...in a cynical sort of way (I'm very cynical). Not the future parts, but the misportrayal of the crew. I laughed alot. Thoughts?
'Living Witness" Was Hilarious
- Thread starter INACTIVESamusAranX
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I thought this was one of the most powerful episodes of Voyager in the series run. It showed how history could be misconstrued as well as that the Victors always write the history. Also, seeing a new side of the crew was interesting.
It was cynically funny. From the very first scene with 'mirror Janeway.' "When diplomacy fails, there's only one alternative: violence. Force must be applied without apology. It's the Starfleet way." Great performances all around the board. Cool story. Great episode.
Fantastic episode.
Agreed.
And on topic, the portrayals were hilarious. Just thinking of Harry Kim beating someone up has me laughing.
I remember watching it thinking: HEY! This isn't Voyager!!! WTF is this?! 
But then laughing at the crew trying to kill each other. For me, I couldn't tolerate it at first but then I watched it again the other day when it was on SpikeTV and thought: you know, this is really good writing! I really enjoyed this alternate universe thing and having the crew behave in a different manner than you're used to was quite interesting. I also wished that Chakotay's tattoo had been all over his left side instead of just his temple. It would have made him more interesting. 
But then laughing at the crew trying to kill each other. For me, I couldn't tolerate it at first but then I watched it again the other day when it was on SpikeTV and thought: you know, this is really good writing! I really enjoyed this alternate universe thing and having the crew behave in a different manner than you're used to was quite interesting. I also wished that Chakotay's tattoo had been all over his left side instead of just his temple. It would have made him more interesting. 
Yes.
No, in all seriousness, if my time on this board has shown me anything, it's that for every episode that is appreciated by many there is at least one who considers it overrated. I don't think "Living Witness" is overrated. On the contrary, I don't see people talking about it that much. For me it's easily Voyager's best outing. But everyone's entitled to their own opinion, of course.
Well, "Counterpoint" is my favourite episode, but "Living Witness" is, like many episodes that focus on VOY's strongpoint, the Doctor, one of the best outings of the series. And yes, it's got some pretty funny black humour in there. So does "Author Author", I think, for the same reasons. 
It was around the time the episode first aired I came onto these forums; oddly enough.
It was around the time the episode first aired I came onto these forums; oddly enough.
I always thought it was a great episode too. But, Janeway's hair was really bad. Yuck.
The episode was supposed to take place 700 years after Voyager passed by that area of the Delta Quadrant right? I would think that by then that Starfleet would have passed through the Gamma Quadrant enough times to clear up any misconceptions about Voyager. Of course, that does mean any GQ species would listen to them.
The episode was supposed to take place 700 years after Voyager passed by that area of the Delta Quadrant right? I would think that by then that Starfleet would have passed through the Gamma Quadrant enough times to clear up any misconceptions about Voyager. Of course, that does mean any GQ species would listen to them.
The revisionist version of Voyager bears an amusing resemblance to a certain kind of internet critic's idea of how Voyager should have been except minus any dull emo by the characters over their sacrifice in being so (regrettably necessary) ruthless.
The reactionary notion of reverse racism threatens to run away with the episode. But the asymmetry between the Ambassador (whose government conducts biological warfare) and the terrorist (who takes hostages on Voyager) plus the carefully agnostic ending saves it.
The reactionary notion of reverse racism threatens to run away with the episode. But the asymmetry between the Ambassador (whose government conducts biological warfare) and the terrorist (who takes hostages on Voyager) plus the carefully agnostic ending saves it.
I like the idea that it was exactly that.
Huh?
The Gamma and Delta quadrants are separate parts of the galaxy. Voyager was never in the Gamma Quadrant.
It's very hard for me to re-watch a number of Voyager episodes, but this is one of the few that I'm able to watch more than once! This is a brilliant episode that is very meaningful, and it's also kind of frightening because when you think about it, how accurate is any of our history? I'm not talking about anything in particular and don't doubt any of it, but it makes you wonder just how easy it could be to misrepresent history. I think it's kinda scary.
Huh?
Sorry, that was a very big and dumb typo on my part. I meant to say that I am sure that 700 years after Living Witness that Starfleet will have passed through the Delta Quadrant enough times to clear up any misconceptions about Voyager.
It's not scary.
It's sad.
And a person would do well do doubt our own history ... because really now ... how accurate do you think our history really is ?
Unless we develop time-traveling technology and send probes or people to see just what was happening, we can mainly guess and not take for granted what we do know.
Keeping an open mind to the possibility our history and everything isn't exactly as we know it would be a good way to deal with it because if later on something shakes the very foundations of history as we know it, people won't be shocked and will have a better time accepting it.
Actually, this epi quite reminds me of the kinds of perceptions I have to deal with on a daily basis with my students. It's amusing at first, but after 5 years, just really tiresome.
So not all divides happen in time. They can also happen with the other culture standing right in front of you. Depends on your filters.
So not all divides happen in time. They can also happen with the other culture standing right in front of you. Depends on your filters.
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