Back to Fair Haven, as the holograms malfunction.
*Sigh*
I really did quite enjoy *Fair Haven*. But now we head straight into standard Holodeck Malfunction plot A – the holodeck characters become aware the crew are different, and do something about it. It’s predictable and tiresome, and begs the question ‘why don’t they reset things, or at least have proper backups’. What was nice about the prior visit was that an interesting story could be told without the recourse.
The problem is, it’s just not an interesting question. It’s like asking ‘what if the programs inside my computer came alive’ – it was interesting exactly once (*Tron*), and after that it’s been silly and dull. Simply put, if the holodeck has to malfunction for your plot to work, it’s a stupid plot.
(Quite apart from the fact that, even with the skimpy justifications for the safety protocols, there is simply no reason why the computer running the holodeck should ever allow itself to be damaged physically by a shotgun in the holodeck).
602 down, 135 to go.