If you could rewrite Voyager

[Refuge]

I like your passion.
Oh, I vote for our Captain being off world. I don't know if she'd pass Canadian. Maybe she could rock the subtle accent of the region she waswin. But instead they went with Indiana? She was way too fond of corn blowing in the winds. (After all that gorgeous space travel. Please. )

Funny but when you see Janeway played by Genevieve Bujold (Canadian) she seems so softly spoken and lacks impact.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Serialize it: But not to the degree of modern shows, that have to be "binged." I would go for the DS9 style, that allows for both individual episodic stories and serialized ongoing arcs.

Given the premise of the show it is crazy that the PTB didn't go with this set up.

The Maquis

stay in their Maquis uniforms until Season 4, when Voyager learns the Maquis are gone. Then dedicate a story arc to Chak's crew choosing to integrate into the Starfleet one, and eventually donning uniforms.

I think the division between Starfleet and Maquis should've been cranked up more, but I get why Janeway insisted on everyone in uniform--trying to force them all to get along (they're all together on one ship with a shared objective, but they need to establish a clear structure). I do think we should've seen Maquis in their civvies when not on duty, just to show their objection to being forced to toe the line the rest of the time.

Pick a frakking tribe and do some actual research:

Uhura was allowed to have a Swahili name and be (I think) Kenyan. She didn't have to be from a generic made-up culture to "represent" her entire continent. Keiko was allowed to be Japanese; she didn't need a made-up Asian name and a made-up country to "represent" all of Asia. Likewise, the Chuck should've been from one or two real tribes. I'm used to him being named Chaktoay, of course, but whatever.

Yup.

Seven of Nine

stays the same, but with more wardrobe variety, and modesty. I'll admit I love a few of her biosuits (the blue ones and the earth-brown one), but otherwise she could have some *slightly* less "painted on" clothing, like Kes or Troi. And eventually, she ends up in a green science uniform, and with the rank of Ensign.

Seven, like Troi and T'Pol, looked far better in standard uniform than she ever did in catsuits. Her wardrobe should've made the switch by S6.

"Human Error" happens for real, not on the holodeck; she and Chakotay have their relationship built up, with a big focus on Chak's down-to-earth and spiritual nature vs Seven's science based one.

Anything would be better than surprise romance that came from nowhere and made everyone scratch their heads.

Kes

is FLAWED. She is heavily sheltered and naiive. Coming from a culture of underground telepaths, concepts as simple as privacy are alien to her. Also, because her life is so short, she experiences the passage of time more quickly than we do (think of almost a toned-down version of "Clock Stoppers").

Kes was a missed opportunity, they could've done so much more with her.

Kes and Seven share all of Season 4, with Kes's transformation into an evolved being happening gradually alongside Seven's transition from the Collective to Voyager. Kes is one of Seven's first friends, and the first friend Seven has to say goodbye to, at the end of the season.

Or axe Kim and go with a higher female-to-male crew ratio.

"Fury" is a two-parter, where Kes teams up with Seska after traveling back in time.

I'd say scrap the episode altogether or rewrite it hugely to make it better.

Recurring characters

recur more often. Naomi Wildman is shown or mentioned in situations that would have a big affect on the kid onboard. Lon Suder doesn't die. The Delaney twins are developed as the only people besides Sam and Naomi who have family onboard, instead of just being regulated to "hot twins!"-gag.

Again, with the premise this is something that would've been a huge strength for the show had they take a page from DS9's book.

Someone other than Tom is Kes's replacement in Sickbay!

Sam Wildman (a xenobiologist and a mom), Tal Celes (who never fit into mainstream Starfleet), and/or Billy Telfer (the hypochondriac!) would all be good candidates.

Why Paris was made the medic always baffled me, a recurring character like Ensign Wildman or Crewman Jurot would've made far more sense.

Captain Janeway

is Canadian, or was raised on an offworld colony. Or is from some other part of Earth, and just doesn't happen to have an accent. Because I'm tired of 90% of the important characters being American.

Or why not make Janeway a Trill or Bolian or some other alien species, that would've been great to have seen!

Combine characters?

I like all the "Voyager" regulars as they are, because I'm used to them that way. But reading about how the writers went about creating the cast, and how they struggled with having so many regulars to juggle, I wonder why some character ideas had to be mutually exclusive.

Neelix and Kes for instance. So you want a new Delta Quadruant alien who will be the ship's guide, but you also need to up the female count. Here's a crazy idea.... let the eccentric alien trader be female.

Human diversity: So you really want an Asian and a Native American in the main cast.... any reason the Captain or the cocky pilot couldn't be either of those?

Yup. Having characters basically just to tick diversity boxes is ridiculous, and leads to them having no real character to them and become dull and bland--again inserting more aliens (played by non-white actors) would help make them a little more interesting.

Gay characters.

I'm not saying Chakotay and Paris need to have a passionate love session (not saying they shouldn't either...) but we all know the 1990s was when "Star Trek" should've been introducing its first gay characters. (And a Native American who wasn't a stereotype, and a female lead who wasn't dressed for Playboy.)

100% yes!

 

[Discofan]

I would replace Harry Kim with... anything... a monkey would do.

 

[Soong-type Android]

I would have Voyager severely damaged when it is stranded in the Delta Quadrant with the Captain and Commander along with many of the senior staff and crew are killed. Lieutenant Commander Janeway - the second officer - is forced to take command. There is no Marquis, just members of the crew being forced to step up into roles possibly before they are ready and trying to enforce discipline.

As good as the concept of the EMH was it was a rather limiting role until the mobile emitter. The doctor being killed and a nurse taking his place might have worked out better. There would be no holodecks used and replicators would be rationed to conserve power - and there wouldn't a mysteriously endless supply of photon torpedoes. The ship would have a damaged, rugged appearance rather than appearing in sparkling new condition.

As desperate as the circumstances are, it shouldn't be all grim and depressing. As scientists and explorers, ending up in an unexplored region of space should still be seen as an opportunity. Oh, and alien life would be truly alien.

It would work better as a serialised rather than an episodic series.

 

[Catarina]

I didnt think he was that bad. I just rewatched the show and now my cynical side is showing. With what they've reduced Chakotay to, Janeway could have brought back the monkey and get the same emotional support but she'd actually give back. Because it sure was cute and it won't ask her to marry him so it's safe to cuddle and it would be hilarious to see it perch on the first officers chair and she'd be lame and put a uniform on it like people who dress their dogs . Alright, I am being far fetched here. I am so disappointed with what little our crew had after season 3.

I would replace Harry Kim with... anything... a monkey would do.

Y