I wrote this for a fan magazine, and thought it may be of some interest to people here. Give me credit for digging up decade-old articles, if nothing else!
It is interesting to look back at the Victorian media's reaction to Voyager's début on 16 April, 1996. The Age' Green Guide was complimentary, praising the “evolution of modern day Star Trek”, noting that DS9 has “social realist” characters who “don't quite get along”, while Voyager is “darker, grittier, more desperate” with “very little sense of control”, adding that the “new starship is terrific” and, “Janeway continues the proud tradition of Starfleet women”. The Herald Sun featured several articles. The 10 April TV guide featured a half-page interview with Derek Screen, president of the Star Trek Appreciation Society of Victoria. He says that Voyager has “less technobabble” and “over-the-top” characters, making it more accessible. 14 April's TV Guide calls it a “boom series” which goes “back to the the true adventure elements of The Original Series” and predicts it will “turn out to be the best of the Trek spin-offs”. In a mild irony, Eric Bana has a full-page article in the same guide, well before signing on for Star Trek XI. The only negative review came on the day it aired, with a Herald Sun reviewer saying it “adds little to the genre” and that “Mulgrew is plain annoying”, though it “was worth a look for style alone”. The reviewer made it clear he was not a Star Trek fan, so the comments should be taken in that context. Most notably for fans used to poor treatment of Trek by TV networks, Voyager débuted at 8:30pm, with both TNG and TOS on at 11pm the same night. Unfortunately, it did not last long, with Voyager relegated to a late-night slot in a couple of weeks.
The best thing about a complete set of a series is seeing how the show began and tracking its development. Voyager started with a strong pilot, much faster-moving than TNG and more comprehensible than DS9. It is quite frustrating that many of the elements that made it so promising are quickly abandoned. Neelix has a real edge, Kes has the strength and impetuousness that saw her originally leave her people and there is the promise of conflict between Starfleet and Maquis, yet none of these are really developed in this season.
The first few episodes after the pilot have problems. "Time and Again" is weighed down by technobabble and simply bad science and the next episode, "Parallax", features an identical concept of time displacement with effect proceeding cause. Two of the first ten episodes feature aliens who look exactly human, with no explanation, there are no language difficulties, one race has pistols and another pet dogs! This greatly detracts from the concept of being on the other side of the galaxy, and does not capture the sense of the “unknown” as Enterprise did. Perhaps of most concern is the writing of Neelix as jealous and possessive of Kes, then selfish and whining when he confronts Janeway for taking risks. This makes the character quite dislikeable, and early impressions remain.
The early problems are notable. However, the series offers so much more, which those who gave up on it early would miss out on. Most evident is the development of the Doctor. Watching his struggle to be accepted, nervousness with his first away mission and interactions with Kes are a reminder of how far the character came. It is quite amusing to hear him speculate about creating a family or raising an army and scornfully dismiss a suggestion that he sing – he will do all three later in the series. Janeway's different command style, trying to be “more than a captain” to her crew and maintain discipline without provoking a mutiny, is also refreshing. Watching her blistering rebuke of B'Elanna without ever raising her voice, her shock at Tuvok's betrayal, her confrontation with Cullah (“I don't like bullies, I don't like threats, and I don't like you!”), it is clear this is a very different captain to those that came before, and Mulgrew plays it well.
Of the specific episodes, there are several standouts. “Eye of the Needle” is a well-told story of the crew's attempts to get home, and watching the reactions as each option fails is memorable and emotional. “Emanations” is an interesting study of what happens when Voyager's inadvertent interference reveals to a race its afterlife isn't what it has long believed. “Prime Factors” is able to use Voyager's unique story of having both non-Starfleet crew and a desperate need to return home to have senior officers betray Janeway. Such a disobeyal of a captain's orders would not have been easily explained on another series, but here it makes sense. “Jetrel” reveals the potential of Neelix in a dramatic episode with downright poetic dialogue.
The extras on the DVD include a look at the original Janeway, Genevive Bujold, who looks distinctly uncomfortable in the role. There are also looks at the special effects, a day on the set and reflections from the cast.
The season is brief (four more episodes were filmed, but held over for season 2), and unlike following seasons, does not end with a cliffhanger. There are few ongoing plots, presumably to keep the series accessible to new viewers. However, the exposure of a traitor aboard Voyager will have consequences in the second season. It is not Voyager's best season by any means but serves as a nice introduction to the characters and mission.
It is interesting to look back at the Victorian media's reaction to Voyager's début on 16 April, 1996. The Age' Green Guide was complimentary, praising the “evolution of modern day Star Trek”, noting that DS9 has “social realist” characters who “don't quite get along”, while Voyager is “darker, grittier, more desperate” with “very little sense of control”, adding that the “new starship is terrific” and, “Janeway continues the proud tradition of Starfleet women”. The Herald Sun featured several articles. The 10 April TV guide featured a half-page interview with Derek Screen, president of the Star Trek Appreciation Society of Victoria. He says that Voyager has “less technobabble” and “over-the-top” characters, making it more accessible. 14 April's TV Guide calls it a “boom series” which goes “back to the the true adventure elements of The Original Series” and predicts it will “turn out to be the best of the Trek spin-offs”. In a mild irony, Eric Bana has a full-page article in the same guide, well before signing on for Star Trek XI. The only negative review came on the day it aired, with a Herald Sun reviewer saying it “adds little to the genre” and that “Mulgrew is plain annoying”, though it “was worth a look for style alone”. The reviewer made it clear he was not a Star Trek fan, so the comments should be taken in that context. Most notably for fans used to poor treatment of Trek by TV networks, Voyager débuted at 8:30pm, with both TNG and TOS on at 11pm the same night. Unfortunately, it did not last long, with Voyager relegated to a late-night slot in a couple of weeks.
The best thing about a complete set of a series is seeing how the show began and tracking its development. Voyager started with a strong pilot, much faster-moving than TNG and more comprehensible than DS9. It is quite frustrating that many of the elements that made it so promising are quickly abandoned. Neelix has a real edge, Kes has the strength and impetuousness that saw her originally leave her people and there is the promise of conflict between Starfleet and Maquis, yet none of these are really developed in this season.
The first few episodes after the pilot have problems. "Time and Again" is weighed down by technobabble and simply bad science and the next episode, "Parallax", features an identical concept of time displacement with effect proceeding cause. Two of the first ten episodes feature aliens who look exactly human, with no explanation, there are no language difficulties, one race has pistols and another pet dogs! This greatly detracts from the concept of being on the other side of the galaxy, and does not capture the sense of the “unknown” as Enterprise did. Perhaps of most concern is the writing of Neelix as jealous and possessive of Kes, then selfish and whining when he confronts Janeway for taking risks. This makes the character quite dislikeable, and early impressions remain.
The early problems are notable. However, the series offers so much more, which those who gave up on it early would miss out on. Most evident is the development of the Doctor. Watching his struggle to be accepted, nervousness with his first away mission and interactions with Kes are a reminder of how far the character came. It is quite amusing to hear him speculate about creating a family or raising an army and scornfully dismiss a suggestion that he sing – he will do all three later in the series. Janeway's different command style, trying to be “more than a captain” to her crew and maintain discipline without provoking a mutiny, is also refreshing. Watching her blistering rebuke of B'Elanna without ever raising her voice, her shock at Tuvok's betrayal, her confrontation with Cullah (“I don't like bullies, I don't like threats, and I don't like you!”), it is clear this is a very different captain to those that came before, and Mulgrew plays it well.
Of the specific episodes, there are several standouts. “Eye of the Needle” is a well-told story of the crew's attempts to get home, and watching the reactions as each option fails is memorable and emotional. “Emanations” is an interesting study of what happens when Voyager's inadvertent interference reveals to a race its afterlife isn't what it has long believed. “Prime Factors” is able to use Voyager's unique story of having both non-Starfleet crew and a desperate need to return home to have senior officers betray Janeway. Such a disobeyal of a captain's orders would not have been easily explained on another series, but here it makes sense. “Jetrel” reveals the potential of Neelix in a dramatic episode with downright poetic dialogue.
The extras on the DVD include a look at the original Janeway, Genevive Bujold, who looks distinctly uncomfortable in the role. There are also looks at the special effects, a day on the set and reflections from the cast.
The season is brief (four more episodes were filmed, but held over for season 2), and unlike following seasons, does not end with a cliffhanger. There are few ongoing plots, presumably to keep the series accessible to new viewers. However, the exposure of a traitor aboard Voyager will have consequences in the second season. It is not Voyager's best season by any means but serves as a nice introduction to the characters and mission.
