Well after so many years, Moriarty is back. Barclay accidentally opens his program while trying to figure out why holodeck characters don't know their right from left hands. Although, Geordi doesn't even tell him what exactly is going on when he orders him to repair it. I guess...Barclay just knows what to do. Anyway, Moriarty is pissed because everyone seems to have forgotten about him. Picard greets him by telling him that it is good to see him, and Moriarty correctly responds that if Picard wanted to see him he should have, you know, saw him. Also Moriarty has felt the passage of time, and it's been unpleasant.
Watching this episode directly after "Elementary, Dear Data" really kind of ruins what was created there. The whole point of "Elementary, Dear Data" is that Moriarty is no longer the character Moriarty. He is now a separate and sentient being, and he chose to no longer be obligated to behave as he was written so many centuries ago. He decides not to be evil, and though he is capable of defeating even Data, he instead seeks a peaceful agreement. But the Moriaty of "Ship In A Bottle" is once again the villain Moriarty. It's not just that he's upset about being locked away for so long, either. Twice they specifically mention that he is behaving as he was written. Once by him referring to the love of his life, and once by his love explaining his behavior. I think they really missed the point of making him "alive." Also twice Picard has to remind Moriarty that being bad is bad.But putting that aside, we still have a decent villain episode. and some pretty good mind-fuckery. Moriarty magically walks off the holodeck, and it takes awhile for Data to deduce that they are all still in the holodeck, which is running a simulation of the entire ship. Only Picard, Barclay, and Data are real. Geordi, sadly, is not and is therefore asked to go stand behind some props while the rest talk. He seems pretty bummed about finding out that he's not real, and that he just helped Moriarty get Picard's voice command codes so that he could take control of the real Enterprise as well.
Eventually the three trick Moriarty into participating in yet another simulation, where they make up some gobbledy-gook nonsense about Heisenberg compensators or something that explains how they can give him what he wants, which is to get off the holodeck. It's hilarious, because techno-babble is precisely the way they solve problems every episode, except this time it's with a wink. So anyway they trick Moriarty into living inside a cube on Picard's desk for the rest of his life(?). The show ends with Barclay instructing the computer to end program, just in case he's in an unknown simulation himself. I will admit that when I first saw this episode as a kid, I also surveyed my surroundings and gave the close program command. Just in case.This episode is Good even though they once again punt on the idea of Moriarty being alive. They don't even discuss it. While they do take into account his wishes, and treat him with respect in person, I feel like they still don't really care about him like they would if he were a meat-based person. While it is fun to watch, it seems like with all those years to prepare they could have done better with the character of Moriarty. But still, simulation inside a simulation is always Good Trek.
Published August 2, 2019
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