Hello everyone, I just fell on this article about Janeway/Severn's relationship. It was written recently. Anyway, the content was very instructive and confirmed what I have quickly observed right in season 4: these 2 female characters working together, often under tension but always (especially after they got to know each other better or should I say, better communicate/interact together), respect,each other was the best thing which happened in Star Trek: Voyager. https://intl.startrek.com/news/captain-janeway-and-seven-of-nines-relationship-was-a-true-gift Enjoy the reading!
That was an excellent read. Thank you for posting it. I especially like the quote below from Mulgrew - Seven of Nine is what brought Janeway to life, as a deeply human woman... and I am deeply grateful for that. Both actresses are consummate professionals, otherwise we might not have been "gifted " their friendship on-air.
The show (arguably the only one where relationships and procreation would begin to have any exploratory meaning because they're so far out and it's a multi-generational journey) having characters shipping as plot points was boring enough (Torres/Paris and Seven/Chakotay just feel contrived) but the trait of "fit person in revealing outfit" is cringey either which way, unless one likes the form of the human frame and that's where the complexity begins. Ryan should have had more of a choice in wardrobe, regardless of anything, that's for sure. The fact she could act definitely elevated the show. And it was the Seven/Janeway relationship (not shipping, the difference is huge) that saved the show, making both Seven complex with depth and conflict, as well as honing Janeway that much more in turn. And so well-acted by both... The article suggests Mulgrew hated 7 because of the outfit that even Julie Newmar would balk over: Could the dislike have been used as channeling to make Janeway's performance even stronger? (Not that Mulgrew needed any impetus, she's brill at everything she portrays!) But is "the outfit" the only reason and did she project annoyance onto the wrong person as a result? Ryan had to wear it, what would she be able to do? At the same time, the makers did take Roddenberry's idea of sexualized beings a bit too far; Seven has an unconventional reason, and T'Pol had no reason. Lursa and B'tor also have revealing outfits when Klingon armor is usually meant to protect parts and not showcase them... even to the point that other TV shows like sitcoms would using TNG as joke fodder (e.g. Kelly Bundy made a reference about Bud's television habits involving "Klingon Cleavage" and that's long before VOY was thought of.) The one time Roddenberry himself went overboard was "Justice", which makes everything else supremely tame by comparison. And, of course, how Seven develops in PIC. People abused as kids can recover fully or partially depending on circumstances but it's not that simple in real life.
FWIW, Kate Mulgrew has long since apologized to Ryan about the way she treated her on set, stating that targeted her frustration a the wrong person and not the people who made that decision.
I always thought that if I was Janeway, I would have treated Seven as my daughter that needed protection and help. But then I am only a male, so who knows what women thought about these two.
I'm a woman. I have always thought that Janeway's relationship with Seven was overtly maternal. I think that even more now that my own children are (almost) grown. I am glad to know that Mulgrew made amends to Ryan. I understand how upset Mulgrew was, but it's good to see that she recognizes that her anger was misplaced. In the category of "what might have been", I think that Seven "growing up" with Kes would have been an interesting dynamic to explore.
Surely but English not being my mother tongue (I'm a Frenchie), the subtleties of this language still cause me some problems. Thank you to have corrected me, malboro!
I can't speak for all women, of course, only myself -- but for me, the Janeway/Seven relationship is one of the most compelling elements of Voyager's later seasons. I agree that there is a kind of mother/daughter dynamic between them, especially early on, but as the show progresses, their relationship grows into a deep camaraderie I find very moving. I first watched through Voyager when I was a teen, and it was refreshing, as I was used to seeing women pitted against each other in TV and movies all too often. Janeway and Seven do butt heads from time to time, but love and respect is what ultimately defines their relationship.