Voyagers lack of Quantum Torpedoes

[Prax]

They kept a count of Torpedoes until season 5.

When she became showrunner of VOY, she had Janeway in a tank top, backpack and armed with a phaser rifle, fighting large macroviruses.

You make it sound like she came on to Voyager and turned it into an action show, but she was one of Voyagers creators, and showrunner for the first 3/4 seasons. And season 3's 'Macrocosm' is hardly an example of the overall tone of the show. Nor is it the only series to have the occasional action/suspense episode. Remember Jean Luc McCain? If I had to guess how many times Janeway picked up a phaser rifle throughout Voyager's 170 episodes, I bet it would be about 3. The only other time I can think of off the top of my head, was very briefly in "Night" when the ship was boarded with the power out.

Voyager actually became more and more character focused as it went on.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

They kept a count of Torpedoes until season 5.

You make it sound like she came on to Voyager and turned it into an action show, but she was one of Voyagers creators, and showrunner for the first 3/4 seasons. And season 3's 'Macrocosm' is hardly an example of the overall tone of the show. Nor is it the only series to have the occasional action/suspense episode. Remember Jean Luc McCain? If I had to guess how many times Janeway picked up a phaser rifle throughout Voyager's 170 episodes, I bet it would be about 3. The only other time I can think of off the top of my head, was very briefly in "Night" when the ship was boarded with the power out.

Voyager actually became more and more character focused as it went on.

It's more the heel turn Taylor took after GEN's lackluster reception, and the threat of cancellation that loomed over VOY. VOY wasn't initially meant to be an action show. Hence the self-imposed limitations in early season 1. But with the studio coming down on them, complaints from fans and First Contact's (a go get'em action movie) success. The writing was on the wall for what VOY needed to do to succeed.

More phasers and photons and less Victorian Era episodes with Janeway on the holodeck. Reminder, that the episode Sub-Rosa (Beverly Crusher and the alien sex candle) was a gem from Taylor too.

 

[Prax]

Voyager was never under threat of cancellation. At least not that I've never heard of. And the show never shifted to "more action." There are about 4 or 5 "action" episodes in every season. One of the most action packed episodes is Caretaker.

DS9 bumped back planned stories in season 4 to bring in TNG star Michael Dorn's Worf, and a Klingon war story with all sorts of action, including a huge hand to hand fighting scene and giant space battles. They did this all to boost ratings. That doesn't mean the show was under threat of cancellation.

As for Jeri Taylor, every writer has episode credits that didn't go over well, but her job on TNG and Voyager wasn't to write great individual episodes, it was that of head writer...to manage the writer's room.

 

[Tenacity]

Voyager actually became more and more character focused as it went on.

If the characters were named Janeway, Seven or EMH then yes, otherwise no.

Voyager was never under threat of cancellation

All entertainment shows are under threat of cancellation from the time they're green-lighted by the people with the money and for the duration of their runs.

Strictly speaking, a science fiction show doesn't have to be a shot-em up, but Star Trek is driven by action, that's it's bread and butter. Yes there are small philosophic blathering scenes. Then it's back to action.

 

[Refuge]

Oh I don't know. As a Tuvok fan if he hadn't been a feature on the show it would've registered with me.

As for threat of cancellation I guess after seven years it was bound to happen but I always lock onto a sense of family with Voyager that carries any action or philosophy.

 

[at Quark's]

You're a small crew of around 150, with very limited resources, in a huge and usually hostile DQ, and you're trying to get home. Of course there's going to be heaps of action, no matter how you shake it.

Then again, I've never quite understood how the label 'action' usually seems to imply "violence' and the exclusion of any deeper thought or concept- but that's a gripe I have with entertainment in general, not just Trek.

 

[Tenacity]

usually seems to imply "violence'

Anytime they fired phasers at another ship, it was violence.

You're a small crew of around 150, with very limited resources,

Other than a mild rationing of the replicator, it never seemed they had any real limited resources. They traded and occasionally gathered food from a planet, but nothing above inconvenient.

 

[Prax]

If the characters were named Janeway, Seven or EMH then yes, otherwise no.

All entertainment shows are under threat of cancellation from the time they're green-lighted by the people with the money and for the duration of their runs.

Strictly speaking, a science fiction show doesn't have to be a shot-em up, but Star Trek is driven by action, that's it's bread and butter. Yes there are small philosophic blathering scenes. Then it's back to action.

You know what I mean. Voyager had set out to film seven seasons, and was never struggling to "keep it's head above water." It was the most highly rated UPN series all seven years.

He's attempting to paint a picture of "Ohh, Voyager was so desperate to stay on the air, they resorted to dumbed down action in an attempt to win ratings." Of course, no evidence is given, and as I said, each season(including the early seasons) had about 4 or 5 heavy action oriented episodes. The same is true of DS9, and Enterprise.

Here are some action episodes of season 2(Or at least episodes featuring "pew pew"):
Initiations
Maneuvers
Prototype
Alliances
Dreadnought
Investigations
Deadlock
Basics, Part I

That's 8, some more than others, mostly involving Kazon.

Now, Season 5:

Night- a few space battles
Drone- a battle at the end
Infinite Regress- battle at the end
Dark Frontier- Heavy action
Think Tank- a few space battles, but not an "action" episode
Juggernaut- no pew pew, but heavy action
Equinox- heavy action

How about character focus in season 5:
Night - ensemble with some focus on Janeway
Drone - Seven
Extreme Risk - B'elanna
In the Flesh - Chakotay
Once Upon a Time - Neelix(& Naomi)
Timeless - Kim(& Chakotay)
Infinite Regress - Seven
Nothing Human - The Doctor
Thirty Days - Tom Paris
Counterpoint - Janeway
Latent Image - The Doctor
Bride of Chaotica! - Fun ensemble
Gravity - Tuvok(& Paris)
Bliss - Seven(& Naomi)
Dark Frontier - Seven
The Disease - Kim
Course: Oblivion - Dark ensemble
The Fight - Chakotay
Think Tank - Seven(& Janeway)
Juggernaut - B'elanna
Someone to Watch Over Me - The Doctor & Seven
11:59 - Shannon O'Donnel/Henry Janeway
Relativity - Seven
Warhead - ensemble
Equinox - ensemble

From this, it becomes immediately apparent that the focus on characters is well distributed, and the majority of the episodes are not focused on "Action."

 

[Tenacity]

You know what I mean. Voyager had set out to film seven seasons, and was never struggling to "keep it's head above water." It was the most highly rated UPN series all seven years

I don't think there was ever a coherent plan to do seven seasons right from the start.

And I do think that without any action and violence that the show would have suffered from their complete absence. Crew interactions and investigating nebulas couldn't possibly have carried the show.

 

[Refuge]

You know what I mean. Voyager had set out to film seven seasons, and was never struggling to "keep it's head above water." It was the most highly rated UPN series all seven years.

He's attempting to paint a picture of "Ohh, Voyager was so desperate to stay on the air, they resorted to dumbed down action in an attempt to win ratings." Of course, no evidence is given, and as I said, each season(including the early seasons) had about 4 or 5 heavy action oriented episodes. The same is true of DS9, and Enterprise.

Here are some action episodes of season 2(Or at least episodes featuring "pew pew"):
Initiations
Maneuvers
Prototype
Alliances
Dreadnought
Investigations
Deadlock
Basics, Part I

That's 8, some more than others, mostly involving Kazon.

Now, Season 5:

Night- a few space battles
Drone- a battle at the end
Infinite Regress- battle at the end
Dark Frontier- Heavy action
Think Tank- a few space battles, but not an "action" episode
Juggernaut- no pew pew, but heavy action
Equinox- heavy action

How about character focus in season 5:
Night - ensemble with some focus on Janeway
Drone - Seven
Extreme Risk - B'elanna
In the Flesh - Chakotay
Once Upon a Time - Neelix(& Naomi)
Timeless - Kim(& Chakotay)
Infinite Regress - Seven
Nothing Human - The Doctor
Thirty Days - Tom Paris
Counterpoint - Janeway
Latent Image - The Doctor
Bride of Chaotica! - Fun ensemble
Gravity - Tuvok(& Paris)
Bliss - Seven(& Naomi)
Dark Frontier - Seven
The Disease - Kim
Course: Oblivion - Dark ensemble
The Fight - Chakotay
Think Tank - Seven(& Janeway)
Juggernaut - B'elanna
Someone to Watch Over Me - The Doctor & Seven
11:59 - Shannon O'Donnel/Henry Janeway
Relativity - Seven
Warhead - ensemble
Equinox - ensemble

From this, it becomes immediately apparent that the focus on characters is well distributed, and the majority of the episodes are not focused on "Action."

I'm at a disadvantage with comparisons in that I didn't watch all of DS 9 and although I've watched TNG a few times I need a refresher on the endings of those two series. I suppose there is Google (me so lazy). Why? Your comment about the seven seasons is valid from the consideration that those three Star Treks were given resources because they earned their presence on TV and were not 'desperate'. I think too about TOS, it went for three seasons but was left mid air. The movies addressed some of that. Enterprise as a series was abandoned from what I gather, but four seasons is nothing to be sneezed at.

SO did the concept of TNG lend itself to progressing toward an 'end'? I don't recall but I don't remember one. There was a sense of an overall story arc that ended DS 9 right? Brings me to Voyager. When she was conceived the framework more so than other Star Trek was for her to map a physical journey and with story line purpose. (Thankfully she was successful enough for that to be seen through). That story line purpose was more than random weekly action, it involved getting them home.

Voyager in concept needed to draw upon character because of the lone aspect of the ship and the family of crew. Voyager's captain had to relate. The writers had to give more than adventure and action (which I personally like anyway, it is a plus). When I think of this show it is often a combination of the two and having re-watched SO often I think the mix of featuring a range of the cast was actually pretty good.

 

[Prax]

I'm at a disadvantage with comparisons in that I didn't watch all of DS 9 and although I've watched TNG a few times I need a refresher on the endings of those two series. I suppose there is Google (me so lazy). Why? Your comment about the seven seasons is valid from the consideration that those three Star Treks were given resources because they earned their presence on TV and were not 'desperate'. I think too about TOS, it went for three seasons but was left mid air. The movies addressed some of that. Enterprise as a series was abandoned from what I gather, but four seasons is nothing to be sneezed at.

SO did the concept of TNG lend itself to progressing toward an 'end'? I don't recall but I don't remember one. There was a sense of an overall story arc that ended DS 9 right? Brings me to Voyager. When she was conceived the framework more so than other Star Trek was for her to map a physical journey and with story line purpose. (Thankfully she was successful enough for that to be seen through). That story line purpose was more than random weekly action, it involved getting them home.

Voyager in concept needed to draw upon character because of the lone aspect of the ship and the family of crew. Voyager's captain had to relate. The writers had to give more than adventure and action (which I personally like anyway, it is a plus). When I think of this show it is often a combination of the two and having re-watched SO often I think the mix of featuring a range of the cast was actually pretty good.

I don't believe it was the case with TNG, but at some point, DS9 planned on seven seasons, and it seems Voyager planned on seven seasons from the get-go. I've seen numerous interviews where Mulgrew, Picardo, et al, talk about being told going in, that the show would go for seven seasons; that the prospect of steady work for seven years was very unusual for an actor.

Enterprise also, was planned from the beginning to go seven seasons. Unfortunately they didn't get there, but you're right, four years is nothing to sneeze at.

This might also relate, Enterprise began as a very expensive show, and had their budget cut a few times. By season 4, they were allowed $900,000 per episode, and had to severely cut corners to make it work, such as stretching single episode stories into 2 and 3 parters.

Conversely, Voyager's budget was expanded throughout it's run. Someone posted the numbers here recently. I believe they were afforded about 4.5 million an episode by season 7.

 

[F. King Daniel]

For the most part I agree, but it did seem like the Enterprise-E used it's quantums against the Borg cube to greater effect than photons.

That's because Picard knew exactly where to hit them.

The Defiant had quantums too and it didn't help them.