The Orville Season 2, Episode 6: A Happy Refrain

Well, that was... different. An entire episode devoted to simple character development, without single second of action or element of danger.

Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back and spend an hour with your favorite show's characters!

A Happy Refrain tackles the issue of human/artificial love, a storyline that's been examined many times before in various sci-fi TV shows and movies. In fact they explored this particular well-worn terrain back in 1991 in Star Trek: The Next Generation (which of course is the template for much of The Orville).

Of course TNG played it safe, as it failed to probe the idea in too much detail and pressed the Big Red Reset button at the end of the episode (as always). Fortunately, The Orville commits itself fully to the concept. Not only do Claire and Isaac consummate their relationship (!), but they remain committed at the end! Kudos to Seth MacFarlane for taking a chance here.

It's amazing that a series this young has such fully-realized characters that it can devote an entire episode to their interactions. Compare this to The Orville's competition, Star Trek: Discovery (aka STD). Jesus Christ, half the bridge crew didn't even get official names until the Season 2 premiere! Hell, there's a female cyborg-looking character on the bridge who was originally described (by the official Star Trek website itself, mind you) as a robot. Later they changed their minds and said she was an "augmented alien," whatever that means. A bit later they waffled again, now describing her as an "augmented human."

STD can't even make up it's mind about what its characters are, much less how they act!

Compare this to The Orville. In the very first episode, Mercer has a meet & greet with his bridge crew, as they all take turns introducing themselves to him (and by extension, the audience). By the end of the pilot we not only know everyone's names, but who they are and what they're all about.

Lastly, props to Penny Johnson Jerald, who plays Claire. She's always a standout, but she turned in a stellar performance this week. She ran the gamut from giddy schoolgirl to spurned lover, but was never over the top. She never got a chance to shine much on Deep Space 9, so it's nice to see her talent featured so prominently here.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Plot:

Doctor Claire Finn sits in her office, working on a paper. She gets stuck on a paragraph and calls Isaac for help. He tells her he'll be right there.

Just then Bortus enters Sick Bay and tells Claire he'd like to have a mustache, of all things. He says Gordon told him "he'd look pretty good" with one, and since Moclans don't grow facial hair, he needs her help. Claire's both shocked and amused, and says she can use a follicle stimulator on his face.

Isaac enters Sick Bay and looks at Claire's paper. He reads it in a millisecond and notes it contains numerous errors, and corrects them for her. He presents her with a banana (?), saying he's noticed she becomes "cantankerous" when she hasn't eaten. He then asks if she's done something different with her hair. He exits, leaving Claire puzzled by his almost human (for Isaac) behavior.

Sometime later Bortus, now sporting a full mustache, enters the bridge and takes his post. The bridge crew stares at him in amazement. Gordon tells Bortus he looks great, and Mercer says it all makes sense now. Claire enters and asks if they're all coming to her son Ty's piano recital that night. Bortus tries to beg off, but Kelly says they'll ALL be there.

Cut to Ty's recital, where he receives a standing ovation (at Claire's prompting). After the recital, the crew gathers in the Mess Hall for an after party. Claire sees Isaac standing by himself, and goes over to make small talk with him. 

The next day, Claire meets with Kelly and says she thinks she's developing feelings for another crewmember, and wonders if it's appropriate. Kelly says Claire's the wisest person on the ship, and she trusts her judgement. Claire admits it's Isaac, which causes Kelly to order two glasses of wine from the synthesizer.

Claire says she and Isaac have been friends since their shuttle crash last season, and she believes she's sensing slight feelings from him. Kelly asks if it's possible she's projecting her own feelings onto the emotionless android? In the end, she tells Claire she might as well give it a go, but to be careful not to get hurt.

Claire immediately asks Isaac if he'd like to go on a date. He accepts, saying it'll help in his study of humans. They decide to go see the Union Symphony Orchestra, who'll be playing onboard the ship soon.

Isaac finds John in Engineering, and asks him for dating advice. John & Gordon jokingly ask who's the lucky object, and are shocked when Isaac says Doctor Finn. John tells Isaac that first impressions are key, and says he needs to wear the right clothes. Oh, and to bring flowers as well. Isaac thanks him for the tips and leaves.

John & Gordon immediately run to the bridge to blurt the news to everyone that Isaac and Claire are going on a date. The crew then discusses whether or not the relationship will work out, until Isaac shows up on the bridge and they all clam up. 

That night, Isaac pick up Claire for their date. As he presents her with flowers, she's surprised to see he's wearing actual human clothes. He tells her it was John's idea. They enter the shuttle bay, where the Union Symphony is tuning up before their concert.

Bortus, Klyden and Topa are also there. Klyden harps at Bortus to shave his mustache, as he doesn't like the way it feels when they kiss. Topa tells Bortus he thinks it looks good.

The concert begins, and the Symphony plays a peppy arrangement of Singin' In The Rain (Plot Point!). Isaac stares blankly at Claire, who's enjoying the show immensely.

After the concert, Isaac takes Claire to a recreation of her favorite Earth restaurant in the Environmental Simulator. She asks how he knew about the place, and he says he accessed her personnel file and knows everything about her. He then rattles off all kinds of stats, including where she was born, her favorite movie, etc. She says he's defeating the point of a first date, which is to get to know one another. Isaac walks her back to her quarters and asks if she wants to go on a second date. A disappointed Claire says she'll think about it. She kisses Isaac on what passes for his cheek and shuts her door.

The next day, the bridge crew pumps Isaac for info about the date. He gives them a dry report, and says Claire didn't seem to enjoy herself much. Mercer tells Isaac he should try being more spontaneous. Kelly agrees, telling him about the time Mercer attempted to bake her a cake.

Cut to Claire waking up in the middle of the night, as Isaac stands at the foot of her bed holding a freshly-baked cake. He tells her to get dressed for another date. She wearily tells Isaac that dating was a mistake, as he doesn't understand human interaction and she can't even kiss him. She says she wants to go back to the way things were as she shoos him out of her quarters.

The next day, Isaac visits John and Ensign Turco, who're on a bowling date in the Simulator. Isaac says Claire broke up with him, and he wants to observe another human couple to understand what he did wrong. John says he has an idea.

Sometime later, Isaac sends Claire a message, asking her to meet him in the Simulator. Curious, she enters the room and sees Isaac standing in the middle of the recreated restaurant again. Exasperated, she asks what he's trying to do. He says, "Initiate simulation," and the room maps a handsome holographic human body onto him. 

Claire's stunned, and asks if it's really him. Isaac says he created a simulation that would allow them to kiss. He says he's also deleted all her personal info from his memory, so they can get to know one another. This time the date goes perfectly, as Isaac's genuinely interested when Claire tells him all about herself. She then takes his hands and leans in for a kiss. She orders the Simulator to recreate her bedroom, and the two of them spend the night together (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!). 

The next day, Claire breathlessly tells Kelly & Talla how awesome Isaac was on their second date. She says she thinks she's falling in love. Cut to Isaac telling John that now that he and Claire have successfully coupled, his "relationship experiment" is over. He says there's no need for further dates, and wants to break up with her. John tells him when he wants to end a relationship, he tries to get the woman to break up with him— usually by making himself unattractive and unappealing.

Claire enters her quarters and finds Isaac there waiting for her— holding a beer while wearing a wife beater and saggy underwear. He tells her to hurry up and fix his dinner, as well as implying she's overweight and blaming her mood on her period. Claire screeches at him to get out, but then realizes what he's trying to do. She figures out that he only slept with her as part of an experiment. She tells him he got what he wanted, and they're done.

Later on the bridge, the crew— who of course somehow know everything that happened— is visibly cold toward Isaac. He seems to realize something's different, but doesn't understand what.

Claire sits in a simulated bar, drowning her sorrows. Suddenly Yaphit, now in holographic human form, appears and hits on her. She rolls her eyes and leaves. 

Isaac comes to Claire's quarters for Ty's piano lesson. Claire icily informs him that she's hired a new teacher, and won't be needing his services any more. She closes the door in his face, leaving him puzzled. 

Later on the bridge, Isaac analyzes a dwarf star and makes a critical error. This shouldn't be possible for an artificial lifeform, so he leaves to run a diagnostic on himself. Mercer checks on him and asks if he's OK. Isaac says that after his breakup with Claire, he deleted all files pertaining to her. Apparently she was so ingrained in his life that her absence has seriously affected his programming. 

Mercer says Claire obviously got under Isaac's skin, and suggests he try to win her back. When Isaac asks how he can do that, Mercer tells him to "be creative" (Uh-oh!).

Later on Bortus enters the bridge, mustache-less. He tells Talla he shaved it because he was tired of hearing Klyden complain about it. And also because it was itchy.

Claire appears, saying she got a message to report to the bridge. When Mercer says he doesn't know what she's talking about, Isaac stands up and says he's the one who summoned her. A visibly peeved Claire asks what the hell he wants. He then pushes a button on his console, and Singin' In The Rain begins playing. He tells the computer, "Initiate environmental subprogram 43-Isaac." It immediately starts raining on the bridge.

Isaac apologizes to Claire, and says he'd like to continue their relationship, as he'll function more efficiently with her in his life. She asks if he's saying he's better with her than without her, and he replies, "Affirmative." They kiss, as the soaked bridge crew looks on.

Sometime later, Claire and Isaac walk into the Simulator for another date. As the doors close, he becomes "human" again.

Thoughts: 

• A Happy Refrain was written and directed by Seth MacFarlane (which probably explains why Mercer didn't have a lot to do this week).

• As you might suspect, this episode's title comes from the song Singin' In The Rain.

I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain.

What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again.

I'm laughin' at clouds, so dark up above.

The sun's in my heart, and I'm ready for love.

Let the stormy clouds chase, everyone from the place.

Come on with the rain, I've a smile on my face.

I'll walk down the lane, with a happy refrain.

Just singin, 'singin' in the rain.

• This is some heavy-duty nitpicking, but hey, it's what I do. The closest this episode gets to a B-plot is when Bortus asks Doctor Finn to help him grow a mustache. A couple things here:

First of all, Claire runs a "follicle stimulator" over Bortus' upper lip, and tells him his new 'stache will sprout within the hour.

Hmm... Based on its name, I'm assuming a follicle stimulator probably stimulates follicles and causes them to grow hair. But Bortus tells Finn, "Moclans do not grow facial hair naturally, so I require your help." That means he doesn't have any follicles to stimulate.

You can't grow hair where there aren't any follicles. That's why we don't have hair on the palms of our hands or bottoms of our feet. Realistically (heh), Doctor Finn could run that stimulator over Bortus' face every day for a year and nothing would happen.

She probably should have said she could transplant some follicles, or alter his genes to grow hair or something like that. 

As I said, I realize this is some over the top nitpicking, but I thought it was worth a mention. It wasn't a big enough deal to detract from my enjoyment of the episode.

Secondly, if follicle stimulators exist in the 25th Century, then that means baldness has been cured once and for all. Yep, in the future there's no reason why any man ever has to go bald again. Nosireee! Nothing but thick, healthy locks for every mal...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... 

When Mercer's dad appeared back in Command Performance, he was almost totally bald. Well, maybe Mr. Mercer just likes that "newborn baby" look that all the women are so wild about. Or perhaps the stimulator doesn't work on everyone? Or maybe MacFarlane forgot all about this scene.

By the way, that's actor Jeffrey Tambor playing Mercer's pops. I bet MacFarlane regrets casting him in the role! It's safe to say we won't be seeing any more the elder Mercer in the series.

• I'm just gonna come out and say it— I'm not a fan if the Isaac costume. I don't have a problem with him from the waist up, as he looks reasonably OK. From the waist down though... oy! He's supposed to be a robot, right? So why's he wearing loose-fitting silver space pants tucked into boots?

Is that what everyone on Kaylon wears? Is it their standard uniform? Or is this what they wear when they leave their planet and have to interact with other races? Does Isaac have a metallic body under his silver suit? Or is there something else inside there? A tiny flashing orb that houses his mind, maybe?

I wish he looked more like a real robot— like a silver version of C-3PO. Or even sort of like a Stormtrooper, with modular armored bits. And yes, I know that Stormtroopers aren't robots. You know what I mean.

• I think I kind of like Bortus' mustache!

• Poor Yaphit! He bares his soul to Claire and tells her he loves her, only to be rejected. And to make things worse, she then falls for a robot!

• Once again The Orville continues its tradition of godawful futuristic civilian fashions. Check out that paneled monstrosity Cassius is wearing! He really does have some awful taste in clothes.

And I guess that's supposed to be the 25th Century version of a suit jacket that Ty's sporting?

• According to official sources, the Orville's Mess Hall/Lounge is located at the rear of the ship, inside that tab-like shape above the shuttle bay.

This is confirmed by this scene, as Isaac and Claire share a drink. The stars outside the window move away from them and converge at a point between their heads, indicating they're sitting in the very rear of the ship.

So... based on their location, shouldn't at least one of the ship's engine rings be visible through the windows in this scene? They show up outside the shuttle bay (which is right below the lounge), so why not here?

• When Claire enters Isaac's lab to ask him on a date, he's working on an experiment— which probably flew unnoticed past most viewers. I didn't catch it myself till I watched the episode a second time. 

As Claire asks what he's doing, Isaac says, "I am analyzing and reconforming the hyperspace metrics in Doctor Aronov's temporal equations."

Does that name ring a bell? It should. Back in Old Wounds, Doctor Aronov was the head of the Epsilon Science Station, and was working on the temporal field accelerator. You know, the anti-banana ray.

As I said, this goes by so quickly that it probably didn't even register with most viewers. So how the heck did Isaac get ahold of one of these? The original was destroyed in the pilot episode. Did Doctor Aronov send Isaac a new one? Did Isaac build one after reading Mercer's report? And why's he analyzing it? What's Isaac planning to do with a machine that can accelerate time?

I have a feeling this wasn't just a throwaway scene, and it's going to become important later on in the season.

One last thing here: At the beginning of the episode, Isaac brings a banana to Claire. Was that a callback to the pilot episode, in which Mercer called the temporal field accelerator an "anti-banana ray?"

• Talk To The (Robot) Hand!

When Isaac goes to Engineering for dating advice, Gordon starts telling him what he'd do. Isaac raises his hand and abruptly stops him, saying he'd rather hear what John has to say! Burn!

• I loved, loved, LOVED the scene in which Gordon and John tore through the ship at top speed in order to hurry and spill the beans about Claire and Isaac to the bridge crew! It was the second funniest part of the entire episode. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

• Apparently Isaac synthesized his dating ensemble from the J. Crew catalog! Or maybe it was J.C. Penney?

• When the Union Symphony arrives, they perform their concert in the Orville's shuttle bay. As the music begins, the bay doors open in order to give the audience a spectacular view of the cosmos.

Let's hope the forcefield around the open shuttle bay door has lots of fail safes and backup systems. If that thing malfunctions, the entire crew'll be wiped out!

• Meta Moment! Based on the way the camera focuses on the Union Conductor, it's obvious that the episode wants us to notice him. I assumed he was probably Bruce Broughton, who composes The Orville's amazing orchestral score every week.

Nope! He's actually Mark Graham, the Head Of Music Preparation on the series, whatever that means.

And the Union Symphony is actually the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra, which regularly performs the music for The Orville.

• After the concert, Isaac takes Claire to a simulation of her favorite Earth restaurant. When she asks how he knew about it, he says he looked up the info in her personnel file.

A few seconds later she tells Isaac, "You're like Jeff Bellman." Isaac says, "A fictional character from your favorite motion picture, Mind Of Hermes, completed 2035 Earth time."

Are "favorite restaurant and movie" really things you'd find in someone's military records? Seems unlikely. 

• The Environmental Simulator gets quite a workout this week, as half the episode takes place inside it. The Simulator seems to gain some odd properties in this episode too.

For example, Claire and Isaac go on a date in a simulated restaurant. A waiter brings their food and sets in on the table. Claire then casually tells Isaac they should "flip the table." He takes her comment literally, and, well... actually flips the table!

When she says that's not what she meant, he tells the Simulator to "reset table." Instantly, a new holographic table forms out of thin air— complete with their plates of food!

So what do we think here? Is the food in the simulated restaurant real or holographic? Can the Environmental Simulator only create holograms, or can it whip up actual real food?

We know the Orville has replicator technology similar to that on the various Trek shows, as we've seen the crew order real food in the Mess Hall many times before. Is the Simulator tied into the Replicator somehow, so it can create edible cuisine?

If not, then I could see the crew taking advantage of that. You could pig out on holographic food till you passed out, and the second you left the Simulator— POOF! All gone!

Later on, Gordon & John are relaxing in a holographic bowling alley. Suddenly the Simulator door appears and Isaac steps through. Note that the wall of the Simulator is apparently right where the bowling lanes begin.

So how the hell would THAT work? I guess the Simulator must create a solid holographic ball, that somehow has weight and heft. Then when you throw it, the second it leaves your hand it turns into a projection of a ball that seemingly flies down a simulated bowling lane.

That's about the only way it could work. Otherwise, the balls would smack right into the wall on either side of that door!

Lastly, during their second date in the Simulator, Isaac conjures up a realistic holographic human shell around his mechanical body.

Amazingly, at no point do any parts of his real body ever protrude through this handsome facade! Now that's some fancy programming!

• Speaking of bowling... this has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but did you know the original Starship Enterprise had (will have?) its own real bowling alley? According to Franz Josheph's Star Trek Blueprints, published wayyyy back in 1973, the alley is located on Deck 23, just behind the ship's massive kitchen.

Although they're fun, spoilsport Trek fans refuse to accept the blueprints as part of official canon. Mostly because they feature apocryphal things like a massive kitchen, when the ship used replicators to produce food!

• I guess smudgeable lipstick is still a thing in the 25th Century.

• Mercer tells Isaac he needs to be more spontaneous around Claire. To that end, he appears in her quarters in the middle of the night and presents her with a cake.

I wonder... did he make that cake himself or just replicate it? I'm assuming he took Mercer's advice to heart and baked it. It'd be a meaningless gesture if went to the Replicator and ordered up a cake in a second.

By the way, is there any significance to the fact that Isaac wakes up Claire at the equivalent of pi? Does he do everything mathematically?

• As most viewers probably realized, the holographic human version of Isaac was played by Mark Jackson. The very same actor who plays Isaac!

• During their date, Claire says she was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Oddly enough, that's where actress Penny Johnson Jerald is from! Funny how that worked out, eh?

• We find out a little about Isaac's homeworld when Claire asks him what it's like. Isaac tells her, "Kaylon 1. It is a planet populated by artificial life-forms. Circumference, 57,583 kilometers. Average density, 4.42 grams per cubic centimeter. Surface gravity, 1.13 times Earth standard.

Obviously Kaylon 1 is a bit larger than Earth, which is only 40,075 km in circumference.

I would not be surprised if the crew pays a visit to Kaylon 1 at some point this season or next.

• Isaac waiting for Claire while dressed in a wife-beater and underwear was the funniest scene in the episode, and possibly the entire series! Not only was the visual pretty hysterical, but so were his crude and insensitive comments, delivered in his trademark dry and precise manner.

Isaac: "Ah, you are home. It is about time."
Claire: "Isaac? What are you doing?"
Isaac: "I am awaiting my dinner. This has caused me to become displeased."
Claire: "You don't eat. And what the hell are you wearing? Is that underwear?"
Isaac: "Affirmative."
Claire: "I thought we were going out tonight. I was looking forward to trying that butter cake at Mooska's."
Isaac: "The last thing you need is more dessert."
Claire: "EXCUSE me?"
Isaac: "As I am incapable of stuttering, I must conclude that you heard me."
Claire: "Okay, you're going to tell me what's going on right now, beginning with an apology for what you just said."
Isaac: "I am sorry you are upset. Perhaps you are on your period?
Claire: "Get out. Right now."

• After Isaac gets results with his holographic human form, Yaphit (who obviously still has feelings for Claire) decides to give it a try as well. Naturally the human version is played by Norm Macdonald, who voices Yaphit.

Eh, I realize I'm in the minority here, but I could have done without this scene. Mark Jackson's relatively unknown here in the States, so he could appear as "himself" and the majority of the audience wouldn't recognize him. 

Not so with the much more famous Macdonald. Seeing him yanked me right out of the episode.

Funny how Claire once again used a simulated bar to drown her sorrows, instead of going to the ship's real lounge. Of course the reason she did this is so we could have the "Human Yaphit" scene— that couldn't have happened in the real bar.

• After Isaac dumps Claire, the bridge crew's furious with him and treats him very coldly. Their reactions seemed a bit over the top, particularly since he doesn't understand complex human emotions, and has no idea what he's done. You'd think they'd be slightly more understanding. 

If anything, they should be mad at John! After all, HE'S the one who gave Isaac the breakup advice!

• At the end of the third act, Isaac takes Mercer's advice and gets creative, playing Singin' In The Rain while causing the ship's environmental controls to make it pour on the bridge.

First of all, I'm not gonna ask why the bridge's environmental controls have a rain setting. Maybe it's like a sprinkler system?

Secondly, when I first saw this scene, I was legitimately concerned that they were irreparably damaging their awesome bridge set by soaking it with water. You can actually see water splashing on all the consoles!

I needn't have worried. According to Tom Constantino, one of the editors on the show, they filmed the bridge crew on a green screen set, and doused 'em with fake rain. They then composited them into a background plate of the bridge.

The effect was positively seamless, and allowed the set to stay high & dry!

• Earlier in the episode, Isaac mentions that Kaylon Prime sent him to study the Planetary Union, in order to decide if it's an organization that's worth joining. 

Now that he and Claire are in a relationship, you can bet your bottom dollar we're going to get an episode in which Kaylon Prime decides his mission is over, and recalls him back to the planet. He'll then have to decide whether to break up with Claire and return, or defy orders and stay.

To be honest, I don't entirely trust Isaac's race. I have this uneasy feeling that once he turns in his report, Kaylon Prime will look at it and decide the Union must be eradicated for the good of the galaxy!

• This Week's Incongruous 20th Century (And Earlier!) References:
Ty plays Chopin’s Chanson De L’adieu at his piano recital. 

The Union Symphony plays the MGM Jubilee Overture from 1954. It's a medley of contemporary (at that time) songs, including Singin' In The Rain. 

Centerfold by the J. Geils Band is playing in the simulated bowling alley.

And of course, the crew's still familiar with Singin' In The Rain.

• This Week's Star Trek Swipes:

The entire episode is pretty much a shot for shot remake of the Season 4 TNG episode In Theory, in which crewman of the week Jenna D'Sora falls in love with Lt. Commander Data and starts up a relationship with him. 

Since Data's an android and incapable of feeling any kind of emotion, he seeks advice from various crewmembers, and even brings Jenna flowers on their date. Sound familiar?

Later Jenna tells Data he's acting strangely, so he lashes out at her, actually yelling, "Perhaps there is something wrong with YOU!" and "You don't tell me how to behave! You're not my mother!" Again, sounds pretty familiar, eh?

Sadly, their affair is short-lived. At the end of the episode, Jenna tells Data they're no longer a couple. He says, "Then I will delete the appropriate program" and goes on about his business like nothing happened.

Believe it or not, Bortus' mustache could also be considered a swipe. In the Season 2 TNG episode The Schizoid Man, Data experiments with facial hair by growing (I guess?) a full beard.

• This Week's Best Lines:

Claire: "Thanks. I owe you one."

Isaac: "One what?"

Claire: "Uh, you know, return the favor?"

Isaac: "It is unlikely you would be able to offer useful insight into any of my research. My intelligence far exceeds your..."

Claire: "Right, right, ri,,, Uh, uh, I forgot."

(Bortus enters the bridge, sporting his brand new mustache. The crew stares in astonishment.)

Bortus: "What is the matter?"

John: "Nothing. We were all just wondering when you decided to join the fire department."

Gordon: (referring to Bortus) "He looks good, doesn't he? Rugged, authoritative."

Bortus: "The lieutenant told me it would be appealing. Is that not so?"

John: "Oh, no, it's-it's super appealing."

Kelly: "It really is. It's-it's great."

Mercer: "I love it. I-I think people are really gonna be talking about it."

Bortus: "Is that good?"

Gordon: "Oh, totally. No, no, no, they're-they're gonna be like, 'Man, if he has that much across the lip, I wonder what else he's got going on."

Kelly: "What does that even mean?"

Claire: "Okay, um, I'm just gonna go right at it. Uh, Isaac, would you like to go on a date with me?"

Isaac: "A date?"

Claire: "Yes."

Isaac: "A social coupling designed to facilitate mating."

Claire: "Wow, it just got really hot in here."

Isaac: "I am not detecting a rise in the temperature."

Claire: "Isaac. I would very much like to go out with you."

Isaac: "Out? Into space?"

Claire: "No. Out. To dinner, to a show. Uh, how about the symphony on Friday? You and me, we could see how it feels."

Isaac: "Such an outing would yield substantial data regarding human behavioral patterns."

Claire: "Is that a yes?"

Isaac: "Affirmative, Doctor. I will go on a date with you."

Bortus: "A human and an artificial life-form are incompatible. It will not succeed."

Talla: "How do you know? They could just be two people in love."

Mercer: "Well, it's not as simple as that. The guy has limitations. I mean, even in the best-case scenario, he's still..."

(Isaac walks onto the bridge.)

Mercer: (covering nicely) "...My father, and he'll never be a weight lifter no matter how much his heart is in it."

Gordon: "How did it go?"

Isaac: "You are referring to my evening with Dr. Finn."

Gordon: "Yes, Brainiac. We're all dying to find out what happened."

Isaac: "We attended the symphony, then Dr. Finn consumed an evening meal."

Kelly: "That's it? That's all you're gonna tell us?"

Isaac: "What information do you require?"

Talla: "Did you have fun? Were there sparks?"

Isaac: "Sparks?"

Talla: "Yeah."

Isaac: "Negative. There was no equipment malfunction."

Mercer: "Well, you don't have to brag about it."

Gordon: "We are, without a doubt, the weirdest ship in the fleet."