My first voyage with Voyager

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Voyager' started by Qutluch, Apr 14, 2012.

  1. Qutluch

    Qutluch Commander Red Shirt

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    I am new to Trek BBS. Actually, I am fairly new to TV and movies in general (despite the fact that I am nearly 30). I never grew up watching TV or movies and my pop culture knowledge is atrocious. My husband decided that he was going to acculturate me starting with Star Trek. I have watched DS9 and TNG. However, since it was my first introduction to Star Trek I feel like I missed a lot of the humor in DS9 and intend to re-watch both DS9 and TNG once I finish the other series. For my first thread, I am going to make a post about each episode that I watch in Voyager. This is my first time viewing Voyager so please feel free to fill me in on any back-stories or information that I am missing.

    Here it goes: “Caretaker”

    The Star Wars-esque written introduction had me a little worried at first. The opening battle scene was a bit confusing to follow, but it made sense once I understood who was who. Janeway’s first appearance was disappointing and gave a weak first impression for the Captain. Her angry-mother-hands-on-the-hips speech to Tom Paris was dull and poorly delivered in monotone. Paris, on the other hand, was arrogant and therefore intriguing. I look forward to his cocky arrogance. When I saw Quark I beamed. He was easily in my top three characters on DS9 (with Garak and Odo). Unfortunately, my husband promptly informed me that it was only a guest appearance… sad.

    The whole alien probe and Harry Kim’s alien abduction was too cliché for me. I was also a little confused at first when the crew was beamed to the holographic farm house scene, but I cracked up when the slutty-farmer’s daughter tried to stop the crew from entering the barn. Did the Caretaker know Paris had been shut up in prison for a while

    Neelix was great. His voice and mannerisms reminded me of Vassini in the Princess Bride and I wasn’t sure if he was going to be a failed villain or the comedic relief of the show; I am guessing comedic relief. I loved the scene where Neelix hugs Tuvok and Tuvok suggests that he take a bath! Oh, and I know Harry Kim is being held captive, but he whines a lot. Please tell me this eventually stops!

    I like the premise that the Caretaker’s people ruined the planet because of their superior technology (this seems like it was a theme in TNG too: don’t share technology), but if they had superior technology couldn’t they have found a permanent fix to restoring the planet before the two people they left behind died? It seems like the Caretakers were trying to take responsibility for their actions, but failed miserably in the execution. I suppose something like this had to happen in order to set up the premise that the Voyager had to nobly destroy the Array in order to save the Ocampa, while selflessly abandoning themselves 75-odd years away from home.

    When Janeway made Paris a full member of the crew he made the comment that for the first time in his life he didn’t know what to say; I highly doubt that. I have a feeling that Paris will always have a cocky retort.

    Oh, and I wonder if Mike Tyson stole his face-tattoo from Chakotay.

    Favorite part: Quark’s appearance. I was so excited when I so him, but my husband quickly warned me that he was only a guest character in Voyager, and not a permanent one… I do love how he tried to bully Harry Kim into buying the whole tray of gems.

    Least favorite part: Janeway’s first appearance seemed a little stuffy. Her first lines are delivered in a monotone voice with her hands on her hips. I am not sure this was the best first impression of a captain. However, they did have a slightly warmer moment with her when she was video-chatting with her (lover?) about her pregnant dog.
     
  2. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    That's her fiance she is chatting with. Her fiance and pregnant dog who are now 70 years away from her.

    And get used to the hands on hips, it's a trademark :D

    Made by one of our forum members (don't worry there are no spoilers):

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy7uyH_mFTo[/yt]
     
  3. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Oh and welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy VOY, I've spent years in it's warm and humorous embrace. I'm also a DS9 fan and love Quark.
     
  4. Qutluch

    Qutluch Commander Red Shirt

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    Thanks for sharing the youtube video; that was great!
     
  5. Captain_Nick

    Captain_Nick Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I loved this bit ....

    'was arrogant and therefore intriguing'

    Ah the wonders of the human mind
     
  6. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I know! It's like every romance film boiled down to 5 words.
     
  7. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    And btw Qutlunch may I compliment you on your awesome Klingon user name.
     
  8. Qutluch

    Qutluch Commander Red Shirt

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    Parallax

    I love it when Neelix butts in to the Senior Officer’s briefing. Janeway said he could join them this one time, but I hope to see him in there more often. After all, Kes had a great idea about growing food! Also, why don’t they have enough chairs in the meeting room?? I have a sneaking suspicion (based on when Neelix brags about his goulash) that he might end up being a horrible cook!

    I think the doctor is a fascinating character. He was appalled because he was asked for something as trivial as dirt samples. I am not sure if he is going to be overly arrogant or just self-confident, but I don’t mind either. I do like it that Kes asked him if he chose a name. I look forward to seeing if he chooses to pick a name, and if so what that name will be. I do wonder why he constantly asks to be turned off though. Do they eventually address this? He seems to have a personality, and I would think that something/someone with character would feel offended being turned off all the time.

    Chakotay seems like a decent first officer. He wants to solidify the ship by giving the Maquis the same chances for officer status as anyone, and hopefully it will create a more unified ship. Also, he doesn’t take any crap from his Maquis crew. When they were talking mutiny, he put an immediate stop to it.

    Harry Kim definitely whines too much. His acting was atrocious when he had a splitting headache and he began to walk away stumbling and mumbling. I am not sure if I have an opinion on Janeway yet, but she does have great crazy eyes!

    I think the ship needs seat belts. When they punched their way through the singularity people went tumbling all about; someone is going to end up with whiplash! They seemed to expect this so why didn’t they either brace themselves, or why don’t they have handy retractable straps or something.

    Overall, I think the acting was a little too scripted in this episode and that the writing was a bit too rigid. However, I did like the mini-doctors humor and Chakotay and Janeway’s interaction at the end when he asked if she would have served under him if they were on the Maquis ship.

    I do have a question that someone can hopefully answer for me: how many people are left on the Voyager?
     
  9. JanewayRulz!

    JanewayRulz! Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Ahhhh... asking that question is like asking the Enterprise computer to solve pi.
     
  10. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    As a friend of the Tak-Tak, I am deeply offended by this.
     
  11. Lipton

    Lipton Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Qutluch: Yes, the crew complement number has been estimated differently by different writers on the show, but it's roughly 150.

    Also, I would advise to be careful when reading threads in this forum, as Voyager was finished being produced in 2001, so spoilers abound.
     
  12. Qutluch

    Qutluch Commander Red Shirt

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    Thanks for the advice Lipton. I have avoided reading anything in the VOY section yet. I have browsed through DS9, but that's is it!
     
  13. Lipton

    Lipton Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Qutluch: You're welcome!
     
  14. bbailey861

    bbailey861 Admiral Admiral

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    Enjoy the ride, Qutluch. Like any journey, there will be some high points and low points, but on the whole it is a journey well worth taking.
    I see that you have been introduced to TNG and DS9 - may I ask why no TOS? After all, it is where it all started.
     
  15. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    Depends on the episode as it fluctuates somewhat. Unlike nuBSG they didn't tend to keep track of small details like number of torpedoes and crew left, after each episode.
     
  16. Qutluch

    Qutluch Commander Red Shirt

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    Bbailey869, TOS is on my list. I actually started with DS9 because there wasn't a waiting list at the library for the DVDs...
     
  17. Shatnertage

    Shatnertage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Hey Qutluch, glad to see you started a review thread. It'll be great experiencing the episodes again through your eyes.

    If you thought Kate Mulgrew's first scene as Captain Janeway was bad, take a look at the first actress they cast:

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pgAFV2YxLQ&feature=related[/yt]

    I like how the look on her face when the director yells "cut" says it all.

    And at 4:39, the first documented appearance of my favorite Kate Mulgrew mannerism, the dismissive hand wave!

    This scene really says it all:

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NANUpPaiGG8&feature=relmfu[/yt]

    And if you want to see Nicole Janeway with the music and effects dubbed in, check this out:

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SIZcDWKyw0[/yt]
     
  18. Shatnertage

    Shatnertage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    This part should have been after the second video. Didn't want to edit it and risk losing the embeds.
     
  19. Qutluch

    Qutluch Commander Red Shirt

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    Kudos to casting for taking her out! She was horrible, and every one else's acting was poorer with her as captain too. She had no facial or verbal emotion; I think they found a new Vulcan!
     
  20. You_Will_Fail

    You_Will_Fail Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Mulgrew was occasionally good but rarely was she good when she had to convey any kind of deep emotion imo.