The Offspring

I am having so much fun playing the Cowardly Lion once again! I now remember why I enjoyed him so much when I played him that summer after high school. He is such a goof ball and putz and I love him to death. I really hope that several of my readers stop by and see the performances when they open at the end of the month! I really do love being the King Of The Forest!

Workout: 2.65miles and 465calories

The Offspring

Data has been very secretive the last few weeks and now Troi, Geordi and Wesley have been invited to his lab for a surprise. The show has a very “Frankensteinesque” beginning but it is very fun. Data reveals that he has created an android and that it is in fact his “child”. Immediately Picard is furious that he was not informed of Data’s work but he soon overcomes that hassle and is in support of the new family on board. Data allows his new child Lal to choose its own gender and appearance. It chooses to be a girl and one who looks quite similar to Data minus the golden skin and eyes. Data begins to teach Lal and work with her to begin assimilating into the human element aboard the ship. As with any child there are ups and downs and several misunderstandings, including a particularly embarrassing incident where Lal makes out with Commander Riker. Starfleet takes an interest in the new android and wants her to come to a base for training and studying. Data refuses and Picard supports him and decides to argue with Starfleet command. Shortly after she is interrogated Lal begins to experience an overload and emotions and goes to Counselor Troi for help but then returns to Data’s lab. Lal eventually “dies” after Data and a Starfleet Admiral attempt to save her life for hours.

The show again raises the issue of Data’s humanity and rights as a sentient being, but this time it is brought up through the guise of a parent/child relationship. This is one of the first really moving family dramas that ST:TNG produced during its seven season run. The character Lal is brought to life by actress Hallie Todd, who is also famous for playing Blanche Devereaux’s slutty niece on The Golden Girls.