“It took me a little while to figure out just exactly what I was supposed to do with these.”
In precise opposition to the preceding “Devil’s Due,” the mystery in “Clues” is quite good, and keeps the narrative moving at an engaging pace. Picard and company slowly begin to realize that they’ve lost a day of time, and that Data is lying about it. In a more serialized television universe, they might have arrived at the solution quicker, just by recalling that Data hijacked the Enterprise about ten shows ago in “Brothers” and is therefore entirely untrustworthy in every conceivable way. Thanks to Star Trek’s great big reset button at the end of every episode, though, we get to watch Picard (who has recently reminded us that he is an amateur sleuth, via a Dixon Hill holodeck sequence in the episode teaser) gumshoe his way around figuring out if, and why, Data – sweet, trustworthy Data! – might be is hiding something.
That Dixon Hill sequence: probably my favourite the show ever did, largely because Whoopi Goldberg gets to play too, and she and Stewart make one hell of a double act in situ, complete with period accents and commentary about garter straps. The episode also introduced me to the word “jamoke,” which I use to this day and quite love. (“…a blend of java and mocha, by the 1920s it became slang for someone who lacked mental abilities beyond that of a cup of coffee.”) And speaking of introductions, the revolving door of blonde Ensigns sitting at Wesley’s old position on the Bridge hereby ushers Ensign McKnight into the show, as played by Pamela Winslow for two or three recurring appearances. Your TMI installment for today: I was fourteen and a half when the episode aired, and developed an out-of-nowhere, overwhelming sexual crush on either Winslow or McKnight, or some combination of the two, who played in my fantasies for a good year or two. Other boys before me grew up with Farrah Fawcett posters above their beds, but I made do with the blonde in the red jumpsuit.
“Clues” brings Alyssa Ogawa back to Sickbay, which seems weird at first because she had only previously been seen in Riker’s (made up) future fantasy in “Future Imperfect.” The episode also features the actual cutest Worf/Deanna moment ever, far better than anything that took place when they actually started to become a couple in Season Seven – Worf helping a sick Troi back to her quarters, and then getting all manly and protective when she has a psychic freakout inside. (I think it’s the first time he calls her “Deanna” instead of “Counselor” – and he does it in the most loving, masculine bark!)
Blogging The Next Generation runs every Tuesday as I work my way through every episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation on blu-ray. Season Four is in stores now.