I guess maybe the writers knew there were a lot of kids watching TNG and decided that the only thing to do was to have a lot of episodes about kids. Not the best move ever, but overall this is actually a pretty decent episode. Fortunately Brent Spiner was at peak Data performance when this episode was made and his interactions with the boy are some of the better parts of this episode. The B story about the Enterprise almost repeating the mistakes that led to the destruction of the Vico are also alright. Having the boy assist Data in saving the ship at the end was better than it could have been. Rather than pulled a Wesley boy genius and having the kid save the day entirely, his suggestion as to what the people on his ship tried instead give Data the idea he needs to save the day.
The episode opens with the Enterprise searching for the lost research vessel Vico. It was lost while researching a black cluster which thankfully the writers leave at that and don't try to explain with fake science. They find the Vico just outside the cluster adrift and badly damaged. Riker leads an away team to look for survivors and transfer the ships log. Geordi gets going on the log transfer and Riker finds an injured boy. He is pinned under a heavy support in a part of the ship he can't be beamed out of. Riker and Geordi beam back first since moving the support may destabilize the section, then Data lifts it and brings the boy to safety. He isn't badly hurt physically, but both his parents were killed on the Vico. The boy's name is Timothy and he describes the Vico being attacked and boarded by helmeted aliens of some sort.
Troi gets the job of trying to rehabilitate Timothy but he is having a hard time fitting in. She suggests Data try to reach out to him and Picard agrees. Data visits Timothy who is again impressed with his android abilities. So impressed that after he leaves Timothy decides to try and emulate Data. The two of them start hanging out and Timothy starts talking and even moving like Data. He gets Data to comb his hair just like how Data does his own and dresses in clothing that matches. This seems to be working, but of course this means Timothy isn't exactly following the Troi path to recovery.
There are other problems too, it seems Timothy's story of being attacked wasn't quite true. The Enterprise goes into the black cluster to try and figure it out. Picard confronts Timothy about what really happened on the Vico along with Troi and Data and Timothy breaks down. It seems he touched a computer panel accidentally as the ship was starting to be destroyed and he blames himself for the deaths of everyone aboard. After being reassured by Data that the panel was locked and he couldn't have done anything the Enterprise starts shaking just like the Vico. They try to turn up the shields but it just keeps getting worse. Timothy tells Data that he remembers hearing people talking about increasing shield power before the Vico was destroyed and Data rushes to a panel to crunch some numbers. Just before they are about to be destroyed Data tells Picard to turn off the shields. They do just in time and the day is saved. Timothy can be a real boy now, but Data agrees to stay his friend.
Review: A bit on the sappy side, but not the worst kids episode of TNG. At the same time, enough damn kids episodes!
5 out of 10
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