Did Janeway Get Shorted in the Later Seasons?
- Thread starter kimc
- Start date
No, I do not. I copied my post from another thread that inspired this thread. I hope that's all right.
I did a line count while watching the DVDs.
Kate was always *way* ahead of the rest of the cast in lines. Now, there are individual episodes where Jeri has more (like, "One," for instance), but over a season, Kate is always far and away the line leader in every single season.
And for all the arguing about how Seven took over the show, Jeri was a distant third in the final season behind Kate and Picardo.
Another fan also did a line count and she posted them on her site. You can view the facts here: it's obvious from the counts that Janeway had more lines per season than any other character--including Seven and the EMH.
http://www.chakoteya.net/Voyager/LineCountS4-S7.htm
Oh, and Kate "fought for screentime" from no one. She was actually on record as to wanting *less* screentime in seasons 6 & 7 to spend time with her new husband.
I did a line count while watching the DVDs.
Kate was always *way* ahead of the rest of the cast in lines. Now, there are individual episodes where Jeri has more (like, "One," for instance), but over a season, Kate is always far and away the line leader in every single season.
And for all the arguing about how Seven took over the show, Jeri was a distant third in the final season behind Kate and Picardo.
Another fan also did a line count and she posted them on her site. You can view the facts here: it's obvious from the counts that Janeway had more lines per season than any other character--including Seven and the EMH.
http://www.chakoteya.net/Voyager/LineCountS4-S7.htm
Oh, and Kate "fought for screentime" from no one. She was actually on record as to wanting *less* screentime in seasons 6 & 7 to spend time with her new husband.
Tuvok's character really saw less screen time in the later seasons. That observation is born out by line counts.
That Janeway got stiffed in the amount of screentime she had is *not* substantiated by the stats.
And I did the counts (and am grateful to the other fan for posting them) simply because I got sick and tired of the same old whining about how Kate got stiffed by her younger co-star.
I agree my poor Tuvie got shorted.
While I agree that Janeway was on the screen saying things like "fire phasers" or "Coffee, black." the number of storylines devoted to her were pretty inadequate considering she's the captain.
Kate had a hell of a lot more to do than that.
If I had time, I'd post the episodes by lead character. Maybe tomorrow.
"Counterpoint" comes to mind first which is a huge fan favorite for Janeway.I agree my poor Tuvie got shorted.
While I agree that Janeway was on the screen saying things like "fire phasers" or "Coffee, black." the number of storylines devoted to her were pretty inadequate considering she's the captain.
Too be fair, "Fair Haven" & "11:59" were Janeway eps. Fans might not like them but they were about her.
No I didn't think she got shorted at all. Really the later seasons focused on her, Seven and the EMH. The characters that actually did get shorted were Tuvok, Chakotay, Paris, Kim, Neelix and Torres which actually didn't bother me since those characters had ceased being interesting to me years ago and when they were featured in a headliner it was usually not very good.
She got plenty of screen time, but I would've liked to see her character develop more. In season 7 she seemed like pretty much the same person she was in season 1. You'd think being stranded 75 years from home would have a pretty big affect on her. Then again, this is VOY we're talking about...
Hardly. Janeway was one of the show's most consistently dominant characters in later seasons; part of a de facto triad with the Doctor and Seven. By comparison it was the rest of the cast who were fading into background scenery.
It was an emphasis that made sense; the two most popular characters and the series lead. But while I loved the Doctor and actually liked Seven; I certainly good have stood a good deal less of Janeway and more of, say, Tuvok.
So no; but I would have possibly liked the show better had it been the case.
Agreed, I don't thinks they call it "Totally Kate" for nothing.
Your avatar is freakin' awesome!
Well not to be out-geeked but I went through the count list and compared the Janeway/Seven episodes:
Janeway: Concerning Flight, Counterpoint, (Bride of Chaotica), Equinox, (11:59), Dragon's Teeth, Fair Haven, Spirit Folk, Good Shepherd, Shattered, The Void, Workforce, Q2, (Endgame)
Seven: Raven, Drone, One, Infinite Regress, Bliss, Someone To Watch Over Me, Survival Instinct, One Small Step, Voyager Conspiracy, Tsunkatse, Imperfection, Body and Soul, Repentence, Human Error, Natural Law
The ones with () are ones where the actor may have had a lot of lines but they were either spoken by a different character or the episode was actually devoted to another character. This leaves the counts at:
Janeway: 11 episodes (3 partials)
Seven: 15 epidoses
The line counts are:
Janeway: 6908
Seven: 4151
I believe this supports my contention that Janeway may have had a lot of lines ("Fire phasers!") but the storylines were fewer. As to the quality of a few of those storylines (Spirit Folk
) that's another issue altogether!Feel free to start ripping...
That maybe how you feel, kimc but so far the majority that have replied don't agree.
BTW, Arachnia & Admiral Janeway are still Janeway. However, going by your thinking, "Infinate Regress"(half the lines spoken, Seven wasn't speaking as Seven), "Someone To Watch..."(was just as much a Doctor ep. as Seven), "One Small Step" & "Natural Law"(was equally shared with Chakotay)
BTW, Arachnia & Admiral Janeway are still Janeway. However, going by your thinking, "Infinate Regress"(half the lines spoken, Seven wasn't speaking as Seven), "Someone To Watch..."(was just as much a Doctor ep. as Seven), "One Small Step" & "Natural Law"(was equally shared with Chakotay)
However Seven was was one of the main focus characters of those shows, imo.
As for the opinion count who says this thread is over?
I would remove the parentheses from "11:59." While Kate plays Janeway's ancestor, the point of the episode is Janeway's response to finding out the myth wasn't quite what she thought.
I would also remove the parentheses from "Bride of Chaotica" and "Endgame." BoC was Janeway playing a role to get her ship out of danger (much as she did in "Counterpoint") and in "Endgame," Admiral Janeway is still Janeway--and the focus of the episode is on the interaction between the two.
I would also add parentheses to "Body and Soul." While Jeri got the bulk of lines in the episode, she was playing the Doctor in Seven's body.
To Janeway's list, I'd also add "Night" and "Live Fast and Prosper."
I'll be back later with other comments.
I would also remove the parentheses from "Bride of Chaotica" and "Endgame." BoC was Janeway playing a role to get her ship out of danger (much as she did in "Counterpoint") and in "Endgame," Admiral Janeway is still Janeway--and the focus of the episode is on the interaction between the two.
I would also add parentheses to "Body and Soul." While Jeri got the bulk of lines in the episode, she was playing the Doctor in Seven's body.
To Janeway's list, I'd also add "Night" and "Live Fast and Prosper."
I'll be back later with other comments.
Of course she was focused on heavily, Seven/Jeri Ryan was part of a huge media blitz to keep Voyager on the air. It would be foolish not to use their star attraction they were promoting to keep an audience watching.
However Seven was was one of the main focus characters of those shows, imo.
As for the opinion count who says this thread is over?
Exactly! I'm not denying the reasons - just pointing out the results.
Again, as for counts I don't deny the subjectivity - after all this thread is mainly about perceptions.
The result was, they needed the show to stay on the air and Janeway alone wasn't doing it. The cast before Seven showed up sadly wasn't doing it. The Janeway/Seven/EMH combo was.
Exactly! I'm not denying the reasons - just pointing out the results.
Again, as for counts I don't deny the subjectivity - after all this thread is mainly about perceptions.
Honestly, where you may see perceptions, I still see it as not giving credit where credit is due for both actresses and the roles they were given. I also see it as a way of pitting Janeway fans against Seven ones(again), which is why I'm glad to see the majority so far is united that both characters and actresses brought something to the show equally. It's very rare in the Voy. forum to see such unity.
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Many of her "a lot of lines" were doing things like giving advice. (In Latent Image, for example, she's certainly not the star, but her philosophical conversations go far beyond "Coffee. Black.")I believe this supports my contention that Janeway may have had a lot of lines ("Fire phasers!") but the storylines were fewer. As to the quality of a few of those storylines (Spirit Folk
