I do admit that while I found the plot ridiculous, I did find the character’s story interesting. It’s hard to go wrong with holodeck episodes, honestly.

I though of an interesting story based on that where from childhood, someone accidentally lives an entire simulated life based on the real world 20-40 years in the past and becomes a Starfleet officer in the simulation (down to a fake 4 years at the Academy, maybe with holo Boothby). The holodeck then gets shut off by real Starfleet officers. Besides the obvious emotional story, it would also be interesting if the simulation was accurate enough that the person’s experience made the captain decide to make them a provisional officer at the end of the episode.