"Star Trek: The Next Generation"
Elementary, Dear Data (1988)

Director:

Rob Bowman

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
Brian Alan Lane (writer)

TV Series:

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Original Air Date:

3 December 1988 (Season 2, Episode 3)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

During an adventure on the holodeck, in which Data is portraying Sherlock Holmes, Geordi asks the computer...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title | Warp Core | Holodeck | Boothsby | Federation

Cast

Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lieutenant Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher (credit only)
Diana Muldaur	...	Doctor Pulaski
Daniel Davis	...	Moriarty
Alan Shearman	...	Inspector Lestrade
Biff Manard	...	Ruffian
Diz White	...	Prostitute
Anne Ramsay	...	Ensign Clancy (as Anne Elizabeth Ramsay)
Richard Merson	...	Pie Man

Trivia:

Picard utters the word "merde", the French for "shit". As it was said in a foreign language, it passed the TV censors.

Goofs:

Continuity: Geordi freezes the Sherlock Holmes simulation on the holodeck, yet the simulated fire in the fireplace continues to burn and flicker like normal.

Quotes:

Ensign Clancy: [to Geordi] Where can I reach you?
Lt. Commander Data: He can be reached at 222b Baker Street!
Ensign Clancy: Sir?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Star Trek: Science vs. Fiction: Holodeck und Hologramme (#1.5)" (2006)

this is wonderful!

A lot of the loose threads are left for other episodes. I'm not just referring to ship in a bottle, but also to measure of a man. Admittedly it bugged me when the Issue of Data's computer-like intelligence, which was the catalyst for the doctor's challenge and thus for the main problem, was not answered but one would need an entire episode at least to answer it and that is given to them about 6 episodes later.

For now Moriarty is a great villain and well performed by Daniel Davis. The entire episode has a metaphysical plot-hole the size of this continent but hey, Star Trek IS metaphysical! watch the above named episodes to get a sense of fulfillment to the issues raised. There are a few minor errors but this episode is amusing, intriguing, silly and classic all at once. Of how many episodes can that truly be said ? 4 or 5 stars.