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Star Trek: The Next Generation 1x13 "Datalore" - Full Watch-along (Patreon)

Published:
2025-11-07 19:00:06
Imported:
2026-10

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Follow along with your own copy of the episode!

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Star Trek: The Next Generation 1x13 "Datalore" - Full Watch-along

Comments

Summer

The fact that Data was found abandoned outside under dust while Lore was on a shelf dismantled should have told the crew something and when trying to deceive Riker Lore sounded nothing like Data.this episode is frustrating, kind of like Space Seed I suppose, we all can see even if we didn’t know Lore was bad, we can see how everything is wrong except Data and Wes then we get to the treatment of Wes, shut up Wesley entered Trek fans and they yell it at Will Wheaton its ridiculous . Spoiler but it will get better. YouTube will have big spoilers I am sure. I am one of the odd fans that the first several watches I didn’t hate or love Wes, everyone was just there. Maybe as a writer I tend to see writers as problems more than characters, usually. I guess Picard might claim his returning Wes to duty was apology but I don’t agree with that version

Greg

I don't have a lot of time right now as I'm about to head to the airport for my Australia trip, but did want to say a few things. I really enjoy this episode, it's one of my favs for the first season. Lore is a great character and it's fun learning backstory about how Data was made and found. The pacing is good and the story is also interesting. I do agree with you Bunny about Picard and Crusher yelling at Wesley and he made a good point about 'my concerns would have been heard if I was a senior officer', which, fair. The crew still does not know how to really handle him. It was interesting seeing Picard join the others in going to the cargo bay with a Type 2 phaser in hand though -- he's willing to expose himself to risk, more then Riker is allowing him to do. A few plot errors here though -- how was Lore beamed out with the shields still up, or if they had been dropped why hadn't the Crystal life form attacked yet? Also the drawings indicated that the Crystal life form DID attack the planet, so I assume the survivors went into that protected base, so what happened to them? Did the rescue take THAT long and the supplies ran out? Some interesting trivia about this episode, from the Wikipedia article: The story underwent significant changes prior to filming, with it originally meant to be a romance episode for Data with a female android. It was then altered to an "evil twin" plot at the suggestion of Spiner and elements of Data's origin were introduced, first as an alien creation and then at the hands of Dr. Noonien Soong. Soong was named by Roddenberry after a friend in the Second World War. Edits to the script continued to be made during filming, and while the look of the episode was praised by cast and crew, the characterisations in the script were not. Critical reception has been mixed, with criticism directed mostly at the quality of the script while Spiner has been praised for his dual role. Finally, when this was on my friends and I who watched it had a running joke that when we were asked how we were we would say 'I'm fine' while doing a small facial tick. Data can't use contractions -- he SHOULD have said 'I am fine' there. I guess the writers missed that small bit.

Bret Kay

Lore is so opposite, he's almost like a mirror-universe Data.

William Terry

Bunny makes TNG worthwhile and allows me to forget momentarily the effing slog of the series, not only seasons one, or one two, whatever. There's some important background to one of the main characters that they can elaborate on. I agree that Picard is left out of alot of stories by the Starfleet regulations which makes captains stay on the bridge. Of course they really need a separate away team with plenty of AI and drones with trained people, not leaving the captain and ensigns to deal with the entire bridge crew getting lost

Brian Galvin

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ya bunny

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

Yeah, Lore and his dialogue come off as kinda silly in this one. Comically evil almost. But it's a really important episode for our TNG universe so I do my best to just look past it and enjoy the episode and the character. To be clear I know you're not tearing the episode or character down or anything, KW. That's why I like your comments so much, even when you're pointing out something that could be better you do so politely and logically.

Summer

Thanks Preaching, I try, as a person who has seen these so much its a balance, saying how much I love trek oh and here are the ten issues I noticed this time. I wish I could see them all the first time again

reply

Data Wesley are bestboy confirmed! Brent Spiner must've had so much fun acting such a different range of expression!

Desmond

Technically, Dr. Soong created Data (and Lore, as we see), not "the colonists". Even if he was living among them. As for the "shut up Wesley!" scene, yeah, you're right with your criticisms. Not much maturity from Picard evident there. Although many of the fans enjoy it due to Wesley's unpopularity.

Max

What kind of a rushed abrupt ending was that? Felt like so many unanswered questions about Datalore, but still they're like "Let's just wrap it up now in 10 seconds!" And not enough gratitude for Wesley!

Matthew Graves (Graviton)

Often considered the first “classic” episode of TNG. Spiner really shows his incredible acting ability. It does have a few minor plot holes as Greg Polander pointed out, but they don’t really jump out until you sit back and think a lot about it. I suspected you would have that reaction to the Wesley/Picard situation. This episode became kind of a litmus test for people who either loved or hated Wesley. If you liked Wesley, this was a really bad moment for Picard as you said. For people who hated him, well, let’s just say.”Shut up Wesley!” became a significant internet meme for a long time. Personally, I think you have to judge Wesley on an episode by episode basis. What irritated Wesley haters the most in this episode is that they felt like the rest of the crew was overly “dumbed down” in order to make Wesley look better. It’s a matter of perspective. I can see both sides, though like you I leaned more to the pro-Wesley side. (You may think that I’m exaggerating the divisiveness but trust me at the time it was a weirdly big thing among fandom) Regardless, all of that is a bit of a sideshow when you really think about it. The main strength of the episode is the backstory and character development we get for Data here which is incredible and fascinating. It’s interesting that you said Data is more human than Lore. I’d argue that Lore is very human, it’s just that he’s basically a sociopathic human. Great villain character, even if his villainy is kinda over the top. And again an incredible opportunity for Spiner. It was also some pretty good “ dual character” filming. Especially for its time. It’s not perfect but most of the time it’s relatively seamless having the two characters interact.

Carlos Stevens

Heh heh... Bunny, your Deja Vu Fu serves you well.

Carlos Stevens

"Shut Up Westley..." Never tweet this to h-Whill h-Wheaton.... You will be immediately blocked.

Carlos Stevens

A lot of significant things happened in this episode. I will keep my mouth clamped shut so as not to spoil anything. I think I can say this without spoiling anything... "Shut Up Wesley" was the end of Wil Wheaton's acting career. Sad.

Carlos Stevens

LOL, Kirk was an anomaly. Picard acts more like how an actual ship's Captain would act. This is one of the things Roddenberry was trying to iron out in TNG Season 1.

뱀파이안젤

It's funny as a kid watching TNG without having seen all of TOS, I always saw Picard & Crew as badass! Guess I gotta take another look at TOS again...

Carlos Stevens

LOL... "Shut Up Westley..." I remember back in the day when these episodes first aired... EVERYONE hated Westley. He was like the equivalent of Keyop in Battle Of The Planet, or Bandit in Johnny Quest, or Pidge in Voltron or (vomit) Boxie and Muffit in Battlestar Galactica ('80s version). Too much of the quazi-semi-comedic-innocent Deus Ex Machina character; always coming up with the random solution that saves everyone. It was a trope especially in the '70s, '80s, and '90s TV shows that people were sooooooo tired of. Wil Wheaton was getting a whole lot of hate mail that he didn't deserve. The Star Trek fans, however, were not having it; they wanted a more serious Science Fiction.

Carlos Stevens

I kinda wish Brent Spiner got more prominent acting roles beyond Star Trek and Independence Day.

Super Sunny Sunblade

"Haven't you guys learned to listen to Wil Wheaton yet?!" 🙀 No wonder the writing surrounding him making all the other characters' situational iq drop is so controversial to spawn the "Shut up Wesley" meme! 😹

Stainless Steel Cat

To be fair to Picard, while Wesley is right that he'd be listened to if he were an adult, that's because bridge duty is something usually earned only after years at Starfleet Academy followed by a sequence of increasingly responsible duties around the ship. In other words, for the most part, if you're on the bridge you have a lot of experience under your belt - which Wesley simply doesn't have despite his brains. So it's not surprising Picard would react that way. In reality of course, it's lazy writing to keep making the wunderkind always right and the experienced officers always wrong and disbelieving. I have to admit by this episode in my original watching, I was getting quite cheesed off at Wesley's character and wondering why they didn't just give him a starship of his own to run by himself if he was always going to be saving the day.

Mark Gosine

"Shut up Bunny!" **wink**

Mark Gosine

So, Data's worried about anyone knowing about his off switch, yet they are basically assembling Lore? I'd think the off switch would be plain as day in Lore's parts...? I still like the episode. It's easy to knit-pick years afterwards. The 'Shut up Wesley' was out of character for Picard. He stated in an early episode he welcomed the bridge crew's input. Why this would be any different here.... I still love the, 'Shut up Wesley' meme.

Mark Gosine

"Picard acts more like how an actual ship's Captain would act. " Maybe. Picard is more a diplomat than a captain. One could argue that is one of the main functions of a captain, diplomacy. The old saying that Kirk made the Galaxy safer for Picard to be the noble diplomat (sans Borg).

Matthew Graves (Graviton)

Oh, I forgot to mention! As a huge Asimov fan I was thrilled by the reference here. Way back when you were reading “I, Robot” I mentioned that Asimov’s robot novels were highly influential on Star Trek. That obviously applies to the “Kirk talks a robot to death” trope that was so prominent. But as I’m sure you’ve noticed, it very much applies to the entire Data character. This story itself has a lot of Asimovian elements to it, even beyond the direct reference.

InfinitelyJesting

On the TNG pinball game, if you hit a certain bumper, you hear Picard say, "SHUT UP, Wesley!" It's great.

Soma

Gregory Middleton

You are so right, several people owed Wesley an apology!

Gregory Middleton

And yes you sure noticed, the writing of the ‘command’ etiquette is a bit lacking in S1 compared to TOS! Onwards! Very much enjoying sharing your experience with TNG, thank you. Excited to continue :)

Summer

Off topic, I watch other reactors, people being shown in credits never bothered me, does it spoil you?

Greg

They added that table to Pinball FX last year and it's great.

Greg

I also recall a TOS episode where Kirk directly says "I am not a diplomat". So yes, I could see Gene trying to fix that cause OF COURSE diplomacy is a key function of the Captain.

bunnytails

Maybe if it was a big reveal, but normally I'm okay with it. People have suggested I close my eyes or cover that portion of the screen so I don't see them. I'm not going to add myself more stress by trying to avoid them.

bunnytails

There are definitely some plot holes here and there.

bunnytails

I am sure TNG crew get more badass as time goes on. And individually there are some really badass characters here. I really enjoy Tasha in that way!

bunnytails

Oh, and you're right. Lore definitely has some very human qualities. They are just not always the GOOD qualities of humans.

Michael

Dr Soong created Data and Lore the colonists had nothing to do with it

Cecil Dedworth

Anyone that paid attention to previous episodes will note that Brent and the entire crew slipped. Brent as Data has used contractions at least once per episode.