Brent Spiner’s take on Data in Star Trek hit deeper than most fans realize. For many on the autism spectrum, Data wasn’t just a quirky android, he was the only character they truly connected with.
Logical, socially awkward, yet deeply curious about emotion, Data mirrored what it felt like to navigate a world that doesn’t always make sense. Spiner once acknowledged this, noting how powerful that connection was.
Long before representation became a buzzword, Data quietly became a beacon for those who felt different. He didn’t just want to be human, he wanted to understand it. And that made all the difference.
Brent Spiner on why Data meant everything to autistic Star Trek fans
Brent Spiner always knew Star Trek: The Next Generation fans were passionate, but what he didn’t see coming? That his android alter ego, Data, would become an emotional lifeline for fans on the autism spectrum.
In a candid throwback interview with Vanity Fair, Spiner shared how deeply touched he’d been by stories from fans with Asperger’s Syndrome and autism. Spiner didn’t know it was happening back when the show aired. He alluded,
I get terrific feedback on Twitter. Sure, there’s the odd person, and that isn’t too much fun to deal with, but by and large fans are great….At conventions I’ve had so many people say they had Asperger’s Syndrome, or autism, and that when they were kids Data was the only character they could relate to. His struggle to understand emotion, and his dealings with society and people. I am overwhelmed by that.
Of course, I had nothing to do with it. If I had known at the time this was happening, I probably would have encouraged the writers to lean into it, and I might have blown the whole thing.
The convo didn’t stop there. Spiner opened up about the inspiration behind his book — a wild fictional ride loosely based on some not-so-fictional stalker experiences. “The book is a story about stalkers and crazy people,” Vanity Fair noted, to which Spiner replied, “Absolutely. But I’ve had wonderful fans too. People have been incredibly kind.”
And yep, those kind fans included a few household names. Patrick Stewart, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, and more lent their voices to the audiobook version. Plus, the prologue? Spiner read it himself, and it was wildly entertaining.
One fan featured in the doc Trekkies took “Brent breaks” by gazing toward where he lived. Spiner hadn’t kept in touch. But he did reflect on the unique bond people felt not with him, but with Data.
Turns out, even Spiner had fanboy moments. His awkward Gregory Peck story was part of the book. “We’re all fans,” he said. Even androids in denial.
Why the Star Trek: Enterprise series finale still stings its creator
Back in 2005, Star Trek hit a low point and Enterprise went out with a confused whimper. The finale, These Are the Voyages, skipped decades ahead, shoved the main cast aside, and handed the spotlight to Next Generation’s Riker and Troi. Fans weren’t thrilled.
Neither was Scott Bakula. Even Jonathan Frakes called it a misfire. But co-creator Brannon Braga kinda liked it. He alluded in 2017 (via TrekMovie),
I thought it was the coolest thing ever when we were writing it, the idea of doing a ‘lost episode’ of ‘The Next Generation,’ but they’re going to the holodeck to look back at ‘Enterprise,’ Rick and I thought was a great sendoff to ‘Star Trek,’ and it didn’t work out so well …
It was a kind of a slap in the face to the ‘Enterprise’ actors. I heard it from everybody, it was the only time Scott Bakula was ever mean to me. I regret it.
His goal? A “lost episode” of TNG that tied the franchise together. What did he get instead? A finale fans slammed as “The Riker Show.” Enterprise didn’t get the farewell it earned, but it definitely got the controversy.
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