10 Most Forgettable Star Trek: Voyager Episodes

Holodeck episodes are such a clever tool in Star Trek. They allow a break in the usual structure of space and aliens, offering the chance for a story based in history or fiction. This lends itself well to Voyager where the characters are often missing the luxuries of home or require a distraction from their hapless situation.

Alter Ego started as a promising holodeck story but by the end had fallen back into the space and alien format. Poor Harry Kim is struggling to deal with the heartache of developing feelings for a holodeck character - Marayna. He goes to Tuvok for help in suppressing his emotions and ends up introducing Marayna to a more desirable match. It is later revealed that Marayna is not actually a holodeck character but a lonely alien on a nearby space station seeking companionship in her isolated duty.

The biggest problem with Alter Ego is that it contains plot threads that are explored far better elsewhere.

Compared to the likes of The Killing Game, Worst Case Scenario, Bride of Chaotica! or even, Real Life, the holodeck setting is entirely forgettable and somewhat secondary to the plot.

And let's not forget Fair Haven, which, as well as being a massively divisive - and therefore memorable - holodeck episode, also explores the consequences of a holodeck romance in much greater detail than this story does. 

Even the love triangle element isn't something unique to this story. Season 2 had already explored this concept with Neelix, Paris, and Kes. That plot, however, made more character sense, with Neelix feeling threatened by Tom's flirtatious charm, whereas, a conflict between the shy Harry Kim and stoic Tuvok over the affections of a never-seen-before hologram just seemed too random and fleeting to be remembered in any great detail.