11001001

Get ready to fall in love with the holodeck all over again. But really this time. In love. Commander Riker meets the girl of his dreams and he’s not sure a little thing like her not being real should stand in their way. Also, the Enterprise gets stolen. Can Captain Picard and Commander Riker regain control of their ship? And can a love built on bytes and bits last? Find out when we put 11001001 in the Mission Log. Would have loved if they had used this model for Starbase 375 in DS9. Regula 1 was way overused. Yet another species/concept that was underused. Geez, show the Bynars at least more than once…and the Starbase…my goodness, just stock footage of entering the Starbase would make an episode special…or orbiting nearby… very interesting that this episode was supposed to be before “The Big Goodbye” to explain the holodeck malfunctions…. The Bynars were fascinating, even if the sounds of their hip buffers is too “dial-up modem” for modern tastes. I liked their reasoning for keeping their plans a secret – “You mgiht have-” “-Said No.” – because it was suitably alien. However, if their plan required two people to revive their planetary computer, why did they only trap Riker? Minuet herself said that getting Picard was a lucky accident. And why make it difficult to access the stored file? Minuet would have been ideal to keep the password. Still, it was a truly engaging episode, one that didn’t need real conflict and offered some glimpses into the crew’s off-duty lives. Perhaps it’s judgemental but here’s my take. A robot or hologram can never be autonomous. Thus, anyone dating one is not looking for an equal partner but rather a subservient belonging. Minuet will never challenge Reichers beliefs, need him for emotional support, or think/act in a way that Reicher doesn’t wish. I know real women with real boyfriends like that. Even though Minuet isn’t being mistreated (because she’s a program) that doesn’t change the fact that Reicher seemingly wants a relationship with that kind of dynamic. So, yea, I’d be one of the crew members giving side eye. I don’t have a problem with the fantasy/playacting side though. I think the scene where Reicher was shopping for a woman was a little drawn out, and other parts were really creepy and leery. But if crew members want to sneak off for a romp in the holodeck to blow off some steam, more power too them.