Ship In A Bottle

DVD, TNG S6 (Ship In A Bottle)

Reality within reality is something I've always found fascinating. Something unsettling, but that draws the imagination, just as Professor Moriarty was drawn to life. I'd forgotten most of the details of the story, including the trickery, remembering only that Moriarty returned and demanded existence and is given it in the form of a miniature universe to explore. It's a poignant moment when he and his Countess ride off in a shuttlecraft to explore the unknown, I almost wish they really had found a way to get out of the Holodeck as it's something to ponder on: two fictional characters living out lives far beyond anything they were created for. But then, that's what can make Holodeck stories special. Any chance to see Data as Sherlock Holmes again, is a welcome one, though presumably for the last time, as after the problems with the Conan Doyle estate who weren't happy with the series using their characters without permission, it seemed clear the setting would never be used again. Back in Season 2 'TNG' was only a little start-up, but by Season 6 it had become the 'in' thing so I suspect it was easier to get the Conan Doyle estate onside this time.

Right away I guessed they were still on the Holodeck when Moriarty walks out the doors. We've seen holo-characters leave before, such as in 'The Big Goodbye' though they dematerialised shortly after, but it wouldn't be until 'Voyager' and its stolen 29th Century technology that an artificial character could walk free of constraint. I didn't remember that was what happened, but I'm always suspicious when it comes to the possibility of false reality so I was watching from the perspective that it was a trick and nothing contradicted that. Even so, it was a chilling moment when Data sidles up to Picard and lets him in on the secret. I think it could have been more exciting if the fake Enterprise personnel had then come after them and chased them through the bowels of the 'ship,' but this was definitely a cerebral episode, not an action-adventure so it may not have suited the tone. Also, I'm not sure if Moriarty knew that they knew that they weren't off the Holodeck…

The events throw up many questions about artificial intelligence, the nature of reality and how 24th Century technology works: Geordi claims that items in the Holodeck aren't real, so that if an item is taken out it will simply disappear as it has no physicality, but we've seen all sorts of things taken in or out of the 'deck and I was always given to believing that it was a bit of both - most things were just 'background' objects, but as soon as someone picked it up they became real, physical, replicated matter. It also seems somehow wrong to trick Moriarty into this false life, even though he pulled the trick first, and Picard seems inordinately gleeful at how things have turned out! Surely they should continue to look into the rights and wrongs of Holodeck life and the Federation should deeply examine the ethics of these beings that could be created in the event of accidents. It wasn't really until 'Voyager' that the issues of holographic rights came up, which makes the Enterprise crew seem a little callous and uncaring about the ramifications of switching on (and off) their fantasies each week.

The B-story, or B-situation as it never became much of a story, existed purely to provide the jeopardy Moriarty needed to make his control of the Enterprise seem dangerous, and was a spatial phenomenon that didn't quite live up to the concept we were fed early in the episode of two planets crashing into each other - two gas giants no less. The shot of the planets approaching looked great, but the ending shot of the explosion seen from a safe distance was a bit lacklustre and something I imagine they'll change for the new version of 'TNG' if they do it like the 'TOS Remastered' project.

Moriarty was obviously intensely crafty as he could create almost perfect replicas of Geordi, Riker and the crew, yet he was still simple-minded enough not to be suspicious of Picard's capitulation. I suppose it was because of the roundabout way the 'solution' of turning off the Heisenberg compensators was discovered and relayed so that it allayed all suspicion, but I'd have thought he would be cleverer than that. Still, it was nice to have a sequel to a Season 2 episode, if not quite a mention of Pulaski who's mentioned merely as 'the hostage,' and the return of the same actor to play the role of the villain.

It was useful to have Reg Barclay along as he became the organ through which the writers could explain the backstory to for those that hadn't been paying attention or weren't around for the earlier episode - the last shot where he wonders if real life is a Holodeck is a nice moment, though it doesn't have the power of 'Far Beyond The Stars' similar pondering on the nature of existence, and even if he was still in a Holodeck asking the computer to end the program had been proved not to work. So maybe the whole of Trek after that was false? What they should have done was have Moriarty return to plague the USS Voyager since Barclay seemed to take ownership of the mini-Holodeck prison and became a recurring character on that series!

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