The Big Goodbye

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"The Big Goodbye"
Picard and Data in-character in the 'Dixon Hill' holonovel 'The Big Goodbye'.
Episode no.	12
Prod. code	113
Airdate	January 11, 1988
Writer(s)	Tracy Torme
Director	Joseph L. Scanlan
Guest star(s)	Lawrence Tierney, Harvey Jason, William Boyett, David Selsburg, Gary Armagnac
Year	2364
Stardate	41997.7
Episode chronology
Previous	"Haven"
Next	"Datalore"

"The Big Goodbye" is a first season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, first broadcast January 11, 1988. It is episode #12, production #113, teleplay written by Tracy Torme, and directed by Joseph L. Scanlan.

Overview: A computer malfunction traps Picard, Data, and Beverly in a 1940s gangster holodeck program.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

On stardate 41997.7, the USS Enterprise heads to Torona IV, to meet the insectoid Jaradan (HA-RAH-DAN), a reclusive race that the Federation has tried to establish relations with. Known for their idiosyncratic attitude towards protocol, they demand a precise greeting where any mispronunciation is considered an insult. Picard has been selected to open the diplomatic talks and has been rehearsing the complex greeting.

Burnt out, Picard and takes a break and heads to the recently upgraded Holodeck 3. He activates a program set in the world of his favourite fictional character, Dixon Hill, a private detective set in Earth's San Francisco, circa 1941. He enters the holodeck finding his character's bubbly secretary, who calls him "Dix", and who comments on his "bell boy" outfit, which reminds Picard of the unsuitability of his 24th Century uniform for the setting.

The secretary tells Dix Mr. Leech called twice, and a woman named Mrs. Jessica Bradley is waiting for him in his office. Picard goes to the office to meet the attractive, wealthy-looking woman. She tells Dix that she needs his help because someone is trying to kill her. She mentions potential suspects; one of them being Cyrus Redblock, who thinks she has something he is looking for. Hill takes the case and when Jessica leaves, Picard exits the holodeck to meet with his officers to discuss the Jaradan rendezvous.

Commander Riker shifts gears toward their mission stipulations; stating the Federation wish to establish relations because of the strategic military value the Jaradan world offers. The last starship to greet them made a mistake which cost them 20 years of silence. Data indicates he has a recording of the event, in case the Captain would like to see the graphic results of what happened when they got the greeting wrong, but Picard declines. Data is puzzled why the Captain wishes to not see the information, but La Forge indicates, "once you've seen the Jaradan get angry, you don't ever have to see it again". Excited about the realism of the holodeck, Picard invites Dr. Crusher to join him on his next visit, and also wishes for their on-staff historian, Dr. Whalen, to accompany them. Intrigued about Dixon Hill Data reads the novels, comparing the character to a 20th Century Sherlock Holmes and worth investigating.

Meanwhile, Picard and Dr. Whalen prepare to experience the 1940s. Dressed in period clothing the two arrive at the holodeck, but are surprised when Data shows up unannounced dressed in a suit and Fedora, fashionably tilted over one eye. He requests permission to accompany them, indicating that he has mastered the lingo of the time. The group enters, and the three men walk through the historic streets. They come to a news stand where Picard's spots the headline: "Wealthy Socialite Murdered", with an accompanying photo of Jessica Bradley. Saddened, Picard mentions the woman had said someone was after her, but Whalen reminds him she is just a character from a book. Two city homicide detectives walk up, Detectives Bell and McNary, and Bell testily questions Hill on where he was last night, but Picard says it's a bit hard to explain. Bell indicates Dix will have plenty of time to come up with a story since he's under arrest for the murder of Jessica Bradley.

Back in the real world, Lt. Yar signals Riker of an incoming message. Suddenly, the computer terminals and deck lights to dim momentarily. Riker accept the hail, hearing the Jaradan's buzzing voice who impatiently await their greeting, but Riker informs them the Captain will give the greeting momentarily. The Jaradan become offended talking to a "lowly subordinate" and abruptly sign off. Riker tells Geordi to summon the Captain from the holodeck.

Elsewhere, Beverly has arrived at the holodeck in full '40s fashion, where the doors repeatedly open and shut. Shrugging it off, she enters the holodeck finding herself in a police station where Data and Dr. Whalen wait for the Captain who Data mentions is "on ice" and "be'n grilled". Whalen explains that the Captain is being interrogated regarding the murder, but assures her that he is having the time of his life.

In the meantime, Geordi cannot locate the Captain, access the program, or open the holodeck doors. Riker says he's heading down and accepts Wesley's assistance, knowing his mother may be in trouble.

Inside the holodeck, Detective Bell continues to question Picard about the murder, but Picard is growing tired of the scene as it should have ended already. He starts to rise from his chair but Bell angrily shoves him into the seat. Picard is astonished by the force. McNary tries to calm his partner down, but Bell furiously storms out of the room. McNary apologizes to Picard, explaining "his old lady's been giving him a hard time." Picard finally exits the interrogation room with Bell warning him not to leave town. Picard finds his friends and thanks Beverly for joining them, but he thinks it's time they return to the Enterprise. Beverly Crusher asks if they could at least swing by and check out Dixon's office. Picard agrees and at the office they find Mr. Leech waiting for them. Leech demands to speak with Dixon about urgent business, but Picard tells him he has no time. Leech withdraws a firearm and holds it threateningly; "You're not going anywhere".

Outside the holodeck, Geordi and Wesley inspect the circuits. Tasha calls Riker to report they have reached Torona IV, and asks what they should do about the Jaradan. Riker says they must wait. Wesley believes the computer must have been affected by the Jaradan signal, but finding where will take time.

Inside the holodeck, Leech demands Jessica's "object". Picard tells Leech he can't help him, but Whalen plays around and steps to get Leech's gun. The gun goes off, and Whalen slumps to the floor. Beverly sees a pool of blood form on his chest, but the bullets aren't supposed to be real. Furiously, Picard knocks the revolver from Leech's hand and Leech runs for the door, telling Dixon the "Fat Man ain't gonna like this". Picard calls for the exit, and for the computer to end the program, but Data conjures that the computer is obviously malfunctioning.

Leech returns followed by another thug, and the heavyset Cyrus Redblock. Redblock greets Picard as Dixon Hill, then demands "the object", ordering his men to search the office. Next, McNary unexpectedly enters where Redblock's thugs surprise and disarm him. After noticing Data's unusual pallor, Picard tries to convince them that they are from another world in the 24th century, but the holodeck characters view this as a weak attempt to confuse them.

Picard continues, stating they come from a place with riches more valuable that the object they seek, explaining he is not Dixon Hill and that everything around them is a simulation of a fictional novel. Redblock demands Hill hand over the item, but Picard says he doesn't have it. Redblock tells Leech to shoot Beverly. Picard tell them he has the item, and Redblock is impressed at how far Hill tested his resolve. Picard states he will explain where the item is only if Redblock's thugs put the weapons down and let them save Mr. Whalen's life.

Working on the Holodeck's circuitry, Wesley finds a way to shut the program down, but it risks the individuals inside, explaining the trapped crew have actually become part of the program, and are now energy patterns like everything else around them. Shutting down the program could erase their patterns and delete them with the rest of the environment, so Wesley tries to reset the program without stopping it. Inside the simulation, the environment momentarily switches to a snow covered wasteland in the midst of a howling blizzard.

The exit finally appears and Picard explains that it's the doorway to their world. Redblock becomes intrigued and approaches the door, but Data explains that it is impossible for Redblock or his thugs to leave. Redblock takes one look around and believes "anything is possible". He summons Leech and the two gangsters walk out of the holodeck onto the Enterprise corridor. Redblock is overjoyed about the new world to plunder, but the two gangsters begin to dissolve, then completely disappear. While the third thug stares dumbfounded, Data snatches his gun and disables it, and with Picard's permission, he knocks the thug out with a well-placed right cross. Data and Beverly rush Whalen to safety. Finally, Picard looks to his new-found friend McNary. The cop wonders is his family will still exist after Picard leaves, saying "This is the big good-bye". Picard is sorry he can't take his friend along, but McNary jokes that someone has to book the thug.

Picard leaves the holodeck and proceeds in costume directly to the bridge. He hails the Jaradan and delivers the greeting. The aliens are honored and welcome a new era of relations. Riker asks Picard about his holodeck adventure, who responds that it was a nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to die there.

[edit] Notes

This episode is featured on the Star Trek: The Next Generation - Jean-Luc Picard Collection DVD set for Region 1 only. It is the first of seven episodes featured, on disc 1 of the two-disc set.
This episode was to be shown after "11001001", thus explaining the malfunction of the holodeck with the previous tampering of the Bynars. The idea was changed and the episode shown earlier explaining the problem with the power spike. The stardate, however, remained the same, and jumbled up the order in which the shows were to be shown. After second season, all episodes of The Next Generation began to appear in order of their stardate.
The episode's title is an amalgamation of two of Raymond Chandler's detective stories: The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye.
As Captain Picard enters the holodeck for the first time, the song playing in the background is titled "From Out of Nowhere". The selection was made by producer Robert Justman.
This episode earned an Emmy Award for series costuming, as well as a Peabody Award.
In the movie "First Contact", when Picard is trying to find a program on the holodeck that would contain a 20th Century gun to attack the Borg with, he chooses "The Big Goodbye" and resumes his character as Dixon Hill.
This episode makes reference of an unnamed baseball player breaking Joe DiMaggio's consecutive game hitting streak. That player later became Harmon "Buck" Bokai of the London Kings in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.