Cheap Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 88: Clues (Video) (Larry Shaw, David Carson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Timothy Bond, Kim Manners, LeVar Burton, Richard Compton, Jonathan West, Marvin V. Rush, Michael Vejar) Price

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Customer Reviews of Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 88: Clues

Data warns Picard: You can't handle the truth...sir
The Enterprise encounters a spacial distortion that knocks everybody unconscious except, of course, Data. When he revives the crew he explains that the ship passed through an unstable wormhole which knocked everybody out for 30 seconds. However, as the Enterprise continues on its way, it becomes clear that there are some holes in Data's story starting with the fact that Dr. Crusher's experiments reflect the passage of twenty-four hours. When La Forge discovers the ship's chronometer has been tampered with, Picard confronts Data with the evidence, but the android refuses to answer. Picard continues to cross-examine Data, using the parameters of both Starfleet regulations and Data's positronic brain to get at the truth. Finally it becomes clear that Data has been "ordered" not to reveal the truth, at which point Picard is stunned to learn that Data claims the one who gave him that order was the Captain. In order to solve the mystery, Picard orders the ship back to the planet where they encountered the spacial distortion.

The little sub-plot where Guinan as Gloria from Cleveland is supposed to join the Captain as Dixon Hill on the holodeck is a not so subtle clue that this is one of those Next Generation episodes where Picard is confronted with a real life mystery. There is a great sense of anticipation to the first half of the episode, especially because we all know that even if Data is doing something wrong he is doing it for the right reasons, and there is the definite feel that Picard may well regret finding out the truth. The exchange between Picard and Data is an excellent scene, one of the best examples of logical argument seen on the show. "Clues" is one of those episodes where the payoff does not match the set up, but I have been saying that about such things every since "Apocalypse Now." Actually, the truth is pretty interesting; it is the solution that leaves something to be desired.