 After its initial release , a review in TV Guide criticised the episode for its similarity to The Original Series episode " A Piece of the Action " , which featured a planet based on 1930s gangland Chicago . Several reviewers re @-@ watched the episode after the end of the series . Keith DeCandido of Tor.com praised the " stellar guest casting " and said that Tierney " own [ ed ] the episode " . He compared the episode to The Maltese Falcon , and said that the episode featured " charming performances " by the entire cast . DeCandido gave the episode a score of seven out of ten . Cast member Wil Wheaton called the episode a " fantastic collaborative effort , from Tracy Torme 's script , to Joseph Scanlan 's direction , to Ed Brown 's cinematography , to every actor 's performance . There 's a reason ' The Big Goodbye ' is the only Star Trek episode to win a Peabody . " He gave the episode an A grade . 
