10 Most Rewatchable Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes
2. Measure Of A Man
Throughout the show, Data established himself as a central figure among the core characters. The charming evolution of his understanding of human's gave us countless touching moments. Posing as a spokesperson for the audience, Data often found himself asking adorably naive questions in his quest to understand humour, emotion, context, and all things humans experience.
This episode sees a Starfleet scientist intent on recalling Data, having him analysed, potentially dis-assembled and subsequently mass produced. Picard feels that it would be in violation of Data's rights to withdraw and treat him as a computer and so challenges the decision. What follows is an elegant, powerful and profound examination of what it means to be human.
The manner in which Picard and a begrudging Riker go toe to toe in their battle to determine the validity of the claim that Data is sentient is captivating. Forced to prove or disprove Data's humanity, the episode is a wonderful exploration of what makes us human, what rights we have and what is ethically fair and just. It's simply stunning television, making stellar use of the juxtaposed position of an android trying to be human in a way which resonates with the audience.
Remarkable writing, tremendous delivery and a subject which hits home with each of us, Measure Of A Man will never cease to entice you into repeat viewings to see whether you can further grasp the issue.