PATRON TAKES - Star Trek TNG S4E3

A wonderful episode staring Brent Spiner as Brent Spiner playing Brent Spiner. I wouldn't be surprised if it was written and direct by Brent Spiner as well.

Kristopher

That is so “we’ll always have Paris” of you to say 😂

marty63026

The Origionally wanted Keye Luke for this episode. Because they went with Spiner it totally changes the context of The Scizoid Man. Inthat episode "Data's Grandpa" proclames that data looks like Soongs work and it had no asthetic Value. Originally just a dig a Soongs Workmenship it is now a dig at Soongs looks.

Quacer Productions

Good thing it wasn't optical scans...Data would have been plucking out Picard's eye balls.

Greg Quinn

When Crusher says "they're Brothers Data...Brothers FORGIVE..." she should have added "unless one brother is a straight up psychopath who fed colonists to a giant malevolent snowflake, tried to kill my son, phaser blasted me, has tried to kill his brother, and critically assaulted his terminally ill infirmed father"

Greg Quinn

I think they are trying to get a few "in the can" in case something comes up.

Greg Quinn

Well...we don't really know what happened off screen. My guess would be there would be a through investigation and things would be gone over. Questions would be asked...but seeing as Picard has already gone rouge a few times it's not like they can single Data out.

Greg Quinn

So here's the thing, I always wondered how Data can take over the enterprise single handedly and it is never mentioned again. Wolf is neglect here he should after be making data show him everything he did and changing security measures on the ship so that can't happen. Also I can't imagine Starfleet is too happy. "What? There is a remote way to activate the strongest member of Starfleet and make him go bananas?

Eric Wilson

Just an interesting fact, if you look at the screen where datas password is inputted, it doesn't match the password he says. Lol

Eric Wilson

It seems to me they were on shore leave and Riker decided to just not watch them I guess? I guess they don't warn the children to not eat the native food too? I don't know. Lol

Eric Wilson

I'm not clear on what the intention is moving forward. Are patron takes going to be weeks before the reaction from now on? Or is this just a quirk of scheduling from the break between seasons?

Jeff Cornell

Did either of you suspect that Lore might show up in the episode, especially when Seung mentioned the signal?

Nick Sauer

I was going to say that production was nice to Brent, giving him the episode off (Family) to prepare for this one, but Family was actually the FOURTH produced of the season, after Brothers and the next one. In hindsight, Patrick had to deliver that breakdown after having two 'regular' episodes under his belt.

JGoss

Excellent. Spiner extravaganza. The bits with the brats are not my favorite, but they do help set up a very beautiful, thoughtful ending.

rear adm. crackbiscuit

They were on shore leave on a planet. The opening log said it got cut short due to the medical emergency.

Lincynity

Well, then that's honestly on a character the boys haven't met yet...

Nolan

You want a Brent Spiner episode, I give you Brent Spiner. Also starring Brent Spiner, with special guest star Brent Spiner. Data, Lore, and Soong. This episode, while not among my favorites, is fairy solid. It's definitely nice to step away from the emotional heaviness of recent episodes, but this is not some lighthearted romp.

John

Were they on a planet? I always got the impression they were in the ship's arboretum. I would think it was "Hey Riker, don't keep a plant in with deadly known parasites on it in the ship where kids can easily access it!"

Alexander McKechnie

A nice glimpse at the unspoken protocols with the three Senior Officers being the last to leave the Bridge, and each taking a separate Turbolift to ensure at least one makes it to Engineering.

James Knight

One last ride for director Rob Bowman. Last TNG episode he directs, and first since "Shades of Gray." Missed out on all of Season 3. You did good (most of the time) Mr. Bowman. We wish you the best.

Elway Simpson

Hey Riker, maybe don't send a bunch of kids down to a planet unsupervised with poisonous plants everywhere. He goes hard on guilt tripping the older brother, but he's just covering up his own negligence. Also, since when does taking a sabbatical mean abandoning your kids at work?

JGoss

It makes me think of how parents see the potential in their children, even though they’re still developing.

Lwaxana’s Poolboy

I like the parallels and development between Lal and Soong’s death. In “The Offspring”, Lal says she’ll love for both of them, apparently aware of Data’s limitations, whereas in this episode, Soong knows that Data can and will mourn his death, even without having the emotion chip.

Lwaxana’s Poolboy

Data takes over the Enterprise, Spiner takes over the show... but let's rewind a second. Not many months after the ship was almost destroyed by the Borg, and the parents of those two boys take time off and decide, yeah, we can leave them on this dangerous ship, letting our co-workers babysit?

Nolan

The password data creates rivals the wifi password on the back of the router.

Evan Guthrie

Been waiting for this since "Encounter at Farpoint" to mention my fan theory about 'does Data really have emotions?' I say yes, all the Soong-type androids do. BUT, the emotions make the positronic brain unstable. Lore is a sociopath because he has unregulated emotions. Lal's brain collapsed because of her emotions. Even in TOS, in "What are Little Girls Made Of?" Andrea, Brown, and even Ruk to a degree, didn't handle emotions well. In "Requium for Methuselah" Rayna shut down as her emotions began to manifest. I posit that Data indeed does have emotions, but Soong understood that they would make his positronic matrix unstable, so he placed a governor in there to suppress the emotions. The Emotion Chip from this episode would function by allowing him to process emotions in a way that would be stable and safe. Had he known Lore had been reassembled, he would have made one that could have stopped him from being an evil twin.

Alexander McKechnie

Are you kidding, he earned his paycheck for the entire year with this episode. :)

wildhunt1973

THE LORE! Yo dawg I heard you like Brent Spiner episodes, so I added a Brent Spiner to your Brent and Brent Spiners episode.

EnigmaticPenguin

I actually have sympathy for Lore in this episode. He has a legitimate grievance and Soong kind of brings his own fate upon himself. Also, when Beverly says "brothers forgive", note the subtle look on Picard's face in response, after the conflict with his own brother in the previous episode.

Chris Nunnally

This episode is pretty heartbreaking. Data should have gotten that chip. It was for him!

Jovet

Being able to perfectly mimic voices to bypass voiceprint security helps.

Jovet

I just love seeing Data *really* going crazy. Alex and Josh talked about him looking scary in "The Most Toys"—I never believed that. This is where he's scary. The flashing blue (not red) lights for loss of life support on the bridge were a really quaint touch. Very logical. I've never forgotten that.

Jovet

I wonder if you will catch on right away that Dr. Soong is also Brent Spiner. Every trick in the book was used to eventually have 3 Brent Spiner's talk to each other, a standout episode. And I am in awe to this day about how Patrick Stewart was able to match dub Brent Spiner's rapid reading off of numbers to make the pass word.

Mike Rogers

My password!!😁

Faitestealer

First you're creating cute pictures and doing your homework with AI and then before you know it - it's pretending to be your captain, assumed control of your starship, and placed lives in danger. Luckily he got the kids some toy dinosaurs to say sorry... Otherwise he might have been in real trouble 😵‍💫

Alan F

I'm sure they'll enjoy the return of THE LORE! Brent Spiner gets to really flex himself here, playing three characters against each other, all distinct, different mannerisms, and especially vocally, but all underlying the same voice. Combined with the really solid old age make up, you could be mistaken for thinking Soong is a different actor altogether.

Thomas Cole

Really enjoyable episode full of LORE and some great scenes where Data takes over the Enterprise. I hope Brent got triple pay that episode.

Paul Rymer

Considering who did it, I'm sure they'd think it an isolated incident. Not everyone would have access like that.

tyranusfan

LORE! Brent Spiner earned his pay for the week with this one. The scene that always gets me is the end: “Brothers forgive,” and then Data’s look. It’s a hopeful moment for him and Lore.

tyranusfan

Monty Crawford

Great episode, it’s a little concerning how easily Data takes over the Enterprise but Spock did the same thing in the Menagerie. Intelligence trumps strength even though Data is the strongest crew member. Welcome to season 4, more great stuff to come

marty63026

Brent Spiner not just playing one character but THREE characters. It shows he is the best actor in this show to make each character different and standout Welcome to Season 4 guys this season is such a blast PS new patron since Best of Both Worlds but been watching since Man Trap keep up the good work

Samuel Morrell

I love the sequence of Data taking over the Enterprise. Not just entertaining but also shows how powerful / dangerous Data is.

Forbidden Donut

Spiner has a great story how there was someone else playing Dr. Seung and he pushed for himself to play it to then say “ why did I do that?! “ lol this is such a well earned episode cause by this point Data means so much to us, and THIS is such a big thing for him! SPIIINEEERRRRR!!

Sixto

Typical. You wait a whole episode for Brent Spiner then three come along at once.

Lincynity