Rewatching Voyager

[stardream]

One Small Step was supposed to be a Chakotay episode but it was changed at the last moment to another 'Seven learns a lesson' story. Beltram was all excited about having an episode and didn't find out about the changes until he got the script. I still liked it despite knowing that.

Liked all the other episodes mentioned......Jeri had to learn a LOT of dialogue for Conspiracy Theory. Kudos to her.

 

[tomalak301]

Pathfinder

This is the best Troi and Barcley episode Star Trek ever did. I've always said I've rather liked Troi on Voyager than TNG and this episode is the reason why. She's actually a councelor here, and her scenes with Barcley are really sweet. However, this episode was a lot more than just Troi and Barcley. This episode was about Barcley making contact with Voyager, almost jeopardizing his career to do so. He's become to relapse into his holoaddiction and he's addicted to the ship and crew. It was so nice to see an episode of Voyager from the Alpha Quadrant point of view, whereas we see Starfleet command really working to bring Voyager home. The ending scene was really nice and almost made me choke up, having Admiral Paris say a few words to his son. Overall, this episode is a great character study on a recurring character I've always liked, and unlike TATV, Sirtis works so well here because of that prior relationship with Barcley. This episode is sensational, and one of the best episodes of the season.

Fair Haven

I really don't want to talk about this episode. It's not good, but it's not worse than Spirit Folk or Fury. I don't like how easy it is to mangle in holodeck characters now. In fact, this seemed to be a retcon because I remember in the TNG episode manhunt, Picard was trying to do the same thing and it affected the overall program. They really didn't address that issue here. Also, Janeway felt a little out of character, falling for a holodeck character and changing his program for her desires.

Blink of an Eye

I've always loved this episode. It's a very interesting sci fi concept of a planet where a second on voyager is a day on the planet. Also, we got to see Daniel Dae Kim, who is always a great guest actor. There really isn't much to say about this one other than it's a very cool story and another one of Season 6's best episodes. In fact, this season has gotten off to a great start.

 

[Mareika]

Although I never liked Troi or Barcley I like Pathfinder. It`s such a emotional episode. Every time I watch it I have tears in my eyes in the end of the episode.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

 

[Thomas Eugene]

 

[stardream]

I think the thing I like about Troi in Pathfinder is that she no longer has that fake accent, her hair is natural...she seems more 'real' if that makes any sense. More honest.

I think the idea of Barclay getting so attached to the Voyager Crew is realistic. He told Troi when he was transferred from the Enterprise he felt like he has lost his family so he went looking for a new one with the Voyager Crew. It's nice that in the end his boss reached out to him...so when we leave him we know he has friends in the 'real' world. In the books he becomes friends with the crew of Voyager and travels with them...nice touch by Kirsten Byers.

Fair Haven...I don't hate it. I just found it a bit boring. Sort of like Unforgettable. I'm not big into the romance of the week because they all seem to follow the same pattern although one with a hologram is a bit of a twist.

Blink of an Eye is just good sci-fi. There is very little wrong with this episode.

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

One Small Step was supposed to be a Chakotay episode but it was changed at the last moment to another 'Seven learns a lesson' story. Beltram was all excited about having an episode and didn't find out about the changes until he got the script. I still liked it despite knowing that.

Liked all the other episodes mentioned......Jeri had to learn a LOT of dialogue for Conspiracy Theory. Kudos to her.

Funny, I just watched One Small Step (6x08) yesterday and I really liked it. This episode was full in emotions - mainly sad and - and wonderfully served by a duet of actors Phil Morris/Jeri Ryan. I learnt that Beltran had complained not to have had a preponderant role in this story but frankly, would he be capable to match Morris and Ryan's performances? I have serious doubt/reserves about that and it seems that the production (and the writer?) shared this opinion, to the point of decreasing the importance of Chakotay's role in the final script!
I was surprised to find out that it was Robert Picardo aka the Doctor, who has directed it. Anyway, he did his job. One Small Step was a pretty good episode.

1) The time of one epsiode, the both commanding officers (Janeway/Chakotay) seem to have exchanged their role: while the Capitain tends to be direct when she wants - especially when it concerns Seven -, at the point to be unreasonnable in her decisions/actions to reach her goal (what her 1st Officer knows to remind her each time he can!), her First Officer has a dfferent approach, much more diplomatic to reach his goal = to make the crew acts how he wants. Yet here, Chakotay is the one who acts unreasonnably (first, he breaks Janeway's order to abort the mission, while shortly before, he has remonstrated with Seven about following protocol; second, he makes an excessive use of his position - even when he perfectly knows that he was wrong and worst, that he put his 2 companions in danger - for a purely selfish purpose ). Janeway from her part, prefers to convince Seven of the chance which is given to her to learn and appreciate Human history, and how this point is essential to her development as a Human. Plus, the Capitain "encourages" Seven to join Chakotay/Paris, though we know that the "encouragement" is a diplomatically stated order.

2) The testimony of Lieutenant John Kelly is really poignant, in particular at the end.

3) At the end, it is neither Janeway (though she must be silently grateful to her Capitain to have forced her to go on this away mission) nor Chakotay that Seven thanked for this emotional adventure which marked an additional step in her evolution but the Lieutenant Kelly for his contribution to Humanity's future, and, in some ways, her own.

4) I can see why Beltran felt frustrated and even angry with this episode: besides having seen his leading role decreased, the image of his character, Chakotay, was damn dogeared here. Bah, he could have a nice story but at least, he didn't remain stuck on his seat or condemned to remain standing with the look in the space, with a dialog of 2/3 lines, as it happened so often in previous season 4 and... it will happen even more often until the end!

 

[tomalak301]

Virtuoso

This one came off as a bit annoying. I didn't like the alien of the week and the Doctor sure seemed out of character here. In fact, this episode reminded me a little of DS9's Maridian, where Jadzia falls in love with a guy from a planet that will disappear from space for (I think) 15 years and wants to go with him. Anyway, there were some good moments, such as Janeway and The Doctor's debate about his rights on the ship, and I really liked the poignant scenes between Seven and The Doctor. However, there was a moment in the Doctor/Janeway scene where I was like, yeah that happened and Janeway came down really hard on him. It was when The Doctor said if Harry Kim were to meet an alien woman and want to go run off with her, Janeway wouldn't stand in his way. Um, that exactly happened in Season 5, in that ill fated episode The Disease. How we forget Starfleet protocol about having sexual relations with aliens. I did like the music the Doctor was singing though, and this was as close to a musical as Star Trek ever got.

Memorial

Someone upthread (I think it was @Thomas Eugene ) mentioned that this was a controversial episode. When I saw it before (And it's been years), I was a fan of it because it was a really hardcore emotional episode and it showed the dangers of PTSD and respect for the fallen dead. I really liked the ominous scenes on the planet in the flashbacks, and the effects it had on the crew. I really liked the Tom and B'elanna scenes because they felt so real, especially Tom's breakdown.

However, if I criticize one episode for mind rape, I have to do it here (in fact, maybe I am a little hypocritical, but I didn't mind it in Remember because we established what those aliens do and Korenna didn't really have a choice, but then I guess the people of Katan didn't either. It's such a controversial subject that Trek doesn't do very well in that it doesn't understand the circumstances and treats it very cavalierly) because this was forcing anyone who comes by the system to relive this atrocity and feel the effects. I don't agree with Janeway's decision because what right does she have to not only make it functional but make it stronger. Isn't that a violation of the prime directive anyway, don't interfer with the natural evolution of a society. Well the natural evolution of this society was going to come to an end and Janeway punished everyone by saving it. That seems really selfish to me, and I agreed with Chakotay. Leave to monument there, maybe have a buoy that says "In memory of a brutal massacre, we hope you never have to live through it like we did". I get what they were going for how it's easier to remember something through experiences, but to put a very real world thing on it, I'm not sure the Jewish people want to experience the holocaust again. There are some things best left in the past.

 

[tomalak301]

Tsunkatse

Oh yes, the episode that was trying to market to Star Trek fans and WWF Smackdown fans. I remember the night this episode originally aired and how big a deal it was for the Rock to have a guest appearance. It was really more of a cameo than anything else. However, this episode was saved by JG Hertzler and Jeffrey Combs, but I wouldn't expect anything less from them. I love both actors in Trek and they made this episode really good. It was a mindless episode. Not as thought provoking as Memorial, but not too controversial. I did like the music quite a bit though.

 

[Catarina]

^ what you said about memorial. I feel the same way.Good, episode, I supported Chakotay's call on it.

 

[Catarina]

One small step: I don't watch this one. I don't like the idea of the man trapped and slowly meeting his maker. I get short of breath. A phobia i guess. I did laugh my ass off at Chakotay getting zapped at the console. NOT that he got hurt but how Beltran acted it. Watch and pause, folks. funny.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

This one came off as a bit annoying.

This ... I agree with.

the Doctor sure seemed out of character here

This ... I don't agree with. I think the Doctor is often ungrateful to the crew throughout the whole series. Too often, actually. It might have been more conspicuous here than on previous episodes but he has up to this point demonstrated his ego several times. And just think about what he is going to be like in AUTHOR, AUTHOR.

In fact, this episode reminded me a little of DS9's Maridian, where Jadzia falls in love with a guy from a planet that will disappear from space for (I think) 15 years and wants to go with him.

I don't see any parallels here. The Doctor wants his already enormous ego to be boosted a little further whereas Jadzia Dax simply falls in love. I know I'm not really an expert on DS9 but I've noticed that MERIDIAN often runs into a lot of flack. What's wrong with that episode? To me it seemed a welcome change from a show with an otherwise dark tone.

there were some good moments, such as Janeway and The Doctor's debate about his rights on the ship,

I think this is one of the strengths of Voyager. Whenever this topic comes up, it usually leads to an interesting discussion.

Someone upthread (I think it was @Thomas Eugene ) mentioned that this was a controversial episode.

I guess it must have been someone else. Nevertheless it's true that this is an oppressive episode, albeit I quite like it actually. Probably because although it's quite a poignant one, it's still Voyager with its very typical Voyager atmosphere. A word here, a sentence there and you instantly know that no matter how dark the story is, the characters are the good old ones that you love and love to be with. Like e.g. when Janeway says to that black guy "I've seen you looking better, Ensign." Those little remarks that are so much Janeway (or any other crew member) that make it worth watching episodes even with a darker tone. At least that's how I feel about them.
And yes, like you said, the scenes between Tom and B'Elanna were excellent. This was one of the rare occasions when B'Elanna had to back off to show her support for her love and not the other way round.

Isn't that a violation of the prime directive anyway, don't interfere with the natural evolution of a society.

Aren't they extinct? Because if they killed themselves (or each other), you're not interfering with a society any more. You are trying to save their memory for future generations to come.

I'm not sure the Jewish people want to experience the holocaust again.

I don't think you're using the right metaphor. This episode was about other people reliving what had happened to the Jews, not the Jews reliving it themselves.
Nevertheless, whoever these people were, they should have let others have the opportunity to decide whether they wished to relive these horrors or not. You can't just force that on people.

WWF Smackdown fans

What's this?

Tsunkatse

Oh yes, the episode that was trying to market to Star Trek fans and WWF Smackdown fans. I remember the night this episode originally aired and how big a deal it was for the Rock to have a guest appearance. It was really more of a cameo than anything else. However, this episode was saved by JG Hertzler and Jeffrey Combs, but I wouldn't expect anything less from them. I love both actors in Trek and they made this episode really good. It was a mindless episode. Not as thought provoking as Memorial, but not too controversial. I did like the music quite a bit though.

Love this episode for so many reasons. Tons of humour, as usual - do you guys remember the scene in the mess hall? - although this is not the main reason. The main reason is that it was interesting and of course, we have that Hirogen guy in it (I know he is kind of big on DS9 but I don't know who he is), and since the Hirogens are my No 1 favourite enemies, I love everything with them.

Also, does anyone know how much Jeri Ryan had to prepare physically for this episode?
Or did they use a double?

OK, it's time to watch a few VOY episodes, JUGGERNAUT and SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME are coming up next in my programme. Also, there's a DS9 episode which I'm going to watch tonight and which I accidentally happen to like. It's when they make the Doctor grow old (I don't know the title). It's a good one, I think - although I hardly remember it any more ...

 

[tomalak301]

This ... I don't agree with. I think the Doctor is often ungrateful to the crew throughout the whole series. Too often, actually. It might have been more conspicuous here than on previous episodes but he has up to this point demonstrated his ego several times. And just think about what he is going to be like in AUTHOR, AUTHOR.

He's been granted so many rights though. It just seems to be that the Doctor would be more appreciative about what he had. Granted, I think this was the point of the episode, especially the lovely scene with Seven giving him her letter, but for all his development, he does seem really ungrateful. And I haven't seen Author Author in a long time, but wasn't that episode about other holograms, not him?

I don't see any parallels here. The Doctor wants his already enormous ego to be boosted a little further whereas Jadzia Dax simply falls in love. I know I'm not really an expert on DS9 but I've noticed that MERIDIAN often runs into a lot of flack. What's wrong with that episode? To me it seemed a welcome change from a show with an otherwise dark tone.

The parallel I see is it's out of character for Jadzia to want to leave because of a guy she just met. Dax and The Doctor are giving up what they have on a whim. Both weren't thinking clearly.

Aren't they extinct? Because if they killed themselves (or each other), you're not interfering with a society any more. You are trying to save their memory for future generations to come.

But the memorial is a big part of their society though. It's an extension of what they are, so that their memories will never die.

I don't think you're using the right metaphor. This episode was about other people reliving what had happened to the Jews, not the Jews reliving it themselves.
Nevertheless, whoever these people were, they should have let others have the opportunity to decide whether they wished to relive these horrors or not. You can't just force that on people.

I was thinking the jewish people of today having to relive that atrocity. It can be anything though, such as having to live through various wars, seeing massacres, that kind of thing.

What's this?

WWF (Now WWE) Smackdown was wrestling that aired on the same network as Voyager. This episode had Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have a cameo and it was kind of a cross promotion between the two.

 

[stardream]

There is two things that I cannot reconcile about Virtuoso. The Doctor just leaving Seven, whom he apparently loves, just like that and not to mention TOM in charge of sick bay? Now Tom is a competent medic and he's learned a lot but he's no doctor.

It might have been me who mentioned Memorial. I complain about it often. Memorial frustrates me just like Extreme Risk frustrates me. Good idea, good acting and there is much to like about both episodes but then they both have these endings that drive me crazy. I remember the reviewer at Sci-fi debris ranting about this when Janeway mentioned Gettysburg. The tourists at Gettysburg aren't assaulted by memories of the battle. It's bad enough to walk the fields and just imagine what happened there.

I understand not liking a certain elements (like mind rape) but giving it a pass in other episodes. I've said I don't like 'dream' episodes but I give Waking Moments a pass because they know it's a dream.

Tsunkatse was ok. I have always liked the Rock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown

 

[locutus101]

There is two things that I cannot reconcile about Virtuoso. The Doctor just leaving Seven, whom he apparently loves, just like that and not to mention TOM in charge of sick bay? Now Tom is a competent medic and he's learned a lot but he's no doctor.
....

If they had anyone qualifying as a doctor they wouldn't have used the EMH to begin with. Tom is the closest thing they have to a doctor.

 

[stardream]

If they had anyone qualifying as a doctor they wouldn't have used the EMH to begin with. Tom is the closest thing they have to a doctor.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here. Do you mean that they could have just used Tom from the beginning and never used the Doctor? Not trying to be argumentative...just need clarity.

 

[locutus101]

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here. Do you mean that they could have just used Tom from the beginning and never used the Doctor? Not trying to be argumentative...just need clarity.

No, what I mean is that once the doctor is gone, Tom is the best they have.

And that may be something to be worried about.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

And I haven't seen Author Author in a long time, but wasn't that episode about other holograms, not him?

Well, yes but what I mean is that he started the whole thing with his holonovel in which he painted a very unfavourable picture of the Voyager crew. To me, this episode represents the largest ungratefulness that he displays in the entire show.

The parallel I see is it's out of character for Jadzia to want to leave because of a guy she just met.

Have you ever been in love? If so, did you behave out of character?
I think if you're in love and because of this you decide to start a new life, there's nothing out of character about it. I might be wrong, of course but I don't see wanting to spend the rest of your life with someone that you love as being out of character.

But the memorial is a big part of their society though. It's an extension of what they are, so that their memories will never die.

Exactly. So you are interfering so that you can save at least the memory of that society. Should Janeway just have left the memories to die? I guess she did what was the best thing to do: she preserved the memories but at the same time she equipped the memorial with a word of warning so anyone passing by would be able to decide if they wanted to experience the horrors in the form of a holoprogramme or not.

WWF (Now WWE) Smackdown was wrestling that aired on the same network as Voyager. This episode had Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have a cameo and it was kind of a cross promotion between the two.

Tsunkatse was ok. I have always liked the Rock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown

Thanks for the info. I know very little about American TV programmes but this kind of thing is not my cup of tea. Still, at least I know now a bit better why The Rock got a part in TSUNKATSE.

 

[Thomas Eugene]

@stardream + @locutus101
Here's Tommyboy for you from BLISS:
"Believe it or not, I am capable of handling almost any medical problem you might have."

 

[Jedman67]

I was thinking the jewish people of today having to relive that atrocity. It can be anything though, such as having to live through various wars, seeing massacres, that kind of thing.

Having lost family in the holocaust, and having relatives who were serving with the Allies during the Liberation, it's very important to me personally and our culture to "Never Forget". Never forget the atrocities, never forget the horrors of war. Never forget the recurring antisemitism in the world; and most importantly with today's Israel and its army - never let it happen again.

Haven't seen this episode in a while; I remember it being dark but there was something - positive - about Janeway's actions. One of Voyagers best.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here. Do you mean that they could have just used Tom from the beginning and never used the Doctor? Not trying to be argumentative...just need clarity.

I think he was saying that Tom was the best trained crewmember after the Doctor.

While I have great respect for Robert Picardo, it bothered me (yes, rule of plot) that there was only one EMH. With the medical knowledge contained in the ships computers, how hard would it be to create a new holographic physician if the Doc tries to leave? Or better yet, just duplicate him! He's just software!!