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Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Episode 13

Datalore

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AIRED: 1/18/88

Stardate: 41242.4 The crew of the Enterprise finds android parts that are identical to Data's while they are exploring his homeworld. A team of engineers and technicians reassemble the android, and Data's twin, Lore, is reactivated.

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Fan Episode Reviews (12)

Surpremely Excellent Villain Intro

9.0

By GrifterTWolf, Feb 24, 2012

As quite emphatically stated by the other reviews, I really enjoyed this episode. Lore's introduction, a sort of separate twisted alter ego to Data's more rigid nature. By far the best villain in TNG's history makes his way into the show in an amusing, exciting, adventuring way. I think this was probably Wil Wheaton's best episode of the series, with possibly an exception for the episode "Last Mission" which saw him depart for Star Fleet Academy. Lore was vicious, he was truly evil by his own right and he enjoyed kicking the hell out of his more gentle natured brother. Data comes back with a more determined resolve reflecting so much emotion without... showing it really. (Sort of hard to explain). A lot of the particular details had me amused and you really can sit there and just gawk at how big Lore had become.

The episode did reach its flatline though right at the end when they beamed Lore out... exactly where did Wes send him? The Crystaline Entity suddenly stopped its attack, turned its tendrils and ran supposedly because Lore was no longer there, but how would it have known that either?moreless
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Lore + Crystaline Entity = Superb

9.5

By AvatarBlue, May 26, 2011

One of the v best episodes from all seasons. Brent Spiner is great juggling his main role and acting out the alterego of Lore.

In some respect this plot needed a double episode. Id like to have had more happen on the abandoned space station. Thats classic Star Trek, the arrive, discover, battle prevail scenario. As it is there is enough here to excite anyone who is returning to repeats of the show or newcomers.

Theres just something about the way BS can pronounce 'Picard' and overload the sound of the name with so much distain. Even Wesley has a role in this that had me rooting for him. A definite series classic.moreless
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Data discovers his long lost brother - who has a twisted psyche.

8.0

By Celedorian, Apr 09, 2011

This episode is one of the more memorable episodes of the first season thanks to the double whammy of featuring Brent Spiner in a dual role and introducing a character who would return in later seasons. Spiner, not surprisingly, is brilliant and dazzles as both Data and Lore. It helps that the episode features one of the better scripts for the first season of TNG; it's the last one Gene Roddenberry wrote for the series, and he did a pretty good job – though the writing of the show would improve even more in later seasons. (The handling of the Wesley Crusher character, in particular, would improve in the second season, where they would learn ways of using him beyond making all the adults seem stupid and rude while Wesley saves the ship.)moreless
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An engaging re-make of 'The Enemy Within'

7.5

By Amoyaan, Nov 04, 2010

'Datalore' puts Data firmly in the spotlight and helps establish him as perhaps the show's most accessible and engaging character. I don't remember immediately falling in love with Data when the series began, I think for me it was more of a gradual liking I took to him. But this episode I feel helps cement him as one of TNG's greatest triumphs. The actors are finally finding their feet by now and the viewers have a much greater feel for who these people are.

In many ways, this strikes me as a re-make of TOS episode 'The Enemy Within'. It's not as good, but it's still effective and allows Brent Spiner to sink his teeth into a dual role as both Data and his evil twin, Lore. it's an engaging episode with plenty to sustain the viewer's interest and benefits from Rob Bowman's striking directorial debut. Bowman, who would later become renowned for his work on The X Files, has a fantastic visual aesthetic to everything he directs and keeps the pace running smoothly.

The only thing that mars this episode is the obviousness of the plot. The fact that no one realises what Lore is doing except Wesley strains credibility to just about breaking point and makes 'the adults' all look exceptionally stupid. That niggle aside, it's still a very solid episode and well worth a watch.moreless
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Brotherly hate....

8.5

By uk6strings, Jan 04, 2010

"Datalore" is easily one of the best episodes of the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation - it is a gem amongst a pile of stones. The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is not bad, mind you, but it certainly is weak and not up to the high standard that the show would later reach. "Datalore" seems like an episode from the future that hid away in the first season: having good writing, tension, character development, good acting, and a great antagonist. The only difference between this episode and some of the better episodes of the later seasons is its lower production value.

The episode basically comes down to a showdown between Data and his brother Lore, of whom the Enterprise has discovered on the planet that Data was discovered decades ago. The Enterprise crew has no idea what they are in for, however, because when they activate Lore they find that he is not an exact twin of Data but an evil version of him.

Like I said before, the episode is well written and put together - its fun, exciting, and dramatic. Really the only problem with the episode, much like many episodes in the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, is that it decided to follow the formula of Wesley Crusher overcoming the stupidity of the adult crew and saving the day. Really, once was enough.... and that was one too many. The real highlight of the episode comes in the form of Brent Spiner (or should I say "forms?") who is in top form as both Data and Lore - the Data we all know and love and the evil swindling Lore. The final clashing of androids showdown at the episode's end is a great ending to all of the elments that make "Datalore" definitely worth watching.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Patrick Stewart	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Michael Dorn	Lt./Lt. Cmdr. Worf
LeVar Burton	Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge
Jonathan Frakes	Cmdr. William T. Riker
Gates McFadden	Dr. Beverly Crusher
Wil Wheaton	Wesley Crusher (Seasons 1-4, recurring)

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Biff Yeager	Lt. Cmdr. Argyle	Guest Star
Brent Spiner	Lore	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (6)
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- Data shows Doctor Crusher his "off" switch, located on his back above his right hip. In "Measure of a Man" in Season 2, Riker turns off Data near his left shoulder.
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- If Lore had led the crystalline entity to the colony to destroy all the colonists, who disassembled him afterwards? It's established in "Brothers" that Dr. Soong had left Omicron Theta before its total destruction, and had dissasembled Lore beforehand, so even if the colonists put him back together after Soong's departure, how did he get disassembled again?
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- At the end, when Picard asks Data if he is all right, Data responds with the contraction of "I'm fine, sir."
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- What happened to Lore at the end of this episode? Lore wasn't dispersed on wide beam, because he shows up later in "Brothers" and says he drifted for two years. Wesley should know he didn't disperse him when he beamed him out. So...why did the Enterprise crew, who could figure he was still out there, just fly off and leave him? They didn't bother to take a single scan? Or did they just leave him to die?
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- For some reason, twice in the episode Picard tells someone to have Data contact him, rather then just call him on his combadge.
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- When Riker beams down to the planet and makes a log entry, Jonathan Frakes drops a number on the stardate, saying "4124.5." The correct date is 41242.5.
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QUOTES (3)
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- Data: If you had an off switch, Doctor, would you not keep it a secret?
  Beverly: I guess I would.
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- Picard: Number One, have you ever considered whether Data is more human or less human that we want?
  Riker: I only wish we were all as well-balanced, sir.
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- Wesley: Sir, I know this may finish me as an Acting Ensign, but...
  Picard: Shut up, Wesley!
  Dr. Crusher: "Shut up, Wesley"!?
  Picard: Doctor...
  Wesley: And since I am finished here, sir, may I point out that...
  Dr. Crusher: Shut up, Wesley!
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NOTES (3)
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- This episode marks the second and final appearance of Lt. Cmdr. Argyle.
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- Data's evil twin Lore, who appears several times throughout the series, is introduced in this episode.
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- Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi) does not appear in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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