I've been writing these for a local fan club magazine season-by-season, going through the Borg Cube box set. It's been generally a good experience, though this season was a bit trying at times.
Voyager's seventh season is arguably its most frustrating. Rehashing of old plots (yet another trip through the show's early seasons, Seven malfunctions twice, a half-hearted revival of Maquis tension), bumpy-headed alien of the week, a complete lack of consequences for outrageous behaviour from the crew, an utterly pointless death, a weak running plot... However, as usual, Voyager excells at emotional character-based and action-packed episodes, and there are a few good examples.
The season begins by resolving the Unimatrix Zero cliffhanger, in a moderately entertaining episode, and the Borg do not play a major role again until the final episode. Indeed, three of the Borg children are promptly offloaded in the next episode, though the remaining one, Icheb, is developed well as he nearly sacrifices himself to save a malfunctioning Seven.
There's a running plot of holographic rights throughout the season. It has precedent, notably Moriaty in TNG and Vic in DS9, as well as the Doctor's own progress. Watching his evolution from the start has been remarkable, which makes his anger at the crew's “oppression” of him quite baffling. He betrays the ship, nearly leading to its destruction at the hands of rebel holograms, in the season's first two-parter, “Flesh and Blood”. It's interesting to see the impact of Janeway's dubious decision in “The Killing Game” to give the Hirogen holographic technology, but with a villain bordering on the goofy, ham-handed direction (eg. the way the villain is perpetually in shadow) and a lack of recrimination for either the EMH or Janeway, it doesn't meet the standards of Voyager's usually excellent two-parters.
Lack of consequences is common this season. Just two episodes later, Torres reprograms the EMH to remove her unborn child's Klingon traits, and is not punished. So much for holographic rights. The Delta Flyer is abruptly rebuilt, which makes something of a mockery of any resource issues for Voyager and undermines the impact of destroying it at the end of last season. Seven is too busy dining with a holographic Chakotay (!) to look out for incoming weapons, and the ship is nearly destroyed. The Doc portrays the crew as evil in his ongoing fight for holographic rights and incites a hologram rebellion in “Author, Author”...and again suffers no consequences.
Torres' pregnancy leads to a strong episode, “Prophecy”, where a Klingon generational ship encounters Voyager and believes the child is their saviour. It is good to see an episode which doesn't rely on effects or a random “ship in peril” plot, and instead focuses on the characters. Torres and Paris at least get a good run this season, with their marriage in “Drive” and two episodes about their baby. Kim, Neelix and Tuvok are rarely sighted.
The second two-part episode, Workforce, is unusually low on effects and action, though its sets are impressive. Voyager's crew are brainwashed to work for aliens suffering a labour shortage. It is an interesting and original plot, and features good continuity with the Emergency Command Hologram getting a chance in charge. Aside from an unconvincing romance for Janeway, it is excellent.
There are a few terrific episodes. “Body and Soul” kicks off the hologram stories, with the Doctor forced to take over Seven's body to hide from a race which regards associating with photonic beings as a crime. This gives Jeri Ryan a wonderful chance to adopt the Doc's (and Robert Picardo's) quirks and traits in yet another example of her wonderful acting ability. Combined with some strong writing and character development, this is fantastic. “Critical Care” again stars the EMH, stolen by a race which treats people based on value to society rather than medical need. Though more relevant to the American healthcare system, it is still a thought-provoking episode.
There is only one comedy episode this season, “Q2”. After two terrific Q episodes early in Voyager's run, it's surprising it took so long for this one. An inevitable “Junior Q” episode, it is funny, but Q lacks the menace that is present when he is used to his fullest.
The premise of “Friendship One” is okay, and some of the writing in is good, but there are two real problems. The mysterious return of Joe Carey (only seen in Season One and “flashback” episodes), only to be pointlessly killed by the random alien race of the week is bad enough. Worse is Janeway's final line, that the urge to explore can't justify the loss of a life. It's offensive and totally contrary to the Star Trek spirit. Whatever happened to “boldly going where no one has gone before”? What about “One Small Step”, from just last season?
Almost as bad is the revelation in “Human Error” that Seven has a Borg implant which shuts her down when she experiences high levels of emotions. Since this has never happpened before, apparently her breakup with her holographic toyboy is more emotional than One, revisiting memories of her parents, false memories of being violated, Icheb's near-sacrifice for her, her growth and attempts at romance... This is supposedly to set up a tragic element to the character, but it is abruptly abandoned later anyway.
It was perhaps inevitable that Voyager would get home in this final season; the question was when, and how many of the crew would be there. As it turned out, by the end of the second-last episode, Neelix was the only character to depart (left behind as an ambassador), and the crew is no closer to home.
The final episode, “Endgame”, begins with scenes of Voyager's return, and scenes of the crew back on Earth. However, we learn that the trip took another 16 years, and that that Seven and her lover, Chakotay (continuing the finale tradition of abrupt, if not nonsensical, relationships – see Worf/Troi and Bashir/Ezri) are now dead. What follows is perhaps the anti-”City on the Edge of Forever” - Janeway decides to alter Voyager's future by travelling back in time and altering the past. It is, of course, bad luck for all the people who Voyager helps in those 16 years, and also for those killed before Janeway goes back (Carey for one). Still, this is classic Voyager. Throw logic and science out the window, cheer for your heroes, boo the villains (including Alice Krige returning as the Borg Queen) and admire the effects. The Seven/Chakotay scenes are pretty cringeworthy, but the face-offs between the Queen and Janeway and the two Janeways make it worthwhile.
DVD extras include a look back at the Doc, arguably the best character on the show, and a look at the making of the Borg Invasion ride at the late, lamented Star Trek: The Experience. Alice Krige is particularly well-spoken.
Thus ends Voyager. It produced some of the most emotional (“Someone to Watch Over Me”, “Death Wish”, “Drone”, “One Small Step”), funny (“Message in a Bottle”, “Bride of Chaotica” “Life Line”) and spectacular (“Scorpion”, “Year of Hell”, “Dark Frontier”, “Timeless”, “Relativity”) episodes in Star Trek history.
It also featured some wonderful characters (Seven, The Doctor, Lon Suder, Annorax, The Clown, Quinn) and guest stars (from Academy Award winner Joel Grey to wrestler The Rock, from Seinfeld's Jason Alexander to movie stars like John Rhys-Davies, Kurtwood Smith, Michael McKean, Virginia Madsen, Lori Petty and Brad Dourif) .
For all its faults, is undoubtedly a worthy part of the series' legacy.
Voyager's seventh season is arguably its most frustrating. Rehashing of old plots (yet another trip through the show's early seasons, Seven malfunctions twice, a half-hearted revival of Maquis tension), bumpy-headed alien of the week, a complete lack of consequences for outrageous behaviour from the crew, an utterly pointless death, a weak running plot... However, as usual, Voyager excells at emotional character-based and action-packed episodes, and there are a few good examples.
The season begins by resolving the Unimatrix Zero cliffhanger, in a moderately entertaining episode, and the Borg do not play a major role again until the final episode. Indeed, three of the Borg children are promptly offloaded in the next episode, though the remaining one, Icheb, is developed well as he nearly sacrifices himself to save a malfunctioning Seven.
There's a running plot of holographic rights throughout the season. It has precedent, notably Moriaty in TNG and Vic in DS9, as well as the Doctor's own progress. Watching his evolution from the start has been remarkable, which makes his anger at the crew's “oppression” of him quite baffling. He betrays the ship, nearly leading to its destruction at the hands of rebel holograms, in the season's first two-parter, “Flesh and Blood”. It's interesting to see the impact of Janeway's dubious decision in “The Killing Game” to give the Hirogen holographic technology, but with a villain bordering on the goofy, ham-handed direction (eg. the way the villain is perpetually in shadow) and a lack of recrimination for either the EMH or Janeway, it doesn't meet the standards of Voyager's usually excellent two-parters.
Lack of consequences is common this season. Just two episodes later, Torres reprograms the EMH to remove her unborn child's Klingon traits, and is not punished. So much for holographic rights. The Delta Flyer is abruptly rebuilt, which makes something of a mockery of any resource issues for Voyager and undermines the impact of destroying it at the end of last season. Seven is too busy dining with a holographic Chakotay (!) to look out for incoming weapons, and the ship is nearly destroyed. The Doc portrays the crew as evil in his ongoing fight for holographic rights and incites a hologram rebellion in “Author, Author”...and again suffers no consequences.
Torres' pregnancy leads to a strong episode, “Prophecy”, where a Klingon generational ship encounters Voyager and believes the child is their saviour. It is good to see an episode which doesn't rely on effects or a random “ship in peril” plot, and instead focuses on the characters. Torres and Paris at least get a good run this season, with their marriage in “Drive” and two episodes about their baby. Kim, Neelix and Tuvok are rarely sighted.
The second two-part episode, Workforce, is unusually low on effects and action, though its sets are impressive. Voyager's crew are brainwashed to work for aliens suffering a labour shortage. It is an interesting and original plot, and features good continuity with the Emergency Command Hologram getting a chance in charge. Aside from an unconvincing romance for Janeway, it is excellent.
There are a few terrific episodes. “Body and Soul” kicks off the hologram stories, with the Doctor forced to take over Seven's body to hide from a race which regards associating with photonic beings as a crime. This gives Jeri Ryan a wonderful chance to adopt the Doc's (and Robert Picardo's) quirks and traits in yet another example of her wonderful acting ability. Combined with some strong writing and character development, this is fantastic. “Critical Care” again stars the EMH, stolen by a race which treats people based on value to society rather than medical need. Though more relevant to the American healthcare system, it is still a thought-provoking episode.
There is only one comedy episode this season, “Q2”. After two terrific Q episodes early in Voyager's run, it's surprising it took so long for this one. An inevitable “Junior Q” episode, it is funny, but Q lacks the menace that is present when he is used to his fullest.
The premise of “Friendship One” is okay, and some of the writing in is good, but there are two real problems. The mysterious return of Joe Carey (only seen in Season One and “flashback” episodes), only to be pointlessly killed by the random alien race of the week is bad enough. Worse is Janeway's final line, that the urge to explore can't justify the loss of a life. It's offensive and totally contrary to the Star Trek spirit. Whatever happened to “boldly going where no one has gone before”? What about “One Small Step”, from just last season?
Almost as bad is the revelation in “Human Error” that Seven has a Borg implant which shuts her down when she experiences high levels of emotions. Since this has never happpened before, apparently her breakup with her holographic toyboy is more emotional than One, revisiting memories of her parents, false memories of being violated, Icheb's near-sacrifice for her, her growth and attempts at romance... This is supposedly to set up a tragic element to the character, but it is abruptly abandoned later anyway.
It was perhaps inevitable that Voyager would get home in this final season; the question was when, and how many of the crew would be there. As it turned out, by the end of the second-last episode, Neelix was the only character to depart (left behind as an ambassador), and the crew is no closer to home.
The final episode, “Endgame”, begins with scenes of Voyager's return, and scenes of the crew back on Earth. However, we learn that the trip took another 16 years, and that that Seven and her lover, Chakotay (continuing the finale tradition of abrupt, if not nonsensical, relationships – see Worf/Troi and Bashir/Ezri) are now dead. What follows is perhaps the anti-”City on the Edge of Forever” - Janeway decides to alter Voyager's future by travelling back in time and altering the past. It is, of course, bad luck for all the people who Voyager helps in those 16 years, and also for those killed before Janeway goes back (Carey for one). Still, this is classic Voyager. Throw logic and science out the window, cheer for your heroes, boo the villains (including Alice Krige returning as the Borg Queen) and admire the effects. The Seven/Chakotay scenes are pretty cringeworthy, but the face-offs between the Queen and Janeway and the two Janeways make it worthwhile.
DVD extras include a look back at the Doc, arguably the best character on the show, and a look at the making of the Borg Invasion ride at the late, lamented Star Trek: The Experience. Alice Krige is particularly well-spoken.
Thus ends Voyager. It produced some of the most emotional (“Someone to Watch Over Me”, “Death Wish”, “Drone”, “One Small Step”), funny (“Message in a Bottle”, “Bride of Chaotica” “Life Line”) and spectacular (“Scorpion”, “Year of Hell”, “Dark Frontier”, “Timeless”, “Relativity”) episodes in Star Trek history.
It also featured some wonderful characters (Seven, The Doctor, Lon Suder, Annorax, The Clown, Quinn) and guest stars (from Academy Award winner Joel Grey to wrestler The Rock, from Seinfeld's Jason Alexander to movie stars like John Rhys-Davies, Kurtwood Smith, Michael McKean, Virginia Madsen, Lori Petty and Brad Dourif) .
For all its faults, is undoubtedly a worthy part of the series' legacy.
