[Contains SPOILERS] for Star Trek Picard
When Brent Spiner filmed Star Trek Nemesis, he had pretty much thought he had played Data for the last time. This of course was a logical conclusion since Data had sacrificed himself and was killed..or deactivated. Whatever happens to androids when they pass on. However, what Spiner didn’t expect, was the negative reaction his character death would evoke from fans. He explained in a recent interview with TV Guide.
When he [Data] blew up in Nemesis, I never expected to get the backlash [the show got] from so many fans over that. I thought, “Well, that’s a great, big emotional ending, and he’s sacrificing himself for his friends” and that was just. But it didn’t seem to sit that well with too many people.
A Chance to Make Things Right
So when he was offered a chance to reappear as Data in Star Trek Picard, he thought this might be an opportunity to give Data a more appeasing ending.
It was an unbelievably beautifully written scene — [showrunner] Michael Chabon at his finest. Both Patrick and I were both like, “This is fantastic,” and we were both really moved by it. It was just wonderfully written, and I think the intent was to soften the blow of Nemesis and give Data a gentler exit than he had in that film…
The End of Being Data
So now that the first season of Picard has come to a close, and Data has been given a more fitting conclusion, the story of Data is at an end. At least as far as Spiner is concerned.
I mean, there was just a finite amount of time that I can actually play Data, no matter what anyone says… we did it in such brief sequences that it was fine to do it, and I felt good about it. But I wouldn’t really entertain the idea of doing it again because I just don’t think it would be realistic…
For those of you who have seen the season finale of Picard, did you like this send off for Data better than his Nemesis fate? If you haven’t, why are you even reading this. Go watch the final, or the whole first season if you have not seen THAT yet. Then give us your opinion at GeekVibesNation.
h/t: ComicBook
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
