The Big Goodbye

"The Big Goodbye"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Picard, Data, and Whalen enter the Dixon Hill holoprogram.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 12
Directed by	Joseph L. Scanlan
Written by	Tracy Tormé
Featured music	Dennis McCarthy
Cinematography by	Edward R. Brown
Production code	113
Original air date	January 11, 1988 (1988-01-11)
Guest appearance(s)
Lawrence Tierney – Cyrus Redblock Harvey Jason – Felix Leech William Boyett – Dan Bell David Selburg – Whalen Gary Armagnac – McNary Mike Genovese – Desk Sergeant Dick Miller – Vendor Carolyn Allport – Jessica Bradley Rhonda Aldrich – Secretary Erik Cord – Thug
Episode chronology
← Previous "Haven" Next → "Datalore"
List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

"The Big Goodbye" is the 12th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The episode first aired in broadcast syndication on January 11, 1988. This was the second writing credit of the series for Tracy Tormé following the episode "Haven". Rob Bowman planned to direct the episode, but he was switched to "Datalore" due to delays in its production. With Bowman working on another episode, Joseph L. Scanlan became the director.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, the crew are sent to open diplomatic ties with the Jaradan. While taking a break from preparations, a computer malfunction traps Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner), and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) in a 1940s-style gangster holodeck program with Captain Picard playing the role of detective Dixon Hill.

"The Big Goodbye" is the first episode to significantly feature the holodeck. Tormé credited Gene Roddenberry with the idea for the detective novel, with Tormé employing the film noir style using references to The Maltese Falcon (1941). Lawrence Tierney, who previously appeared in film noir movies in the 1940s, guest stars as Cyrus Redblock. The Dixon Hill setting reappeared in two later episodes in the series and in the film, Star Trek: First Contact (1996).