"Elementary, Dear Data" is the third episode of the second season of The Next Generation. It first aired on December 5, 1988. It is episode #29, production #129, written by Brian Alan Lane and directed by Rob Bowman.

Plot

Data, after memorizing all of the Sherlock Holmes stories, attempts to recreate the adventures within the holodeck aboard the Enterprise-D with himself playing the role of Holmes and Geordi La Forge playing the role of Dr. Watson. However, his in-depth knowledge of the various mysteries allows him to solve them each before they have even started. Dr. Pulaski believes it is only his experience with the published stories that allows him to solve the various mysteries, stating that his artificial mind would not be able to solve a mystery on its own. She then challenges Data to solve a new and original Holmes-like mystery.

Unfortunately, Dr. Pulaski didn't think out her challenge clearly enough. When instructing the computer to create the mystery Geordi commanded it to create an adversary capable of defeating Data instead of an adversary capable of defeating Holmes, as was originally intended. Data, being an android with a mind vastly more advanced than that of a human, could not be defeated by any of the characters from the Holmes mysteries. Therefore, the computer created an entirely new, and sentient, mind which was then inserted into the character of Professor James Moriarty (played by Daniel Davis).

Moriarty quickly determined that he was an artificial life-form, the world he lived in (that of 19th century London) did not exist, and that reality was far more fantastic than he had ever dreamed. He established communication with the ship's computer, and began experimenting with controlling the ship. He wished to escape the holodeck so he could experience the galaxy and all its wonders. Physical and moral limits prevented the crew of the Enterprise-D from complying with his requests. They were unable to convert the temporary matter of a holodeck to the permanent matter required for sustained existence outside of the holodeck and they felt it would be unwise to unleash the "Napoleon of Crime" upon an unsuspecting Universe. Moriarty was able to convince them that he wasn't an evil person (he could certainly not be held responsible for the actions given to him by Arthur Conan Doyle), and that he wanted nothing more than to explore and enjoy the Universe.

Unfortunately the crewmembers still couldn't perform the physical tasks required, but pledged to keep trying. Moriarty, satisfied that they would eventually fulfill their promise, was "turned off" and saved until he could be converted into an actual human being or revived.

Trivia

• Data can use verbal contractions when speaking like Sherlock Holmes.
• Moriarty returns in this episode's sequel, "Ship in a Bottle", in the sixth season.
• Data does solve a Holmes-like murder during the show, using Holmes's methods of deduction.
• In this episode, Moriarty draws the picture of the Enterprise. What is peculiar that when Data gets hold of it he is able to take it out of the holodeck which is impossible (Though the holodecks are known to use replicators in their recreations sometimes, lending a possible explanation that both the writing implement and paper were replicated.)

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