Wacky Android Antics

[Dînadan]

One of the criticisms Chuck brings up in his Trek reviews is that in the later years the writers tended to write Data as if he were still his Season One self with regards to things like understanding idioms and metaphors. Well a random idea just occurred to me; what if it wasn't actually him not understanding those things, but rather his attempts at humour which just fell (somewhat) flat because the other characters didn't get that he was cracking a joke? (Obviously the real life reason is the writers screwing up, I'm talking purely in universe here)

[MadAmosMalone]

In one episode, Data lists an ETA down to the minute. Riker (I think) asks him why he didn't give the time to the second. Data replies that he's noticed his crew mates being annoyed when he computes a lengthy time interval too precisely so he is aware of his friends' reactions. I would think he would realize his being so seemingly obtuse with common expressions would likewise irritate his friends so he would probably not do it on purpose. On the other hand, maybe he isn't aware of their reactions. Look how long it took him to stop giving time estimates down to tenths of a second.

[Dînadan]

True; I thought of that, but then I thought maybe they've sometimes reacted bemused or smirked when he said those things (for example while Picard is giving him an irritated reply, I can easily imagine Riker standing behind Picard trying to suppress a smirk) and his difficulty understanding humour made him interpret it as them finding it funny. He might also have observed cases of deadpan humour and be trying to emulate that (think of things like Spock's banter with Bones that irritated Bones but amused Kirk; fairly sure there were Vulcans on the Ent-D and I think it'd be highly likely that they'd pull similar banter with Ent-D crewmen that Data could possibly have witnessed).

[MadAmosMalone]

Very true. In Data's Day, for example, he tried friendly barbs and insults too. Seems like he gave up pretty quickly on that one though.

[Dînadan]

He also has a record of emulation; for example in the Klingon Civil War episodes his command style, as Chuck points out, emulated Picard's because he'd seen how effective a leader Picard was, and in the Die Hard in Space episode he explicitly copied that Starbase Commander everyone found insufferable. In fact that last one adds credence considering the others found the Commander insufferable but watching Data copy him amused them (as outside observers that is, undoubtedly theyd have been frustrated if he'd directed it at them).