Just started VOY! What do I have to look forward to?

[Qonundrum]

OP: just skip to season 4 and save some some trouble

^^this

In my recent rewatches, early-VOY has been inconsistent at the most unexpected of times. Despite some really good episodes in among the mixed bags or outright bad stories, VOY - IMHO - didn't really find its way until "Scorpion" and that's when its newfound purpose really begins to take off. I'd almost recommend skipping to "Scorpion", moving forward, then returning to the early stuff. (Even then, some inconsistencies with even the technobabble at times still feel like it's rubberstamped autopilot at best or grating at worst. Even with that, roll with it and the pros of various episodes still elevate what seemingly doesn't.)

 

[Ragitsu]

Skipping entire Seasons seems almost...childish; it is an encouragement of "instant gratification". Apart from missing out on certain gems, it also takes away the possibility of a viewer organically-developing observation of the contrast between early Voyager and later Voyager.

 

[Qonundrum]

Skipping entire Seasons seems almost...childish; it is an encouragement of "instant gratification". Apart from missing out on certain gems, it also takes away the possibility of a viewer organically-developing observation of the contrast between early Voyager and later Voyager.

That's a really good point.

On the flip side, there were people - during original airing and likely still the case nowadays - who were lukewarm to the show when starting at season/episode 1, gave up, and didn't always return for formatting tweaks by season 4 or whenever. The idea of the show is to hook and keep viewers with a premise and following through. The fact the shows changed format to begin with is indicative of something requiring attention anyhow, but more on that later...

Either which way, I see nothing childish in any way a viewer wants to watch (or at all). Especially if the show isn't as tightly serialized as DS9 was as those shows allow random viewing order without a whit or a care, but more on that even later. Indeed, even after the initial viewing in chronological order, is it then childish to skip disliked episodes even if they contained a big clue to the arc?

So the other tangent in the room is, what prompts a show's format change in the first place? Including, but not limited to the following, there are a few reasons:

• Is it early on in the show and know things are NOT clicking?
• Is the show clicking and it's been a few years but now they need to find a way to change things and shake things up to keep viewers, likely due to running out of ideas as an impetus? (or even predicting when audiences might need a shakeup as telling the same thing every week will get bland soon enough.)
• Throwing anything at the wall to see if it sticks, as the metaphor goes?
• Do they see ratings slipping and having to make a course correction quickly?
• Is there a new show being started, like a spinoff, and the best writers and ideas are moved to it while the old one coasts? DS9 definitely had reasons to "do something" for season 4's mini-reboot of sorts. VOY was all over the place as well. Early TNG wasn't hot to trot but took place at just the right time, which was why it survived when we all know the show wouldn't have made it beyond 6 or 13 episodes if made a decade later, especially depending on network...
• etc

As for the last thing, there's no argument from me, however, in terms of keeping an arc's essentials intact. Nobody would dare show "Hope and Fear" to a newcomer that knows nothing about the Borg, much less Janeway's decision. Oh, a viewer can fathom out the minutiae as there's enough exposition to figure the guts of the situation with, but having the preceding buildup of all those previous episodes lands a far more powerful story as a result and is well worth it. But that's not quite as basic as the Caretaker episode, which the series is quick to put aside and for valid reasons. Everyone can quickly figure out these folks were flung into deep space by some malevolent being and now they're trying to get home. A shame Janeway didn't get an opening monologue like Kirk and Picard had, now come to think of it...

 

[Ragitsu]

I suppose it is no more childish than skipping chapters in a novel or, alternatively, getting a "save file" for a video game in order to circumvent its beginning segment.

 

[Starflight]

Season one is really good IMO, and the second half of season two is incredibly strong. The only real issue with early Voyager is the Kazon stuff, which never works. Season three is a bit uneven but has some good ones.

 

[Qonundrum]

I suppose it is no more childish than skipping chapters in a novel or, alternatively, getting a "save file" for a video game in order to circumvent its beginning segment.

Especially if you've played the game from start to finish and only want to replay the best bits or get back via a cheat code to where things really got interesting (or because you know how to get there but was needlessly time consuming or not as rewarding, aka "plodding"). Granted, that works more for games like "Skyrim" than, say, "Pac-Man", but "Pac-Man" doesn't have as much an epic story running it compared to "Skyrim" either - but both are eminently enjoyable for their own reasons. And, yep, sometimes I do start Pac-Man on the cherry level as opposed to the key, just to see how far I can get. In short, there are no childish ways - but Oddish does make a good point that watching a run from start to finish, with no deviation, is best. Then again, there ARE fans of both VOY and DS9 who did not tune in every week so consistently, or tried again with the revamped format then rewatched the older stuff. No doubt there were TNG fans who balked during season 1, returned when everyone hyped how great season (3, 4, 5, pick) was and then returned to the older seasons via reruns.

 

[korblborp]

it's one thing if you, personally, have seen , read, or played something multiple times and want to skip the parts you know you don't like.
telling someone who is saying they've never seen it before to skip over half of the show is a bit childish.

 

[Akiraprise]

For better or worse VOY got a soft reboot in S4 when Seven was introduced. They started using more CGI in the effects shots which became more varied than the model work. YoH being a prime example showing the ship's deteriorating condition. I have also suggested to a few folks that had never watched the show to start with Scorpion hoping watching some of the best episodes, YMMV, will keep them watching. A person can always go back to catch the first three seasons.

 

[Ragitsu]

Especially if you've played the game from start to finish and only want to replay the best bits or get back via a cheat code to where things really got interesting (or because you know how to get there but was needlessly time consuming or not as rewarding, aka "plodding"). Granted, that works more for games like "Skyrim" than, say, "Pac-Man", but "Pac-Man" doesn't have as much an epic story running it compared to "Skyrim" either - but both are eminently enjoyable for their own reasons. And, yep, sometimes I do start Pac-Man on the cherry level as opposed to the key, just to see how far I can get. In short, there are no childish ways - but Oddish does make a good point that watching a run from start to finish, with no deviation, is best. Then again, there ARE fans of both VOY and DS9 who did not tune in every week so consistently, or tried again with the revamped format then rewatched the older stuff. No doubt there were TNG fans who balked during season 1, returned when everyone hyped how great season (3, 4, 5, pick) was and then returned to the older seasons via reruns.

That only works when - as you've pointed out - you already have ample experience with the entertainment in question. Otherwise, yes, it smacks of juvenile notions of instant-gratification. Lord knows there is plenty of that in contemporary society.

As advice to a newcomer? Not so hot.

In the case of Voyager, skipping the first Season means missing out on "Caretaker" (arguably, the best pilot of the 80s/90s Star Trek series), "Phage", "Eye of the Needle", "Prime Factors", "State of Flux", "Faces" and "Jetrel"; those episodes are good enough to justify putting up with the "filler" (specifically: average - not terrible - episodes).

 

[Qonundrum]

That only works when - as you've pointed out - you already have ample experience with the entertainment in question. Otherwise, yes, it smacks of juvenile notions of instant-gratification. Lord knows there is plenty of that in contemporary society.

As advice to a newcomer? Not so hot.

In the case of Voyager, skipping the first Season means missing out on "Caretaker" (arguably, the best pilot of the 80s/90s Star Trek series), "Phage", "Eye of the Needle", "Prime Factors", "State of Flux", "Faces" and "Jetrel"; those episodes are good enough to justify putting up with the "filler" (specifically: average - not terrible - episodes).

The previous pilots/premieres weren't perfect, but I've still watched those far more than I ever will for "Caretaker", which I was lukewarm to. More amusingly, an ex loathed it outright - even while I was trying to say what they would really love later on and to give it another chance then to possibly try it again (been there done that, just a different octave for what amounts to a similar note...).

"Phage" is a great episode and starts lays groundwork for much more and, yeah, the downer is anyone missing that episode before seeing others that rely on knowing a high-level amount of the material and beings it introduces - it's not easy writing a sequel that carries enough for newcomers while not losing those who were there on initial transmission, regardless of reasons. Ditto for, especially in 1990s terms, a person who may never had known about the show until randomly tuning in one day, seeing this show that's bringing up content that started in "Phage", and then looks back to find more. And for all anyone knows, a person who was channel flipping may have heard bad or differing things about the show but by this channel-flipping happenstance tuned in at just the right moment... became hooked... then looked up older episodes.

All this became an issue only at one point in society to begin with, as prior to that home video didn't exist and you'd only see a rerun once or twice. Since then, home video has evolved and changed in a multitude of fronts. Prior to home video, you'd often see plot content repetition for those who didn't tune in the first time, saw plot/content refinement, or other reasons and that even can arguably include the same instant-gratification or attention span claims. And you still see some of that nowadays too.

Being entertainment, at the end of the day, it's up to the individual to decide no matter how much advice from all sides is said, which is a case in point for watching from the get-go and hoping they stick. (I've no qualms with how people get involved, we all have different likes and doing ways of getting into shows as avid audiences.)


On edit: Swapped the last two paragraphs around.

 

[Troi]

I highly recommend watching from the start. Its really not that bad, way better than the first three seasons of TNG. You'll miss a lot, like Chakotay before Beltran checked out and all of Kes who has her moments.

 

[Ragitsu]

Chakotay before Beltran checked out

"Distant Origin"!

 

[Qonundrum]

I highly recommend watching from the start. Its really not that bad, way better than the first three seasons of TNG. You'll miss a lot, like Chakotay before Beltran checked out and all of Kes who has her moments.

GREAT point on Chakotay! (And season 1 only gets better after the premiere IMHO, with "The Cloud" and "Phage" both being classics... but there are folks who hate those and love others as well. For first time viewing, I could go either way. If something works and makes one a fan, that's the most important part.)

 

[Frontis]

Well, when I watched Voayger for the first time I did it without any expectations and I think that's the best way to do it. So you will find out what you like and what you don't. Personally I liked it and really got into it but somehow lost interest after season 5 because something got lost, there was too less development and too much Borg stuff for me.

 

[Ragitsu]

after season 5 ... something got lost, there was too less development and too much Borg stuff for me.

Perhaps you need some Borg nanoprobes?
Did your antenna fail to consistently catch Borg signals?
Maybe your thought patterns should be modulated by Borg algorithms?
Is it possible you are unable to decipher the Borg encryption codes in order to comprehend the scripts?

 

[Frontis]

Perhaps you need some Borg nanoprobes?
Did your antenna fail to consistently catch Borg signals?
Maybe your thought patterns should be modulated by Borg algorithms?
Is it possible you are unable to decipher the Borg encryption codes in order to comprehend the scripts?

Nope, it just got boring that almost every episode was about Borg.

 

[Ragitsu]

Nope, it just got boring that almost every episode was about Borg.

That was my point: all things Borg became a genie for conflict.

 

[AntonyF]

Salamanders.

 

[Ragitsu]

 

[Qonundrum]

Well, when I watched Voayger for the first time I did it without any expectations and I think that's the best way to do it. So you will find out what you like and what you don't. Personally I liked it and really got into it

Pretty much. While not gatekeeping as to how one wants to watch, starting from the beginning and then decide to course correct if it's not feeling appealing. Which is easier for legacy/archived/old shows than new ones, unless the whole season is put onto streaming providers all in one go.

but somehow lost interest after season 5 because something got lost, there was too less development and too much Borg stuff for me.

The show found its stride then coasted, lost its way, flanderized its storylines, etc. They all do at some point, it's hard to keep freshness going on an assembly line level. Even Captain Kirk brought up how genius doesn't work on an assembly line basis.

Season 6 for me is when things really petered out. The Borg stuff ran out of potential as well as altering too much (and the Borg were already different enough compared to TNG pre-STFC where now the distributed architecture was whittled down as one of many reasons to make them easier to defeat. New Borg queen out of nowhere as well, so in comes the needlepoint needles and yarn to thread a revised continuity. Good series finale at the end, though, always keep one last good idea held back.