Star Trek: The Next Generation

Work Title: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Medium: TV Episode
Episode Title: 11001001
Year: 1988
Writer(s): Maurice Hurley
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Robert Lewin
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

(copied from http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TNG/episode/68338.html) The U.S.S. Enterprise docks at Starbase 74 where the Bynars, a species interdependent on computers, are scheduled to upgrade the ship's computer system. Instead of enhancing the starship's facilities, however, the Bynars program the ship's computer to read that the magnetic containment field is deteriorating and that the entire U.S.S. Enterprise will shortly be destroyed. Unable to locate Captain Picard and Commander Riker, Data evacuates the ship and launches the U.S.S. Enterprise back into space to avoid damaging Starbase 74. Unbeknownst to Data, the Bynars have used a computer-generated woman to lure Riker and Picard into the holodeck, where they don't hear the alert to abandon the ship. Upon exiting the holodeck, the Captain and his First Officer realize that the ship is completely empty except for the Bynars, who have taken control of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Determined not to leave the ship in hostile hands, Picard and Riker program the starship to self-destruct in five minutes. But when they beam onto the bridge, they find that the Bynars are dying. After turning off the self-destruct mechanism, Picard and Riker soon discover that the ship is orbiting the Bynars' home planet. They also learn that the aliens hijacked the U.S.S. Enterprise in order to use its computer as a replacement for their own, which was their only life-support device and was destroyed in an explosion. Sympathetic to their cause, Picard and Riker use the U.S.S. Enterprise's computer to regenerate the one lost by the Bynars, thus saving the planet's inhabitants.

Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

All activity takes place aboard the Starship Enterprise space ship, and occasionally on planets during away-team visits.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: The Holodeck
  • Description of the technology: An Enterprise crew member specifies the year, approximate location and genre of music he would like to hear. In this case, Riker specifies late 1950s, Bourbon Street and jazz. He asks the computer for a trio of musicians with which to play trombone, and an audience. When too many people appear in the club, he asks for something more "intimate." A beautiful woman appears. After several "adjustments" made to hair color and mood, a woman that seems "just right" appears on a barstool.
  • Nature of task or activity: Leisure, relaxation
  • Performance of the Technology: It performs so well that both Riker and Picard are surprised at the complexity of Minuet, the woman character they interact with. She seems to anticipate their very thoughts and desires. She tries to keep Picard on the Holodeck when he tries to leave, as she is part of the Bynars' plot to commandeer the Enterprise. She later serves as their only method of communication with the unconscious Bynars, explaining what happened on their planet that made their takeover of the ship necessary.
  • Description of creator(s): The episode does not explain who originally created the Holodeck, but the Bynars add "enhancements" to it as part of their upgrade to the Enterprise. The Bynars are a race of people who have evolved in such close interaction with computers that thei
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): The Bynars' enhancement of the Holodeck program was part of their plot to "lock" the officers off the bridge long enough for them to commandeer the ship. They used its massive computer for temporary data storage in order to save their planet by "rebooting" their own central computer.
  • Description of users of technology: Picard and Riker are male Starfleet officers. The beautiful woman in the Holodeck seems designed to appeal to both of them.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: Riker is highly impressed with the "enhanced" Holodeck program. He comments at one point that it's almost "too real." While dancing cheek to cheek with Minuet, he asks her how real she is, how far their relationship can go. She tells him she is as real is he needs her to be.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Riker is clearly aware that Minuet is a creation of the Holodeck, but he appears quite willing to be seduced by her. Picard is also aware of her as a creation, but both men are captivated by how real and complex she seems.
  • Valence of experience: Riker clearly enjoys his experience on the enhanced Holodeck. Later he is saddened to discover that he cannot return and pick up where he left off with Minuet.
  • Specific responses: Riker seems to fall in love somewhat with Minuet, in spite of his awareness of her as a creation of the ship's computer. After the ship is secured, he returns to the Holodeck to find Minuet altered - the program is not the same, and it is a different woman altogether. He returns to the bridge and relates his disappointment to Picard. He comments with sadness that she'll be hard to forget.
Long-term consequences:

The ending is bittersweet, like a love affair cut short.

Other:

Coder name: Tina Peterson
Coder email: tina.peterson@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University