Star Trek: 10 Weirdest Holodeck Episodes 

There was a Voyager episode where the Doctor’s daydreams got hacked by aliens, who mistakenly believed they were watching real ship events. It gets fun when the crew use the holodeck to figure out what’s going on, and watch a bunch of his fantasies. I also liked the episode where they mucked around with the Fair Haven program to the point where the characters perception filters break down, itself answering some questions about how holodeck characters “stay in character”. Then there as the episode with the mysterious new holo-novel, which turned out to be a training program written by Tuvok, and which got hijacked by Seska. Sorry, I couldn’t remember any of the episode titles. It’s been a while.

Holodeck episodes usually translate to "weird". Though "Take Me Out To the Holosuite" wasn't weird and "Bada Bing Bada Bang" was straight up awesome.

I like Our Man Bashir in hindsight. It’s a holodeck program where unlike most people, Bashir uses his real name instead of taking on a role like Dixon Hill. And there he gets to be dashing, adventurous, and fully capable. Which when it aired played at his immaturity which was off putting to many viewers, but later when his Augment background was revealed, this shows that only in this program away from the eyes of the Federation, did Bashir feel comfortable being all he could be without shame or guilt. Having to hide his abilities to Miles and his Starfleet medical class as examples.

#3 You forgot to mention this episode was a brilliant way to write in Roxann Dawson's pregnancy, recasting Lt. Torres as a member of the French Resistance who had (ahem) "surrendered her virtue" to spy on the Nazis.

Vic Fountaine the only holodeck program who knows he is, but isn't a threat.

"Living Witness" is also a holodeck episode, as everything there was a recreation made like 1000 years into the future

I suggest you do another 10 weird holodeck episodes--there's so many. "Bride of Chaotica," "The Fight," and "The Big Goodbye" just to name a few!

I love “A Fist Full of Datas”, it was a lovely chance for Brent to so some of the character acting he’s so good at.

Redge gets a LOT of weird holodeck stuff. Linking his brain to the computer via the holodeck, accidentally getting himself, the Captain, and Data trapped on the holodeck by Moriarty, and more. But there's no Badgey. Rutherford's first encounter with his rogue AI in a malfunctioning holodeck was priceless.

I hate hate hate that the last episode of Enterprise was merely a not-very-special holodeck episode of TNG and not actually an episode of Enterprise. PS - Trip's not dead. That was a glitch in the Federation databases.

I absolutely loved everything about Emergence but now I want to see that earlier "on mushrooms" version

And the answer is: D-blame Wesley. P.S. Sean, Brent Spiner is a native of Houston, TX. That "Southern " drawl was just an out-take of his native Texas accent. I would think that he might have had a voice coach sometime in his career to help soften it. Or, he may have been channeling his character from NIGHT COURT.

2:14 The ICONIC moment when you can hear a Klingon utter the phrase "I can see my house from here!"

Always remember: No glove, no granules.

Ill go with when Geordi gets busted by Dr. Brams with his holodeck version of her... AWKWARD!!!

"Emergence" could have been even weirder? Oh please, I want to see that!

Take me out to the holosuite is probably my favorite holodeck episode

The Holodeck gave Star Trek a great mechanism to explore stories it otherwise wouldn't have been able to. Sometimes it was relied on too much but sometimes it gave us fantastic episodes.

The episode "Ship in a Bottle" where Dr.Moriarty tricks the Enterprise crew into "leaving" the holodeck stands out in my memory as one of the best holodeck episodes. I looked it up and saw that Forbes rated it in the top 10 episodes for exploring advanced technology.

Enterprise Jr chose either the name "Moya" or "Lexx", obvs.

Trips not DEAD! Also, notice the uniforms and hair are different in the very last episode. The whole series played out IRL (canon) and the very last episode is the only thing that existed in the holodeck.

You forgot, TNG, The Nth Degree. Barkly was transformed into a super computer to travel to the centre of the universe to meet the wonderful Cytherians. "Interrogative" LOL... I absolutely loved this episode. It's my favourite Hollow suit episode.

"Vamoose, ya little varmint!"

Elementary, my dear Data was epic. And who dosent like a good Barclay holodeck adventure

Does "Worst Case Scenario" count as weird? The voyager episode where the crew discover a holodeck program of a Maquis mutiny.

"Our Man Bashir" was so much fun, also best James Bond woman's name ever, "Mona Lovesit", perfectly delivered by Alexander Siddig.

I always wondered if they could have combined the "Message in a Bottle" and "Oh Man Bashair" as away to get the VGR crew home. Starfleet would have a DNA sample on file right?

Riker kissing frozen T'pol on the holodeck always made me chuckle. I guess he could have done worse things. lol

Great video! Totally agree with this list. It’s interesting though, because I never considered Unexpected a holodeck episode, but it makes sense!

To bad, my favorite Holodeck episode, the Bride of Chaotica, never made the list.

I’ve just had one thought - “These are the Voyages” is meant to be set during the TNG episode “The Pegasus”. Critics have seen a real weakness in this, because they feel it really doesn’t add up to Riker having to really make any difficult decision. But could they have set it at a different, similarly monumental TNG episode? Perhaps “Chain of Command”, and tacking on a plot point that Riker is forced to assume that Captain Picard could be dead, but also going on the main point that he’s struggling to accept the command of Captain Jellico? Or perhaps they could have set it after “Preemptive Strike”, with Riker having to deal with Ro Laren’s desertion to the Maquis? That one would genuinely have flowed with the continuity of the shows, given that Ro returns as a Starfleet officer in Picard season 3 - if only we had known it then.

I love you Sean but I love to hear Tom talk about the “weird” stuff

Keep up the awesome content guys, you make my day 🫶

I've always seen the treatment of Barclay more as a manifestation of the time at which the show was made than an accurate portrayal of how he'd be treated in that universe.

Sean, about the Rec Room on the Animated Series. On the series Star Trek Continues, it tells the tale of the fourth and fifth years of the original series bringing us to Admiral Kirk in his Star Trek The Motion Picture uniform. During the series we see the first iteration of a ship's counselor and the rec room, an early holodeck. In the holodeck we get to see Doug Drexler play a scene with Captain Kirk. How cool was that? Drexler also oversaw the CGI Enterprise in all the shots.

Clearly, we needed more Vic Fontaine holoprograms on the show! Emergence is one of those episodes where I know I've seen it, but I couldn't tell you a thing about it other than there's a train. It just can't hold my attention despite how weird it is.

There is a DS9 episode about another universe essentially threatening to consume the main Star Trek universe (I forgot the title). I always wondered if this is the "universe" that, well, emerged in TNGs "Emergence"

8:00 more closely resembled Rio Bravo than The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

There was a naughty scene in a "Voyager" holodeck episode. Back then, "Voyager" was broadcast twice a week. The first time, they had a high view looking down on Janeway. The good captain had a period dress on, kinda sheer in front. Let's just say the good captain left not much to the imagination as you looked at the sheerness low-cut outfit. The next broadcast the same episode scene, was framed correctly.

The one thing I took away from the existence of the holodeck, is that it was the only way to get away from the ship, without leaving the ship. I mean I’m sure there were rec rooms, and other such places to enjoy off time, but the holodeck was a way to immerse oneself into a world that may or may not resemble Earth. I loved the Dixon Hill series, and wish there had been more, but then again, it would become mundane, and I’m sure would lose ground with the audience, as would more Sherlock Holmes series. But they were fun. I most definitely agree that the inclusion of using the holodeck in the final episode was a cop out. I think Enterprise could have gone two more seasons, if the writers would have steered away from their story arc that was long and uninteresting. There was so much to explore. And quite frankly, being that the NX-01 was the first ship to really navigate the stars…we should have seen so much more in the way of discovery, than just find one species, and hanging onto them for the bulk of the series. Tripp is NOT dead, and all others can bite my Delta shield 😂

There 10 kinds of people: Those who understand Binary and those who don't.

Some serious Worf shade.

Sisko in Our Man Bashir was pure camp

I love how Beta cannon did indeed bring Trip back from being “dead” to dive into the build up to the Romulan war. Sadly Beta cannon also left that refit Enterprise NX-01 so badly damaged she had to be immediately decommissioned. Admiral Archer didn’t have the heart to rename a new ship Enterprise for a long time.

I wish that the "last episode" of Star Trek Enterprise was a more modern version of the Kobayashi Maru for CPT. Riker. A test new test that prospective captains had to experience so they could understood and experience the origins of the federation and uphold the values and successes Archer and his crew were able to achieve for humanity. Then, once they can prove their dedication to federation regulations, the captains could justify their own descensions "in the moments" that might bend the exact wording of Star Fleet regulations. This could be a creative exercise that can provide constructive results, unlike Spock's acceptance of a "no win scenario"

Hey guys here’s a fun idea. How about “10 famous faces you might not have recognized.” Like Mick Fleetwood under a fish helmet. I bet you’ve already done that and I haven’t found it.

What about Fair Haven and Spirit Folk? Yes, they are absolutely dreadful (especially for a fellow Irishman), but they definitely do qualify as weird. Worst Case Scenario is another one I would have included, and it was a fantastic episode too.

Half of the list is just great and far from being weird 😄

It’s so sad that you left the number one spot empty

Glad to see Practical Joker here Sometimes the holodeck feels like a cop out, but when used well it can be a character or scenario exploration

Honourable mention should go to the Lower Decks episode Crisis Point. Mariner's psychotic rampage violently slaughtering holographic simulations of her crewmates is kind of deeply messed up. Maybe more than Barclay's forays? That said, Crisis Point is a top tier episode of Trek. The ultimate conclusion of her "therapeutic rampage" is genuinely moving and the metatextual "holodeck program as literal Star Trek movie" complete with opening credits and lens flares is just *chef's kiss*

"Sorry Worf, that would be your son" 😂🤣

What about "Worst Case Scenario"?

That final episode of enterprise was absolutely abysmal. And it did them wrong on so many levels in so many ways. They didn’t need the next gen inserts.

Nice!

What happens on the Holodeck stays on the Holodeck; until Lower Decks come in on clean up duty !, that skit on Lower decks reminded me of the old Airplane movie somehow

"Her legs!" even when i saw that episode as a kid I remember thinking "Huh... weird."

Thanks. 🖖🏻

My head Canon for the ENT episode: Trip was only reported KIA so he could retire quietly with T'pol. Now if only this could be mentioned in new trek; maybe in lower decks as a throw away comment.

I honestly can't get over the fact how ofter holodeck savety protocols fail in star treck leading to very deadly situations, yet they just keep on using that shit and keep on programming fights against dangerous opponents, caus what could go wrong?

No Moriarty becoming self aware?

That Voyager episode with the Hirogen never sat right with me because they glossed over the real meat of the story, and that's how TF did they get in that situation. Also, completely agreed with that final point, Trip's *not* dead.

That was a *clever* joke, saying "without missing a bit" instead of "missing a beat." Well done.

Guys a complete diffrent question: I watched a couple of tng episodes recently. One of them was The Outrageous Okona (great episode). Is there a possibility that in the Film Tangeld (the animated rapunzel film in 2012) the character Flinn Rider is a homage to Okona? They look very similar and have kind of the same character.

You also better have included the enterprise episode unexpected, or at the very least mentioned it as an honorable mention, because a lot of that episode took place on effectively the equivalent of a holiday for those aliens they were able to re-create landscapes and stuff very similar to early holiday technology, maybe not as sophisticated as Star fats in the future, but I would love to explore that aliens developments over the next couple hundred years because they obviously had the technology before Starfleet did and it would be interesting to see if they were on par ahead or behind Starfleet by the 24th century Please disregard dictation mistakes. Eating lunch and not bothering to correct them.

Before we get started, I will say that if heroes and demons from Voyagers first season is not on this list that is a travesty. It was a really good episode especially for a first season episode, but it was rather strange

I love the Holodeck episodes of the TNG era of Star Trek. Edit: D, obviously! Edit 2: Where is The Bride of Chaotica???

What, no Nth Degree?? Surely that was the weirdest holodeck episode where barclay uploads his brain into it to control the ship...

We all know, Tripp is not dead!

The thing about Deep Space Nine, it didn't really have the standard trope of "tech goes wild" that other Trek have, EXCEPT for 'Our Man Bashir'. Sure, there are issues integrating the cardassian and federation technology, but for the most part the entire system is completely stable.... EXCEPT for the one time some HU-MON decides to dump the transporters pattern buffer into the station's core memory in the wild attempt to save people who's ship was destroyed mid-beam. Eddington didn't INTEND for their physical patterns to end up in Quark's holosuite, that was happenstance. It goes to show that the Federation is really the most 'hold my beer and watch this' faction of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. To every other species in the Galaxy, all humans are basically Doc Brown. "We're not allowed to make a cloaking device because of a treaty with the Romulans? Ok, let's make a device to take the entire ship out of phase with reality! It's not cloaked!" said the humans. "But why tho" said the Vulcans? "BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME!" came the reply.

The reason Enterprise broke so much canon was because it was a holonovel from Riker in the first place. It's loosely based on the real NX-01's missions.

You forgot the episode where Professor Moriarity wanted Picard to get him out of the holo deck. And the second episode when he does get out

I’m here for a weird holodeck episode! Unless it involves the Enterprise giving birth, then I’m out.

I remember but I didn't remember the title I just remembered it was a binary sequence of zeros and ones

I'm autisitic. I relate to Data and Riker. I look like Riker. I kinda act like Riker. Barclay is a mess. That's a very specific place on the spectrum. As far as Holodecks go... I promise you... The KINKS will never be removed. It's.. primarily used for the kinks. OH! YOU MEAN BUGS! Right... Made by Bethesda! AND ON TRIP! I still think he should come out of transporter loop holding him in stasis in whatever the next Trek is. Just for the all funnies.

What happened to retro ups and downs?

"without missing a bit" 🤣🤣🤣

Here's what bakes my noodle about the Holodeck: they never beta tested the idea that you could create sentient life with a dangling modifier.

The thing I liked best about A Fist Full of Datas is that it reveals Worf is actually a big nerd who is deeply ashamed of his own intellect He invented a personal force field but clearly never told anyone how or even that he did! He could have saved more lives than Jonas Salk but he didn't want to be known as a tech guy i guess?

I wish Bride of Chaotica, considered top notch Voyager by many sources was in there instead of the Killing game (Hunter,Prey, killing game) is my most despised story arc

Can't believe you didn't include Ship in a Bottle.

Sure they may have been weird... But some of them were my all time favorite!

You mean blaming Wesley doesn't automatically fix an imminent warp core breach?

Trip's not dead! ✊🏻🖖🏻

Some of us remember Min's actress best as the psychiatrist from Law & Order.

There's also the theory that the entirety of TOS is actually a holodeck program based on the events of that time...

Oh man why does “These are the Voyages” get so much hate! It was lovely fan service, just maybe not for the hardcore fans?

Oh, C'mon! No mention of "Elementary, My Dear Data" and "Ship in a Bottle"? EDIT Now that I think about it, what about "Bride of Chaotica", "Worst Case Scenario", or "Spirit Folk"?

Weird is a good use for a holodeck in terms of story.

The entirety of Enterprise is the weirdest holodeck episode in my opinion.

Holodeck in a holodeck. Inception before Inception.

The thing that really stood out to me about A Fistful of Datas is that it's set in Deadwood of the Ancient West and there are no mountains visible, even when the camera is down at Alexander's knee level. Completely unrealistic. Took me completely out of the show, at least for a minute. On the other hand, that's par for the course. I've never seen an accurate depiction of Deadwood on screen, though HBO's series of the same name got closer than most.

And yes, that alien who impregnated Trip, super shady. She should have known better. The excuse that she didn't believe it would happen cross-species -- not believable.

Wait there cold in a fake blizzard but not when they were on a planet at -100 degrees using a phaser to heat a rock ?

Funny you should describe the term cloud technology, that is 100s of years older than ST as "modern" 😂

Data: I confused the holodeck Kirk into glitching, when I responded that one divided by zero was undefined. I wonder how that mathematical question caused AI to fail?

"what in the God damn Delta quadrant?" 💀

I will always crush on Minuet.

TRIP'S NOT DEAD!!!

Okay well when I think of weird hollenbeck episodes you didn't even include the one that I think of the one where professor Moriarty takes over the Enterprise