A Semi-Hater Revisits Voyager

[Tomalak]

It's like in those Harry Potter books, where these teenagers should be using every swear word under the sun, but instead they are telling each other to "bog off".

[The Grim Ghost]

Freakasaurus makes me cringe everytime I hear it. Which is only in this epiosde, because nobody ever says it.

[KimM]

For what it's worth the Rain Robinson character gets more life in Greg Cox's Eugenics War trilogy. Unfortunately I think Sarah did better and far more entertaining work in her Matt Damon video . . .

[Lynx]

I like "Futures End".

Most of all because it gave us a great villain in Henry Starling and some funny and exciting scenes with our favorites in our own timeline.

I'm not that fond in time-travelling episodes but this one is one of those who actually works.

However, I must agree with some comments here about Braxton and the way Voyager was brought to the 20th century. That plot was rather weak and there could have been better ways to create a scenario in which Voyager was transported back in time.

As for the "freakosaurus" comment, I found it a bit funny. It didn't disturb me, I mean it could have been something that Rain Robinson came up with. I've heard worse things from people who simply just come up with some strange comment without even knowing why.

Anyway, this one is a top 20 favorite and I will give it 5 points out of 5.

By the way, Starling seem to be appreciated!
http://www.henrystarling.9f.com/

[Frazzled]

I've watched these episodes loads and never noticed the 'freakosaurus' comment! I love the bit in part 1 where they've got changed into supposedly 1990's clothes that'll fit in and Tuvok looks around at the diverse crowds and says 'We could have worn our Starfleet uniforms'

I say 'supposedly fit in' because Janeway looks out of place for most of the episode in that white suit imho.... fantastic but out of place - far too posh even in Chronowerx Starling dresses down though his henchmen look like the Men in Black.

[TheGodBen]

Warlord (**½)

There is a distress call and the ship goes to help out. There's a Big Bad on the ship and he transfers his consciousness through his hand into the medical professional who is trying to save him. The Big Bad takes control of a main cast member's body and uses it to carry out his nefarious plan with some over-the-top acting. That's when the crew comes up with a convenient technobabble solution to fix the problem and the main character's consciousness is restored.

If you are going to steal a plot from another Star Trek series, DS9 season 1 is not the place you should be getting your inspiration from.

What makes this episode better than The Passenger, other than Jennifer Lien giving a much better performance than Siddig, is the idea that Kes is fighting back against Tieran and Tieran slowly begins to lose control of her body. This is great to watch, but the whole thing is a little undone by the fact that the solution at the end is some technobabble device they stick on Kes' face. Another problem is that Tieran becomes really annoying long before he is finally killed off.

The episode starts badly. Neelix gets a foot-rub, Neelix does some annoying things, Tom and Harry cavort with some women in bikinis, Neelix dances. Worst. Teaser. Ever. The episode ends well with a nice scene where Tuvok informs Kes that she will not be the same person after this experience, she has changed and will have to learn to adapt. I don't remember much about season 3, but I do hope that there is a significant effect upon Kes which lead into her leaving the ship.

3 stars, minus half a star for stealing a plot from DS9.


EDIT: I forgot to update the torpedo counter after Janeway fired that torpedo in Future's End. They have now fired 20 of 38 torpedoes.

[Lynx]

"Warlord" is one of my top 5 favorites.

Definitely the best "character take-over" episode, mainly because here we do have a taken-over character who actually is fighting back and not only acting weird. Jennifer Lien is superb in her acting and Kes's mental confrontation with Tieran is the high spot of an excellent episode. The break-up between Kes and Neelix is very badly handled though. It should have taken place during 2-3 episodes, most likely after "Parturition" and been better explained. Here it's actually Tieran who breaks up with Neelix.

As for

nothing is actually changed. She is basically the same which makes the reasons for her "leaving" in "The Gift" even more ridiculous

Despite some minor flaws, it's an excellent episode. I'll give it 5 points out of 5!

[Praetor]

GodBen wrote:

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Warlord (**½)

Agreed. I enjoyed this episode far more than 'The Passenger' for many reasons, including Lien's performance being superior to Siddig's, and because a tyrant in what amounts to a little girl's body (yet with psychic powers) is much more intriguing. But like you say - this episode still has some issues - the moronic teaser and the technobabbly solution.

I really do feel that Tuvok telling Kes she won't be the same has some quantifiable payoff, as we start to see her grow more as an adult from this point out. I think she starts behaving more confidently. See 'Before and After.' I do agree that the Neelix/Kes breakup does seem like an afterthought here.

I still remember laughing at how overhyped the part where Kes kisses Tieran's girlfriend was in the previews. Yeah, that's why I tune in. Girls kissing.

EDIT: I forgot to update the torpedo counter after Janeway fired that torpedo in Future's End. They have now fired 20 of 38 torpedoes.

Ah, only 18 more!

[teya]

Frazzled wrote:

---

I love the bit in part 1 where they've got changed into supposedly 1990's clothes that'll fit in and Tuvok looks around at the diverse crowds and says 'We could have worn our Starfleet uniforms'

Heh!

That's my neighborhood!

[TheGodBen]

Praetor wrote:

---

I still remember laughing at how overhyped the part where Kes kisses Tieran's girlfriend was in the previews. Yeah, that's why I tune in. Girls kissing.

Did they kiss? I only saw Kes leaning in to kiss the other woman but being called away at the last second, causing me to declare that the writers are cowards. Damn, I might have missed Voyager's greatest moment.


The Q and the Grey (*)

Janeway wrote:

---

But what is not insignificant is the fact that the Q, as an omnipotent race, have an opportunity to be a positive force to set a higher standard for other beings in the galaxy. I implore you all, don't go through with this. Don't allow yourselves to continue using violence to resolve your differences.

30 seconds later a group of Humans stormed over the hill and started shooting with weapons that can destroy entire star-systems. I believe that shows the level of thought which went into this episode.

I said back in Deathwish that the "hilarious" antics of Q nearly derailed an attempt to explore an important social issue. Well this time round it gets derailed and falls off a cliff. The first two acts are complete filler about Q trying to get Janeway in the sack, the middle act is okay and the only time things are taken seriously, and the final acts turn into an absurd technobabblely pile of manure. To put it simply, it's crap.

For example, did you know that by re-modulating the deflector and emitting an anti-proton burst they can reinforce the shields enough to fly into an exploding star? And what happens when Voyager flies into the continuum? The crew put on Union uniforms and start killing Q. This is horrible stuff, and it is made even worse by making Voyager's involvement having absolutely no meaning at the end, they are only involved because Q felt that doing it with another Q is icky. And then there is a big reset-button at the end.

There is some funny lines at the beginning of the episode, but everything else is dumb crap which only serves to make Q insufferable. I can see why so many people said they dropped out during season three; there is no direction and the episodes so far have been poor to average. Out of eleven episodes this season's current score is 3.5/10. The first season had so much promise, but this is beginning to turn into a struggle.

[Lynx]

^^
They never kissed.

As for "The Q And The Grey", I find it a mediocre episode. Q is always entertaining (I really like that guy) but the whole story with its Civil War scenario feels strained and the only thing that saves the episode is the interaction between Janeway and Q and most of all the female Q who is brilliant. Wonderful character!

Sorry all Q's but I'll give this episode 2 points out of 5.

[Jimmy Bob]

Warlord

I didn't like it, because that was too much overacting for me - but at least Jennifer had some fun and significant screentime.

Q and the Grey

I love Q. I also loved this episode. I can't protect this, because it is as it is - but I really enjoyed it as fun entertainment with great visuals. It will all go downhill from here - with a brief flash of brilliance in Fair Trade and Unity, until the last few (oh god Distant Origin, it's heaven) episodes. Honestly I feel that Q and the Grey was one of the better Season 3 episodes, especially in retrospective.

[DGCatAniSiri]

I enjoyed Warlord myself, because it's obvious that Jennifer Lien is enjoying playing Tieran. I always enjoy watching the actors obviously having fun with the role. Yeah, the story gets bogged down a little too much in technobabble, but it did give her something to do, which was a big problem among the Voyager writers.

And yeah, they may have stole a DS9 plot, but at least they managed to make it a little better - I buy telepathy-induced mental takeovers a lot easier than a technological 'soul' swap or whatever.

[Guy Gardener]

Dunbarr has a name and he is awesome.

[Praetorian]

Aye, I must say that "Warlord" was somewhat enjoyable (however the teaser was indeed the worse ever..), but "The Q and the Grey" was simply crap.

However I must say that I watched "The Passenger" recently, and it seemed much better than I remembered...=P Especially the Odo/Starfleet conflict. Plus the bad guy gets vapourised at the end.. Something was terribly wrong with Siddig's acting though...While Lien's was quite good I thought..