Data & Geordi Weren’t Best Friends Until This Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 Episode

Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) have one of Star Trek's greatest friendships, but it wasn't officially established until Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4. TNG may have centered on the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, but Data's Star Trek journey became one of the show's best continuing storylines. As an incredibly advanced android, Data spent most of TNG's seven seasons striving to achieve his own version of humanity.

While Captain Picard supported Data's quest to advance beyond his original programming, it was Geordi, more than anyone else, who taught Data about the nuances and contradictions of being human. As the Chief Engineer aboard the Enterprise-D, Geordi also helped with Data's mechanical issues, troubleshooting any malfunctions the android experienced. With their combined intelligence and engineering experience, Data and Geordi made quite the dynamic duo and were regularly responsible for saving the day. Although Data and Geordi appeared to be friends from TNG's beginning, their friendship was not officially confirmed until TNG season 4, episode 11, "Data's Day."

Data Called Geordi His Best Friend For The First Time In This Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 Episode

Data Officially Dubs Geordi La Forge His Best Friend In "Data's Day"

"Data's Day" begins with an entry from Data's personal log as he dictates a letter to Dr. Bruce Maddox (Brian Brophy). Maddox first visited the Enterprise in TNG season 2, episode 9, "The Measure of a Man," with plans to dismantle Data. However, after a tense trial, Maddox began to see Data as more than a machine, and the two began a correspondence. Data begins his letter by telling Maddox that he plans to record his activities during an average day on the Enterprise, "with particular emphasis on [his] perceptions of friendship."

Data reflects on his relationships with several of his fellow crew members, but Geordi La Forge gets the distinction of being referred to as Data's "best friend." Data often goes to Geordi first when he has questions about human behavior. In "Data's Day," Data refers to Geordi as a "lunkhead," saying that he is "experimenting with friendly jibes and insults." Data knows that he can be himself with Geordi and test out new human behaviors without fear that his friend will get offended or upset. In the end, Data remarks that humans' "need for friendship" is something even he understands.

Data & Geordi Is Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Most Definitive Friendship

Data & Geordi Are The Spock & Kirk Of TNG

Although Data does not officially label Geordi as his "best friend" until "Data's Day," the two seemed to be friends from the beginning. Data and Geordi share many scenes throughout TNG that highlight their obvious respect and love for one another. From cosplaying as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson on the holodeck to discussing life's biggest questions, Data and Geordi spend much of their free time together. Not since Star Trek: The Original Series' Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) has there been such a solid and relatable friendship.

Although Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) could be considered Picard's best friend by the time of Star Trek: Picard, Jean-Luc did not appear to have a best friend during TNG, preferring to keep himself at arm's length from his crew. Data and Geordi finally reunited in Picard season 3, and Geordi will likely continue to help his newly upgraded android friend cope with his new human emotions. Like Kirk and Spock, Data and Geordi both learned more about what it means to be human from each other, becoming the best friendship in Star Trek: The Next Generation.