Game The Most Disliked Holodeck Episode

[Qonundrum]

So the next story for me to save is... well, that one would be outrageous so

VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 1”

is next.

Part one was rather spellbinding, especially the revealing of the Hirogen converting the whole ship into a big multi-story playfield. It's fairly vicious to use the crew in the way they had as well.



TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
DS9 Season 6: "Inquisition"
DS9 Season 6: “His Way”
VOY Season 1: “Heroes And Demons”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 2: "Persistence Of Vision"
VOY Season 2: "Lifesigns"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 2”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[Sakonna]

I will save "Persistence Of Vision." I love any incidence of Kes saving the ship, and I really enjoyed Janeway's gothic holonovel, obvious as it was.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
DS9 Season 6: "Inquisition"
DS9 Season 6: “His Way”
VOY Season 1: “Heroes And Demons”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 2: "Lifesigns"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 2”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[Tim Thomason]

Section 31 gets a lot of well-deserved criticism, but its introductory episode, and their great use of the holosuite as a tool for recruitment/interrogation, makes Inquisition by far the best episode off this list.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
DS9 Season 6: “His Way”
VOY Season 1: “Heroes And Demons”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 2: "Lifesigns"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 2”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Crap, did VOY have that many holodeck shows??

It looks like half of all holodeck episodes were Voyager's.

 

[Brennyren]

"Lifesigns" was an intriguing use of holographic imaging, and the relationship between the Doctor and Denara Pel felt believable. The final scene was genuinely moving.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
DS9 Season 6: “His Way”
VOY Season 1: “Heroes And Demons”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 2”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[Farscape One]

"HEROES AND DEMONS" gets my next vote. Not only is it a fun episode, but a milestone for The Doctor... his first time outside sickbay. And his romance with Freya. And we so rarely see or hear about Vikings in STAR TREK. Great season 1 VOYAGER episode.


TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
DS9 Season 6: “His Way”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 2”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[Seven of Five]

Wow, there are a lot of mediocre episodes on the list.

I'll save His Way, as it's a light-hearted way of getting Kira and Odo together, even if they never talked on-screen about Odo letting Rom get caught during the Occupation arc.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 4: “The Killing Game, Part 2”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[Sakonna]

I will save "The Killing Game, Part 2", which I respect for it's balls-to-the-wall craziness.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”
ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages..."

 

[at Quark's]

I'll do the (probably) unpopular thing now and save ENT Season 4: "These Are The Voyages...".

I know this one is greatly hated as a series finale because one expects more from a finale and "the characters weren't even real in their final episode and it was more about TNG than ENT!" and all such -which are all valid objections-, but if you view it purely as a holodeck episode without any other expectations of it, it's not actually that bad. And imho, that's what counts in this case. Shows Riker tackling a difficult dilemma.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 3: “Real Life”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”

 

[Sakonna]

Shocker! I was sure TATV would take it. Now I'm in suspense...

 

[at Quark's]

Shocker! I was sure TATV would take it. Now I'm in suspense...

I'll admit that I also like subverting people's expectations a bit. After all, what's the point of playing a game if there would be no surprises

But that's not my reason for eliminating it. I honestly think it's one of the two or three "best" that were still left (the choice is a bit hard at this point)- certainly if you leave out of consideration it was a series' finale.

 

[Farscape One]

Wow... I am floored that got eliminated. I was betting on that being the 'winner'.

My next vote is "REAL LIFE". While the space tornadoes was not impressive as a plot, The Doctor trying to experience what it's like to have family was pretty good, at least starting after Torres' adjustments. Paris got a very rare 'wise advice' set of dialogue when he was talking to The Doctor at thd end. That was a defining moment, for the audience anyway, of growth for Paris. Definitely one of his better scenes in the first 3 years, particularly in an episode whose subplot he was involved in can easily show him as just a joyride seeking hotshot.


TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
TNG Season 7: “Emergence”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”

 

[Vger23]

"Emergence" comes off the list. It's admittedly completeley ridiculous in a "so bad it's good" way, but at least it isn't boring or stale like so many of the choices left.

Side note: I would have pulled TATV if it had still been there. I never hated it like so many do...but then again, I'm the guy who loves S3 TOS, "The Royale," TFF and NEM so what the hell do I know about "good Star Trek?"


Remaining:




TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
TNG Season 5: “Cost Of Living”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”

 

[Cyfa]

I've been in a bit of a dilemma as I really want to save "The Outrageous Okona" because Billy Campbell as a space-rogue is such a fox , but the holodeck part of the episode is cringe-inducingly horrible. So then I looked to save "Twisted" but again, I want to save it for the non-holodeck part (the actual twisting of the ship concept). So, in the end, I'm plumping for "Cost of Living" as any Lwaxana episode is a good (if not great!) episode, and the holodeck is used to good effect as a counter to the reserved Campio and his people.
Plus, Worf's face at the end when they're all in the mud bath!!!

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: "The Swarm"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”

 

[Farscape One]

Vger23... I really enjoy "The Royale", as well. It's a suitably creepy episode, and it still leaves a lot of mystery. (Looking back, season 2 of TNG had multiple mysteries that were just left hanging. I think that was a good thing... it made the universe feel larger.)

My next vote is "THE SWARM". Robert Picardo played his parts here wonderfully, as always. His plot was quite gut wrenching to watch at times, and Kes got some good mileage in scenes with him, too. The space bullies plot wasn't that bad, but the very worst line of technobabble the franchise ever did was here.

Interfereometric pulses. I made jokes about that for YEARS... until I discovered only a couple years ago that it's a REAL thing. Well played, STAR TREK: VOYAGER. Well played.


TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk”
VOY Season 7: “Human Error”

 

[Seven of Five]

It's certainly not a great episode, but I will save Human Error. It has the random romance with Chakotay. It also has cynical ending where the writers won't let Seven grow, and have her malfunction from all of her experiences.

But, (and you can say this about a lot of VOY episodes), it has some wonderful moments, and it helps if you view the episode in a bubble. I loved seeing Seven deciding to have quarters on the holodeck, and her relationship was actually fairly good.

TAS Season 2: “The Practical Joker”
TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk"

 

[Vger23]

I'm going to save "Practical Joker," mainly because I can't confirm that I've ever even seen the rest of these VOY episodes (I've probably only seen abound half the episodes in the series, and most of them only once) and because "Outrageous Okona" isn't totally miserable, but the holodeck B-story most certainly is.


TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Extreme Risk”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk"

 

[Farscape One]

Although the plot came out of nowhere, I liked what Torres going through in "EXTREME RISK". Roxann Dawson, I felt, was underused throughout the show. She could have gotten more because she really is a good actress. This episode shows it. I think it's also part of the reason why she is such a good director, too.

And it did introduce the Delta Flyer... something the show needed.

Side note: I always found it funny that except for season 2, Torres was the focus episode of the second-fourth produced episode of each season.


TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
VOY Season 2: "Twisted"
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk"

 

[Tim Thomason]

I'm going to do the outrageous thing here and eliminate the episode Twisted. Yeah, the holodeck barely factors, but that's a point in its favor. We have a genuine sci-fi anomaly on our hands, and they are only on the holodeck as a last resort. The anomaly is beyond comprehension, and doesn't take holographic form or something silly. It gets really hectic and suspenseful in the episode, while trapped in the holodeck, and I seemed to recall really enjoying the episode.

TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”
VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk"

 

[Qonundrum]

Wish I was here earlier... But I guess the least vomit-inducing of what remains in this list is, arguably:

TNG Season 2: “The Outrageous Okona”

TNG was still more or less in its formative days. but trying to encapsulate different genres by mixing into the fledgling show some stand up comedy with "Three's Company" and "The Jerry Springer Show", it all really did zero justice for this series. Not even with that cool party line video conference feature that was never used again.

It didn't help when Goldberg and Spiner stole the show away from Piscopo, who just happens being in front of them in some of those scenes... and he's the one who's supposed to be funny, with Data and Guinan being the outsider characters - of which Data was learning and Guinan was trying to help.

What's left:

VOY Season 3: “Alter Ego”
VOY Season 5: “Once Upon A Time”
VOY Season 6: “Fair Haven”
VOY Season 6: “Spirit Folk"