Worst Case Scenario: great episode?

[Lance]

Watched this one again the other night.

I love this one from start to finish. There's some great moments, from Torres' enthusiasm for the program after she discovers it, to Paris and Tuvok fighting over who should 'write' the next segment.

I really like the whole opening teaser, actually. All those subtle hints that what we're seeing isn't real, from the fact that 'Chakotay' never refers to Torres by name (something that in hindsight shows us he's just an NPC), and all the other subtle foreshadowing. We're never in any doubt that this isn't really a mutiny on the ship, but the subtle ways they make the scenario feel like a video game populated by NPCs is really clever.

Martha Hackett being brought back as Seska is a neat trick too, although it makes me sad in retrospect about how they turned her into that Cardassian spy and everything. I always forget how very effective she was as a Bajoran. On a related note, I like how the episode in general throwbacks to Season One in lots of interesting ways, like Captain Kate's cottage loaf hairstyle, and the NPC Neelix being a character of rather dubious motives (which is consistent with what Tuvok must have taken out of their interaction with him during "Caretaker", where he was indeed a much less 'cuddly' character, having duped and manipulated people to his own ends).

What do you guys think about this episode?

 

[hux]

The worst case scenario in question is the scenario I was hoping we'd get for real in the show. This episode proves it would have made for an excellent mini arc (let's not drag it out too much though)

Even if you don't get that and you stick with the holodeck premise, it could have been a great two parter too (I would have liked to have seen other crew play with it before it went wrong)

 

[Lynx]

I like it. It's a very good episode.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

I really liked it too. It gives us insight to a reality of Voyager that was never brought to light: what if the Maquis planned a mutiny? And it was a very well-done episode. I found it kind of funny that Janeway was so into the story. I thought she might have been upset that someone wrote a holo novel about a mutiny.

 

[RandyS]

It's one of my favorite episodes.

 

[Lance]

I really liked it too. It gives us insight to a reality of Voyager that was never brought to light: what if the Maquis planned a mutiny? And it was a very well-done episode. I found it kind of funny that Janeway was so into the story. I thought she might have been upset that someone wrote a holo novel about a mutiny.

Yeah I love that too. Everybody assumes she's gonna be really angry about the seditious nature of the holo-program, but then she's really enthusiastic about it. I love Chakotay's amused reaction to learning he's a "bad-guy" in the scenario, too.

The worst case scenario in question is the scenario I was hoping we'd get for real in the show. This episode proves it would have made for an excellent mini arc (let's not drag it out too much though)

Even if you don't get that and you stick with the holodeck premise, it could have been a great two parter too (I would have liked to have seen other crew play with it before it went wrong)

It obviously would have been a little too late in the series to have done it for real, but I do like the way it almost feels like the show's writers are trying out all the ideas they wanted to do way back in season one, but didn't. Like putting all of the Maquis crew back into civvies instead of uniforms, for example. I agree a two-part version with more of the crew giving the original scenario a try before Seska kicked it in would have been very interesting.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

If they had done it for real, I think it would have been a couple Maquis that mutinied as Chakotay was against it. There would have been an all-out battle of Starfleet vs Maquis but before things got worse Chakotay would have made a speech about how they are alone in the Delta Quadrant, facing unknown threats, and that it would be best to work together, thus ending potential bloodshed. As a two-parter it would have made season 1 more interesting.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Chakotay was never in favor of a Maquis insurrection. That bit from one of the earliest episodes (like the 2nd or 3rd one) where he puts down those two Maquis who say they'll help him take over...was one of my favorite lines I ever heard him say: "If I ever hear you talk that way again, I will personally throw you in the brig for mutiny!"

What I kinda wanted to see in this episode is how Chak would have reacted if some of the crewmembers (while trying out the program) told him they sided with Starfleet against him. We never see anyone take the Starfleet side in the program, do we? "Oh yes, Commander, I shot you point-blank with a phaser. It was a lot of fun!"

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It's definitely one of the stronger episodes of the series.

I do have a problem with the premise. Simply, Seska's contribution to the program doesn't make any sense. There is no time between when she knew she was going to be caught and when she beamed away. So when did she make the program?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ IIRC, every appearance of Seska in this episode is the holographic version. The real Seska is long dead. So she must have made the modifications 'offscreen', as it were.

 

[kirkfan]

It's definitely one of the stronger episodes of the series.

I do have a problem with the premise. Simply, Seska's contribution to the program doesn't make any sense. There is no time between when she knew she was going to be caught and when she beamed away. So when did she make the program?

I know what you mean but she could have written this program long before being discovered (just in case) and activated it seconds before she left.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It's definitely one of the stronger episodes of the series.

I do have a problem with the premise. Simply, Seska's contribution to the program doesn't make any sense. There is no time between when she knew she was going to be caught and when she beamed away. So when did she make the program?

I know what you mean but she could have written this program long before being discovered (just in case) and activated it seconds before she left.

True. The only thing she plausibly could have done is programmed it to only activate if she was no longer on the ship.

@Mr Laser Beam

The question though is why she would have programmed it without knowing she would be off the ship next time Tuvok accessed it.

 

[kirkfan]

It's definitely one of the stronger episodes of the series.

I do have a problem with the premise. Simply, Seska's contribution to the program doesn't make any sense. There is no time between when she knew she was going to be caught and when she beamed away. So when did she make the program?

I know what you mean but she could have written this program long before being discovered (just in case) and activated it seconds before she left.

True. The only thing she plausibly could have done is programmed it to only activate if she was no longer on the ship.

@Mr Laser Beam

The question though is why she would have programmed it without knowing she would be off the ship next time Tuvok accessed it.

Do you realize that the only reason why Seska's revenge plan almost succeeded is because of B'lana's nosiness...

 

[Lance]

I know what you mean but she could have written this program long before being discovered (just in case) and activated it seconds before she left.

True. The only thing she plausibly could have done is programmed it to only activate if she was no longer on the ship.

@Mr Laser Beam

The question though is why she would have programmed it without knowing she would be off the ship next time Tuvok accessed it.

Do you realize that the only reason why Seska's revenge plan almost succeeded is because of B'lana's nosiness...

The way the episode presents it, it isn't simply the holo-program being rediscovered which reactivates Seska... it's actually a perfectly harmless hologram adventure. The Seska programming only kicks in after Tuvok re-opens the scenario's 'editor' so he can add new parts to it. That's the trigger, not anything in the original program itself. Seska was evidently counting on either A) Tuvok continuing to tinker with the scenario regardless, rather than abandoning it like he did; or else B) that somebody else would come across the scenario, and then wish to add new segments to it.

Seska in this episode is like malware. Her 'additions' aren't a part of the superstructure of the program, but are hidden away within it and are only unleashed when somebody tries to open it up and edit it.

 

[kirkfan]

True. The only thing she plausibly could have done is programmed it to only activate if she was no longer on the ship.

@Mr Laser Beam

The question though is why she would have programmed it without knowing she would be off the ship next time Tuvok accessed it.

Do you realize that the only reason why Seska's revenge plan almost succeeded is because of B'lana's nosiness...

The way the episode presents it, it isn't simply the holo-program being rediscovered which reactivates Seska... it's actually a perfectly harmless hologram adventure. The Seska programming only kicks in after Tuvok re-opens the scenario's 'editor' so he can add new parts to it. That's the trigger, not anything in the original program itself. Seska was evidently counting on either A) Tuvok continuing to tinker with the scenario regardless, rather than abandoning it like he did; or else B) that somebody else would come across the scenario, and then wish to add new segments to it.

Seska in this episode is like malware. Her 'additions' aren't a part of the superstructure of the program, but are hidden away within it and are only unleashed when somebody tries to open it up and edit it.

Note that Seska's Hologram recognizes both Tuvok and Tom. I believe this part of the program was directed at Tuvok exclusively. If it had been someone else Seska's additions may not have kicked in. That's at least the impression I have. Remember what she says about Tuvok not knowing the Maquis as well as he thought. That part wouldn't have made sense to someone else.

 

[Darren Mooney]

I think the third season is underrated. It is exceptionally silly in places, but there are some great pulpy little episodes in there. Nonsense, but fun nonsense.

 

[Mareika]

It`s one of my fav episodes for some reasons
- the beginning is irritating and interesting- is this real or not?
- Seska is back- I liked her a lot. Too bad they didn`t use her more
- Chakotay in leather- much more beautiful than in uniform
- the story is interesting and funny
- For me it`s also interesting to note that Seska still seems to love Chakotay and on the other hand she had no problem to kill him
What botherd me was that once more Janeway knows the answer of all the problems. Like always.

 

[F. King Daniel]

The premise is very silly (let me just program this holographic revenge ghost JUST IN CASE I die), but I really did enjoy this one. Good fun.

 

[kirkfan]

Did she anticipate that Tom would be there too?

 

[Lance]

I don't think she did. She recognizes Tuvok because he's the only one who can reactivate the program, and therefore it was logical to anticipate his involvement. But her program is highly adaptive, and it probably only 'recognized' Tom as a result of him being there, not because she actually anticipated him being involved in reopening the program. Her opening monologue after the new scenario is activated seems to have been directed solely at Tuvok.