Product Details

• Actors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden
• Directors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Gabrielle Beaumont, Robert Becker, Cliff Bole
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English, French
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: May 31, 1995
• Run Time: 46 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302424305
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #388,303 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When Captain Picard seeks some much needed recreation in the Enterprise's newly revamped holodeck, he decides to take a fantasy vacation as his favorite fictional private eye, Dixon Hill, a hard-boiled, trench-coated defender of WWII-era San Francisco. Picard's thrilling account of the computer-generated verisimilitude persuades a few shipmates to join him: Commander Data, Dr. Crusher, and some guy you've never heard of. Guess who gets shot when the holodeck malfunctions and its artificial creations turn very real and very deadly? The cast plays up to the genial humor of the witty story, and guest star Lawrence Tierney is a hoot as a Sidney Greenstreet-type villain philosophically intrigued by the notion that he doesn't truly exist. All that's missing is the playfulness that could have sent this over the top. Like many Next Generation episodes made before the show found its own voice and tone with the introduction of the Borg, "The Big Goodbye" suffers in comparison with the original Trek. One looks back fondly to Kirk and Spock's similar brush with '30s-style gangsters ("A Piece of the Action"), which had a goofy, go-for-broke sense of the situation's absurdity which this show lacks. And for all Picard's going on about the stunning reality of the simulated San Francisco, this is a disappointingly set-bound episode, cramped and confined when it most needs to break out of its story and breathe freely. --Bruce Reid

From the Back Cover

En route to a potentially volatile meeting with the insect-like Jarada, Picard (Patrick Stewart) seeks refuge in the fabricated environment of the holodecks and goes back in time. The place: San Francisco. The year: 1941. In his new-found environment Picard assumes the guise of Dixon Hill, joined by Data, Dr. Beverly Crusher, and Whalen, the ships, historian.

But when captain and crew attempt to return to the ship, they discover a malfunction in the holodecks, preventing their return and endangering the meeting with the easily angered Jarada. As Picard and his team battle to outwit a sinister thug (Lawrence Tierney) the Enterprise lies in jeopardy, held hostage by history.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic episode from ST:TNGs first season, June 24, 2000

By 

John Berkebile (Medford, Or) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 13: The Big Goodbye [VHS] (VHS Tape)

One of the few good episodes from the show's first season! While waiting for a meeting with an alien race called the Jarada, Picard visits the Holodeck where he plays the fictional character Dixon Hill. Dr. Crusher, Data and the ship's historian also visit with Picard, but when the Enterprise is attacked, the Holodeck malfunctions and places Picard and crew in danger in 1941 San Francisco, with the safeguards off!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent scenes mixed with slow section, December 31, 2000

By 

Ms. Mary Ellis "ellmc" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 13: The Big Goodbye [VHS] (VHS Tape)

There some excellent scenes in this episode. 1. Picard discribing the new holodeck programme to his colleagues and Crusher's reaction to his invitation. 2. The holodeck programme scenes until Redblock appears. The Picard/Crusher scene is quite funny.

After that it slows down until picking up at the end.

Also watch out for one of the worst continuity mistakes in a st-tng episode. Why is there no one outside the holodeck to greet them?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We will see Dixon Hill again, August 26, 2004

By 

Shelley Gammon "Geek" (Kaufman, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 13: The Big Goodbye [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The Enterprise is enroute to Korona IV to meet with a race of insectoids called the Jarada. The Jarada are very particular bugs - they speak Federation English just fine, but they expect the Captain to deliver a greeting to them in their own language - a language not easy for a human mouth, lacking a cloaca and mandibles and such. For some reason, Troi is his linguist coach - there is no other episode in which it is indicated that she has any gift in teaching or in linguistics at all, but they needed to give Counselor Cleavage (uh, I mean Counselor Troi) some screentime, and I guess this was the only way they could get her involved in this episode other than just saying, "Captain, I sense something."

Picard is stressed out to the max so he goes to the Holodeck with Dr. Crusher and Commander Data, as well as another crewmember we don't see again. Picard takes on the persona of Dixon Hill, a private dick (private detective) in 1940s San Francisco. He is apparently enthralled by the serial detective story and likes the idea of portraying the protagonist.

A scan gone bad causes a critical malfunction in the Holodecks - the safety protocols stop working (this means that Holographic bullets can kill), the Computer won't respond, and they can't find an exit. Not only do they have to literally fight for their lives with imaginary Holodeck characters, Picard is desperately needed in negotiations with the Jerada. If he fails to be punctual and pronounce the greeting just right, the Jerada might tell the Federation to shove their phasers where the Terran Sun don't shine.

Wesley Crusher gets to show off those extra big brains of his as he and Geordi collaborate to find a safe way to excise Picard from the Holodeck. Why they can't beam him out of there is beyond me.

It's amazing that so much space is devoted to the Holodeck in a ship that houses over a thousand people - but on the ass-end of space, even Ensigns need some recreation now and then. Considering that without "safeties," you could potentially die in a Holodeck, it is a wonder that there is no way to just pull out the D-Cell batteries in this big entertainment box to get people out. They can use a tractor beam from an un-anchored ship to change the orbit of a moon, but they can't beam Picard out of their own Holodeck. Yeah, right.

Despite the holes-a-plenty, the throwback to 20th Century earth is fun and reminiscent of "A Piece of the Action," a very fun episode in the Original Series.

Not only will we see Dixon Hill again in future episodes, "The Big Goodbye" makes a reappearance in the best Star Trek film to date, "Star Trek: First Contact."