Cardassian who tortures Picard. Supposedly he only had three days to prepare and so read most of his lines off of cue cards held out of camera view, but you'd never know it. Coincidentally, he and David Rappaport had both starred in another movie, "Time Bandits".
The original actor to play Fajo committed suicide shortly after filming, so they reshot the entire episode with the guy you saw. You might recognize him as the book writer in Unforgiven.
David Rappaport attempted suicide during filming, only some of his scenes had been shot. They hurriedly recast the role and reshot those scenes in order to make their production schedule. He later went to a park and shot himself, three days before the episode began to air in syndication.
@@jmwild1 That's so sad, and the fact that he went through with it after fact is soul crushing. I would have loved to had seen him in this role, as I think he would have done a great job as that character.
@@chrislaustin Rappaport was so great in Time Bandits. I own the blurays of TNG and a couple of the scenes that were shot with him as Fajo are on it. He wore prosthetics for the role, but I guess in recasting they decided to save time not having Saul Rubinek go through that make-up process and just drew some tattoos on his face instead.
The final scene is great. Data has a unique way of saying "kiss my azz" without actually saying it. Data uses that old trope "I feel nothing for you.. I'm just an Android" because he knows his words will burn the evil collector. I love it!
Jen, I may be biased, but since I know you also love Data centric episodes... I think this is one of the best episodes of TNG. Brent Spiner had some REALLY good commentary about the ending, when the writers and directors were "Did he? Didn't he?" Spiner wss like, "HE ABSOLUTELY DID."
"I do not feel pleasure. I am only an android". And Data gave just a hint of satisfaction in his voice and a dash of smugness in his facial expression. Subjective and open for interpretation. But I think he did indeed enjoy seeing his captor as the captive.
It's more like it was meant to be even worse for the captive because Data wasn't even an enemy. He lost against an emotionless machine and lost his freedom.
@@maokai-shek7611 Yes, but I was speaking of the way Brent Spiner played him. Leaving us wondering if he did have some emotion in there. A brilliant actor and the perfect part for him.
Watching these scenes for the second time makes me realise... I already knew this episode displayed a different side of Data, but watching him realise the only way to open the door was by using the collector, then striding dispassionately over to him in order to... do whatever he needed to escape, before being stopped by the forcefield... I'm glad Data has such a strong moral compass, because an army a disposable Datas, as Starfleet said, would have been a terrifying sight, and it adds a whole new context to Lore. In this episode we see Data logically and matter-of-factly waltz up to someone in order to knock them out to use their door key, if not carry them over there bodily, or even potentially kill or threaten them to open the door. We see him emotionally manipulate a fellow prisoner to help him escape, even if he had good intentions of freeing her to justify it. We see him pushed to his very moral limits of questioning, as he's questioned Picard, is one life worth taking in order to save many more? Ultimately we see him decide "yes" and pull the trigger. Finally, when this is found out by his compatriots, we see him lie, somewhat convincingly, for the first time. While that last scene has him explain that he is an android and can't feel satisfaction in seeing the collector behind bars and his collection returned to their rightful places, but does he not feel it? Why would he go to his cell otherwise? Why even bring up what's happening to his collection? I think he is satisfied and the fact he is so, while staring with cold and lifeless eyes adds a really interesting dimension to his character. Genius episode.
He absolutely would have killed Fajo if he was able to. "I cannot allow this to continue." In Data's calculations, whatever happened to him after it was found out what he did was irrelevant next to the amount of lives he'd be saving by killing an extremely dangerous man like Fajo.
"Perhaps something occurred during transport, Commander." Technically, not a lie. Data pulling the disruptor's trigger _did_ occur during transport. And if O'Brien had energized a split second later? That same 'something' would have occurred immediately _before_ transport....
Let's get the early comment and like in to kickstart the algorithm 🖖 In the meantime a small trek joke - Why did Worf change his hair color? It was a good day to dye 😃 love next Jen Sunday's so much lady Jen is the best 🔥💙🔥💙
"Something" did occur during transport: he fired coincidentally at the moment of transport. He technically told the truth. Which is about the only way Data could justify a half-truth.
@@anthonymiele4320 "Perhaps something occurred during transport, Commander." Riker did not ask him what happened. He just stated that they identified a weapon discharge. By Data's response, I think Riker got the hint that he shouldn't ask him any questions about what actually happened. That kind of awareness comes from knowing someone and trusting him.
Riker's reaction certainly looked like he knew something was up, but he also trusts his friend and I think he was willing to let whatever it was slide based on that.
Data: I consider this a hostile act. Fajo: You get used to it. Me in Data's position: So, you've chosen death then... It is the first duty of every prisoner to escape, the first duty.
@@HawkGTboy Maybe, maybe not. The episode didn't explore that idea one way or the other. It's easy to conceive that the force field thing might have protected him against that or perhaps he had other counter measures, we just don't know.
Saul Rubinek, who played the bad guy, is a prolific TV actor who's shown up in many shows over the years. His most prominent was in Warehouse 13, though he also had a large role at one point in Frasier.
The episode had a major problem behind the scenes, something they’ve never had to deal with. Kivas Fajo was played by another actor, David Rappaport, from Time Bandits. He filmed for 2-3 days, went home, and attempted to “self-deleted” himself. He failed, but the TNG crew could not go further. They scrapped the footage, which can be viewed on YT, and hired Saul Rubinek at the last minute. Saul, a huge fan of Trek, came in and learned the lines on the spot. Saul’s version of Kivas is much more playful and dark, like an obsessed fan who poses as being high class. That last scene with him in jail is very fitting. Yes, Data fired the weapon on purpose. Great episode. This isn’t the last we will see of the “collectors”.
If I remember correctly the reason Worf was upset over Data's supposed death was that it was an accident. In battle, or during a rescue mission, it would have been seen as an honourable death. One that had meaning, perhaps song. Especially for a Klingon like Worf. An accident would not allow Data entry into Sto'Vo'kor (Klingon Valhalla). Worf, like every other member of the crew, saw Data as a person and not a machine. It's a telling thing and something we all should learn about. Accepting people for who they are.
🖖 One of the best Star Trek villains! No interrest in political, religious or so power, just being evil for personal enrichment, to satisfy his ego... no moral compass, no regrets, no remorse whatsoever! And so damn' real as the darker ugly side of "humanity" Saul Rubinek really nailed it with his performance! 👍 👍 👍 👍👍
Except Kivas Fajo wasn't Human and thus no darker ugly side of "humanity". He was a Zibalian trader and you can tell by his facial structure/features he wasn't human.
@@Mastarfiin "Humanity" as a more philosophical concept not as a bioligical fact (like mankind) 🙄🤌...just in the same way Data uses the word! Kivas Faju is just a metaphor for certain human dark traits, like Ferengi are for human greed, Klingons for violence...and so on! 🤓
Ever since Warehouse 13 this is the Artie episode to me. Also reminds me of Eureka for the few episodes he was in at the beginning. I need to rewatch those shows.
Data had trouble resolving the correct course of action at the end. He decided to fire and deal with the consequences, but the moment he got beamed out, he knew all of his reasons to fire were gone again. So he chose not to share what he was having trouble resolving. I'd say it was a very personal experience for him.
*_Grim Fact: David Rappaport, a little person actor from the UK, originally was cast as Kivas Fajo. Rappaport struggled with depression and attempted suicide after only filming a few scenes in the role and so was replaced withSaul Rubinek, who we see in the episode. Even more sadly, Rappaport ended his life shortly before this episode aired on TV._*
6:30 I don't know if you've seen Game of Thrones, you certainly haven't for us, but, not a spoiler to say this bit reminds me of a Night's Watch funeral.
This episode is a bit prophetic. Completely amoral, uses people then looks to dispose of them, a complete con man, values nothing but material things, and constantly brags about what he has. it's also my favorite episode thank you
Or like they talk about with Death in Diskworld, as well as the recently dead. They have emotions but they don't have glands or a body, so it's different.
Data already stated earlier that he is allowed to kill in defense of others. That's what he was doing. He judged it inevitable that Kivas would murder again. I think him lying about it, even if by omission, demonstrates that he is succeeding in becoming more human. I feel like you would enjoy the works of Isaac Asimov. They are exactly about these kinds of things.
Data must have written a special sarcasm subroutine in order to deliver that last line of dialog... Short of the writers retconing Data's personality (which is the real reason Data does any particular thing) it's hard to imagine a being seemingly motivated entirely by curiosity being able to do a lot of what Data does. How does he develop any moral character without a sense of indignation? How does he form lasting friendships without a sense of empathy or affection. For Data, understanding humanity must boil down to the most clinical study of the human evolutionary imperative imaginable.
Between The Offspring and The Most Toys, Season 3 is just packed with amazing Data episodes. Season 3 is just all about Data and Picard, with a hint of Worf.
Intersting fact: The episode was re-shot as unfortunatley the origional actor that played Kivas passed away .. here is a curious comparison ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hcN4upJ3FQ4.html
@anthonymiele4320 "Perhaps something occurred during transport, Commander." Riker did not ask him what happened. He just stated that they identified a weapon discharge. By Data's response, I think Riker got the hint that he shouldn't ask him any questions about what actually happened. That kind of awareness comes from knowing someone and trusting him.
Saul Rubinek was brought in at the VERY last minute for this role. They had practically shot the episode, but the actor who originally played Fajo has a … self deleting attempt so the producers wanted him basically replaced. It’s a sad story and footage of him in the role is on RU-vid. Saul NAILED this role so well and it still surprises me that it was all at the last min. Another show he was GREAT in is “Warehouse 13”.
Yes, Data fired the disruptor, but the transporter pulled him out just at that moment. I believe Riker knows what's up, which is why he doesn't question Data's vague and obviously unsatisfactory answer, or ask Geordi to check the transporter for relevant malfunctions, etc. He lets the explanation stand, because he knows what kind of man Fajo is. (You know he does, because he cuts off Data's list of Fajo's crimes with "The arrangements have already been made," meaning, he already knows what sorts of things Fajo has done.) Riker is consistently a very strong proponent of self-determination. He is accepting of a fair variety of cultural quirks, but he consistently draws the line on that issue.
Great episode. Filming got partly done when the original actor who played Kivas Fajo (David Rappaport) took his own life. They had to quickly recast to the actor you see (Saul Rubinek) in the episode. You can find a comparison of the two in the final scene on RU-vid by searching for both their names.
I'm not knocking you nor making fun of you Jen but I love when Picard's "to boldly go" narration before each show you say it along with him. That reminds me of Effie from "The Hunger Games" when President Snow is giving his narration in the video they play at the reaping at the start of the event. Effie does the same thing you do, she quietly says the monologue along with President Snow.
I had some additional thoughts on Data's (possible) rationale for his decision to fire (Which he obviously was going to when he was beamed out). Fajo had just murdered Varia and was threatening to murder someone else. My theory is that Data reasoned that if Fajo murdered someone else because Data refused to cooperate, it would be essentially the same as if Data had killed them himself if there was something he could have done to stop it. So even though Fajo was not technically armed, he also could not have been stopped any other way due to Fajo's personal shield. Though it's a potential plot hole to ask why his shield couldn't protect him from the disruptor. But......the question remains. Why did Data lie to Riker? He could have easily justified his actions.
The main guest star is also an old friend of Brent Spiner (Data) from back when he did stage shows. Brent would later guest star on the other's TV show years later, Warehouse 13.
Jen Murray do you have a vendetta with Cathy (Cassie) She only got on Star Trek because of you!! Yeah i stand by it. It is sad. In a way. Because you are real and she is doing it for clicks. She will get to the Next Generation movies faster than you. But will be clueless. I just hope you dont see movies or watch it. Because when you get there you will be well informed. You have immersed yourself in this universe. I thank you. You were the woman that went no where geeks and aliens are loved. I just dont want you to get stepped on. I dont watch it. I know it is bs and trying to upseat Admiral Jen. I do see what is going on and it makes me wanna puke.
After this episode, you can never trust Data 100%, he concealed the facts because they had no way to prove he intentionally pulled the trigger. This is the problem with going into the age of AI and having a machine determine the value of human life. Skynet will rise. Anyway, loved the review, love you, take care and stay safe ❤️
The original actor for Fajo had to be replaced at the very last minute by Saul Rubinek, who absolutely knocked this out of the park. Fajo was the most horrible little monster they ever wrote, and ... well, part of the issue is that Fajo is not a small bit like some of the super-obsessed fans one occasionally runs into fandom: "I got four of them."
If you ever get around to watching The Lower Decks, there is an episode built around the idea of a Collectors Guild. That episode is packed with easter eggs. There’s even a throwaway line suggesting Fajo isn’t the only one who tried to collect Data.
Is it just me, or are there similarities between today's two episodes? Seems like both feature a maladjusted geek, though Barclay is harmless compared to the Bond-villain collector.
In season 3. The Next Generation really began to improve. However, twards the end of its run. Those episodes were just as bad as the first two seasons.
Great reaction I’ll just say that all of the father‘s androids are programs to deceive if required or necessary for their own preservation and his dad always liked a little bit because his first creation so he decided when he made data less human because the colonist wanted that way Programmed to experience emotions slowly as time goes by you’ll see evolve slowly at the season go on. I’m not gonna squeal anything for you. Thanks for the fun until next time. By the way can you believe that season three is almost over season four is coming soon that’s all for now.
This episode has a very sad production story. The actor who originally played Fajio took his own life due to major depression during production. I wonder if that added to the seriousness of the cast in this episode. The subject matter is serious enough as it is, but man when I read/heard about that it put this particular episode in a whole new light. Still top tier Trek no question about it. And in my nerd circles it's still debated whether or not Data lied about what happened during transport.
Data: "Fajo, I'll be shutting down now and sending a subspace message to the Enterprise know I'm alive and well. Best of luck when they show up! Toodles!"
Women in Star Fleet uniforms. The hottest thing ever. I love that you wear one for these reactions. Definitely adds to the immersion. This makes me want to rewatch Voyager and DS9! Thank you!
A personal favourite episode, I've been really looking forward to your reaction to this one. Data is such a fascinating character, isn't he? It's a credit both to Brent's acting and the writers' skill that they're able to subtly show how his personality and humanity is evolving over the series. We don't need direct conversations about it, it's all through subtext, body language and actions. Something modern show writers seem to have long forgotten how to do.
