Retro Review: Prime Factors

[TrekToday]

The crew hopes to use Sikarian technology to get Voyager home, then learns that it violates the planet’s laws. Plot Summary: Voyager receives an invitation to the planet Sikaris, whose inhabitants have been told of the stranded ship and wish to offer their hospitality to the crew. On the planet, Janeway is charmed by Sikarian […]

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[Lynx]

This is a good episode with an interesting question: Are we following the Prime Directive or not?
This is the main point in this story where the biggest surprise is Tuvok's actions. Good story and the Sikarians are actually fascinating when their egocentric nature is revealed. I do find Gathorel Labin a bit of a slimy character. I can't remember how many times he said the word "pleasure".

I'll give it 3 points out of 5

 

[hux]

The first really good season one episode. Lots of things going on in this one such as Janeway's flirtations with Gath, Tuvok going against the grain, Carey and B'Ellana joining forces, the wonderful Seska gaining more screen time and let's not forget, this is the episode where Kim has a forest orgasm (always fun).

The Prime Directive stuff is nothing we haven't seen before but Janeway's almost tearful disappointment in Tuvok is. It really wasn't needed though and only makes her look unnecessarily emotional.

One thing I wondered though was, how powerful are these Sikirians? Are they (what I like to call) Borg resistant powerful. They appear to be and yet at the same time, they also seem lazy, unmotivated and even a little drowsy.

A good ep.

 

[Catarina]

Hux> You bring up an interesting question. Aside from that transporting device which may or may not be a an option for resource conservation for the Borg, (transporting drones instead of trans warping every time)I don't see anything worthy. With only going by what we saw, assimilating the Sikarians would be like going to college to invest in a liberal arts degree when the market is for technological advancement. Wouldn't you say?

 

[hux]

I dunno. There was that scene where Gath was very irritated by Janeway and he expressed his anger with a tangible sense of superiority. Their culture clearly isn't just hedonism and self indulgence. I think there might be some teeth behind their pleasure seeking licentiousness.

We never found out though and I don't know if the litverse ever explored the Sikarians but it felt like there was more to them. Certainly the first really interesting species in season one (for me anyway, I know some people like he Vidians).

 

[Catarina]

"teeth behind" I got a bad vibe the moment he appeared onscreen and feared for Janeway. "nooo don't fall for it." was on my mind.

As for the vidians they gave me the chills which was a chip of the issue I know they were to symbolize more and certainly worth watching over space pigs, the Kazon. Yawn. I would have liked Seska teaming up with Vidians to save her self temporarily then they betray her cunning ass but not 100% set on that. just tossing ideas out there.

I would have liked to explore the sikarians more as well. Or at least not move on so quickly from the betrayal scenes. Tuvok didn't act alone after all.

 

[Kaelef]

Just started my first re-watch of the series (don't really remember much of it from when it first aired). Honestly, the only decent episode before this one is Eye of the Needle. This one was quite good, though. The last scene with Janeway talking with B'Ellana and Tuvok really put it over the top for me. I disagree that it made her look overly emotional: I would've expected Picard or any other of our captains to have been just as emotional, if only maybe expressing the same level of emotion in a different way.