Tom Paris creates an enchanting Irish village on the holodeck. Janeway wanders in one day to look for her crew and becomes attracted to one of its inhabitants, bartender Michael Sullivan. She makes him more to her liking, adding a couple of inches (of height, that is), giving him more intelligence and making him less reserved. And – the best line – "Delete the wife." But after three intimate days together, she leaves the holodeck and attempts to forget about him, disgusted with herself for falling in love with a hologram. The doctor (dressed as a priest from the simulation) confronts her and tells her that the feelings are real, no matter whether the other being is flesh and blood or photons and force fields. It is tougher for hologram Michael, who has been drinking heavily, wondering where she went, climbing trees and shouting her name (to the wonderment of the crew). In the meantime, Voyager is working its way through an anomaly. To break through, all available power is needed, and the Fair Haven holodeck program is lost except for 10 percent of it. Janeway confronts Michael and tells him that she may be back again in a few weeks (which is when Tom Paris intends to have the program up and running again). She says goodbye, then seals herself out from making any more modifications to his program.
It’s an interesting look at the concept of loving someone just for who they are and not trying to change them (even if you can). It also explores the isolation of command.
You summed up the narrative but didn’t really comment on the episode so I will...it’s sadly dreck of the highest or lowest order. Trek tends to overuse the holodeck but I usually don’t mind it, but in this case it is simply sappy. This is one to skip when you’re bingeing the series.
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