History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E8AFistfulOfDatas

* OhCrap: When Troi sees the Data-ized Eli Hollander shuffling a card deck rapidly, she realizes that the characters don't just look like Data, they ''are'' Data with all his superhuman strengths.

* ActorSharedBackground: Creator/BrentSpiner's native Texan accent finally gets to come out.

* ActorAllusion: Creator/BrentSpiner's native Texan accent finally gets to come out.

* RealityBleed: A localized version: the ship's computer gets partially overwritten by Data's personal data, causing the food replicators to dispense only cat food, Crusher's play being overwritten with Data's poetry, Picard's music performance being switched to an Music/AntoninDvorak song whose music Data was analyzing earlier and the holodeck simulation characters being gradually replaced with Datas, complete with his abilities. The holodeck simulation in turn causes Data himself to start doing holster tricks with his phaser, speaking in a drawl and using stereotypical cowboy expressions, walking with an exaggerated cowboy swagger and trying to use Picard's potted plant as a spittoon without being aware of any of it.

* RealityBleed: A localized version: the ship's computer gets partially overwritten by Data's personal data, causing the food replicators to dispense only cat food, Crusher's play being overwritten with Data's poetry, Picard's music performance being switched to an Music/AntoninDvorak song whose music Data was analyzing earlier and the holodeck simulation characters being gradually replaced with Datas, complete with his abilities. The holodeck simulation in turn causes Data himself to start doing holster tricks with his phaser, speaking in a drawl, walking with an exaggerated cowboy swagger and trying to use Picard's potted plant as a spittoon without being aware of any of it.

* RealityBleed: A localized version: the ship's computer gets partially overwritten by Data's personal data, causing the food replicators to dispense only cat food, Crusher's play being overwritten with Data's poetry, Picard's music performance being switched to an Music/AntoninDvorak song whose music Data was analyzing earlier and the holodeck simulation characters being gradually replaced with Datas, complete with his abilities. The holodeck simulation in turn causes Data himself to start doing holster tricks with his phaser, speaking in a drawl and trying to use Picard's potted plant as a spittoon without being aware of any of it.

* RealityBleed: A localized version: the ship's computer gets partially overwritten by Data's personal data, causing the food replicators to dispense only cat food, Crusher's play being overwritten, Picard's music performance being switched to an Music/AntoninDvorak song and the holodeck simulation characters being gradually replaced with Datas, complete with his abilities, while the holodeck simulation in turn causes Data himself to start unconsciously doing holster tricks with his phaser, speaking in a drawl and trying to use Picard's potted plant as a spittoon.

Work and Alexander dress up as a Wild West sheriff and deputy and arrive in the town of Deadwood to bring the bad guy, Eli Hollander, to justice. Worf promptly pummels Eli, but Alexander stops the program and raises the difficulty so it will be a challenge. Worf tries again and gets into a brawl with Eli's goons. He's rescued by Troi posing as mysterious drifter, having been recruited by Alexander because she loves westerns. The trio arrest Eli. Meanwhile, a power surge in Data's positronic brain causes him and Geordi to discontinue their tests. As they walk away, Data twirls his tricorder like a pistol.

Worf, Troi and Alexander are holding Eli in a cell awaiting the arrival of a judge, when Alexander is kidnapped. Around the ship, the computer starts experiencing errors. The script for the play that Crusher is directing gets replaced by Data's poetry. The music that Picard was accompanying gets replaced by Anton Dvorak's ''The Slavonic Dance'', which Data's been analyzing. Food replicators produce nothing but Spot's cat food. Further, Data is starting to act like a Wild West character. Geordi sets to work restoring the damage.

The day is saved. Troi, Worf and Alexander gather and await the end of the program, but nothing happens. There's one last thing that needs to happen. They return to the saloon, where a Data version of Annie runs down the stairs and embraces Worf, who winces until the program fades away. Back in their quarters, Alexander guesses that Worf won't want to return to the "Ancient West" again, but Worf states that the town of Deadwood will need the protection of a good sheriff and his deputy. The security chief steals away and admires himself in his cowboy hat, practicing his quick-draw and smiling approvingly. The ship [[RidingIntoTheSunset flies off into a setting sun]].

-->'''Worf''': I'm beginning to see the appeal of this program!

Work and Alexander dress up as a Wild West sheriff and deputy and arrive in the town of Deadwood to bring the bad guy, Eli Hollander to justice. Worf promptly pummels Eli, but Alexander stops the program and raises the difficulty so it will be a challenge. Worf tries again and gets into a brawl with Eli's goons. He's rescued by Troi posing as mysterious drifter, having been recruited by Alexander because she loves westerns. The trio arrest Eli. Meanwhile, a power surge in Data's positronic brain causes him and Geordi to discontinue their tests. As they walk away, Data twirls his tricorder like a pistol.

* HolodeckMalfunction: A variant - the replicators, holodeck and some areas of the computer get replaced with Data's personal files, images and programs, while Data himself starts walking like a cowboy and talking with an exaggerated Western drawl.

* HolodeckMalfunction: A variant - the replicators, holodeck and some areas of the computer get replaced with Data's personal files, images and programs, while Data himself starts walking like a cowboy and talking with an exaggerated Texas drawl.

* GenreSavvy: Troi is a big fan of Westerns, and knows well enough that [[VillainsNeverLie Frank Hollander won't keep his word]] to Worf.

Worf neogitates a prisoner exchange with Frank, but Troi warns him that the villain will always backstab the hero. Further alarming is the fact that more and more characters are turning into Datas. Worf recruits the owner of the local saloon, Annie, to bring him some supplies. Annie is programmed to be his mistress (a likely addition of Lieutenant Barclay, who co-authored the adventure), forcing Worf to endure her advances in return for the favor. Worf uses the items to rig a temporary forcefield, which he wears to the prisoner exchange.

The day is saved. Troi, Worf and Alexander gather and await the end of the program, but nothing happens. There's one last thing that needs to happen. They return to the saloon, where a Data version of Annie runs down the stairs and embraces Worf, who winces until the program fades away. Back in their quarters, Alexander guesses that Worf won't want to return to the "Ancient West" again, but Worf states that the town of Deadwood will need the protection of a good sheriff and his deputy. The security chief steals away and admires himself in his cowboy hat, practicing his quick-draw and smiling approvingly. The ship flies off into a setting sun.

* HistoryMarchesOn (InUniverse): The Old West is now referred to as the Ancient West.

* MagnificentMoustachesOfMexico: The aforementioned Mexican sports one.

* NotSoAboveItAll: At the end of the episode, Worf puts on his cowboy hat, stands in front of the mirror in his quarters, and practices his QuickDraw skills, only to do a double take when he sees he also made a FingerGun.

* PlotHole: It never once occurs to anyone to see if the holodecks are in use once they realize the problem. In fact, as far as we can tell, none of the others ever find out what Worf, Alexander, and Deanna were going through.

* ShoutOut: The episode title is, of course, a riff on the title of the classic western ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars''.

Frank arrives with a full compliment of Data henchmen, who promptly open fire as soon as the exchange is made. The bullets bounce harmlessly off the forcefield, but it burns out after a few seconds. Troi emerges from hiding to the henchmen at gunpoint. Frank is out of ammo, but the last of his henchmen tosses him a loaded gun. Worf beats him to the draw and shoots the gun out of his hand. Defeated, Frank gives up, and Worf tells him and his men to leave town and never return.

Worf, Troi and Alexander are holding Eli in a cell awaiting the arrival of a judge, when Alexander is kidnapped. Around the ship, the ship's computer starts experiencing errors. The script for the play that Crusher is directing gets replaced by Data's poetry. The music that Picard was accompanying gets replaced by Anton Dvorak's ''The Slavonic Dance'', which Data's been analyzing. Food replicators produce nothing but Spot's cat food. Further, Data is starting to act like a Wild West character. Geordi sets to work restoring the damage.

Worf joins Alexander for a wild west adventure on the holodeck with Troi. Meanwhile, Data and Geordi experience a malfunction during a test of Data's ability to interface with the ship's main computer.