Another Voyager 1st-time watch thread
- Thread starter Shatnertage
- Start date
. . . 
On a more serious note, I shall try to explain my position more thoroughly. I am ok with Things That Don't Make Sense if they have a point. This is sci-fi, after all. So, I'm alright with Ballard finding the ship. It doesn't make any sense, but the story can't be told unless she does, so I can put up with it in order to watch the story and see what fun things the writer came up with based on her finding the ship.
On the other hand, if a Thing That Does Not Make Sense is also a Pointless Thing, it should not be included in the story. Janeway magically producing a burnt pot roast is not necessary. If it was deemed important to have a joke about her replicator issues and/or cooking skills, a sensible one could have been made in its stead. For example, she might have tried ordering food and getting no results. Then Ballard could have tried and succeeded. Then Janeway could chuckle and say: "Oh, that thing hates me", and the audience could grin and say: "Oh, that wacky Janeway, she sure has replicator problems, har har!"
I think I will save this post so I can repeat it (with a few word substitutions) after Shatnertage watches "Work Force".
On the other hand, if a Thing That Does Not Make Sense is also a Pointless Thing, it should not be included in the story. Janeway magically producing a burnt pot roast is not necessary. If it was deemed important to have a joke about her replicator issues and/or cooking skills, a sensible one could have been made in its stead. For example, she might have tried ordering food and getting no results. Then Ballard could have tried and succeeded. Then Janeway could chuckle and say: "Oh, that thing hates me", and the audience could grin and say: "Oh, that wacky Janeway, she sure has replicator problems, har har!"
I think I will save this post so I can repeat it (with a few word substitutions) after Shatnertage watches "Work Force".
I never realized that Janeway was supposed to be a bad cook and have problems with the replicator. She remembered her grandmother's recipe for paprikas czirke...though I was so astounded by her making Hungarian food that I don't remember if it turned out OK or not.
I still just think it's funny that she made a basketball-sized pot roast for two people.
I still just think it's funny that she made a basketball-sized pot roast for two people.
I guess this is the first time it was mentioned, then. It comes up at least once again, far more sensibly.
Her lack of culinary skills is somewhat flexible.
In Timeless(?) she makes her and Chakotay vegetable byriani and it turns out just fine. There's a few more incidents you haven't approached that I will stay mum about.
But it's one of those things that fluctuates.
Like how many shuttles Voyager has and stuff.
In Timeless(?) she makes her and Chakotay vegetable byriani and it turns out just fine. There's a few more incidents you haven't approached that I will stay mum about.
But it's one of those things that fluctuates.
Like how many shuttles Voyager has and stuff.
She was mentioned a little bit as being a lousy cook. She mentions it in "Resolutions," early on. And after this episode, it becomes more of a running theme for the remainder of the show. Chakotay also makes an offhand joke about it in... I can't remember. "Timeless," I think. As far as I know, there was never a point when she was painted as a decent cook. (Obviously not everything she replicates is disgusting, though.)
(We don't actually know if the dinner in "Timeless" turned out fine.)
I enjoy the pot roast scene for the same reason exodus does... it's just supposed to be a variation on "she's so bad at cooking, she burns water." I can overlook the stupid.
There's a similar scene in TNG where Troi gets pissed because she can't make proper replicated ice cream.EDIT: Crap, that was a different episode. Took it out to avoid spoilers, sorry.
I didn't see it, so no worries.
*shrugs* I just enjoy it because it's fun to rant about it.
Wow. To each her own. Never mind her, I'mma go back and look at that Chris Pine picture some more.
However, I still maintain that there is an important difference between Things That Do Not Make Sense and Things That Do Not Make Sense And Are Also Pointless.
However, I still maintain that there is an important difference between Things That Do Not Make Sense and Things That Do Not Make Sense And Are Also Pointless.
She was mentioned a little bit as being a lousy cook. She mentions it in "Resolutions," early on. And after this episode, it becomes more of a running theme for the remainder of the show. Chakotay also makes an offhand joke about it in... I can't remember. "Timeless," I think. As far as I know, there was never a point when she was painted as a decent cook. (Obviously not everything she replicates is disgusting, though.)
(We don't actually know if the dinner in "Timeless" turned out fine.)
I enjoy the pot roast scene for the same reason exodus does... it's just supposed to be a variation on "she's so bad at cooking, she burns water." I can overlook the stupid.
EDIT: Crap, that was a different episode. Took it out to avoid spoilers, sorry.
IIRC, it did start in "Resolutions"... Janeway made the comment that she "hates" to cook, and was appreciative of Chakotay taking over that chore on New Earth.
After that, when she started "cooking" their dinners during season 5, I took that as a "significant" step in their relationship. They both "like" to eat, they both "need" to eat, and this was something she could do to "pay him back" for all the onerous things he did "for" her as XO on Voyager and main blocker for all the crap that comes a Captain's way. In a world where they can replicate anything they want, where she can order anyone on board to do anything she needs, offering to do something herself that she feels is onerous is a pretty nice way to say "thank-you" for all you did for me this week.
As for being a bad cook, IIRC it was CHAKOTAY that first brought up the question of "poison" in relation with dinner at Kathryn's in season 6.
We won't speak of that season 7 ep that Possum has decried recently. Now... just like they say animals can smell fear, I think the replicator can "smell fear" and acts up whenever Janeway's around.
There's a certain ep in season 7 (Not WF related) that's a PERFECT example of this very issue.
Yes, but who went to the trouble of uploading a burnt pot roast to start with?
I'm looking at you, Tom Paris.
I'm looking at you, Tom Paris.
Its the same replicator that can't get her coffee the right temperature.
I think its a glitch in the isolinear chips.
Or, it is Tom Paris getting her back for "30 days".
^ I dunno, wasn't he waving around a hunk of burnt meat in "Macrocosm"? Hmmmmm.
Still!
He had the burned pot roast. I don't think macrovirii ate it.
He had the opportunity. He could easily have gone back to the Mess Hall and reclaimed the pot roast while everyone else was skiing with Chak.
He had the motive - general trickery.
He is still my prime suspect.
He had the burned pot roast. I don't think macrovirii ate it.
He had the opportunity. He could easily have gone back to the Mess Hall and reclaimed the pot roast while everyone else was skiing with Chak.
He had the motive - general trickery.
He is still my prime suspect.
Watching Voyager is serious stuff, not...
"Child's Play"
It's a science fair! On Voyager! Glad to see they are stressing learning outcomes on board.
Janeway's reactions in the scene makes me think of a perfect sitcom vehicle for Kate Mulgrew. She plays a prominent theater critic (or other intellectual, high-achieving profession) who, through a series of misadventures, becomes nanny to a few misbehaving kids of a London playboy. It's like the governess stuff from the holonovel meets a Hugh Grant movie. It could work for her.
Back to the story, they've found Icheb's parents...and Seven waits until the last minute to tell him, and doesn't exactly do a good job of prepping him, either.
I thought the kids were all Norcadians, but Icheb is Brunali--I guess his forehead ridge is different or something. At this point, were all aliens ipso facto forehead aliens?
Anyway, the Brunali (name reminds me of a luxury Italian menswear line) homeworld is susceptible to Borg attacks, and Seven isn't big on Icheb returning home. She makes some good points, but gets smacked down by Janeway in the parent/captain conference.
The episode did a better job of making Icheb likable and interesting than other ones. I recognized his mom as a crazy Hank Kingsley fan from The Larry Sanders Show, so I was kind of ready for a twist. Which was that Icheb himself was a bioweapon.
It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they can engineer a child to carry the bioweapon, why not just engineer a flea that carries it. Send up the empty ship, and when the Borg investigate, they get bitten. It's not realistic to me that parents would surrender their child like that.
So it was a decent episode, with some nice moments from Seven and Janeway, but nothing that really drew me in--I just couldn't see the parents' actions as plausible at all.
"Child's Play"
It's a science fair! On Voyager! Glad to see they are stressing learning outcomes on board.
Janeway's reactions in the scene makes me think of a perfect sitcom vehicle for Kate Mulgrew. She plays a prominent theater critic (or other intellectual, high-achieving profession) who, through a series of misadventures, becomes nanny to a few misbehaving kids of a London playboy. It's like the governess stuff from the holonovel meets a Hugh Grant movie. It could work for her.
Back to the story, they've found Icheb's parents...and Seven waits until the last minute to tell him, and doesn't exactly do a good job of prepping him, either.
I thought the kids were all Norcadians, but Icheb is Brunali--I guess his forehead ridge is different or something. At this point, were all aliens ipso facto forehead aliens?
Anyway, the Brunali (name reminds me of a luxury Italian menswear line) homeworld is susceptible to Borg attacks, and Seven isn't big on Icheb returning home. She makes some good points, but gets smacked down by Janeway in the parent/captain conference.
The episode did a better job of making Icheb likable and interesting than other ones. I recognized his mom as a crazy Hank Kingsley fan from The Larry Sanders Show, so I was kind of ready for a twist. Which was that Icheb himself was a bioweapon.
It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they can engineer a child to carry the bioweapon, why not just engineer a flea that carries it. Send up the empty ship, and when the Borg investigate, they get bitten. It's not realistic to me that parents would surrender their child like that.
So it was a decent episode, with some nice moments from Seven and Janeway, but nothing that really drew me in--I just couldn't see the parents' actions as plausible at all.
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