This is honestly something that kind of annoys me about the show, data is pretty obviously human enough from the get-go, his journey is just about generally figuring things out and forming a proper personality.
Like the episode where they have to put his personhood to trial isn’t that amazing, humans now overwhelmingly at least somewhat care about the well-being of actual cattle, how the fuck would a clearly human-looking android that’s clearly capable of reasoning not be considered a person just like any other humanoid alien species?
It would have made sense if it took place in humanity’s capitalist past, but the largely enlightened federation? come oooooooon
i like that The Orville has their obligatory digital lifeform be from a whole-ass race that considers themselves obviously superior to everyone else, and no one questions their personhood because how the fuck do you question the personhood of someone who is actively choosing not to pulverize you?