I’m pretty sure this is on the [Evil Overlord](http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html) list: “I will not threaten to kill a trusted subordinate who has developed a liking for a prisoner of mine to get the prisoner to do what I need, as the trusted subordinate will surely help them escape.” If it’s not, it should be.
My favourite bit of this episode was that the grief on the Enterprise seemed much more real than some previous deaths (fake or not). The reactions differed – Worf’s discomfort, Geordi’s obsession, Picard’s need to keep on with the job – but all felt real within the characters established.
The interaction of Data and the collector wasn’t quite as strong, mainly because the collector just came across as more ‘arch’ than threatening. Frustrating more because it was so very close to working well.
177 down, 570 to go.