Mine, oddly, is when Data is watching Picard sleep
When Picard updates the 21th century scientist on what changed after the warp drive, in First Contact. That was the scene that convinced me to start watching star trek, thanks to a YouTube video about post-scarcity economy
From the series, some scenes from Measure of a Man would be an easy choice, but I actually probably prefer when Troi helps, again, the woman from the past find her family tree on the computer, don’t remember the episode name
Data/Sherlok sceses when the highly intelligent villain becomes sentient are also cool
Probably when Tasha asks Data if he’s fully functional.
The one where they have to prove Data is sentient or else he’ll get dismantled by Starfleet. Seems kind of apropos now with governments deciding, on a whim, who gets rights and also how hard we’re trying to make AGI happen.
Measure of a Man IIRC, fantastic episode.
The ending of Inner Light where Picard is playing the flute into the void
The ship battle scene in All Good Things.
When the Enterprise blew up at the end of the opening sequence in the time loop episode, it was so shocking to me seeing it when it was first aired. I had no idea at all what could possibly happen after the commercial break.
The when I had deja vu when the show came back on, I was so confused until it blew up again. That sequence of destruction and restart became my favourite scene.
I forget why, but Picard and Riker are away, Data is in command with Worf as his first officer. Data wants to be analytical and consider all options, Worf wants to fire all phasers and die in glorious battle. Data comes to a decision and gives orders, and Worf says “Finally!”
Data asks to see him in the ready room, and then dresses him down for talking back to him in front of the crew. They hash out what they expect the role of second in command is supposed to be, and with the military shit out of the way, Data then acknowledges that this dressing down may have damaged their friendship, and Worf replies that no, he was out of line so it was his fault, that he acknowledges that he was out of line and if we can overlook this incident he’d like to continue being friends.
Stated problems, voiced objections, addrressed objections, no personal slights, no raised voices, actual accountability expected and accepted…manliest conversation ever filmed.
Gambet, part 2, I believe.
That scene is wonderful, and gave me entirely unrealistic expectations for my workplace.
Did work end up being more like being on a Klingon ship or Borg?
“THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!”
so many classics listed already, some others…
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the one where a civillisation downloads their lives into picard. whole ep you’re wondering wtf is with picard this is slow as he lives some dudes life, then the reveal is amazing it’s so full of positivity and warmth - appropriately titled “the inner light”. hats off for capturing positivity so well onscreen (for some reason an elusive skill)
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when picard defends data’s rights as a sentient being
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I’m Indigenous Canadian and my dad was born in the wilderness in a very traditional lifestyle in northern Ontario. His first and only language was Ojibway/Cree, he understood English but seldom spoke it as he preferred his our language only.
As a teen in the 90s I loved watched TNG and I watched it as often as I could whenever I could. I never stuck to a schedule and we only had the most basic satellite TV package we could afford at the time. I was so engrossed and loved the show so much that my dad at one point asked me … ‘It’s amazing that people are up there now that are doing all those things’
I had to explain to him that it was all just as show that was fake and that none of it was real.
To me … this is my favourite TNG moment … that the show was so convincing and well performed that it made my dad believe that it was real.
To be fair, my dad was probably the most intelligent person I’ve ever known and an excellent teacher. In his prime, he often just walked into the wilderness with nothing but a knife in the fall and came back midwinter with a stack of furs to trade and make money and then head back out again with very little to survive on. He just wasn’t that aware of what the outside world was all about.
Right now I’m not sure this is my favorite because it’s late and I am not thinking clearly, but I’ve watched Data in command countless times, so it’s certainly one of my favorites
At this moment the scene that comes to mind is Data asking Worf to take care of Spot.
I will FEED HIM.
Shut up, Wesley!
The court scene in Drumhead where Picard refutes accusations of being a traitor by essentially quoting an IWW mantra and core tenant of Anarchism.
Bonus follow-up discussion with Worf after the trial.
Additional bonus, the IWW still operates to this day, and will gladly help train and support anyone to unionize their workplace, blue collar or white collar.
THERE ARE 4 LIGHTS!!!
The byline for everyone around but not in the Trump administration right now.