Hollow Pursuits

DVD, TNG S3 (Hollow Pursuits)

Playing on Dwight Schultz's best known role from 'The A-Team' Mr. Barclay fools us at first into seeing him as he wants to be so it's even more of a surprise when we realise this isn't reality once the regular cast start acting irregularly, but it's an excellent device and a good start. Barclay became one of the more popular minor characters and it's not hard to see why - it's easy to empathise with someone that's made to feel bad or finds difficulty in relating to other's on a day-to-day basis and has trouble dealing with problems. Everyone feels like that sometimes so we're immediately on his side.

Much enjoyment comes from Barclay's recreation of the main cast as people moulded by his whims and even more as the real crew confront these holocharacters. It raises questions about privacy and the ability or legality of recreating living people, but from the dialogue it seems there are no such rules at that time. It would seem pertinent to have worked out such personal limits before the technology was perfected, and certainly later series' have a slightly stricter view. There's also the point of Barclay's own privacy - it doesn't seem right that anyone can waltz into the Holodeck even when it's in the middle of someone else's program, but in this case it may have been superior officers over-riding any lockouts as they were on the hunt for an errant officer.

It's difficult to pick a best moment from this one, but highlights include Picard's slip of the tongue and Data's thoughts on the matter, the sword-fighting crewmates and especially the short version of Riker! But Deanna's shock at seeing herself portrayed as the goddess of love after she's allowed for Barclay's right to express himself is very funny! The main plot of things going wrong on the ship doesn't really get going and or have enough focus to build the tension.

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