The Big Goodbye
Captain Jean-Luc Picard must flawlessly master an alien language to secure a fragile diplomatic alliance, but when a Holodeck malfunction traps him and his crew inside a deadly 1941 detective simulation, he must survive murderous threats from fictional foes to return and save the Federation.
The USS Enterprise embarks on a tense diplomatic mission to establish contact with the reclusive Jarada, a species notoriously sensitive to protocol and language. Captain Jean-Luc Picard obsessively studies the Jaradan language, aware that a single mispronunciation could reignite a decades-old rift. Seeking solace, Picard dives into the Holodeck’s new upgrade, immersing himself in the noir world of Dixon Hill, a 1940s private eye he’s long admired. As Picard slips into the role of Hill, he encounters Jessica Bradley, a wealthy woman fearing for her life, who hires him to uncover her would-be killer.
Joined by literature expert Whalen, Doctor Beverly Crusher, and an android named Data, who astonishingly masters the detective’s vernacular, Picard explores this meticulously recreated past. Their enjoyment turns to peril when the simulated characters, led by gunman Cyrus Redblock and the sinister Felix Leech, reveal a deadly intent, shooting Whalen and trapping the group inside the Holodeck as the computer’s controls fail. The boundary between game and reality shatters, plunging them into life-threatening circumstances where injuries become fatal.
Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, First Officer Riker struggles with ongoing Jaradan tensions and a mysterious shipwide malfunction that locks the captain and his team inside the Holodeck. As external pressures mount with Jaradan probes and aggressive communications, engineering officers Wesley Crusher and Geordi La Forge race against time to repair the Holodeck’s failing systems, aware that mistakes could erase those trapped within.
Within the simulated 1941 world, alliances shift as Picard confronts Redblock’s gang, navigating threats with wit and resolve. The lethal stakes deepen when the villains discover that the Holodeck’s exit functions as a two-way portal to the real world, and their attempt to escape leads to their bizarre dematerialization and death. With Whalen gravely wounded, Picard pleads for help, bargaining for his ally’s survival in exchange for a mysterious coveted item, all while maintaining the fragile illusion separating reality from fiction.
After harrowing ordeals and narrow escapes, the crew finally restores Holodeck control, evacuating the injured and stepping back into the Enterprise’s reality. Picard, now fully prepared, delivers the critical Jaradan greeting flawlessly, breaking the ice and opening the door to a new alliance. Yet the experience leaves him haunted, acknowledging the Holodeck’s seductive, dangerous allure and the fragile line between worlds. “The Big Good-bye” is a pulse-pounding fusion of cerebral diplomacy and classic detective noir, exploring themes of identity, reality, and the peril hidden in escapism, as a starship captain fights to survive both alien threats and the dark underworld of his own imagination.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
Captain Jean-Luc Picard, burdened by the immense pressure of mastering the intricate Jaradan language for a crucial diplomatic mission, seeks refuge. His mind, strained by the alien phonetics, finds solace in the Holodeck's newly upgraded Dixon Hill program. Stepping into the meticulously recreated 1941 San Francisco, Picard instantly sheds his Starfleet identity, embracing the persona of the hard-boiled private investigator. The immersion is immediate, the illusion seamless. A bubbly secretary, oblivious to his true identity, directs him to his first client: Jessica Bradley. She emerges from the shadows, a vision of seductive sensuality and palpable fear. Her words cut through the simulated air, chilling Picard to his core: "Someone is trying to kill me." The game begins, pulling Picard deep into a world of noir intrigue, a dangerous diversion from the galaxy's diplomatic tightrope walk, yet one that promises a thrilling escape from his mental fatigue. The Holodeck's seductive pull already proves irresistible, drawing the captain into a perilous, fictional reality.
The scene opens with a slow, majestic visual of the Enterprise passing overhead, emphasizing the immense scale and gravitas of the starship as it embarks on a precarious diplomatic mission. …
On the Enterprise bridge, Commander Riker records a grave voiceover log outlining the perilous diplomatic mission awaiting Captain Picard—a first contact with the secretive Jarada. The crew’s quiet focus and …
In the dimly lit waiting room of Dixon Hill’s office, the secretary greets Picard with playful mockery about his ill-fitting bellhop suit, teasing him for a lost bet and underscoring …
Within the dimly lit, slightly rundown office of the Dixon Hill simulation, Picard’s immersion deepens as he encounters Jessica Bradley—a captivating socialite whose seductive charm masks a palpable fear. Their …
In the richly detailed office of Dixon Hill, Captain Picard fully immerses in the Holodeck's noir world as Jessica Bradley, a fearful yet alluring socialite, confides her anxiety about a …
Within the polished confines of Dixon Hill’s office, Picard fully embraces the noir fantasy as Jessica Bradley entrusts him with a mysterious case, sealing their pact with a tender kiss …
Within the meticulously crafted illusion of Dixon Hill’s office, Picard savors the authenticity of the Holodeck’s noir world, engaging in a charged exchange with Jessica Bradley that deepens his immersion. …
Picard revels in the flawless illusion of Dixon Hill's world, embracing his new role as Jessica Bradley's hired detective. He accepts her case, a chilling plea for protection against an unknown assassin, possibly the menacing Cyrus Redblock. Briefly stepping out of the Holodeck, Picard's awe for the simulation's realism overflows. He describes the vibrant, authentic city, the tactile sensation of Jessica's kiss, a vivid testament to the Holodeck's unparalleled fidelity. Driven by this enthrallment, he extends an invitation to Beverly Crusher and the literature expert Whalen, eager to share the experience. Unexpectedly, Data, having devoured every Dixon Hill story, requests to join, astonishing them with his perfect, deadpan rendition of hard-boiled detective prose. His mastery of the era's "lingo" adds a layer of delightful absurdity to their venture. Together, the trio, now fully costumed and prepared, step back into the shimmering portal, ready to plunge deeper into the intricate web of 1941 San Francisco, unaware of the lurking dangers that transcend mere programming. The stage is set for an adventure where the line between fantasy and reality blurs with every step.
Captain Picard, initially captivated by the Holodeck's astonishingly vivid 1941 Dixon Hill detective simulation, experiences an immersive escape from his diplomatic pressures. Enthralled by the sensory realism, he invites Dr. …
Captain Picard, still captivated by the vivid realism of the 1940s Dixon Hill holodeck simulation, shares his awe and invites others to join, seeking a respite from mounting pressures. Yet, …
In a quiet corridor aboard the Enterprise, Data engages Geordi in a subtle yet probing conversation about Captain Picard’s unusual hesitation to fully review intelligence on the Jaradan. Geordi’s cryptic …
As the Enterprise steadily approaches the tense Jaradan rendezvous, Data obsessively initiates a rapid, exhaustive retrieval of all available biographical data and literary texts on Dixon Hill, the hard-boiled detective …
Captain Picard prepares to immerse himself in the Dixon Hill 1941 detective simulation, donning period-appropriate attire and recording a voice-over log that frames the experience as both an escape and …
At the Holodeck entrance, Captain Picard prepares to reenter the Dixon Hill 1941 detective simulation, dressed in full period attire. Joined by literature expert Whalen, their anticipation builds until Data …
Captain Picard, seeking respite from mounting diplomatic pressures, invites Whalen and soon-to-join Doctor Crusher to share in his escape into the Dixon Hill detective holodeck simulation. Surprised but intrigued, Picard …
Picard, Whalen, and Data immerse themselves in the richly detailed 1941 San Francisco setting, engaging with Joe, the newsstand vendor, who mistakes Picard for Dixon Hill and offers him a …
Immersed in the vibrant 1941 San Francisco Holodeck simulation, Picard, Whalen, and Data explore a lively street scene where Data’s encyclopedic knowledge of baseball charms a local news vendor, Joe. …
On a gritty 1941 sidewalk, Picard, Data, and Whalen revel in the Holodeck's convincing period illusion, exchanging baseball trivia that highlights Data’s outsider status and literal interpretation. The moment darkens …
The crew, fully immersed in 1941 San Francisco, savors the illusion's vibrant details, from bustling streets to authentic newsstands. Data's encyclopedic knowledge of baseball history, delivered with dry precision, amuses a grizzled news vendor. Yet, the illusion's charm shatters with a grim headline: "WEALTHY SOCIALITE MURDERED." The accompanying photo reveals Jessica Bradley, the woman Picard vowed to protect, now a victim. Guilt washes over Picard; Whalen, ever the pragmatist, reminds him she is "a page from a book." Their philosophical debate is violently interrupted by the arrival of two gruff police detectives, Bell and McNary, who immediately accuse Picard (as Dixon Hill) of Bradley's murder. The playful immersion transforms into a tense interrogation. Simultaneously, on the Enterprise, a ship-wide shudder signals escalating Jaradan aggression. First Officer Riker fields increasingly hostile communications from the alien race, who demand Picard's immediate presence. Geordi La Forge attempts to retrieve the captain from the Holodeck but discovers a critical system malfunction. The doors refuse to open, the program remains inaccessible, and the captain and his party are trapped, plunging their leisure activity into a terrifying, inescapable reality.
Commander Riker arrives on the Enterprise bridge and immediately asserts authority, demanding a critical status update during a time of rising external threat. Tasha reveals that the ship is under …
As Commander Riker asserts command on the Enterprise bridge, the crew reports detecting a long-range probe likely originating from the hostile Jaradan. The tense atmosphere escalates sharply when the ship …
On the Enterprise bridge, the Jaradan alien vessels suddenly cease their probing transmissions, a clear signal of mounting distrust toward Starfleet. Commander Riker interprets this unexpected silence as a warning, …
Following the abrupt cessation of Jaradan probing, tension on the Enterprise bridge spikes as Commander Riker intercepts a demanding and hostile subspace transmission from the Jaradan, who refuse to acknowledge …
On the Enterprise bridge, the fragile diplomatic tensions with the Jaradan escalate sharply. Commander Riker attempts to engage the alien delegation, but their alien communication voice layers simultaneous tones, rejecting …
In the stark interrogation room bathed in harsh light and choking cigarette smoke, Captain Jean-Luc Picard embodies unflappable calm under pressure. Accused of murder within the Holodeck’s 1941 San Francisco …
Within the stark interrogation room illuminated by harsh white light and swirling cigarette smoke, Detective Bell intensifies his pressure on Picard, bluntly demanding that he repeat his statements from the …
On the Enterprise, Riker, grappling with the escalating Jaradan demands and the Holodeck's ominous silence, dispatches Wesley Crusher to assist Geordi, recognizing the dire implications of Beverly's entrapment. Inside the Holodeck's simulated police station, Picard endures Bell's relentless, physically aggressive interrogation, the harsh reality of the blows a stark contrast to his earlier amusement. Beverly, Whalen, and Data, initially treating the police station as an intriguing historical exhibit, soon face their own unsettling encounters with the period's less enlightened attitudes. The illusion of safety shatters completely when Felix Leech, a sinister character from the Dixon Hill lore, appears, gun drawn, demanding a mysterious "item." Whalen, clinging to the belief that these characters are mere programs, attempts to disarm Leech. A shot rings out, tearing through the historian's chest. Blood blooms on his shirt, and Whalen collapses, his dying words echoing the chilling truth: "But... they're not real." The game is over. The Holodeck's deadly embrace tightens, transforming a leisurely escape into a desperate fight for survival where fictional bullets inflict very real, fatal wounds.
As the Enterprise faces a dire emergency with Captain Picard and his party trapped inside a malfunctioning Holodeck simulation, Commander Riker steps decisively into command. He records a formal ship's …
As the Holodeck crisis escalates with Captain Picard, Beverly Crusher, and others trapped inside a malfunctioning simulation, Commander Riker decisively assumes command responsibilities. Recognizing the urgency and complexity of the …
In the stark interrogation room, Detective Bell aggressively accuses Captain Picard, physically shoving him to assert dominance and extract a confession. Bell's hostility embodies the violent, no-nonsense world of the …
Within the oppressive atmosphere of the 1941 interrogation room, Captain Picard endures a harsh and physically intimidating grilling by Detective Bell, whose aggression is momentarily restrained by the more sympathetic …
Whalen lies bleeding, clinging to life, as Beverly desperately works to stem the tide of internal hemorrhaging. Picard, consumed by fury, retaliates against Leech, knocking the gun from his hand, but the villain escapes, vowing Redblock's vengeance. A frantic search for the Holodeck exits yields nothing; the computer remains unresponsive, the walls impenetrable. Desperation mounts as Beverly cries out, "I'm losing his pulse!" The Holodeck's facade fully collapses. Then, the true threat emerges: Cyrus Redblock, the imposing "Fat Man," strides into the office, flanked by his thug and the vengeful Leech. Redblock, a figure of chilling civility, demands the "item," his beady eyes scanning the room. He unleashes a brutal backhand from Leech across Picard's face, a tangible reminder of their peril. When McNary, the sympathetic detective, enters, he too is quickly subdued. Data's bizarre appearance and Picard's desperate revelation – "He's not from this world. None of us are." – sparks Redblock's avarice. Picard, seizing the opportunity, offers "fabulous riches" from his reality. Redblock, though skeptical, is intrigued, and to test their claims, he orders Leech to kill Beverly, pushing the trapped crew to the brink of annihilation.
At the Holodeck entrance, Commander Riker anxiously seeks updates on the Jarada communications, reflecting the crew’s mounting tension over the fragile diplomatic situation. With no response from the Jarada, Riker …
In the critical moments aboard the Enterprise, Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge, supported by Ensign Wesley Crusher and technicians, runs a thorough diagnostic of the ship's systems. Amid mounting tension …
Felix Leech escalates the simmering tension into deadly violence by threatening the group with a gun, demanding a mysterious object. Whalen, confident and taunting, attempts to disarm Leech but is …
Fueled by rage and desperation after Whalen is fatally shot by Leech, Picard violently disarms the assailant, shattering the fragile illusion of control. Leech flees, threatening vengeance from the ominous …
In the claustrophobic confines of Dixon Hill's office, tension erupts when Leech forcibly demands information about the mysterious 'item,' escalating to violence as Whalen is fatally shot. Beverly's frantic medical …
Trapped in the malfunctioning Holodeck's 1941 Dixon Hill simulation, Picard, Beverly, and Data face a lethal siege as Cyrus Redblock, Felix Leech, and their armed henchman storm into the office …
Cyrus Redblock storms into Dixon Hill's office with Leech and a gunman, instantly asserting violent dominance over Picard and the trapped crew. The villains coldly remove the dying Whalen’s body, …
Trapped in the 1941 Dixon Hill Holodeck simulation, Picard, Beverly, and Data face a menacing intrusion by Cyrus Redblock, Leech, and their thug. As Redblock asserts violent control and physically …
Trapped within the malfunctioning Holodeck simulation, Picard and his crew face an escalating threat as the villains Leech and Redblock confront them with brutal violence and deadly demands. Redblock's civility …
Trapped within the Holodeck’s 1941 noir simulation, Picard confronts the menacing Cyrus Redblock and his henchmen Leech and the thug as they search for a mysterious item. With Whalen fatally …
Leech's gun hovers, poised to end Beverly's life. Picard, cornered, unleashes his final gambit: "I have the item." He bargains fiercely for Whalen's life, promising Redblock access to their world in exchange for medical aid. Simultaneously, on the Enterprise, Jaradan probes hammer the ship, forcing Riker to greenlight Wesley's perilous Holodeck repair—a desperate gamble that risks erasing the trapped crew. Inside, Wesley's work triggers a violent environmental glitch, momentarily plunging the office into a snowy alien landscape before snapping back. This chaotic surge, however, reveals the shimmering blue streak of the Holodeck exit on the closet door. Picard seizes the moment, declaring it the "way into our world." Redblock and Leech, blinded by greed and visions of plunder, dismiss Data's warnings and step through the portal, only to dematerialize into nothingness, their fictional existence dissolving in the real world. Picard, Beverly, and Data escape with the gravely wounded Whalen. Back on the bridge, Picard, profoundly changed by the ordeal, delivers the Jaradan greeting flawlessly, his perfect pronunciation bridging decades of diplomatic tension. The Jaradan leader appears, acknowledging their honor, a new alliance forged. Riker's nonchalant query, "Have a nice vacation?" elicits Picard's grim, telling reply: "It was a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to die there," a haunting echo of the Holodeck's seductive, deadly allure.
Trapped within the malfunctioning Dixon Hill holodeck simulation, Captain Picard urgently pleads with the imposing Redblock to repair their computer system and allow the wounded Whalen's transfer to Sickbay. Redblock’s …
Wesley's technical repair of the malfunctioning Holodeck generates a sudden, violent environmental glitch that abruptly transforms Dixon Hill's office into a hellish, snowy alien landscape, momentarily disorienting Picard and the …
Following a violent Holodeck glitch that reveals a shimmering blue portal—the fragile exit between the simulation and reality—Picard recognizes a critical chance to escape. Despite Data's logical warnings about the …
Within the claustrophobic confines of Dixon Hill’s office, Redblock reveals his true colors by brandishing a pistol and ordering his thug to kill Picard and his companions once they depart. …
As the Holodeck simulation violently deteriorates, Captain Picard orders Data to evacuate the critically wounded Whalen to Sickbay, embodying decisive leadership under pressure. Remaining behind, Picard shares a solemn, poignant …
As the Dixon Hill Holodeck simulation deteriorates violently, Captain Picard commands Data and Beverly to evacuate the critically wounded Whalen to Sickbay, choosing to stay behind for a final, poignant …
In the dim, tense waiting room of Dixon Hill’s office, Picard shares a deeply intimate farewell with Detective McNary, the last vestige of their collapsing Holodeck simulation. As Picard urges …
In a poignant and tension-laden moment, Captain Picard bids a heartfelt farewell to Detective Lieutenant McNary, the last remaining embodiment of the Dixon Hill simulation. As Picard entrusts Data and …
On the Enterprise bridge, Captain Jean-Luc Picard delivers the crucial, flawlessly mastered Jaradan greeting—a linguistic and diplomatic feat that breaks down longstanding tensions and opens the door to a fragile …
On the Enterprise bridge, Captain Picard completes the delicate and culturally significant Jaradan greeting, successfully securing a fragile new diplomatic alliance that promises hope for the Federation. The bridge crew …