Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2, Episode 9
From the beginning, one of the defining traits of Star Trek was its unflinching handling of social and political issues. The finesse with which it tackled themes like bigotry and civil rights could be iffy, but the fact that it dared to even go there was always commendable and contributed to its longevity as a franchise and respectability as timeless entertainment. “The Measure of a Man” is an early highlight of The Next Generation that examines a serious moral ordeal surrounding Lieutenant Commander Data that concerns his rights as a person.
Another defining trait of Star Trek is its utopian setting where humanity had mostly worked its own issues out. But as this episode and many others would show, the Federation was not perfect and injustices were still very much possible without steadfast moral vigilance. The conflict of “Measure” is a legal one that envelopes the fate of Data and concerns his rights as an individual and the definition of what he is in the eyes of society.
This conflict plays out as a courtroom battle, which Trek is very fond of. This predilection jibes with its generally scientific and procedural outlook. The value of truth is paramount (heh), and the crucible of the courtroom is a dramatic and satisfying way to uncover it.
Beginning the episode is the first instance of the crew’s poker game, which would go on to become a recurring hobby throughout the series until the very end. I always loved the poker games because it was a casual setting that allowed the characters to breathe and step outside of their professional roles and life or death situations. The cast members of The Next Generation were so warm and likable, and the poker games allowed their natural chemistry to come through really well.
It’s also Data’s first time at the poker table and although he’s boned up for his nerd game, he totally falls flat on his face due to Riker’s deft card playing skills. Will’s fearsome reputation at the poker table will become one of his defining characteristics, showcasing his boldness and cunning, not to mention his fun-loving and jocular nature. Here it’s some clever foreshadowing of how he will be forced into the role of courtroom antagonist later in the episode. He’s not the dude you want to be facing off against in any kind of contest.
The Enterprise is visiting the new Starbase 173, where Picard runs into Captain Phillipa Louvois, who he has a prickly but flirtatious rapport with. Although to be fair, the Picard of the first couple seasons had a prickly rapport with pretty much everyone.
Apparently she was the legal officer who prosecuted Picard following the loss of the Stargazer, which is apparently a thing. It certainly makes sense to investigate the destruction of a ship and to scrutinize its captain. However, the fact that Picard was court-martialed over it seems excessive. Unless that’s just yet another standard naval practice the show adopted for Starfleet. Picard is bitter about how aggressively she went after him (ah, legally that is). Hey, maybe overzealous legal proceedings are her love language. Just like passionate and articulate speeches are Picard’s. Objection: the flirtatious banter must be drawn heah!
The episode doesn’t make it clear whether they were actually lovers before, although I think that’s supposed to be the implication. And that the trial pretty much destroyed that? I normally deduct points when media over-explains things, so I feel weird complaining that the episode doesn’t spell it out enough. Hey, I want a little ambiguity sometimes. No, not that much. At any rate, Louvois is a great foil for Picard. She matches him in both rank and strength of personality, and they’re both hot as hell. It’s a good thing Dr. Crusher’s at a space farm somewhere!
Also on the starbase are Admiral Nakamura and Commander Bruce Maddox. This creepy dude is here to “work” on Data. Send out a distress signal, an adult is needed! This guy apparently was the sole dissenting voice who voted against Data being able to enter Starfleet way back when. He’s here to disassemble Data in order to reverse engineer how he’s put together.
During a meeting with Picard, Data, and Riker he mostly only speaks to Picard and Riker. This dude is so gross. Data is of course incapable of being offended and genuinely questions Maddox’s aims and methods. But he’s skeptical that Maddox has the know-how to disassemble him without harming him or destroying his mind. God bless him, Data is the most accommodating guy ever and is totally willing to let someone take him apart – as long as it’s done safely. Maddox is confident in his own prowess but also completely unconcerned with whether or not Data survives the process because he doesn’t believe Data is actually alive. His attitude is chilling, as he has no respect for Data as a lifeform. To him he’s just a talking filing cabinet and the possibility of destroying him doesn’t register on any moral or emotional level at all.
However, Data’s refusal to participate is for naught, as Maddox produces orders that he’s already cleared with Starfleet placing Data under his command. Where’s that adult???
Meeting privately with Data, Picard softly tries to persuade him to undergo Maddox’s procedure on the grounds that it might succeed. I hate it so much. If there’s even a 1% chance of death for this completely unnecessary procedure, you can’t ask anyone to risk that. But I guess it’s useful in illustrating that even a morally upstanding guy like Picard can get it wrong in weighing the potential benefit to society against the rights of an individual. Data draws a comparison to La Forge’s VISOR and asks why everyone shouldn’t have their eyes replaced with implants to have vision like his. Picard is silent in response, and Data points out that his artificial nature is what makes such an insane request acceptable to make, and something that wouldn’t be on the table at all for anyone else.
It’s great writing and Spiner is always great with his delivery. My small criticism is that the characterization of Data (bolstered in this very episode during the poker scene) kind of flip flops between a totally guileless stranger to humanity and a perceptive being with great wisdom. They seem at odds with one another. Then again, my own infinite writing wit does not translate to one iota of real life social charisma, so we all have contradictory strengths and weaknesses. Except me.
Picard is fortunately swayed by Data, and appeals to Louvois. She says that the transfer to Maddox can’t be overridden, but he can resign to get out of it. It’s weird that Maddox (a simple commander) was able to swoop in and totally circumvent Picard in this process.
So Data does that, and as he’s packing up his belongings, Maddox just enters his quarters without chirping and starts snooping in his things. When catching him, even Data is like “Damn bruh, you rude as shit.” (actual dialogue) Perusing a book of Data’s Maddox seems genuinely curious whether or not Data can understand the meaning of the words or if it’s just text to him. But he frames the question in such a condescending way, as if he’s talking to a very smart animal. And it’s not like any answer would even matter to Maddox, as he’s totally dehumanized Data in his own mind. God, I hate this guy so much.
Data explains that although the information of his mind could remain intact in Maddox’s experiment, he’s concerned that the dissection would destroy the consciousness of his lived experiences. He uses his first poker game as an example of pure knowledge not having the nuance of experience, and this is a lesson Star Trek has emphasized many a time. He then reveals that he’s resigned to avoid Maddox’s clutches, who practically shakes his fist and promises that his positronic ass(imov) will be his. Fuck’s sake man, isn’t there a school somewhere you need to be keeping 500 feet away from?
Meeting with Picard and Louvois, Maddox whines about not being able to take apart his living toy even though he’s eaten all his cold, soggy vegetables and tries making the case that Data is the property of Starfleet, and therefore no more able to refuse a reassignment than a ship would be able to refuse a refit. Which doesn’t really seem like a proper argument, either? Like if prior to The Motion Picture the original Enterprise cried out in anguish to not take away its goofy ass gold radar dish. Please Mr. Starfleet Engineer, don’t rip out my goofy ass gold radar dish, it’s my favorite thing about myself when I look in the space mirror! What kind of cruel bastard would still try to do that to what is apparently a sentient being? Well, this cruel Maddox bastard, as it turns out!
Unfortunately, Louvois seems somewhat swayed by this reasoning, but Picard urges her to find some actual legal precedent to support it. And maybe she could muster as big a legal hard-on for this as she did when she brought the hammer down on him years ago during the Stargazer trial, hmmmm??? (I’m so sorry) The hate sex between these two is going to melt neutronium.
The crew throws Data a little goodbye party in Ten Forward and it’s mostly pretty cute. Including how glum La Forge is about Data being forced out the way that he is. The first season had them hanging out here and there, but the second season did a lot more to cement their status as Best Buds, as in episodes like “Elementary, Dear Data.”
But the hits keep on coming, because Louvois finds a precedent that would rule Data as the property of Starfleet (a potentially fascinating detail we don’t get any info on), and thus legally unable to resign or refuse a transfer. Which is Warp 10 bonkers, because this guy is a Lieutenant fucking Commander in Starfleet but is actually unable to make any decisions for himself? He’s in charge of people! One of the qualms I have with the plot is the fact that Data was ever allowed to enter Starfleet in the first place if his status as a bona fide sentient lifeform was in question. It seems nonsensical to me, like being old enough to get married but not old enough to get a divorce? I would think that entrance into this contract would imply the ability to exit as anyone else would?
But thinking more about it, this logical contradiction actually works in the episode’s favor and bolsters its theme of how marginalized, “disposable” people get fucked over by the system. Based on the awful inequities of our own world, it makes sense that of course Starfleet is fine with a super smart, super strong being pledging his loyalty to them and doing its bidding. But leaving? Ahhh… slow your roll there, buddy. Are you sure you don’t belong to us? We think you do, actually. Sorry, we should have mentioned that like 15 years ago.
Picard challenges the ruling and demands a hearing in response, but Louvois complains that because this is a new base she doesn’t have any actual staff to do that. The Enterprise crew would have to form both sides of the hearing, with Picard in Data’s defense, and Riker on Maddox’s side. Riker refuses on the grounds of sacred bro code, but Louvois makes it clear that it’s either this or she immediately rules that Data is property. With no choice, Riker accepts and is forced to put forth maximum effort to destroy his friend and comrade. But he’s been best man at a wedding, so he probably knows a thing or two about that already.
Picard explains the situation to Data, and gives him the option to choose someone else to represent him if he wishes. But Data has no one else he would rather fight for him. This cute moment will be repeated when Worf asks Picard to defend him while in trial in “Sins of the Father.” The line of people wanting Picard to be their dad stretches around the Alpha Quadrant and starts with me!
The trial starts, with Riker questioning Data about his specs and abilities. He makes him bend a metal bar to show his strength, which Picard objects to but is overruled. Riker then removes Data’s arm to illustrate his artificial nature. Frakes is really great here, and conveys how much he hates every second of what he’s being forced to do. He quietly apologizes to Data before disarming him and gently cradles the limb after doing so.
His argument is snappy and logical sounding, emphasizing the oddities of Data’s mechanical nature to explicitly dehumanize him. It’s slick, but also very distressing. Especially when he punctuates his point by deactivating Data with his secret off button, who flops over like a puppet. Picard weakly asks for a recess before continuing.
In Ten Forward, Picard remarks to Guinan about how devastating Riker’s argument was. She muses that Maddox could be successful with Data and end up creating many more like him, a potential boon for Starfleet. Picard hesitantly agrees, and Guinan reflects how societies often seem to have “disposable” people, the ones who do all the shitty things that need to be done and whose welfare doesn’t have to be a concern. And now Data can serve as the template for all those disposable people.
The horror of that sets in for Picard, and he realizes that it means the simultaneous creation and slavery of a race of people. Guinan coyly downplays that; even though her character is not human, Goldberg’s race obviously lends a lot of punch to the words. But I love how slyly Guinan makes her point and allows Picard to come to the realization on his own; there’s a very wise and Socratic style to her. It’s not only an argument against the immediate issue at hand, but it fuels Picard’s determination to win the fight in order to prevent all sorts of potential future atrocities. The moral boundary must be made in this exact location and not any other!
Back at the trial, Picard dismisses Riker’s points about Data’s mechanical nature – he’s not really that different from biological lifeforms if you shift your perspective slightly. He calls Data to the stand and questions him about his various treasured possessions and why he chooses to keep them, illustrating the indefinable human qualities that embiggen us all. And speaking of embiggening, he also made the sex with Tasha Yar one time, which is thus entered into Federation records for all time, despite her wishes. Yikes, lol.
Picard then puts Bruce “My Favorite Drink is Room Temperature Milk” Maddox on the stand. Since Maddox asserts that Data is not sentient, Picard asks Maddox to define sentience, and quickly shows that even at a cursory glance Data meets most of the criteria. And proving the consciousness of Data is no easier than proving it for any other being. He then underlines that Maddox’s goals of creating as many androids as possible would constitute bringing a race of people into being, and open humanity up to judgment based on how they will treat that race. Picard’s final words beautifully convey the immense moral weight of what is being considered and he implores Louvois to consider it very carefully.
She does, and in coming to her decision admits that she doesn’t know if Data has a soul – but doesn’t know if any of us have them, either. Despite his artificial nature, he should have the freedom to explore that and cannot be considered the property of anyone. With the verdict rendered, Data formally refuses to undergo Commander “I Love How Sticky Floors Feel on My Bare Feet” Maddox’s procedure. Maddox sheepishly cancels the transfer, but Data encourages him to continue his research as it shows promise. Maddox admits to Louvois that Data is remarkable, and she points out that he didn’t even objectify Data by calling him “it.” Progress!
Alone with Picard, Louvois gloats that seeeeeee, captain sexy man, the system does work sometimes! With a look that comprises equal parts annoyance and lust, Picard just barks “Dinner?” at her, and lol she’s SO happy about it. Let the hatefucking finally commence! Following the hate-eating and hate-drinking, that is. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see these two silver centurions battle it out sexually, but I’m sure they get it all out of their systems and each finds erotic solace in one of the few people in the galaxy who can stand them. But in all seriousness, Louvois is a cool character in a unique corner of the Star Trek universe I wish we could have seen more of.
In the observation lounge, Data visits a brooding Riker to tell him that there’s a celebration for his victory. So many parties this week! Ashamed, Riker feels like he has no right to be there because he almost won and cost Data everything. But Data is in fact grateful that Riker went through with it despite it hurting him so much. Will is very happy to hear that, and they go off to party! It’s so wholesome.
One could draw parallels between Data’s ordeal here and the real life struggles of marginalized people, but I think it’s to the episode’s credit that it’s a more general parable. Topics like this can make for very heavy-handed stories, so I’m glad the episode doesn’t try to hammer a specific racial point home. “Measure of a Man” is a more thoughtful and interesting look on how the pursuit of progress can steamroll vulnerable people and trample their rights in the name of the collective good. Maddox isn’t explicitly evil and doesn’t have a grudge against Data. In fact, he greatly admires what the android represents from a technological standpoint. But his goals of recreating the work of Dr. Soong blind him to the value of Data as a person. Perhaps there’s some intentional disbelief of Data as a person in order to make ripping him apart more morally palatable. Then again, as indicated by their first encounter years prior, Maddox has never believed Data to be a person and perhaps always saw him as a stepping stone to advance his own career as a robotician.
Admiral Haftel will later commit the same sin of valuing the technology of an android but not their autonomy or personhood when he tries to steal Data’s daughter Lal away from him in “The Offspring.” It’s an awful and chilling paradox – placing someone on a pedestal to give yourself justification to destroy them. And this is still able to take place after the verdict of this episode, so constant vigilance is essential.
The world of Star Trek is a technologically advanced wonderland, but episodes like these reveal a dark side of that progress. The ends can’t justify the means when they squash people’s liberties and/or lives. The conflict in this episode is a gripping one because of how organic it is and how reasonable Maddox’s aims are on the surface. There’s a very dark history of states experimenting on the bodies of its most vulnerable people to advance the causes of science with no regard to their safety. Fortunately, reason prevails here and spares Data from that fate in one of The Next Generation’s earliest triumphs.
Stray Observations:
- This would be the only poker game O’Brian partakes in throughout the series. We can’t let him have too much fun, there’s suffering that needs to be done!
- The story possibilities of a Starfleet JAG team/office are boundless and would make for a great series! Like a sci-fi Law and Order. “The kids are calling it beetle snuff…”
- The aspect of a digitized mind retaining knowledge but not consciousness was the ultimate fate of Ira Graves after he vacates Data’s body at the end of “The Schizoid Man.” Interestingly, that incident doesn’t come up here at all.
- YouTuber Legal Eagle did a video on this episode, analyzing the accuracy of it judicial proceedings. Not surprisingly, a lot of what happens in the court doesn’t really hold together from a procedural standpoint, although it gets some stuff right. Riker being a comrade of Data and someone who doesn’t agree with his own side’s premise should be disqualifying. Doesn’t Maddox have anyone on his team there who could have done this? And Picard’s argument is ultimately a slippery slope that is neither here nor there in terms of the issue they’re trying to solve that’s directly in front of them. Legal Eagle also shares my incredulity that Data would ever be allowed in Starfleet if his status as a free being was in question. Filibuster!
- Speaking of, this whole ordeal seems like grounds for a countersuit against Starfleet. Them questioning his status as an individual despite accepting him into their ranks seems like a breach of the agreement, and a source of pain and suffering.
- Admiral Nakamura shows up for like one minute and isn’t seen again for the duration of the episode. It seems kind of odd that he isn’t involved with the conflict here as the most senior officer. Couldn’t even grace the trial with his sparkly collar. Ya got something better to do? We’re making LAW here, hombre.
- Presented without context:
- Maddox really is a hall of frame creep. Exhibit Z:
