When Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in 1987, fans of The Original Series were not sure what to expect. Previews seemed exciting, and with a whole new cast of characters aboard the newly designed Enterprise-D, surely new adventures awaited!
During the show’s 7-year run, The Next Generation explored a variety of themes and tones and created several episodes that viewers still discuss today, so let’s look back at three of the most impactful (and memorable) episodes from this franchise favorite!
1. “The Measure of a Man”
In “The Measure of a Man” (S02E09), the Enterprise visits Starbase 173, where Bruce Maddox, a Starfleet cyberneticist, approaches Data while on a tour of the ship. Data tells Picard that Maddox voted against him entering Starfleet Academy and does not consider him a sentient life form. Maddox reveals that he’s there to disassemble and examine Data, which may permanently affect his memories.
After Data says he would rather resign, the question of whether he is property of Starfleet arises. When it is decided that Data has no personal rights because he is an android, Picard must act as his advocate in a Starfleet hearing, while Lieutenant Riker must argue for Maddox, as legal services at the starbase are vastly understaffed. Thanks to their efforts, Data wins his status as a sentient being.
This episode lingers in the memories of fans because of how it questions sentience in the 24th century and whether artificial life forms have the same rights as humans. It is a pivotal episode that reminds us that as technology advances, so do our perspectives, and that eventually, humanity must reevaluate what it means to be a person.
2. "Loud As a Whisper”
In this episode (S02E05), a deaf ambassador comes on board Enterprise to travel to Solais V, where war has all but torn the planet and its inhabitants apart. The ambassador, Riva (played beautifully by Howie Seago), travels with a trio of people who represent him—his intelligence, his passion, and his reason. However, his chorus, as Riva calls them, are killed in a dispute during his first visit to the planet’s surface, leaving him distraught and without a way to communicate.
Data teaches himself sign language at incredible speeds so that he can translate Riva’s words to Picard and the rest of the crew. Riva tells the captain that Data cannot give his words the passion his chorus could, but it inspires him, and he reveals that he is going to teach the warring factions sign language as they resolve their differences, teaching both sides patience and understanding.
“Loud As a Whisper” is about loss, war, starting again, and learning how to solve issues when conventional or usual avenues are no longer available. Rivas, like the people he came to help, must find a way to build a bridge between the two warring peoples on intuition.
3. “The Offspring”
When Data decides to create an android much like himself, it chooses a female gender and he names her Lal, or “beloved” in Hindi. She is a Soong android, and Data creates her so he can experience procreation. Lal, at first, is a cybernetic success and interacts with the crew, delighting everyone (one great line from Data is when Picard says, “I would like to have been consulted,” and Data replies, “ I have not observed anyone else on board consulting you about their procreation, Captain.”)
Surprisingly, Lal begins to experience emotions, but this is only a sign of cascade failure in her neural net. Not even Data can repair the problem, and in one of the most heartfelt moments of the series, they say goodbye, and Lal thanks Data for her life, however brief.
Any parent who’s experienced the loss of a child understands the significance of Lal’s passing, even if Data cannot grieve. This episode stays with us because it reminds us of the importance of family and how we choose to remember those who have passed away.
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