Hollow Pursuits

A timid and neurotic member of the Engineering team, Reg Barclay, begins to grate on Geordi's nerves with his unprofessionalism. When the Enterprise is struck by an engineering problem, Barclay is needed more than ever to perform - if only he wasn't busy seeking solace in his unconventional holodeck pastimes.

Schultz becomes an instant legend with his first appearance as Barclay, an extremely nervous character who only comes to life indulging his holodeck fantasies. It works well for this comedy episode, especially as the senior crew discover what their colleague has been doing behind their backs. This episode is purely about having fun and that's exactly what you will do when you watch it.

Lt. Reg Barclay spends too much time in the holodeck.

This is a strong character episode that introduces a new face and presents a different perspective on the Enterprise crew.

To enjoy this episode you need to either like or at least sympathise with Barclay. If you find him annoying it probably will be a long 45 minutes. I think the plot is great when it focuses on him and his social anxieties, but there is a fairly contrived aspect of the storytelling that forces him in a certain direction, albeit with some decent sci-fi detail.

'Hollow Pursuits' is about a very passive man who lives most of his life in a fantasy world interacting with fake caricatures of his work colleagues. The show's creators may have intended this to parody the imaginative process of writing fictitious stories, but it also comes across (unintentionally or not) as a satire of the obsessive fans of shows like Star Trek. This theme is one of the best aspects of the episode. The distain shown towards Barclay by some of the regulars, who appear more aggressive than usual from his perspective, works well.

The other element that I find entertaining is the comical world that Barclay has created within the holodeck. It's hard not to laugh at the versions of the crew he has created and cringe when they are confronted by the real life versions. Particularly Deanna Troi.

The visuals are very good, especially the holodeck scenes.

Dwight Schultz is perfectly cast and excellent as Barclay. LeVar Burton plays Geordie well from a more commanding perspective. The regular cast work nicely as comic foils for Barclay.

In this episode we meet recurring character Reg Barclay a character who is bullied for being slow by LaForge and the others in engineering

I loved this episode and how it introduced Barclay, a character I can definitely relate too, as he battled holodeck addiction and find his way in the crew. Geordi eventually helped him find his place. It shows that we all need help finding our spot in the crew if we get the right assistance. I think Barclay was a great character and this was a great episode. The holodeck scenes were first rate.

*** out of ****

'Hollow Pursuits' introduces Reg Barclay, one of the show's more unusual characters. Socially awkward and wracked with nerves, he's easily the ship's misfit. this is a relatable character for anyone having trouble fitting in; his crewmembers can't stand to be around him and would rather just pass him off to another posting. Picard is the moral center of this, pushing Geordi to connect with Barclay and expose his talents. This is really a workplace drama, but a good one.

This one really surprised me. It does mine Barclay's "holodiction" for laughs, but it also ends in a nail-biter of a last-minute save; there's a surprising level of action here for a character piece. Roller-coaster would be a superlative, but it's anything but boring.

9/10