YOUTUBE - DATA IN LOVE... In Theory (TNG S4E25) | Star Trek Journey 206

I want to like this episode more, and I do actually like the subtle ending with Data (mistakenly!) deciding he's impossible to love only to have Spot jump into his lap like "Nah because I love you", but I really don't like the way Jenna's behaviour is framed as normal and therefore means Data couldn't have a romantic relationship. She's totally projecting onto him, puts crazy expectations on him, and seems to think he needs to behave like he's infatuated with her for it to be "real". It just felt like they wanted to write out the possibility of Data having a romantic relationship, and did so in a really clunky way that hinges on the viewer believing Jenna is right. But I don't! I could point to another sci-fi show that much more successfully did the concept of a human woman and an artificial lifeform romantically involved, but I won't in case you ever watch it organically. OK, my overly passionate comment on an old video is done 👍

This episode has some of the very rare TNG comedy editing/timing. The whole sequence with Data talking to the crew was so perfectly done. Riker with his giant shit eating grin at the prospect of Data getting laid lol Not my favourite by any stretch, but it's a concept that is unique to Data as a character, so it's at least interesting.

So excited to be a patron! Glad you guys enjoyed this one. It's one of those solid B-tier episodes I come back to because of the humor and character stuff. Here's a question to ponder: if a male crewmember had flirted with Data, would Data still have gone for it? Does Data have a set sexuality or is he an equal opportunity fully functional in multiple techniques android?

7:45 you've used Data as a rebound?

One thing to think about it. The cringy scenes are very reminiscent of someone starting to date. Early efforts are typically like that it takes time and practice to overcome.

I really liked and enjoyed this episode.. in a form of guilty pleasure. But I couldn’t go higher than a B for some reason. It seems to contradict points in other episodes that Data does have some emotions.. especially with that harsh ending. Yet, I am still drawn to this episode. It had some good humor in it too. I enjoyed your reaction just as much!

Is this one bad? Is it good? I have no idea. I personally really dislike it, but so much of that is just that it's just so different from almost all other TNG episodes that it almost feels like something else entirely. The end result is that I really do not like it much at all but I don't think that feeling means anything about the actual quality of the episode.