What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first season?

[Pseudo]

What if Geneviève Bujold had left at the end of the first season?

While finding the demands of production difficult Bujold decides to stick it out, but as the first season comes to an end there's little doubt in the mind of Berman et al that she's very unhappy and won't be returning for season two.

Okay, so basically I'm asking what if Janeway had died at the end of the first season.

I'd imagine that much of the early second season would be taken up with a conflict between Tuvok and Chakotay, both believing they should be in command. I'd think that Tuvok would naturally be unwilling to see a member of the Maquis in command considering that he initially seemed to view Chakotay being given the position of first officer was a compromise to placate the Maquis crew members.

Would we see the Maquis and Starfleet crews come to blows? Perhaps only eventually joining together when they face a common threat.

I'd suspect that eventually Chakotay would become Captain, with Tuvok as his first officer simply because I can't really see viewers warming to a Vulcan captain and it would provide a nice reversal of the Captain/First Officer roles in season one.

Good idea? Bad idea? Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Does anyone think that Beltran would be as critical of the show if he'd spent the majority of it in the Captain's chair?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

I don't think Robert Beltran is a good enough actor to carry a TV series. The Chakotay-centric episodes we saw were mostly awful. I'm sure a Voyager series starring him would have died a swift death.

 

[Shatnertage]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

I like Chakotay, so I've got a slightly different perspective. I think he'd work fine as a captain if you give him occasional action hero stuff to do, but the emphasis would probably shift more to the characters around him; it would become more of an ensemble show.

They'd probably have brought in 7 at about the same time to spice things up, and probably would have first added a regular cast-member drawn from the crew who's been there, but who we haven't seen.

For example, Chakotay becomes captain. Tuvok becomes first officer. Either Kim gets a big promotion and moves up to security/tactical, which means we get a new ensign as part of the main crew, or you say that, to maintain the Fed/Maquis balance, they're brining up Lt. Macha Hernandez (stole the name from TNG), a former Maquis, as security chief.

Needless to say, it would be a very different show. It could have worked, though, if you brought in the rest of the cast more.

 

[ALF]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

They would have pulled a Doctor Who, recast and chalked it up to a subspace gravametric anomaly. With inverse tetryon particles.

(beep beep beep) Sound of a dump truck full of $$$$ backing up to unload at Braga's mansion

 

[Pseudo]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

I like Chakotay, so I've got a slightly different perspective. I think he'd work fine as a captain if you give him occasional action hero stuff to do, but the emphasis would probably shift more to the characters around him; it would become more of an ensemble show.

That's pretty much the way I see it. I don't think that Beltran could have carried the show the way Mulgrew did, but I don't think he was incapable of taking on the Captain role in a strong ensemble. If I can retreat in to the Bujold scenario I'd presume that by mid-season at the latest the executive producers would be aware of her unhappiness and probably be taking the show in a more ensemble direction in the second half anyway.

They'd probably have brought in 7 at about the same time to spice things up, and probably would have first added a regular cast-member drawn from the crew who's been there, but who we haven't seen.

It would seem the perfect solution to introduce the Borg as an enemy for the Maquis and Starfleet factions to unite against, and the introduction of seven would flesh out the cast. But, from a personal perspective I'd worry that the show hadn't explored the potential of the delta quadrant before falling back on a well-worn adversary. The answer might be to introduce the Borg as a single ship, but then the issue of if Seven is taken in by Voyager why wouldn't she tell them to avoid Borg space?

For example, Chakotay becomes captain. Tuvok becomes first officer. Either Kim gets a big promotion and moves up to security/tactical, which means we get a new ensign as part of the main crew, or you say that, to maintain the Fed/Maquis balance, they're brining up Lt. Macha Hernandez (stole the name from TNG), a former Maquis, as security chief.

My first instinct would be that as part of the deal between Tuvok and Chakotay the Security Chief would have to be Starfleet. I can't see Tuvok relinquishing both command of the vessel responsibility for and oversight of ships security to the Maquis. I think that would be a bridge too far. In which case even though it's straining credibility I could see Kim getting that promotion, alternatively a new female Starfleet security chief could be introduced - possibly played by Jeri Ryan.

Needless to say, it would be a very different show. It could have worked, though, if you brought in the rest of the cast more.

I think it would have introduced a very different dynamic and possibly made it a bit more interesting than it was.

 

[Gaith]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

They would have pulled a Doctor Who, recast and chalked it up to a subspace gravametric anomaly. With inverse tetryon particles.

(beep beep beep) Sound of a dump truck full of $$$$ backing up to unload at Braga's mansion

This.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Interesting. I think that if there was no Janeway due to Bujold leaving at the end of the first season and they wanted to change things around this is how I would do it.

-At first Chakotay and Tuvok make an agreement between each other that Chakotay will assume command of Voyager with him as his first officer. Their thought is that Janeway would have wanted to see the two crews still working together and a continuity in the chain of command. Harry is promoted to Lt. JG and made the new security/tactical officer (he at first shows that he's not comfortable at the position but Tuvok mentors him) and Samantha Wildman is reassigned to Operations Officer.

-There is are elements within both Starfleet and Maquis who are still not satisfied with this arrangement (festered by Seska's machinations and plots) and tension is slowly built up and created, even starting to infect Captain Chakotay and Commander Tuvok's tentative working relationship. All season long the tension would be ramped up. We'd see various little scuffles and clashes. Until Seska is revealed as being Cardassian and behind the attempt at revolt. The alliance with the Kazon is made and it is when the Voyager crew is forced to abandon ship (like in the series proper) that both crews finally realize that they must put past political differences aside and work together.

-When Seven of Nine comes aboard later on...Chakotay has a father/daughter type of mentoring relationship with her. Similar to the one I indicated that develops between Tuvok and Harry Kim.

 

[SRFX]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

I like Chakotay, so I've got a slightly different perspective. I think he'd work fine as a captain if you give him occasional action hero stuff to do, but the emphasis would probably shift more to the characters around him; it would become more of an ensemble show.

They'd probably have brought in 7 at about the same time to spice things up, and probably would have first added a regular cast-member drawn from the crew who's been there, but who we haven't seen.

For example, Chakotay becomes captain. Tuvok becomes first officer. Either Kim gets a big promotion and moves up to security/tactical, which means we get a new ensign as part of the main crew, or you say that, to maintain the Fed/Maquis balance, they're brining up Lt. Macha Hernandez (stole the name from TNG), a former Maquis, as security chief.

Needless to say, it would be a very different show. It could have worked, though, if you brought in the rest of the cast more.

So you're saying it would've become an ensemble show like DS9? Great!

I personally do think that Chakotay is good enough to carry a show and I prefer his style of flexible command over Janeway's iron fist. With the exception of Tattoo (and that wasn't any fault of Beltran anyway), I have enjoyed most Chakotay-centric episodes.

 

[Tomalak]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

I would have kept Seska on the ship, or at least brought her back on board in season two, providing a constant foil for Chakotay.

 

[OmahaStar]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Why do people assume Seven would have come aboard? The character was only created to take the place of Kim when they fired Wang. Sure, that had to change due to the "beautiful People" debacle and they fired Jennifer instead, but still ... What makes anyone think there was 1) any plan in place (at all) and 2) Seven was planned from the beginning to be added at a future point?

 

[Takeru]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Why do people assume Seven would have come aboard? The character was only created to take the place of Kim when they fired Wang. Sure, that had to change due to the "beautiful People" debacle and they fired Jennifer instead, but still ...

It was the other way around, they decided to get rid of an established character to make room for Seven after it was decided to add her to the cast.

But you're right, we don't know if they would have added Seven, maybe Bujold leaving the show would have led to changes that helped boosting the ratings without the borg boobs the network thought they needed.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Given the premise of the show, I think it would be pretty hard to replace the "Captain" character in a believable manner, because it's a lead character and they are far away from any replacements. Sure you can "promote" the XO character, but that would change the entire dynamic of the characters. And given that part of VOY's hook was "OMG a female Captain!" I dont think they would go that direction. Probably they'd just find some contrived way for another female Starfleet Captain to join the crew as CO and after a while ignore Janeway all together. (Played by Kate Mulgrew no doubt )

 

[Rulius]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

If she had stayed on probably no season 2 heh.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

It's impossible.

there was some fuck up that Voyager season one completed on TV witht he airing of it's 16th episode. The final four episodes of season one are sometimes/often called the first four episodes of season two.

So she would've been wierdly phased out off camera on/before the 5 episode of season 2, or the final four episodes of season 1 could have been retooled for either flash backs or some sort of time travel adventure.

 

[Shon T'Hara]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

The Voyager stumbles across a colony of Starfleet officers stranded in the Delta Quadrant years ago, and one of them happens to be a captain.

 

[Dukhat]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Chakotay wouldn't have been made captain because TPTB were so gung-ho about having a female captain that they would have either recast Janeway or created another female character.

 

[Saxman1]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Chakotay wouldn't have been made captain because TPTB were so gung-ho about having a female captain that they would have either recast Janeway or created another female character.

THIS and they would have likely recast with Kate Mulgrew had she been available, as she was their #2 choice from the get-go.

 

[froot]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Well, um, maybe Chakotay could have gotten a sex change? I mean, Doc's a pretty talented hologram and all.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

A transporter accident would have changed her face.

Hells it could have been Kathryn who was Tuvixed with perhaps Kim which would have mean meant an Asian Captain so that Sulu/Takai would have been happier in Flashback.

Karry Kineway?

kathold Jim?

Hathyn?

Hathy?

Would she have a little penis along with the usual female plumbling?

Would Q still want to tap that?

Or that Irish Boy?

Maybe her little penis would have been curious about Michaels wife more so than just murdering her?

And when Kim's fake Family tried laid a honey trap to eat him?

 

[Shatnertage]

Re: What if Geneviève Bujold had left until the end of the first seaso

Well, um, maybe Chakotay could have gotten a sex change? I mean, Doc's a pretty talented hologram and all.

I was thinking the same thing.