A Fistful of Datas

TNG Season 6 Episode 8
Air Date: November 9th, 1992

While waiting for a rendezvous with a supply ship, the crew of the Enterprise are given some much needed time off. Alexander convinces his father and Counselor Troi to join him in a holodeck story based around the ancient west. I guess when the old west is 500 years ago, it gets renamed to ancient.

Meanwhile, Lt. Cmdr. La Forge takes the time to experiment with using Lt. Cmdr. Data as a backup computer for use in emergencies. During the experiment there was a power surge in Data's positronic brain which causes secondary systems around the Enterprise to start malfunctioning. Many of the food replicators start only making cat food for Spot. Captain Picards music changes to a selection Data was listening to recently. The play Doctor Crusher was working on got changed to Ode to Spot. But the biggest malfunction was to the holodeck. Two of the characters appearance changed to Data.

These changes were not just in appearance but they also get Data's physical abilities of strength and speed. Sheriff Worf had captured the son of a Frank Hollander and in turn Frank kidnaps Alexander. They offer to do a trade which when Worf realizes the safeties are off, agrees to. But he knows it will be a double cross which leads to a shootout in the streets. Using his communicator to fashion a simple force field Worf and Counselor Troi defeat the Hollanders and rescue Alexander.

The title of the episode is an homage to spaghetti westerns and specifically the Clint Eastwood movie A Fist Full of Dollars.

Quotes

"I must admit, Data, I never get used to seeing you like this." - Lt. Cmdr. La Forge
"I do not understand. You are constantly working on similar electronic systems, yet their appearances do not disturb you." - Lt. Cmdr Data
"Yeah, but you're not just another electronic system." = Lt. Cmdr. La Forge
"Thank you, Geordi. Nor are you just another biological organism." - Lt. Cmdr. Data

"Spot, you are disrupting my ability to work. Vamoose, ye little varmint!" - Lt. Cmdr. Data

"When can you correct the problem?" - Captain Picard
"We are currently attempting to isolate the corrupted circuit pathways. I reckon the process should take less than two hours." - Lt. Cmdr. Data
"What did you say?" - Captain Picard
"I said the process should take less than two hours." - Lt. Cmdr. Data
"No, you just said I reckon." - Cmdr. Riker
"According to my memory logs, I did not use those words. Y'all must be mistaken." - Lt. Cmdr. Data
"There Data, you did it again." - Lt. Cmdr. La Forge

"Father? After what happened, I guess you'll never want to go back to the Ancient West." - Alexander
"The town of Deadwood may face danger once again. If they do they will need a sheriff, and a deputy." - Lt. Worf