And now we begin with the holodeck gone awry episodes. Despite being introduced in the pilot this episode mentions that the holodecks have been upgraded and the captain is eager to try it out. But of course they get hit with an alien something or other and they are trapped inside with the safety protocols turned off. They haven't quite worked out the rules for what happens when something from inside the holodeck is brought outside, but then again they never really get that settled ever. I had completely forgotten the B story in this episode and it is clear why, but it is also not a bad way to add some tension without things feeling totally forced.
The Enterprise is on its way to attempt to greet an insectoid alien race that is obsessed with protocol to the point that if the long greeting is mispronounced in any way they won't talk again for decades and possibly worse. Picard is struggling with it and Troi recommends he take a break on the holodeck and he jumps at the chance. Picard loads up a 1940's San Francisco detective storyline and is blown away by all the detail. In Dixon Hill's office he is met by a beautiful woman who tells him someone is trying to kill her. Other than flirting Picard ignores her and leaves the simulation as a man tries to get into his office to meet him. At the staff meeting Picard won't shut up about the holodeck and Data takes an interest. Data and some dude who is a historian I guess but obviously wasn't going to make it through the episode meet him to get in on it.
After reading a newspaper for a few minutes Dixon/Picard is taken in for questioning about the murder of the woman he met the previous night. Dr. Crusher joins in as he is being interrogated. Back on the bridge Riker encounters a scanning beam that disrupts their systems and of course seals the holodeck and turns off the safeties. Riker learns about this and Geordi and Wesley get to work. Inside Dixon gets out of the police station and Picard can't help showing Crusher around his office. Inside the man from before pulls and gun and shoots historian guy when they ignore him. Picard punches him, but he comes back with the head bad guy and they demand Dixon give them the item.
Dixon's police buddy shows up and Picard tries to explain it is all an illusion but of course that doesn't work. Eventually Wes gets the door open, but for some reason no one rushes in to help or get the captain who is desperately needed on the bridge. Picard tricks the head bad guy and his minion into going out of the holodeck and they dissolve. Data takes care of the final goon and Crusher rushes to sickbay with the historian who is never heard from again. Picard finally makes it to the bridge and performs the greeting perfectly. They all joke around about the detective drama while presumably the historian is breathing his last breaths in sickbay.
Review: While there are enjoyable parts of this episode there are enough unanswered questions and issues to keep this one from being really great. The holodeck gets explored a lot more in later episodes, but most of them follow the basic formula of this one.
6 out of 10
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