"In Theory" is the 25th episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally aired on June 3, 1991, in broadcast syndication.
The episode was written by Joe Menosky and Ronald D. Moore and was the directorial debut of cast member Patrick Stewart.
In this episode, Data (Brent Spiner) accepts the affections of shipmate Jenna D'Sora (Michele Scarabelli) and pursues a romantic relationship with her.
"In Theory" received Nielsen ratings of 9.8 percent, making it the second least viewed episode of the fourth season on first broadcast.
This episode features a science fiction love story between Data and Jenna D'Sora (played by guest actress Michele Scarabelli).
[2] Data, an android, and Jenna D'Sora are in the torpedo room configuring several probes with which the Enterprise will explore a nearby nebula.
Data seeks the opinion of his friends, including Picard, Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Worf (Michael Dorn).
Data is visiting D'Sora, but she seems unhappy and he is acting erratically in order to find an appropriate response to make her happy.
Whilst investigating them, Lieutenant Van Mayter (Georgina Shore) is killed when a distortion embeds her into the deck.
Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) transports the Captain back to the ship before the shuttle is destroyed.
Afterwards, D'Sora reveals to Data over a romantic dinner in his quarters that she broke up with her boyfriend because he was emotionally unavailable and then pursued him because he was the same.
[5] Jamahl Epsicokhan at his website Jammer's Reviews described the main plot as "pleasant enough" but couldn't understand D'Sora's motivations in pursuing the relationship with Data.
[7] She felt that D'Sora never achieved the intimacy that Tasha Yar did with Data, and that the subplot was simply something created so that Picard had something to do.
[8] He thought that having Picard pilot the shuttle was ridiculous, especially as the character admitted in the episode "11001001" that it had been years since he had worked the helm of a ship.
[10] The first home media release of "In Theory" was on VHS cassette, appearing on September 5, 1991, in the United States and Canada.