Media Matters Podcast Network

HoM: Star Trek Podcast - "Elementary, Dear Data" (TNG) Review & More


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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 Holmes and, in particular, Daniel Davis' unforgettable turn as Moriarty, a guest performance that remains one of the most celebrated in Star Trek history. Is "Elementary, Dear Data" simply a fun Sherlock Holmes pastiche, or one of The Next Generation's earliest and most thought-provoking examinations of artificial life? Join us as we investigate one of Star Trek's most enduring holodeck adventures and discover why some mysteries refuse to stay confined to the program. The game is afoot.

Links for Lynn:

• Adventures in Time and Space: A Doctor Who Podcast: https://open.spotify.c...​

• Gene Genie Reviews: A Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes Podcast: https://open.spotify.c...​

• You Can't Handle The Review! - A Film Review Podcast: https://open.spotify.c...​

• Email: [email protected].

• Thistle Podcasts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.c...​

• ThistlePodcasts Instagram Page: https://www.instagram....​

• Dr Who Pod Facebook: https://m.facebook.com...​

• Dr Who Pod Instagram: / adventuresintimeandspa... ​

Follow Mike and the podcast all over the internet via linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Discord: MikeOfSteel#2913

Host /Editor/Producer - Michael K. Wilson

Additional material by Lynn McKinnon

Created by Michael K. Wilson

Based on a format by Michael Wilson & Will Templar

"I have a lot of hats."

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Media Matters Podcast NetworkBy Michael Wilson