The first holodeck episode was in the animated series. It was called "The Practical Joker". Basic plot was the Enterprise was being pursued by a Romulan warship after a misunderstanding in the Neutral Zone, ducked into an energy cloud to escape, the energy in the cloud made the ship's computer "go insane", and it trapped McCoy, Uhura, and Sulu in the holodeck and tried to freeze them to death in a snowscape, among other deadly "pranks" against the crew.
So, Next Generation didn't create the holodeck malfunction story formula.
This doesn't feel like a very hated thing on these forums in my experience, there are lots of people on this forum who seem to like it a great deal (and I'm one of 'em)! I've only seen a few out-and-out ToB haters...or maybe I just joined in an era where they've mostly quieted down? idk
I really like the two Next Generation episodes where a holodeck accident brings Moriarty's AI into self-awareness. I thought the ending of the second part of the story where they trick him into a small computer box with enough memory to provide a lifetime of exploration and experience, without his realizing he was in a simulation, was really clever and merciful, and it brought up all kinds of fascinating philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness and existence.
Those themes were carried over into several Data-centered episodes concerning AI rights, and into Voyager in a big way with the Doctor, where the idea of "photonic beings' rights" became a thing.
I consider this category of story themes to be very relevant sci-fi, because we keep getting closer and closer to being able to create self-aware AI in real life.
The entire Terminator and Matrix franchises are based around the same category of thematic material.
EDIT: Also Battlestar Galactica, especially the remake, which has AI's creating a God for themselves and trying to dominate the galaxy in the name of that God.
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Roasted, they taste like potato chips
Although they did something similar in "Shore Leave".
So, Next Generation didn't create the holodeck malfunction story formula.
I really like the two Next Generation episodes where a holodeck accident brings Moriarty's AI into self-awareness. I thought the ending of the second part of the story where they trick him into a small computer box with enough memory to provide a lifetime of exploration and experience, without his realizing he was in a simulation, was really clever and merciful, and it brought up all kinds of fascinating philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness and existence.
Those themes were carried over into several Data-centered episodes concerning AI rights, and into Voyager in a big way with the Doctor, where the idea of "photonic beings' rights" became a thing.
I consider this category of story themes to be very relevant sci-fi, because we keep getting closer and closer to being able to create self-aware AI in real life.
The entire Terminator and Matrix franchises are based around the same category of thematic material.
EDIT: Also Battlestar Galactica, especially the remake, which has AI's creating a God for themselves and trying to dominate the galaxy in the name of that God.
The number of eyerolls I have recieved over the years must be well into the thousands by now.
Probly Babylon 5 too.
I have no problem with that. .
Just the opposite, it's quite comfy
Puns.