The Good: Interesting special effects, Good acting
The Bad: Fragmented, Poor character development, Predictability
The Basics: "In Theory" is a necessary step in Data's character development as he falls in love and lets the audience down with the backwards step he takes in the process.
Fans of Star Trek The Next Generation had the opportunity to enjoy a great deal of character growth with Data, the android crewmember of the starship Enterprise. There were certain milestones which are obvious and we, as viewers, come to expect: Data's defining his existence, Data's first pet, Data's first genuine emotion, etc. "In Theory" was the first chance the writers of Star Trek The Next Generation had to have Data's first real romance.
"In Theory" finds Data getting involved with Lieutenant Jenna D'Sora, a mousy security officer who has - apparently - been Data's friend for some time. Recently broken up from a boyfriend, she latches onto Data with romantic feelings. Feeling it is time for him to grow, Data designs a romantic subroutine specifically for Jenna and himself and they develop a relationship. As they grow together, the Enterprise enters a dark matter nebula and begins to experience problems. The episode progresses with a scientific anomaly being investigated while Data explores the nature of romance.
"In Theory" marks the directoral debut of Patrick Stewart and it is somewhat unfortunate that he drew this episode. In essence, this was an episode that was bound to happen (it was alluded to in "Ensigns Of Command" in the third season), but it could have been done quite a bit better. The main flaw of this piece is that it completely neglects the character development Data has had for almost four years. The resolution to the episode involves one of the single most insensitive and poorly conceived lines of the series.
That line, delivered from Data to Jenna as an acknowledgment of where their relationship has gone, entirely negates the sensitivity Data has illustrated at other times in the series. This is a huge disappointment given how very important Data acknowledges romance to be in other episodes. So, this episode we have been anticipating, where Data makes another significant leap forward, it ruined by writing which reverts Data to a more insensitive, more mechanical android than he has been.
Add to the ridiculous regression of Data the entire fragmentation of the storyline. When the romantic plot runs thin, the scientific anomaly of the nebula dominates and when it becomes obvious that that plot cannot hold itself, it abruptly ends and the romantic plot takes back over. So where there is usually a nice blending of a-plot and b-plot, here they are kept almost entirely segregated and the episode flows in a very inorganic way. Indeed, the episode does not flow and it has the feeling of sticking together two plots that do not belong together. The truth is, the way the plots are presented, neither one could have sustained an entire episode. "In Theory" feels like the plots are unable to sustain themselves and that feeling throughout the episode is as incongruent as Data dating D'Sora.
The only part of the episode that makes real sense is the predictability of it. What happens to Data and D'Sora's relationship, while it's easy to see it coming, it makes sense because of how little the two characters have in common.
The special effects in the dark matter nebula are decent and they add an air of creepiness to that whole plot.
All that saves this episode from being a one out of ten is the acting. Patrick Stewart did a fine job directing, but he got a lame script to work with and that worked to his detriment. Brent Spiner does fine as Data and even with the ridiculous character twists, he makes Data interesting to watch by utilizing an amazing command of his body and facial expressions. Colm Meany and Rosalind Chao play the O'Briens with enthusiasm and humor and it's especially nice to see them again.
Michelle Scarabelli is the standout, infusing Jenna D'Sora with a level of humanity and depth that is otherwise lacking from the episode. Scarabelli makes us believe in D'Sora long enough to hold our interest for the parts of the episode she is present in.
In the end, though, even Scarabelli's performance is not enough to save "In Theory." It's a listless, backwards episode that could have been done much better. Fortunately, Patrick gets his chance to deliver better and Data's exercise of romance is not repeated.
[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fourth season by clicking here!
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3/10
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© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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