Cheap Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 135: The Quality of Life (Video) (LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Gabrielle Beaumont, Robert Becker, Cliff Bole, Timothy Bond, David Carson, Chip Chalmers, Richard Compton, Robert Iscove) Price
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| CATEGORY: | Video |
| DIRECTOR: | LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Gabrielle Beaumont, Robert Becker, Cliff Bole, Timothy Bond, David Carson, Chip Chalmers, Richard Compton, Robert Iscove |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 26 September, 1987 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Paramount |
| MPAA RATING: | NR (Not Rated) |
| FEATURES: | Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC |
| TYPE: | Horror / Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Movie, TV Shows, Television |
| MEDIA: | VHS Tape |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 097360023534 |
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Customer Reviews of Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 135: The Quality of Life
Another "Are little machines sentient beings?" episode The Enterprise is checking out the space station at Tyrus Seven, where there have come up with a mining experiment that uses a plasma fountain to raise material from the planet's surface. However, La Forge has some problems both the technology and its creator, Dr. Faralon (Ellen Bry). It seems the good doctor uses tiny little robots called "Exocomps," and when one of them avoid destruction because it disobeyed an order, Data declares the Exocomps have displayed self-preservation and are therefore "alive." Having been put on trial for being a walking toaster ("The Measure of a Man," Episode 35), nobody in the Star Trek universe better understands how difficult it is to have human accept machines as sentient beings (Is it not ironic that the scientists are always narrow minded and the military types on the Enterprise are the enlightened ones in the future?).
STNG has dealt repeatedly with the question of what makes a being sentient and therefore capable of enjoying rights. The series has looked at this question using androids, holographic characters, crystals and even little robotic devices called Nanites ("Evolution," Episode 50). However, I must admit there is something of a twist to how the humans deal with the tiny little machines this time around that does take the argument to the next level, as Data himself points out to Picard at the end. On balance this is an average STNG episode.
The Quality of Life
The question of sentience versus property and the right to use it as seen fit by those considered sentient is once again in question as a brilliant scientist comes aboard the Enterprise with two things in her favor: a particle fountain that the Federation might have use for, and her invention of the portable repair crew she uses to do work that would take others hours: the Exo-Comps. Data realizes that the exo-comps are becoming sentient and are therefore alive, but everyone else seems to think he is mistaken, so Data has to make them realize this the only way he can when all other tests and their results fail to convince them; he traps Geordi and Captain Picard on the particle beam station as the beam is about to explode. Only through expressed consent of the exocomps can Picard an Geordi be rescued at the sacrifice of one of the little machines. And as a result, a better understanding of both the machines and Data formulate. It's a great episode in the exploration of both the extent of humanity's understanding of artificial intelligence and how much life should be cherished, whether man-made or nature born.