TNG s6e18 “Starship Mine”
I love this episode. We need more autistic representation than just autistically coded robots, but nevertheless, my autistic ass feels so seen by Data in this episode (his way of approaching the challenge reminds me of when I was learning how to do small talk, I found it useful to frame it as a badminton game where the goal is to keep the rally going.)
Aside from Data, there’s also Barclay, though the writers mostly painted him in a negative light. He was granted a little more credence in the handful of VOY episodes where he guested.
I like the metaphor you employed for casual conversation, just surprised that it was badminton and not tennis, volleyball, or ping pong. Anytime I hear badminton, I can’t help but think of the Disney Robin Hood.
How is it that this both perfectly fits in Data’s voice and with Bateman’s cadence? It’s uncanny.
Certainly adds a layer to Bateman’s attempts to sound “normal” around others.
Edit: Adjusted contraction
