10 Star Trek Holodeck Programs We Want To Experience

When Captain Picard decides to try out the new holodeck upgrades during The Big Goodbye, he picks the now iconic Dixon Hill series. We'd suggest that he just wanted an excuse to wear a fedora (and to be fair, he wears it well), but the moment we're introduced to the rain-slicked streets and shadowy back alleys of Dixon Hill, it's obvious why he's more excited than a Klingon in a bar brawl.

It's 1941, San Francisco, and Dix is the kind of PI we'd all secretly like to moonlight as. In true detective noir style, he's a hard-boiled investigator surrounded by crass cops, wise-talking gangsters and treacherous clients. We'd love the chance to soak up all that atmosphere and see if we have what it takes to crack a case or two.

Of course, when Starfleet officers are having too much fun, the holodeck powers-that-be have to punish them with an ordeal. It's just the way it is. And Dixon Hill was no exception. During an inevitable malfunction, the safeties are tripped and the poor McNary hologram has an existential crisis when he realises he's not real. Terrifying. Then again, a safety-free version did come in handy for fighting the Borg that one time.

But if we're going to do the detective thing, we want the full immersive noir experience. Smoky, bustling bars without the health hazards, dapper suits and stylish fashion, over-the-top characters with impossible accents, danger lurking in every corner, and a saxophone and double bass soundtrack that announces our entrance into every room.