Episode
HoM: Star Trek Podcast - "Elementary, Dear Data" (TNG) Review & More
- Published
- Jul 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 7810
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://rss.com/podcasts/silverscreen/2960105
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Summary
Series 8, Episode 2 - "She's such a bitch!" Hit or Miss: Star Trek continues its holodeck season with one of the most beloved adventures from Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Elementary, Dear Data". Joining Captain Wilson this week are returning guest Sandy and HoM Trek newcomer Lynn as the crew heads to Victorian London for a Sherlock Holmes mystery that ultimately becomes something far more ambitious. Before stepping onto the streets of Baker Street, hailing frequencies are opened once again for Lynn's first-timer interrogation of Trek history and favourites, plus further discussion of favourite and least favourite hologram content, while the Hit or Miss segment revisits a selection of simulations and an extremely recent hero ship. The main review focuses on "Elementary, Dear Data", the classic second-season episode that sees Data and Geordi's Holmes roleplay accidentally create one of Star Trek's most memorable adversaries: Professor James Moriarty. What begins as a simple holodeck mystery quickly evolves into a story about artificial intelligence, self-awareness, free will and the nature of existence itself. The discussion explores the episode's affection for Arthur Conan Doyle's work, the surprisingly modern questions it raises about computer-generated intelligence, the strengths and limitations of the holodeck as a storytelling device, and whether Moriarty should be considered a genuinely living being. Along the way the crew examines the episode's production history, its award-nominated recreation of Victorian London, the philosophical themes at the heart of the story, and the curious ways in which its ideas feel even more relevant in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. There's also plenty of praise for Brent Spiner's performance as Sherlock Ho…