10 Dumbest Things In Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Next Generation introduces the holodeck in its very first episode, a device which creates a totally realistic and interactive 3D simulation of just about anything you can think of. It’s a clever piece of technology that shows how much further the world has advanced since the 23rd century. It also lets the production repurpose contemporary sets and costumes without engaging in the preposterous "Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development" that plagued some of the worst episodes of the original series.

So far so good. But in “The Big Goodbye,” “Elementary, Dear Data,” and “A Fistful of Datas,” we’re introduced to the wonderful world of holodeck safety protocols. Which is to say, we learn that with a flick of a proverbial switch (or other convenient power surge or malfunction) that harmless simulation found on the holodeck can become as deadly as the real world.

Imagine if you were playing Mass Effect during a lightning storm and suddenly every hit and injury in the game started to affect your body as if you were really being shot at. Would you ever play a video game ever again? Why would such a danger even be allowed to exist?

On top of all this, “Elementary, Dear Data” (and its sequel, “Ship In A Bottle”) establish that with just seven words (“Create an adversary capable of defeating Data”) the holodeck can create a sentient (and, as it turns out, quite dangerous) lifeform. Considering just how widely available the holodeck is (just about anybody seems to be able to use it), does this make any sense?