How would you change the show?

[Anwar]

And it's in our nature to see it that way. That's what I called Kes's age "the chronological elephant in the room".

I think the idea was that the crew of Voyager were supposed to be enlightened enough that they could see past the limits imposed by human culture... problem is, as the audience, we can't (and as someone who's in the business of keeping children safe, I say that's a good thing). And that's why I agree with the initial notion: deleting the Kes/Neelix relationship would have been a positive for both characters, and VOY as a whole. Tom and B'Elanna had their issues, but they were a far better flagship romance for the show.

There was series rewrite I did, wherein Neelix rescued Kes and her father (they were friends of his) because the Father was his friend. He dies of old age soon within the 1st season and Kes starts off as a child actress, then a teen and then by S3 she's an adult and her re-emerging psychic powers halt her aging so she stops there. There were other explorations of her condition, like how she could learn at an accelerated rate to match her aging so she could be a proper Doctor within those 3 years as well.

 

[Oddish]

There was series rewrite I did, wherein Neelix rescued Kes and her father (they were friends of his) because the Father was his friend. He dies of old age soon within the 1st season and Kes starts off as a child actress, then a teen and then by S3 she's an adult and her re-emerging psychic powers halt her aging so she stops there. There were other explorations of her condition, like how she could learn at an accelerated rate to match her aging so she could be a proper Doctor within those 3 years as well.

I like your version better. It creates a reason for the two to be close, without the "ick" factor.

 

[Sci]

It wouldn't surprise me if Trek was trying to work in some acceptance of "minor attracted persons."

No. That's an absurd statement.

 

[Akiraprise]

No. That's an absurd statement.

Agreed.

Like Oddish said the main issue for the viewers is Kes' age, which is why it was a questionable relationship to depict, for a 20th century audience. The fictional crew that deals with different aliens weekly can see past the age difference and accept that she is an adult in her species. But even getting past the age issue I never found there to be much chemistry romantically between Kes and Neelix. He always seemed creepy and possessive. One of the reasons he's my least favorite character on the show.

 

[Oddish]

Point is, I think most of us would make Neelix/Kes... not happen. I'm sure if it had proponents, they would have stepped in by now. Let's agree to agree.

Other changes... I'd rethink "Tuvix", but not for the reasons one would think. In a number of other episodes, Janeway puts Starfleet principle ahead of the greater good. "Alliances" is a classic example: Janeway is ready at the end to allow Voyager to be chewed up and spat out by the Kazon for the sake of Starfleet principles. And remember "Child's Play". She regards it as immoral to sacrifice one person to stop the Borg, so she rescues him, and his world is presumably assimilated as a result. And then there's "Latent Image", where she risks leaving the whole crew without a trained physician because she feels it's wrong to alter the EMH's memory. Again, the good of the one eclipses the good of the many due to principle.

It just seems a little contradictory that our captain will sacrifice one to save two, but won't sacrifice one to save hundreds or even thousands.

 

[WarpTenLizard]

Ok, I've talked about major changes I'd make. But assuming the show is 95% exactly like what we got, with only smaller changes, here are things I'd tweak:

• Make the slow-burn redshirts in those early seasons less obvious, by making them at least distinct enough to seem like normal recurring characters. Make Hogan a Bajoran or unjoined Trill. Make Durst British. Or something.
• "Equinox:" Don't make the whole crew American Humans. Make Burke British. Make Marla Gilmore a Bajoran, who twisted her faith to justify murder. At the end, have a Bolian and a Tiburonian among the surviving five.
• "Ashes to Ashes:" use a real character who died like Kaplan ("Unity") or Jetal ("Latent Image"). And who died before "Scorpion," so they can really have some changes to adjust to. And at least mention her friends outside the senior staff.
• "Survival Instinct:" Instead of being another lazy forehead alien, Lansor is a Delta Quadrant species we've seen before--Hirogen or Krenim maybe. So we have one Alpha Quadrant species (Marika, Bajoran), one Delta Quadrant species, and one from a more "alien" race we've never seen (P'Chan), emphasizing the Borg Collective's reach.
• Since "Barge of the Dead" airs right after "Survival Instinct," have Marika--the terminaly ill Bajoran--offer her input on B'Elanna's religious near-death experience.
• "Endgame:" Give Janeway a stronger reason to change history; give Naomi a cameo; and toss in some lines about Chakotay severing Seven from the Collective, during their romance.

 

[Julien]

Kes should have remained in the series and got a human lifespan.

Chakotay should have had a real tribe.

Neelix should also have stayed the whole series.

No contact with Earth until the end of season 7.

Less Borg episodes.

Carey shouldn't have been killed off.

They should have tried to reach Earth by going through the Delta Quadrant and reached deep Space Nine through the wormhole.

There should have been a real homecoming episode.

Maybe the characters have to be designed to make sense at theme shows..

Almost like, there are no rabbits here.

 

[suarezguy]

I don't get why it was widely considered a bad thing or even much of a missed opportunity to have a new previously unseen character as the deceased one in "Ashes to Ashes" a bit of a missed opportunity to not have it be Jetal given the focus she received before but having new guest star was/is typical for episodic show and I think the writing did well in convincing she was pretty significant, particularly to Harry, without going overboard. Having Jetal though it could have worked might have made it feel too much like a sequel to "Latent Image" and therefore/including excessive focus on the Doctor rather than bits with the whole crew and particularly Harry.