Season One

[KayArr]

Well, I bought seasons 1-3 from Amazon, thanks to the sale. I haven't watched these since 1995, and I quit about halfway through season 2 back then. I got interested in Voyager again with the fan collectives, and cherry picked good eps from 4-7 from Jammer's Reviews and Trek Nation reviews.

My reaction? First--the reputation of Voyager as the Trek with the most techno-babble is well earned! Second--why does modern Trek have to have holodecks? Third--what a shame they didn't continue with the Starfleet vs. Maquis tension for a lot longer.

But--this season is great! I really enjoyed it--the episodes were very entertaining, some of them were truly great, more were excellent, and all were at least good--no real stinkers.

There are so many great relationships in this season: Janeway/B'Elanna, Kes/Doctor, Janeway/Tuvok, Tuvok/Kes.

Having the females on TNG be the counselor and the doctor got kind of old, I really got a kick out of decisive, action-oriented Janeway! The dynamic between Janeway and B'Elanna has to rank up there with the best in Trek.

Some of the scripts were really, really powerful. The season was rarely dull. Seasons 2-5 are my favorites of TNG--and sometimes in the first few seasons, the plots really moved slowly--the show wasn't really firing on all cylinders until season 4. But Voyager moves along at a good pace from day one (of course the writers had 7 seasons of TNG and one of DS9 under their belts by this time).

I was pretty tempted to only buy seasons 4-7 of Voyager, but now I'm glad that I'm starting with the beginning. On to season 2!

My favorites: Parallax, Phage, Eye of the Needle, Emanations, Prime Factors, Faces, and Jetrel.

 

[crouteru]

Voyager isn't quite as bad as some people would have you think. It's at least comparable in quality to The Next Generation, though it doesn't really follow it's premise all that well.

 

[INACTIVESamusAranX]

My reaction? First--the reputation of Voyager as the Trek with the most techno-babble is well earned! Second--why does modern Trek have to have holodecks? Third--what a shame they didn't continue with the Starfleet vs. Maquis tension for a lot longer.

I'm not much for conflict, but as TV goes it makes for good drama sometimes. That said, further conflict, besides the squabbles here or there, would have been unrealistic. The Federation wasn't the Maquis' true enemy, the Cardassians were. They only fought the Feds when they got involved in helping the Cardassians.

As for the holodeck, no modern-made ship in Starfleet probably doesn't have one.

As for the technobabble...

But--this season is great! I really enjoyed it--the episodes were very entertaining, some of them were truly great, more were excellent, and all were at least good--no real stinkers

I agree. I like the ensemble feel, and the only reason some episodes were weaker than others was because they used worn plot devices. Other than that...

There are so many great relationships in this season: Janeway/B'Elanna, Kes/Doctor, Janeway/Tuvok, Tuvok/Kes.

Agreed, except for Kes. I didn't like her .

Some of the scripts were really, really powerful. The season was rarely dull. Seasons 2-5 are my favorites of TNG--and sometimes in the first few seasons, the plots really moved slowly--the show wasn't really firing on all cylinders until season 4. But Voyager moves along at a good pace from day one (of course the writers had 7 seasons of TNG and one of DS9 under their belts by this time).

Definitely. Jetrel was excellent in that category. I also loved the Seska subplot.

 

[Mr. Fergy]

Voyager isn't quite as bad as some people would have you think. It's at least comparable in quality to The Next Generation, though it doesn't really follow it's premise all that well.

Iconcur, but Voyager's writing, just, isn't as strong as TNG's.

 

[Broccoli]

I always liked Voyager's first season (indicated with me owning it). I kinda wish that when they packaged the DVD sets, they did it as the "production season" instead of the "aired season" as I wish I could also own those other 4 episodes as well.

 

[Mrs Paris]

Don't get me wrong, Voyager is by far my favorite trek series and my favorite tv show of all time, but the first season is very weak. But most shows have a weak first season. The actors aren't familar with their characters, or each other, or the production staff. By later seasons it all comes together much better.

having said that, that doesn't mean that there aren't wonderful episdoes early on.

The character interactions and relationships was something that made the show unique I think. Voyager had more character development than any other show. Look at Tom and B'Elanna for example asside from the fact that they are married at the end, their characters go through an incredible transformation throughout the show.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

I agree on the Maquis thing...they had what...those three bad trainees? and Torres being a bit moody which is unconnected to her Maquis membership? The transition was a little too smooth.
These people thought starfleet and the federation sold them out, and now they're hunkey dorey to take orders from them?

But I love Voyager overall, even at the start, in spite of Chez Sandrenes...

 

[Mrs Paris]

I've said before that I would have loved to see the maquis tension drawn out more. And even have the season one cliffhanger be a maquis mutiny with the last shot of the season be someone with a phaser to Janeway's head

 

[kimc]

I agree on the Maquis thing...they had what...those three bad trainees? and Torres being a bit moody which is unconnected to her Maquis membership? The transition was a little too smooth.
These people thought starfleet and the federation sold them out, and now they're hunkey dorey to take orders from them?

But I love Voyager overall, even at the start, in spite of Chez Sandrenes...

There were minor characters who made comments now and again like in the episode "Alliances". There is also the quite forgettable guy in Engineering who was passing information along to Seska.

It seemed to me that all mention of the Maquis being different ended after the "Basics" two-parter. I guess one could say that the experience of being stranded together bonded the two crews...

 

[McCoy]

Yeah I think being the only humans 70K light years from home tends to eliminate divisions pretty quickly. I mean, really, for Chakotay's crew, Voyager was the only game in town. It's a testament to the maturity of the Maquis that they integrated so easily, with little more than some initial grumbling. In the Delta quadrant what else can you do?

 

[kimc]

In the Delta quadrant what else can you do?

If the only alternative is to "pull a Seska" and take up with Cullah then I say stick with Voyager!

 

[Mrs Paris]

Yeah I think being the only humans 70K light years from home tends to eliminate divisions pretty quickly. I mean, really, for Chakotay's crew, Voyager was the only game in town. It's a testament to the maturity of the Maquis that they integrated so easily, with little more than some initial grumbling. In the Delta quadrant what else can you do?

exactly, they had to work together, they had no choice.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

Good points.
I think an attempt at a mutiny by a tiny minority would have been a fun episode, that way (from their perspective) they'd have Voyager but just like was said in the training programme "wont be stopping to investigate every insignifigant anomoly", and they'd have Voyager to ait the Maquis if they got back.
Could have shown the majority of the Maquis turning against the idea and thus bonding more with the starfleet crew

 

[Mrs Paris]

Good points.
I think an attempt at a mutiny by a tiny minority would have been a fun episode, that way (from their perspective) they'd have Voyager but just like was said in the training programme "wont be stopping to investigate every insignifigant anomoly", and they'd have Voyager to ait the Maquis if they got back.
Could have shown the majority of the Maquis turning against the idea and thus bonding more with the starfleet crew

here's a question. What do you do with the mutineers afterwards? Throw them in the brig for the whole journey, shove them out an airlock, lock them in their quarters forever?

 

[PhoenixIreland]

I'd have had the disposable characters like Seska, Jones etc be involved, and have them die somehow in the attempt so we don't have to decide what to do with them afterwards.

That would have robbed us of Basics though, which was a good episode

 

[freak]

Awwww, Mrs. Paris. Love your avatar! As for the show, recently got year 5 and liked it. I love the interviews and the easter eggs. Favorite part was the behind the scenes of Timeless. That cake looked good and so did the champaign!

 

[kimc]

That would have robbed us of Basics though, which was a good episode

I know I'm in the minority when I say it's my favorite two-parter.

 

[Mrs Paris]

Awwww, Mrs. Paris. Love your avatar! As for the show, recently got year 5 and liked it. I love the interviews and the easter eggs. Favorite part was the behind the scenes of Timeless. That cake looked good and so did the champaign!

Thanks, I'm sucha P/T freak!!!

 

[Lynx]

That would have robbed us of Basics though, which was a good episode

I know I'm in the minority when I say it's my favorite two-parter.

I love "Basics" too. One of the best episodes of Voyager. I remember that when I watched it for the first time, I had to wait six months before having the opportunity to watch part 2 of it. That was six long months!

As for the Starfleet-Maquis thing, I think theh handled it pretty well. As some posters have stated, they just had to cooperate to get home. OK, Torres became "tame" a little too quickly considereing her behavior in "Caretaker" and maybe there should have been a little more tension here and there in season 1. The scenario in "Learning Curve" could have lasted for at least 2-3 episodes. I would have liked to see more of Dalby, Henley, Chell and Gerron. They were good characters.

One thing I did question was that only Maquis members were singled out as "bad guys" in some epiosodes. Seska, Suder, Jonas. I would have liked to see some Starfleet guy getting involved in some sceme too. Sometimes the Starfleet guys are a little too perfect.

 

[Mrs Paris]

That would have robbed us of Basics though, which was a good episode

I know I'm in the minority when I say it's my favorite two-parter.

I love "Basics" too. One of the best episodes of Voyager. I remember that when I watched it for the first time, I had to wait six months before having the opportunity to watch part 2 of it. That was six long months!

As for the Starfleet-Maquis thing, I think theh handled it pretty well. As some posters have stated, they just had to cooperate to get home. OK, Torres became "tame" a little too quickly considereing her behavior in "Caretaker" and maybe there should have been a little more tension here and there in season 1. The scenario in "Learning Curve" could have lasted for at least 2-3 episodes. I would have liked to see more of Dalby, Henley, Chell and Gerron. They were good characters.

One thing I did question was that only Maquis members were singled out as "bad guys" in some epiosodes. Seska, Suder, Jonas. I would have liked to see some Starfleet guy getting involved in some sceme too. Sometimes the Starfleet guys are a little too perfect.

it would be an interesting turn to see some "starfleet" people cooperating in a "Maquis" mutiny