This is one of those episode that, as a child watching the original series, I would have hated, but as an adult I can appreciate the emotional poignancy of many of the scenes and somewhat forgive the lack of monsters and explosions.
It sets up rather nicely with many creepy and interesting moments, but it does rather start to test the patience a little as any logic leaves us towards the end, in particular the scenes in the holodeck, which make little to no sense unless the holodeck is a mind reading omnipotent being.
The scene with the child is so poignant one almost forgives these small failings, almost, that is, until we get to the frankly bonkers scene with Spock and McCoy staring wistfully at a Van Gogh.
However, this kind of episode was a staple of the original series, so perhaps this is an homage to those. You know, the ones that as kids we always found boring because nothing very exciting or sci-fi happens, but your parents liked it.
Btw, as a Brit, that accent, oof.