Basics part II: Episode rating and discussion

[Mrs Paris]

I thought it was interesting to see them "roughing it" in the wilderness. I wasn't crazy about those caveman guys, and of course leave it up to Kes to wander away and get caught by them

I did like the parts with Sudor, you could realy feel his struggle

I wonder what ever happened to Seska's baby

 

[hawk200]

I gave it a number eight.
It was one of the better written episodes,quite interesting and exciting.

H200

 

[kimc]

Well since Basics is my favorite two-parter I had to give it a 10.

 

[Akiraprise]

It gets a nine from me.
Basics is one of VOY's better finales.

 

[Lynx]

"Basics" is definitely one of my top 5 favorites. Both part 1 and part 2 are great.

The whole story is brilliant from the beginning to the end with the ship being taken over by the Kazon and the crew stranded on a primitive planet. The interaction between The Doctor and Suder is very good and the adventures of the stranded crew are highly exciting. This episode is a masterpiece.

I'll give it 10 points out of 10.

When I first watched this episode, I had to wait six months to watch part 2. It was six very long months!

 

[Mrs Paris]

"Basics" is definitely one of my top 5 favorites. Both part 1 and part 2 are great.

The whole story is brilliant from the beginning to the end with the ship being taken over by the Kazon and the crew stranded on a primitive planet. The interaction between The Doctor and Suder is very good and the adventures of the stranded crew are highly exciting. This episode is a masterpiece.

I'll give it 10 points out of 10.

When I first watched this episode, I had to wait six months to watch part 2. It was six very long months!

this is about part 2

 

[PhoenixIreland]

It was good because now not only were they stranded in thee DQ but on one of it's planets, and these backward savages have their ship.

If not for Toms quick thinkin underfire, they'd still be there.
Tom Tom Tom Tom!

 

[freak]

Gotta love this ep!!! This ep had me wondering all summer what would happen to the Voy crew..was Chakotay really the father of Seska's child as she claims? Of course he wasn't thank god! But I LOVED this ep..wonderful story line..and loved them roughing it.

 

[JayTheTrekkie]

Basics part 2 was fantastic! Great action

 

[Guy Gardener]

I find it hilarious that Janeway says that those redshirts from Good Shepperd had never been on an away mission.

Alternately I find it reprehensible that there was a regime change between seasons and a couple story ideas were completely reversed... That was Chakotay's baby the year earlier before Jeri Taylor spoiled the broth.

I liked it that Janeway and Tuvok couldn't spend 5 minutes on the surface of a planet with out going to war with the natives and it took the homicidal terrorist (Chuckles) to barter peace. Quite a story for the homicidal terrorists getting the blue ribbon what?

I also had to wonder if that wasn't Janeway's real hair like Mugrew was wearing a wig in reality.) then why was so frugal with the fire staring?

 

[kimc]

I find it hilarious that Janeway says that those redshirts from Good Shepperd had never been on an away mission.

Well, technically it wasn't an away mission and they were probably off the ship before for shore leaves. They were just never assigned to an official away team party.

Alternately I find it reprehensible that there was a regime change between seasons and a couple story ideas were completely reversed... That was Chakotay's baby the year earlier before Jeri Taylor spoiled the broth.

Where did you hear that one?

 

[freak]

I find it hilarious that Janeway says that those redshirts from Good Shepperd had never been on an away mission.

Alternately I find it reprehensible that there was a regime change between seasons and a couple story ideas were completely reversed... That was Chakotay's baby the year earlier before Jeri Taylor spoiled the broth.

I liked it that Janeway and Tuvok couldn't spend 5 minutes on the surface of a planet with out going to war with the natives and it took the homicidal terrorist (Chuckles) to barter peace. Quite a story for the homicidal terrorists getting the blue ribbon what?

I also had to wonder if that wasn't Janeway's real hair like Mugrew was wearing a wig in reality.) then why was so frugal with the fire staring?

You're confusing me..Chakotay's baby a year earlier..what on earth are you talking about???

Actually they didn't go to war with them in the beginning..they tried to avoid them. Then they distracted them while Chakotay rescued Kes and Neelix. I thought it was great that Chakotay saved that native. I would have much rather been the one to be rescued by him..but that's another story entirely.

It wasn't Mulgrew's real hair, hon. It was hair extensions. Her hair is actually shoulder length but it was really fine so they had to use hair extensions to thicken it up a bit. But they did use a HUGE chunk of it in the fire, didn't they? I remember reading where Mulgrew hated the extensions because they always made her neck sore-she had to wear those silly things 16-18 hour days and that is really rough on your neck and head!!!! Bet she had lots of bad headaches too. No wonder she chopped it off in season 4!!!!!!

 

[Mrs Paris]

I find it hilarious that Janeway says that those redshirts from Good Shepperd had never been on an away mission.

Alternately I find it reprehensible that there was a regime change between seasons and a couple story ideas were completely reversed... That was Chakotay's baby the year earlier before Jeri Taylor spoiled the broth.

I liked it that Janeway and Tuvok couldn't spend 5 minutes on the surface of a planet with out going to war with the natives and it took the homicidal terrorist (Chuckles) to barter peace. Quite a story for the homicidal terrorists getting the blue ribbon what?

I also had to wonder if that wasn't Janeway's real hair like Mugrew was wearing a wig in reality.) then why was so frugal with the fire staring?

You're confusing me..Chakotay's baby a year earlier..what on earth are you talking about???

Actually they didn't go to war with them in the beginning..they tried to avoid them. Then they distracted them while Chakotay rescued Kes and Neelix. I thought it was great that Chakotay saved that native. I would have much rather been the one to be rescued by him..but that's another story entirely.

It wasn't Mulgrew's real hair, hon. It was hair extensions. Her hair is actually shoulder length but it was really fine so they had to use hair extensions to thicken it up a bit. But they did use a HUGE chunk of it in the fire, didn't they? I remember reading where Mulgrew hated the extensions because they always made her neck sore-she had to wear those silly things 16-18 hour days and that is really rough on your neck and head!!!! Bet she had lots of bad headaches too. No wonder she chopped it off in season 4!!!!!!

the bun was just a wig wasn't it

 

[rocketscientist]

I gave it a 5. I thought Basics was ok, but, compared to other two-parters on TNG and DS9, I felt it came up short. The one thing I really liked about it was Suder and the EMH taking back the ship. Suder was a fascinating character that Michael Pillar wanted to do more with. Unfortunately, B & B killed him off in Basics.

 

[startrekwatcher]

Alternately I find it reprehensible that there was a regime change between seasons and a couple story ideas were completely reversed... That was Chakotay's baby the year earlier before Jeri Taylor spoiled the broth.

Where did you hear that one?

From what I've read Jeri Taylor and Michael Piller had differing ideas on the direction VOY should take. There was a tug of war between the two in season two. Jeri wanted to not focus on the Kazon. She wanted standalones and resisted the mini-arc in the middle of season with Paris.

Piller wrote both parts of Basics at the same time unlike the usual way Trek writers normally handle two part season finales/premieres. He wanted the child to be Chakotay's
http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/mov/STTNG3/chat1.html

MichaelPiller: I wanted the child of Chakotay and Seska to die in part 2 of the second season cliffhanger as a counterpoint to the birth of Ensign Wilder's baby on the planet, but it was deemed to be thematically too violent and so the baby lived but turned out to be not Chakotay's after all, which undermined the effectiveness of the story I was trying to tell. I was a lame duck and leaving, so I couldn't fight very hard. That's the only thing I ever remember not getting that I wanted in my entire Star Trek career.

But ultimately Jeri got her way and that is why she basically jettisoned everything from the first two seasons in Part II-the Kazon, Seska, the Vidiians, Chakotay's baby.