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

Director:

Rob Bowman

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
Brian Alan Lane (writer)
(more)

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 | Space Shuttle | Number One | Star Fleet

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Majel Barrett	...	Enterprise Computer (voice) (uncredited)
Mark Wilson	...	Holodeck Character (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Bowman

Writing credits
Gene Roddenberry		(creator)
Brian Alan Lane		(writer)
Arthur Conan Doyle		(characters) uncredited

Produced by
Burton Armus	....	producer
Rick Berman	....	co-executive producer
Mike Gray	....	producer
Maurice Hurley	....	co-executive producer
Peter Lauritson	....	associate producer
David Livingston	....	line producer
John Mason	....	producer
Gene Roddenberry	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dennis McCarthy

Cinematography by
Edward R. Brown		(director of photography)

Production Design by
Richard D. James

Set Decoration by
Jim Mees

Costume Design by
William Ware Theiss		(original costumes)
Durinda Wood		(as Durinda Rice Wood)

Makeup Department
Sue Forrest Chambers	....	makeup artist
Carolyn Ferguson	....	hair stylist
Gerald Quist	....	makeup artist
Richard Sabre	....	hair designer
Michael Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Sam Freedle	....	unit production manager
Wendy Neuss	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Les Landau	....	first assistant director
Robert J. Metoyer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Joe Longo	....	property master
Richard McKenzie	....	set designer
Michael Okuda	....	scenic artist
Al Smutko	....	construction coordinator
Rick Sternbach	....	senior illustrator
Herman F. Zimmerman	....	original set designer (as Herman Zimmerman)

Sound Department
Alan Bernard	....	sound mixer
Wilson Dyer	....	sound editor
Mace Matiosian	....	sound editor
Bill Wistrom	....	supervising sound editor
James Wolvington	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Dick Brownfield	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Robert Legato	....	visual effects supervisor
Gregory Jein	....	model maker (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Cronn	....	chief lighting technician
Brian Mills	....	first company grip
Lowell Peterson	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elisa Goodman	....	casting associate
Helen Mossler	....	casting executive

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cha Blevins	....	key costumer
Janet Stout	....	costume supervisor

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	composer: main title theme
Jerry Goldsmith	....	composer: main title theme
Gerry Sackman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Alan Kaminsky	....	driver generator operator

Other crew
Cosmo Genovese	....	script supervisor
Diane Overdiek	....	production coordinator
Susan Sackett	....	production associate
Tracy Tormé	....	creative consultant
Eric A. Stillwell	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gene Roddenberry		creator

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup artist
R. Christopher Biggs	....	special makeup effects artist
Dean Jones	....	makeup artist
Michael R. Jones	....	makeup artist
Nina Kent	....	makeup artist
Michael Key	....	makeup artist
Mike Smithson	....	makeup artist
Rick Stratton	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ron Dempsey	....	dga trainee
Bruce Sears	....	dga trainee
Richard 'Dub' Wright	....	assistant director

Art Department
Lloyd A. Buswell	....	construction foreman (seasons 1-7)
Sharon Davis	....	graphics assistant
Dragon Dronet	....	weapons, specialty props and miniatures
Jim Dultz	....	assistant art director
Gregory A. Weimerskirch	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Marty Church	....	foley mixer

Special Effects by
Edward J. Franklin	....	special effects
John Palmer	....	special effects coordinator
Robert Cole	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Les Bernstien	....	motion control
C.W. Fallin	....	motion control operator
Don Greenberg	....	visual effects compositor
Simon Holden	....	digital compositor
Bruce Jones	....	visual effects producer
Gray Marshall	....	motion control operator
Karl J. Martin	....	digital artist
Chris B. Schnitzer	....	motion control technician (seasons 6 and 7)
Steven J. Scott	....	digital compositor
Ken Stranahan	....	visual effects
Greg Stuhl	....	miniatures: Greg Jein, Inc.
Peter Webb	....	digital compositor
Peter W. Moyer	....	visual effects compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunts
LaFaye Baker	....	stunts
Chuck Borden	....	stunts
Ericka Bryce	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Alex Daniels	....	stunt creatures
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts
Terry James	....	stunts
Maria R. Kelly	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Dan Koko	....	stunt double: Jonathan Frakes (1987-1991)
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Scott Leva	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
John Nowak	....	stunt double
Rex Pierson	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Michael J. Sarna	....	stunts
Patricia Tallman	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Howard Block	....	director of photography: second unit
Brian S. Cooper	....	electrician
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician
Frederick Iannone	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera

Editorial Department
Alan Chudnow	....	assistant editor
Tim Tommasino	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Scott Cochran	....	scoring mixer: advertising music
John Debney	....	conductor

Other crew
Gregory Benford	....	scientific consultant
Hala Gabriel	....	production accountant
Dolores Hundley-Arce	....	assistant accountant
Suzie Shimizu	....	production accountant

Trivia:

The original ending of this episode had Data and Picard privately realize that because of Moriarty's drawing surviving off the holodeck (see Goofs entry), there was a possibility that Moriarty himself could exist in the real world. The rest of the scene would therefore have been mere deception on Picard's part. No-one was comfortable with that element, so it was removed.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Geordi flips the drawing of the Enterprise vertically to reveal its image, which means that he was originally viewing it upside down.

Quotes:

Lieutenant Geordi La Forge: I can't help thinking how, or what else might have happened... all because I misspoke a single word.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [referring to the model of a sailing-ship] How soon she'll be shipshape and Bristol-fashion?
Lieutenant Geordi La Forge: Bristol-fashion, sir?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: It's an old navy phrase, meaning everything in perfect order.
Lieutenant Geordi La Forge: Hm... Yes, sir.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: As are we, Mr. La Forge.
Lieutenant Geordi La Forge: Yes, 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.