Back for the final season, with Lore tempting Data with emotions to join him in ruling the galaxy.
Overall a very disappointing followup to what was a fairly strong part 1. There are three components: Crusher commands the Enterprise to avoid the Borg ship – a technobabble filled yawnfest. Riker and Worf meet up with renegade Borg who help in the rescue – an undeveloped mess, going from ‘objection’ to ‘hero’ with no steps in between.
But the ‘Lore tempts Data’ part is what felt the most off. The episode suggests that only the ‘ethics program’ helps Data resist the temptation of emotions, which seem an awful lot like drugs in the way Data experiences them. It just doesn’t make sense given Data’s character – he doesn’t seem like ‘this is all that’s stopping me from the killing spree’ kind of person.
Even the problems with the Borg being reduced to largely an irrelevant menace pale in comparison. Not a strong start to the season.
281 down, 456 to go. I’m back!