Hollow Pursuits (TNG episode)

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"Hollow Pursuits"
One of Barclay's "Hollow Pursuits" plays out on the Holodeck.
Episode no.	69
Prod. code	169
Airdate	April 30, 1990
Writer(s)	Sally Caves
Director	Cliff Bole
Guest star(s)	Colm Meaney Dwight Schultz Charley Lang
Year	2366
Stardate	43807.4
Episode chronology
Previous	"Tin Man"
Next	"The Most Toys"

"Hollow Pursuits" was the 69th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 21st episode of the third season. It was first broadcast on April 30, 1990.

In this episode, the Holodeck fantasy life of a new crewman aboard the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise-D interferes with his ability to deal with malfunctions which threaten the ship.

1 Plot
2 Production
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

As the episode opens, Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, a Diagnostic Engineer who recently transferred to the Enterprise, is sitting at the bar in Ten-Forward. Hostess Guinan tells him that she doesn’t want any trouble, adding that where he goes, trouble follows. The ship’s Chief Engineer Lt Commander Geordi La Forge enters, bossily reminding Barkley that he is on duty and needs to go back to work. Loudly telling La Forge to “take your holier-than-thou attitude and get out of my life”, Barclay shoves him to the floor. Responding to Barclay’s insubordination, the First officer of the Enterprise, Commander William Riker rises from his place further down the bar and challenges Barclay, but ends up also being beaten up and told by Barclay that he’s nothing but “a pretty mannequin in a fancy uniform”, adding that “If (Captain) Picard has a problem he needs to come to me himself.” Enterprise Counselor Deanna Troi is sitting nearby and tells Barkley that his arrogant self-confidence “excites her”. As the two are about to kiss, they are suddenly interrupted by a call over the ship’s intercom, summoning Barclay to Cargo bay five “at once”. In a much higher and squeaky voice an apologetic Barclay quickly acknowledges the call and leaves, revealing that everything which has just happened is merely a simulation running on the ship’s Holodeck.

The Enterprise in the process of picking up Mikulak biological tissue samples intended for use in combating an epidemic of Correllium fever on Nahmi IV. In the Cargo bay, La Forge and Riker are overseeing the handling of some of the tissue sample containers just beamed aboard while also discussing Barclay, who apparently has not been performing his duties very well. La Forge tells Riker that he’s just about had it with Barkley, who is always late, never gives his best effort, makes his crewmates uneasy, and always just barely squeaks by. He wonders to Riker how someone with these qualities could have made it though Starfleet Academy. Riker observes that perhaps its time to speak with the Captain about “Broccoli”, which he tells Geordi is a nickname acting Ensign Wesley Crusher came up with for Barclay, adding that Geordi needs to keep this to himself. La Forge smilingly tells Riker that the name fits. The Engineer handling the biological samples interrupts to inform the two officers that one of the containers is leaking, and Geordi tells him to destroy it lest it contaminate the others. At this point Barkley enters the bay, and seeing his superiors guiltily tries to duck behind some cargo containers, but Geordi sees him and calls him out, asking him if reporting to duty on time is a problem. Barclay attempts a lame excuse but is blown off by La Forge, who testily tells him to take a look at the balky anti-gravity unit the biological containers are being loaded on. As Barclay passes Riker, Will seizes his arm and tells him he is tired of seeing his name on report, adding that while he may have had too much lassitude on his last posting, he’s on the Enterprise now and is going to be held to a higher standard.

Barclay works on the anti-grav unit for a few minutes, but is unable to get it functioning correctly as another canister falls off and ruptures. An impatient La Forge crossly waves him back to his task and Barclay dejectedly returns to work on the unit.

In his Ready room, Captain Jean-Luc Picard discusses ‘the Barclay situation’ with La Forge and Riker. Examining Barclay’s service record in dismay, the Captain notes that he not used to seeing a member of the Enterprise crew not performing up to par. Riker wonders aloud if Barclay is “Enterprise material”, and Picard observes that apparently La Forge agrees with this sentiment as he has requested that Barkley be transferred. Picard questions why someone who has served Starfleet apparently competently for years is having such issues, adding that Captain Gleason of the Zukhov gave Barclay a glowing recommendation when he was transferring to the Enterprise. Riker conjectures that perhaps Gleason might have been “buttering our bread for us” in an effort to rid himself of a problem crewmember, adding that Barkley’s psychological profile indicates a history of seclusive tendencies. La Forge tells his superiors that he thought he could work with anyone before Barclay came aboard, also pointing out that the awkward interactions “Brocolli” has with his coworkers in Engineering make them nervous, going on to add that the nickname was an idea Wesley coined, which “stuck”. Telling La Forge that the usage of the nickname needs to “get unstuck”, Picard proposes that Geordi get to know the man better, saying that La Forge should make breaking through Barclay’s shell his own personal project. The Captain continues by suggesting that La Forge try to make Barkley his best friend. Geordi objects that with all due respect he would find this difficult as he can barely stand to be around the man, however Jean-Luc decides to overrule La Forge and turns down his request, saying that it is too easy to simply get rid of a problem with a transfer.

Attempting to follow Picard’s directive, La Forge stops back by the Cargo bay to see how Barclay is coming along and finds him still working on the anti-grav unit. He attempts to lighten up and give the man a chance, and taking a less confrontational approach addresses him in the more informal and familiar moniker of “Reg”. Wishing to encourage his coworker and make him feel a part of the Engineering team, he even invites Barkley to his senior staff meeting at 0800 the next morning. Reginald is quite taken aback at the sudden change in Geordi’s attitude, and although not quite sure how to respond, nervously agrees to attend.

The next morning Barclay comes running into the meeting a few seconds late but obviously trying. La Forge gives him the benefit of the doubt and continues on as if nothing happened, eventually guiding and hand-holding Barclay through his status report concerning the difficulties with the anti-grav unit. As he gives his presentation Barclay is embarrassed to be caught in a minor technical gaffe by Wesley.

Soon Barclay is up to his old tricks on the Holodeck again, discussing the staff meeting with a simulation of Troi, he states that he should have told Wesley off. Getting bored, Barclay changes the venue of the simulation to a heavenly jungle paradise, as well as altering Trio’s clothing to a brief toga. In her new incarnation she identifies herself as “the goddess of empathy”.

Geordi’s team gathers in Ten-Forward to relax and the subject of the nickname surfaces again. La Forge cuts off discussion of it as the Captain had instructed. Duffy, another member of Geordi’s engineering staff, finds that his drinking glass leaks and is oddly deformed.

Lt. Commander Data, the android Chief Operations Officer of the Enterprise, examines the glass and finds that its molecular structure is altered, which could indicate a problem with one of the ship’s 4,000 power systems. La Forge assigns Barclay to look into the matter which Reg says he intended to do anyway as part of the anti-grav malfunction investigation.

Continuing the investigation on the Enterprise Bridge, Data points out that it was Barclay who first suggested a connection between the Cargo bay problems and the drinking glass. Following his own advice to Geordi, Picard tries to involve the clearly uncomfortable Reginald in the discussion, but ends up accidentally calling him “Broccoli”. The Captain quickly corrects himself but is mortified at his slip.

In Ten-Forward La Forge discusses Barclay with Guinan, saying that he can't figure the man out, but she defends him, saying that he strikes her as “imaginative”, adding that Reginald reminds her of a black sheep relative whom she admired. She also points out that Barclay’s actions aren’t all that unusual considering that he knows everyone feels uncomfortable when he’s around.

Desiring to check up on Barclay’s progress, La Forge is irked to discover that instead of working he’s on the Holodeck again, and goes looking for him. He finds himself in another of Barclay’s “imaginative” holo programs, this one involving simulations of all the members of the senior staff including La Forge himself. Barclay’s latest flight of fancy involves characters and situations evocative of “The Three Musketeers” with swordplay and period French costumes. As Geordi watches, Barclay takes on the holo-La Forge, Data, and Picard, easily defeating all three of them. A decidedly un-amused La Forge makes his presence known, letting his wilting subordinate know that he has been busted.

After returning with Geordi to Ten-Forward, Barclay offers to be voluntarily reassigned, but Geordi, still mindful of his charge from the Captain, refuses to take him up on the offer. He tells Barclay that he has gotten a little mixed up a few times on the Holodeck himself, once even falling in love in there (Star Trek TNG:"Booby Trap"). Barclay admits that his habit began innocently when he “needed to blow off some steam” and things kind of got out of control. Geordi replies that personally he feels that what Barkley does on the Holodeck is his own business, but adds that its unusual to simulate living people or one’s crewmates. Worrying that Barclay’s problem might be serious, La Forge orders him to talk to Counselor Troi about it.

La Forge is called to Transporter room three by Chief O’Brien, where the Chief demonstrates that it has begun to malfunction, objects beamed from one pad to another end up melted and smoking. Picard is called and becomes concerned since they will need all the transporters working upon their arrival at Nahmi IV in a few hours, he orders a Level-one diagnostic to be performed. Riker starts to contact Barclay to involve him in this latest development, but Geordi asks Will to hold off until 1400 hours as he already has given Barclay an assignment.

Troi contacts La Forge and informs him that her “very strange” counseling session with Barkley did not go well, she describes how she tried to impart some relaxation techniques, but a very uncomfortable Reginald abruptly cut the visit short. She tells Geordi that she’s not sure exactly what happened. Riker comes in, and noting that Barclay has once again failed to appear for an appointment as ordered, decides to go to the Holodeck and confront him.

As they enter the Holodeck, La Forge tries to soften the impending debacle by telling Riker and Troi that Barclay has been running “some unique programs”, but this doesn’t prepare a Riker who “has run out of patience with Barclay” for the shock of seeing the Musketeer program, including an asinine, stunted, and ungainly “Number One”. Trying to disarm the situation, Troi observes that a healthy fantasy life can be a good thing, until she sees her own Holo-self in the form of the “goddess of empathy”.

The Bridge calls the trio on the intercom, informing them the Enterprise has unexpectedly accelerated on its own to warp 7.25, so they quickly round up Barclay and head off to Engineering. Once there Barclay recommends dropping the ship out of warp, but the matter/anti-matter injectors jam and refuse to respond. The ship begins to accelerate out of control and exceeds warp 9, Data estimates that at the current rate of acceleration their structural integrity fields will fail in 16 minutes, resulting in the ships destruction.

With disaster imminent the engineering team begins a desperate round robin brainstorming session to identify possible causes and solutions. After several theories are proposed and discarded, Barclay postulates that some unknown agent has contaminated himself and the other engineers and is effecting their equipment, as he notices that the failures have all occurred when a member of the team was present. Standard sensor scan shows nothing, but broadening the search beyond the normal scan parameters reveals that 15,525 possible agents of contamination exist. Using logic Geordi narrows the list down to two, Saltzgadum and Invidium. Wesley verifies that Invidium was once used in medical containment, such as the very old Mikulak tissue sample containers in the Cargo bay.

La Forge and Barclay quickly head to the Cargo bay where they verify the presence of Invidium in the sample containers. Barclay observes that if the temperature of the Invidium can be lowered below -200 Celsius it will be rendered inert, so Geordi orders the stuck injectors flooded with gaseous Cryonetrium at cryogenic temperatures. Several nail-biting moments ensure as the temperature of the injectors falls slowly at the same time as the impending failure of the ship’s structure looms. The injectors come back online in the nick of time and disaster is averted. Geordi recommends heading for Starbase 121 so their heavily Invidium contaminated ship can be cleaned up. La Forge tells Barclay that he is glad Reg was out with them in the real world on this day, as he was a key contributing element in the saving of the ship.

In the emergency’s aftermath, Reginald Barclay enters the Bridge and somberly addresses the officers there, telling them that he has decided it will be best if he leaves the crew. Those present seem to take this news very stoically, Geordi speaks up and tells Reg that he will always be welcome on the Enterprise, Picard adds it was a pleasure serving with him, Troi tells him that she wishes him good luck. Barclay tells them that it has been fun and then says “End program”, making it apparent that this has been just another one of his fantasy scenarios. He walks away from his old life, in quest of a new one in the real world instead of his former Holodeck-fantasy-addicted reclusive attempt to escape from reality. He pauses for a second and orders the computer to delete all of his various saved programs, but at the last second relents and orders it to retain an unknown and unexplained “program nine”. This done, he leaves the Holodeck for what will hopefully be a better and brighter future.

[edit] Production

This episode marked the first appearance in the series of Engineer Lt. Reginald Barclay, played by Dwight Schultz, best known for his role as the insane pilot Murdock in The A-Team. The character was popular enough to be brought back a number of times.

This episode was intended as a commentary on the convention of Mary Sue fanfiction. When a technical malfunction threatens the Enterprise, Barclay's imagination provides a key insight into solving the problem. However, contrary to the Mary Sue conventions, the day is saved by the collective efforts of the Engineering team, of which Barclay is only one member.

The episode is also considered a good representation of how scientific and engineering ideas germinate in a high-pressure, critical situation.