How about we look at this from the other side?
It depends what one values more, consistency with a huge number of mediocre episodes and a few really good ones, or a show that can go from utter brilliance to utter crap and back. The latter might be more frustrating, and I hate the worst episodes of DS9 a lot more than I hate any episodes of VOY, but I think that might be because of my preference as well: I care more for the characters on DS9, so when an episode or plot is making them act OCC or performing a character assassination, it really pisses me off.How about we look at this from the other side?
VOY may have had episodes like Ex Post Facto and Heroes And Demons, but it certainly did not have episodes like Meridian and Fascination. (yes, I liked the latter, but in the same way folks enjoy Ed Wood movies)
PS: This thread's breached 10,000 views! Woo! Thanks everyone!
OTOH, if a VOY episode does the same to a VOY character, it doesn't bother me that much. 
That's not a disinterested emoticon, it's the shrugging emoticon, "I dunno".
Why Defiant?
That's not a disinterested emoticon, it's the shrugging emoticon, "I dunno".
. It's an answer, not a suggested "disinterest" symbol. Although I think it could work; I tend to view that sort of apathetic shrugging as expressing disinterest...though you're right, we probably should have one distinct from "I dunno"...
Since I compare the two shows as they aired against each other, I actually include Chrysalis here, which is one of the strongest Season Finales you're likely to come across. Plus, it wouldn't surprise me if some of B5's late S1 efforts were playing in re-runs while DS9 had that five-week solo run at the beginning of S3. Ultimately, B5 and DS9 did a lot of trading blows in the Fall, where the quality of their shows would continuously flip-flop from week to week.
What problems?
Just watched "Mortal Coil" today, and he was really good in this episode. I wonder if my problem in "Jetrel" wasn't that many of his emotional scenes were with Kes, and their scenes always felt fake because I didn't buy their relationship (even though in this case, they were at least not being "romantic" with each other). Generally, Neelix is far less annoying when he's not around Kes. It's odd that his centric episodes were always strong and made him into an interesting and sympathetic character, but the rest of the time he was just annoying. He could have been a much better character if they focused on his background more, on his shady past and on his pain over the death of his family, give him a bit more introspection and hinted that his OTT cheeriness was a defense mechanism. (And... would it be too much to ask for a less goofy haircut?True, it may not have been an amazing outing, but Phillips did something for Neelix that hadn't been managed for all of VOY's run thus far: he made Neelix sympathetic.I really liked "Jetrel", it was one of my favorite VOY episodes... not that this is saying muchbut it was a really good episode. However, I must disagree with you on the performances - I thought Sloyan was great, as always, but I was not impressed by Phillips. I see that quite a few people seem to appreciate his acting, but I found it to be very 'meh' and to me the biggest weakness of the episode was that all of Neelix's serious and emotional scenes fell flat and did not really move me, which they should have by all accounts. That's the biggest difference between this episode and "Duet".
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But you have to admit that there is at least one VOY episode - Threshold - that has to make you wonder "What were they thinking?" or rather "What were they smoking?"
I don't think they were smoking it, for "inspiration" like that they had to be injecting it right into the blood-stream.But you have to admit that there is at least one VOY episode - Threshold - that has to make you wonder "What were they thinking?" or rather "What were they smoking?"
