STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Season 4, Episode 11

Data's Day

Series: The Next Generation - (1987-1994)
Season: 4
Episode #: 4.11
Production #: 40274-185
Original Airdate: 01/07/1991

Writer(s): Harold Apter and Ronald D. Moore
Director(s): Robert Wiemer

Guest Stars
Rosalind Chao as Keiko O'Brien
Colm Meaney as Chief Miles O'Brien
Sierra Pecheur as Ambassador T'Pel / Sub-Commander Selok
Alan Scarfe as Admiral Mendak
Shelly Desai as V'Sal
April Grace as Ensign Maggie Hubbell

Uncredited Guest Stars
Majel Barrett as the Voice of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D Computer
Bowman as a Sciences Division Officer
Michael Braveheart as Ltjg. Martinez
Cameron as Ensign Kellogg
Tracee Lee Cocco as Ltjg. Jae
Gerard David as an Operations Division Ensign
Denise Deuschle as a Sciences Division Officer
Michele Gerren as a Civilian
Eben Ham as an Ooperations Division Ensign
Hawthorne as a Sciences Division Officer
Kai as a Sciences Division Officer
Kast as a Command Division Officer
Michael Moorehead as science division ensign
Randy Pflug as Lt. Jones
Keith Rayve as a Command Division Ensign
John Rice as a Sciences Division Officer
Denise Lynne Roberts as Command Division Officer Patti
Noriko Suzuki as an Operations Division Ensign
Matt Tufo as a Barber
Uchizono as a Command Division Officer
Natalie Wood as Ensign Bailey
Harry Young as a Sciences Division Officer

Stardate: 44390.1

Synopsis

Data is excited about his friend Keiko's upcoming wedding to Chief O'Brien, where the android will be giving the bride away. When the bride succumbs to jitters and calls the wedding off, Data applies android logic, and decides that since O'Brien loves Keiko, if calling off the wedding makes her happy it will make O'Brien happy. Of course, the heartbroken groom's reaction to Data's news quickly reflects otherwise. Data's confusion is compounded when Geordi assures him that the wedding will proceed as planned. With this in mind, he attempts to buy a gift for the couple, and encounters Worf, who informs Data that he will have to dance at the wedding. Data has never danced, so he enlists Dr. Crusher's help - after learning from her file that she was once a tap dancing champion.

In the midst of this pre-wedding chaos, Data must escort aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise the Vulcan Ambassador T'Pel, who is preparing to negotiate a treaty with the Romulans inside the Neutral Zone. While the Ambassador's curt behavior sets most of the crew on edge, the android remains unaffected by emotions. Meanwhile, O'Brien asks Data to convince Keiko to go through with the wedding, and Data's lack of understanding soon upsets her as well. Counselor Troi is unable to help him see the reason for his friend's behavior. Later, T'Pel summons Data to her quarters, where she asks him to reveal secret defense information. He refuses to surrender it on the grounds that the Ambassador does not have proper authorization.

[ Complete Screencap Index ]

Although he masters tap dancing in seconds, Beverly has some difficulty teaching Data to dance with a partner, but eventually he begins to catch on. Some time afterward, the U.S.S. Enterprise meets a Romulan warbird, and despite Picard's unease about the situation, the crew begins to transport T'Pel aboard. However, something interrupts the transporter signal and the Ambassador is killed.

Finding no flaw in the transport system, Data mimics the tactics of Sherlock Holmes, who, like Data, relied primarily on logic. The android detective discovers that T'Pel was not really killed. Using similar equipment, the Romulans beamed her off the ship themselves and left behind genetic compounds designed to fool the crew into thinking they killed her.

Picard confronts Mendak, the Romulan commander, with this information and learns that T'Pel is actually a Romulan spy. After a tense standoff, the U.S.S. Enterprise heads home. With the danger now passed, Data approaches Keiko to make amends. She informs him that he did not offend her and that the wedding will continue as planned after all. Data soon walks his friend down the aisle, where she and O'Brien are married by Captain Picard.

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