Recap / Star Trek Very Short Treks S 1 E 04 Holograms All The Way Down

A Holodeck Episode taken to the logical extreme with simulations within simulations within simulations, and some familiar faces along the way.

Tropes:

• Art Shift: While most characters are in the Filmation/TAS style typical of these videos, the characters from Lower Decks retain their standard art style, while the Prodigy Characters are shown as cutouts of their standard 3D designs
• Continuity Cavalcade: Characters from all different shows and eras feature, including Enterprise, The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Lower Decks, Discovery, The Animated Series, Voyager, and Prodigy, even despite the latter's uncertain fate as of this writing.
• Mind Screw: The episode gradually slips into this territory as layer upon layer of simulation is peeled back. To demonstrate:
  • The episode starts out with the Enterprise NX-01 crew on mission before they fall under attack.
  • Then it turns out to once again be a simulation on the Enterprise-D holodeck to give Riker a chance to figure out whether or not to speak to Captain Picard about something important.
  • Then it turns out to be a demonstration of using holograms to fake anything at Quark's Bar, as Quark pitches to Garak how they can trick the Romulans into joining the Dominion War.
  • Then it turns out to be the Cerritos crew discovering how Starfleet was able to convince the Romulans to join the war, much to the excitement of Mariner and Tendi.
  • Then it turns out to be a study being conducted by Zero, Gwen, and Rok.
  • Then it turns out to be Sulu and Uhura on holographic rec room, getting disgusted with what they're seeing.
  • Then Saru tries shutting down the program.
  • Then it turns out to be Neelix just reading some of his holo stories before deciding to go to bed.
  • Then the computer has a Freak Out about the whole thing and shuts down the program...which leads to a mishmash of the characters all stuck on one body.
• Mythology Gag:
  • At the start, Trip proclaims "It's been a long road!"
  • A displeased Sulu grumbles "By the Great Bird of the Galaxy"
• Take That!: A send-up of the typical Holodeck episode while also spoofing the much-maligned Enterprise finale.