Rewatching Voyager

[tomalak301]

Prototype

This episode was just ok to me. I'm not sure why Torres would take a fascination to this robot other than to connect "builder" to "engineer". it seems like she would be the one to not obsess over something and just scrap it if it didn't work. Maybe the human side of her took over in this episode. Also, it was just kind of there. Not good or bad, but not really memorable either.

Alliances

When I think of the Kazon arc, this episode is one of the first to come to mind (As well as Basics). Here we see the ship battered and pretty much outgunned trying to get through Kazon space, and Janeway finally has to do the last resort approach and take the advice of Seska from State of Flux. We really got a lot of development in this episode, from the Kazon's relationship to the Trabe, to the politics of this part of space, to really how the Kazon live. We find out a little bit about the Trabe from Kazon Nog in Initiations, but here we go all out and it was terrific. I also understood why Janeway feels the way she does. I don't think it's Nieve to think that everyone is out for this ship, and when you try to make an alliance your "ally" might end up stabbing you in the back. When you do have something stable to fall back on, when you're alone in an unknown part of space, that is the best thing you can do. I was thinking though how easy it seemed to convince Janeway of having an alliance with the Borg but here she seemed so against the idea of an alliance with the Nistrim. I guess the further you go into the Delta Quadrant, the more desperate you get, and 8472 was a lot more menacing than various Kazon factions.

 

[stardream]

I got the impression that Janeway & Company thought of the Kazon as annoying nuisances. Like a wasps or mosquitos. Yes, they can hurt you and be dangerous at times but in the end not a significant threat. That was why the Kazon had to resort to subterfuge and what amounted to emotional blackmail with Chakotay.

I agree with you about Prototype. Meh...to close to Dreadnought and then we had Warhead with a similar plot later on in the series.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

I like PROTOTYPE (which episode don't I? LOL! ). God - or whoever created the universe - derives a lot of pleasure from his creation. An artist derives a lot of pleasure from painting or sculpting, just like a composer from writing new music. I love making all these desktop wallpapers. Those are my creations. It seems that when we create something, the result is infinitely enjoyable. To an engineer the creation of a robot (almost a human being) gives the same gratification. I understand why you think that B'Elanna is usually quick to let go of things if they don't work out but at the same time I also understand why she would feel the way she felt about the prototype. "You should have seen it, Captain. It was incredible. I installed that module, and the prototype looked up at me and asked me for programming." This pretty much sums it up, I guess.

I also found the idea of a robotic war interesting. This could have been turned into a story arc with 4-5 episodes. Like we get to the point where the episode finishes but Voyager doesn't get B'Elanna back. She is forced to make more units because the Pralor (sp.?) robots want to win. Voyager's rescue attempts fail, they have to resort to some kind of trick ... etc.

ALLIANCES. Ethan Phillips often mentions that Voyager practically shook hands with the Trabes and then nothing else happened. He thought there was no point in meeting them. Although this is not true - it's just natural that the arch enemies of Voyager's main enemy at this point are introduced some time -, I understand his frustration. It would have been nice to see them again on other Kazon episodes.

I guess that Janeway is a lot more reluctant to accept the idea of an alliance with the Kazon because it was not her own idea. On SCORPION, the idea of an alliance with the borg came from her. Also, in that situation the stakes were higher and an alliance with the borg seemed to her the only possible solution - she's never been someone to easily say yes to the alternative, namely to settling down on a planet (except in RENAISSANCE MAN but that wasn't her). Here she doesn't think that their situation justifies such an alliance but gives in once Tuvok, who is usually in disagreement with Chakotay, also endorses the XO's idea.

Well then, tomalak301 ... you've apparently come to the world's favourite STAR TREK episode ... THRESHOLD Can't wait to read your assessment of that ep, LOL, LOL, LOL !

 

[tomalak301]

Threshold

Ah, yes, the episode everyone, including the writer, hates. Well, guess what. I don't hate this episode. I don't like this episode, but there's about 20 minutes of it that I found very interesting. Tom taking the warp 10 flight, being regarded as an icon, wanting to do something to prove he's a changed man, the excitement of crossing the barrier. A lot of this came across as your standard Voyager episode.

It was then the final 25 minutes where this episode "de-evolved". It did have some really quotable lines though, mainly from Torres and Tuvok at the end. It may be the most hated episode of Voyager amongst the fandom, but it's not forgettable like some other episodes of the series are.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

Threshold

Ah, yes, the episode everyone, including the writer, hates. Well, guess what. I don't hate this episode. I don't like this episode, but there's about 20 minutes of it that I found very interesting. Tom taking the warp 10 flight, being regarded as an icon, wanting to do something to prove he's a changed man, the excitement of crossing the barrier. A lot of this came across as your standard Voyager episode.

It was then the final 25 minutes where this episode "de-evolved". It did have some really quotable lines though, mainly from Torres and Tuvok at the end. It may be the most hated episode of Voyager amongst the fandom, but it's not forgettable like some other episodes of the series are.

I don't simply not hate this episode, I love it! To me the whole thing made sense. A scientific experiment goes wrong - who knows what the consequences might be? One scenario of possible consequences is demonstarted on this ep.
Janeway and Tom's dialogue at the end is very entertaining and Janeway's "predictions" as to Tom's future are spot-on:
PARIS: It seems, Captain, that I still have a few barriers to break. I just hope they're not theoretical impossibilities.
JANEWAY: Somehow, I don't think they will be.

And guess what? When I started making these desktop wallpapers God knows how many years ago, I had no idea how most people felt about this episode. So I included a quotation from THRESHOLD in my very first picture I've ever made - which was, needless to say, about Tom:

 

[tomalak301]

ALLIANCES. Ethan Phillips often mentions that Voyager practically shook hands with the Trabes and then nothing else happened. He thought there was no point in meeting them. Although this is not true - it's just natural that the arch enemies of Voyager's main enemy at this point are introduced some time -, I understand his frustration. It would have been nice to see them again on other Kazon episodes.

I'm glad we met the Trabe, because they were set up in a previous episode. This episode did a great job giving the Kazon more backstory, but I do agree it would have been nice to see them involved in Basics somehow.

And guess what? When I started making these desktop wallpapers God knows how many years ago, I had no idea how most people felt about this episode. So I included a quotation from THRESHOLD in my very first picture I've ever made - which was, needless to say, about Tom:

I think the thing I'm loving most about writing about each episode is to see what you come up with in terms of desktop wallpaper. You are very good at this, and the threshold one was excellent.

Meld

I love this episode a lot. I actually think it would be a great episode to show any psychology student, because this, like a lot of Voyager episodes, really delves into the working of the mind and I really love that concept. I love Brad Dorif as an actor, and Sudor is honestly one of my favorite guest characters. It was great to see that interplay between Tuvok and Sudor and those two conversations in the brig are why I think it's a great episode to show psychology students. You really can learn a thing or two about violence and the deranged mind, and to see Tuvok succumb to that was really fun.

I forgot to mention, we start to see signs of two things involving the main Kazon arc in the last two episodes. Tom being an asshole to Chakotay, and that crew member (forgot his name) secretly sending messages to the Kazon. There's one reason why Threshold could be considered essential.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

I think the thing I'm loving most about writing about each episode is to see what you come up with in terms of desktop wallpaper. You are very good at this, and the threshold one was excellent.

Thanks. I only have wallpapers for about 20 per cent of the episodes so far but I keep making them in my free time when I feel like it (which is pretty often, LOL!). It's a pity I can't share all of them here since I'm not a premium member. E.g. I have some for MELD but they can't be shared because I'm not allowed to upload anything here directly from my PC.
So the next wallpaper will probably be for DEADLOCK - my second favourite episode in the whole show.
BTW, if you like these wallpapers, you can also see a lot more of them on my thread at
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/star-trek-voyager-desktop-wallpapers.279007/

As for MELD, it' a gem in Season 2. I wish Suder could have been kept - he could have been as interesting a character on VOY as Garak was on DS9. Those eyes ... just give me the creeps. But I guess this was never the plan and even if it had been, Brad Dourif would have been too expensive over the long run.
Storyarc-wise (does that make sense in English?), these episodes are crucial to what's going to transpire in INVESTIGATIONS. But they are also interesting as stand-alone episodes, esp. MELD and LIFESIGNS.

 

[tomalak301]

As for MELD, it' a gem in Season 2. I wish Suder could have been kept - he could have been as interesting a character on VOY as Garak was on DS9. Those eyes ... just give me the creeps. But I guess this was never the plan and even if it had been, Brad Dourif would have been too expensive over the long run.
Storyarc-wise (does that make sense in English?), these episodes are crucial to what's going to transpire in INVESTIGATIONS. But they are also interesting as stand-alone episodes, esp. MELD and LIFESIGNS.

You mention Sudor being around long term and my first thought was what the relationship would have been like between him and Seven. You have two crew members who are kind of outsiders, both have committed murder and violence, and at the beginning, both not knowing where they belong on the ship. It might have been an interesting dynamic had it been Sudor mentoring Seven instead of The Doctor, with Janeway still being that motherly figure. I get why they killed him off in Basics II, but it is interesting to think about the what ifs had he actually survived.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

You mention Sudor being around long term and my first thought was what the relationship would have been like between him and Seven. You have two crew members who are kind of outsiders, both have committed murder and violence, and at the beginning, both not knowing where they belong on the ship. It might have been an interesting dynamic had it been Sudor mentoring Seven instead of The Doctor, with Janeway still being that motherly figure. I get why they killed him off in Basics II, but it is interesting to think about the what ifs had he actually survived.

That's one aspect I would never have thought of. It's an interesting question. I guess their relationship would have been similar to what we see between Seven and Iko on REPENTANCE.
When I think of "what if ..", I tend to have thoughts about how his character might have changed or even reverted to what it used to be after the events on BASICS. If that had happened, bearing in mind that he was still under Tuvok's benevolent influence, this would have resulted in a real conflicted character whose struggle between "wanting to kill" and "wishing to be a good man" would (or could) have resulted in excellent stories. What if RANDOM THOUGHTS had happened to Suder, e.g., instead of B'Elanna? And how would he have behaved on episodes such as NOTHING HUMAN or REPRESSION? It's a pity we can't find out - unless someone with a vivid imagination obliges us with some wonderful fan fiction (which means it's not going to be me, I have zero talent for such things - I'm much better at expressing myself in images ).

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

One scenario of possible consequences is demonstarted on this ep.
Janeway and Tom's dialogue at the end is very entertaining and Janeway's "predictions" as to Tom's future are spot-on:
PARIS: It seems, Captain, that I still have a few barriers to break. I just hope they're not theoretical impossibilities.
JANEWAY: Somehow, I don't think they will be.

I guess that you refered to 'Thirty Days", right?!

And guess what? When I started making these desktop wallpapers God knows how many years ago, I had no idea how most people felt about this episode. So I included a quotation from THRESHOLD in my very first picture I've ever made - which was, needless to say, about Tom:

THANK YOU for the picture. Tom Paris/Robert McNeal was really cute in 90s.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

I guess that you refered to 'Thirty Days", right?!

I didn't but that one is a good example. Although of course, in THIRTY DAYS it was Tom's conscience that demanded him to do what he did.

No, I had other things on mind. Like, e.g. when together with Harry, Tom modifies Tuvok's holoprogramme and changes the appearance of the Vulcan monks (the name of the ep escapes me right now) ...
Or when he turns Harry's girlfriend into a cow on the Fair Haven holodeck programme (SPIRIT FOLK).
And stuff like that ...

THANK YOU for the picture. Tom Paris/Robert McNeal was really cute in 90s.

My pleasure. Thomas Eugene Paris (NOT Robert Duncan McNeill) is still the man of my dreams (I'm gay). He has 120% of what I look for in a guy. So of course, most of the pictures I make are with him (maybe with Janeway, the two of them are topping the list anyway). Of the Tom wallpapers I've shared on TREKBBS so far here's my fav:

Although of course, you might have seen that one on my thread at the above-mentioned address.
There'll be a lot more with him later on - there's one with Robbie McNeill playing Paris and Locarno at the same time. But I can't just share all the Tom pictures in one go - slowly but surely, all will be available to the general public (or if you want to see all of them, go to PINTEREST and look for VOYBOY1971).

 

[stardream]

That's a nice one of Tom. The first time I watched Voyager (when it originally aired) I didn't notice Tom all that much for some reason. Then I watched it again and realized he actually had a character arc! Maybe I was too focused on what Janeway was doing the first time around.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

That's a nice one of Tom. The first time I watched Voyager (when it originally aired) I didn't notice Tom all that much for some reason. Then I watched it again and realized he actually had a character arc! Maybe I was too focused on what Janeway was doing the first time around.

Thanks, stardream.
Janeway has a commanding presence, I'm not surprised one can hardly concentrate on the other characters on the first watching. I love Janeway so much (in contrast to the majority of people) that I can still hardly wait for her to say anything - even though I'm watching the show for the 34th time now.
As for Tom, I never realized he was my type of guy before the sixth watching. I was aware that he was a good-looking guy but that was it basically. On the sixth watching I remember saying to myself "Oh, but that guy embodies everything I look for in a man". It was love at sixth sight, so to speak.
To me the interesting thing is that it's perhaps understandable that I don't know anyone like him in real life. But what's more amazing is the fact that even within the realm of fiction/films/plays I have never encountered a man that was half as interesting as Tom. I particularly enjoy his dry sense of humour and I've really liked his character in the relaunch books so far, too (albeit I've only finished THE ETERNAL TIDE).
tomalak301, I hope you don't mind if I share another pic with him - this time from BLOOD FEVER. I promise I finish gushing about Tom for today - it's just that I find it difficult to exercise self-restarint when it comes to discussing him, LOL !

 

[tomalak301]

Dreadnought

This episode is so much better than Prototype. Like I said, I didn't mind Prototype persay, but it was just a very average episode. This one felt like that one only the stakes were raised even more. Instead of Torres having this interest in a Robot she knows nothing about, she has an interest here in a missile weapon which she helped capture and use against the Cardassians when she was in the Maquis. We learned about her past in the maquis a little bit here and it was much better showing the battle of wits between a programmed ship and Torres and it was a lot more personal. Also, I loved the urgency of having this weapon go towards a planet and a race against the clock to try to stop it.

We also get another hint heading towards Investigations (God I wish that episode was better than it is) with Paris being late to meetings and going off on B'elanna in Engineering. Watching these episodes close to each other, it's actually kinda fun to connect the dots and see that yes voyager was Connected in it's own unique way.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

Dreadnought

This episode is so much better than Prototype. Like I said, I didn't mind Prototype persay, but it was just a very average episode. This one felt like that one only the stakes were raised even more. Instead of Torres having this interest in a Robot she knows nothing about, she has an interest here in a missile weapon which she helped capture and use against the Cardassians when she was in the Maquis. We learned about her past in the maquis a little bit here and it was much better showing the battle of wits between a programmed ship and Torres and it was a lot more personal. Also, I loved the urgency of having this weapon go towards a planet and a race against the clock to try to stop it.

We also get another hint heading towards Investigations (God I wish that episode was better than it is) with Paris being late to meetings and going off on B'elanna in Engineering. Watching these episodes close to each other, it's actually kinda fun to connect the dots and see that yes voyager was Connected in it's own unique way.

I like this episode mainly because it kind of reminds me of Deep Space Nine. Probably because of the Cardassian ship.
Also, the end is uplifting. Tuvok not wanting to leave, Tom thanking Janeway for everything she's done for him ... and then when finally Janeway says to Tuvok "Let's bring our crew home." This is Voyager at its best for me - the feeling of belonging to a family.
On to Mr. Suicidal Q then ...

 

[tomalak301]

On to Mr. Suicidal Q then ...

I'm not sure why the laugh but anyway...

Death Wish

When I said I wanted to rewatch Voyager, it's episodes like this which I'm really looking forward to. It's been maybe 3 years since I've seen this episode, and I almost forgot how great it was, how Star Trek it was, and how it could go up against anything great the rest of the franchise has to offer. I want to say this is probably the third best Q episode of the franchise (The top 2 being All Good Things... and Q Who) and even then, it's a very close top 3.

This episode did so much for the Q that I really wish DS9 would have done but didn't. We got to know the reason for Q's punishment in Deja Q, how that affected the continuum, and why Quinn feels the way he felt. His testimony on the Continuum road is Patrick Stewart Measure of a Man worthy. What is the purpose of life when there is nothing to look forward to? Is being Immortal the same thing as suffering, especially when there is nothing left to be said and no adventure to be sought or won? I've always had a hard time understanding the significance of the road, but now that I'm older and hopefully a little smarter, it makes perfect sense.

Also, this episode is timely. Here in California there's news about assisted suicides and right to die laws. It's a very interesting ethical dilemma and I think this episode really did a great job talking about that point. The ending was also very poignant, and this episode overall used DeLancie's Q in a way I always hoped after All Good Things. He's grown from the class clown from the first few seasons of TNG. He might be an adversary, but he always had a point. That's why I hated Q Less. It was like seeing TNG Season 1 Q on the station, rather than the Q we have seen develop for 6 years of TNG. Death Wish righted those wrongs, and in the process became a top 10, maybe even top 5 episode of the entire Voyager Series.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

I'm not sure why the laugh but anyway...

In spite of the seriousness of the subject matter, this is a very funny episode. Just like most Q eps are.

I've never considered Q to be an enemy. He's more like a clown who likes to pester humankind for fun. In addition, he wants to teach us lessons. There might be exceptions to this episodwise but overall I think this is what being Q means.
I really love all the Q eps on VOY - this one is a gem. It was interesting to take a peek at the Continuum - a "tradition" later followed by THE Q AND THE GREY. Also, including Riker among the witnesses was fun - even though I don't really like TNG. I don't know if there ever were hearings on TNG where the judge was Picard (or any other Starfleet officer) but the idea of a human (female) pronouncing "judgement" over the Qs was an excellent twist. Janeway was really clever at suggesting a hearing and also proved that she was a human being capable of taking a stand (in addition to managing the whole procedure). Most of all, however, I liked the idea that Quinn's suicide did have repercussions, which are presented to us in THE Q AND THE GREY.

 

[stardream]

Dreadnought was a good episode although Roxanne Dawson complained a bit about having two episodes where she talked to machines and herself instead of real people!

We already saw that Dawson and McNeil had chemistry during Faces and their little moment here just reinforces it.

I like all the Q episodes. John DeLancey is a treat and this episode had consequences.

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

I didn't but that one is a good example. Although of course, in THIRTY DAYS it was Tom's conscience that demanded him to do what he did.

No, I had other things on mind. Like, e.g. when together with Harry, Tom modifies Tuvok's holoprogramme and changes the appearance of the Vulcan monks (the name of the ep escapes me right now) ...
Or when he turns Harry's girlfriend into a cow on the Fair Haven holodeck programme (SPIRIT FOLK).
And stuff like that ...


My pleasure. Thomas Eugene Paris (NOT Robert Duncan McNeill) is still the man of my dreams (I'm gay). He has 120% of what I look for in a guy. So of course, most of the pictures I make are with him (maybe with Janeway, the two of them are topping the list anyway). Of the Tom wallpapers I've shared on TREKBBS so far here's my fav:

Although of course, you might have seen that one on my thread at the above-mentioned address.
There'll be a lot more with him later on - there's one with Robbie McNeill playing Paris and Locarno at the same time. But I can't just share all the Tom pictures in one go - slowly but surely, all will be available to the general public (or if you want to see all of them, go to PINTEREST and look for VOYBOY1971).

Again, THANK YOU for all your pics of Tom Paris.
And yes, Tom is a brilliant and a kindhearted guy but sometimes, he goes too far but anyway, I really like him.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

Again, THANK YOU for all your pics of Tom Paris.
And yes, Tom is a brilliant and a kindhearted guy but sometimes, he goes too far but anyway, I really like him.

You're welcome.
Like I said, there'll be a lot more of him - and there have been quite a few with him so far. Just check out my thread.
BTW, I've started working on TIMELESS pictures but it'll be a few weeks (maybe months) before I can start sharing them here.
If you by any chance haven't seen my avatar, here it goes in its full size: