Hollow Pursuits

"Hollow Pursuits" is the 21st episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 69th episode of the series overall. The episode introduces the character Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, who would go on to appear occasionally in The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, as well as in the film Star Trek: First Contact.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. This episode features the use of the holodeck, a fictional technology that can create immersive simulated experiences. In the episode, the highly insecure Lt. Barclay uses the holodeck to cope with his anxiety, while the senior officers debate how to deal with his subpar job performance.