The Least Disliked Episode 2023: VOY Season 2

[Oddish]

Exactly what did they resolve here? This episode was more a tease of Janeway and Chakotay than anything else.

But the teasing was fun while it lasted.

 

[Seven of Five]

I quite liked Resolutions, but the writers dropped the ball by not following up on the relationship.

Innocence has a decent twist in it, but the rest of the episode is a bit of a bore. It's a shame as a lot of the scenes with Tuvok and the 'kids' were good.

Maneuvers
Resistance
Death Wish
Lifesigns
Deadlock
The Thaw
Basics (I)

 

[Phaser Two]

"Meld" I am always surprised to see this listed as the 2011 champion, to me it is such a meh episode.

Or perhaps I was just annoyed when it felt like Tuvok needs to be put in an altered state in order to get the spotlight. That bugged me, the writers clearly struggle to get drama from the character as-conceived.

And needlessly! Tim is a great actor. They didn't need to create gimmicks for him. I agree completely; Tuvok was terrific when written as a Vulcan. That's one reason why (spoiler alert!) "Worst Case Scenario" is my second-favorite ep.

Meanwhile, I will apologetically warm up "The Thaw." I know what they were going for here, Michael McKean was good, and I've always enjoyed Kim/Torres pairings, but this one is just too visually jarring to keep it over its remaining company. Sorry.

Maneuvers
Resistance
Death Wish
Lifesigns
Deadlock
Basics (I)

 

[Farscape One]

Taking out "BASICS, PART I".

The Kazon kept attacking the same section over and over again... and you only turn back after days of it happening? Once is an attack... twice is a coincidence... three times is a pattern. So why didn't you turn back after the third attack and not until after that entire section was in shambles?

Janeway and the crew looked really stupid here.


Maneuvers
Resistance
Death Wish
Lifesigns
Deadlock

 

[Warp 10 (Pepperoni)]

I've been looking forward to the Voyager rounds but already missed all the season 1 voting! Will need to check back here more often.

Removing "Maneuvers", an episode I really enjoy and Seska is a great villain but, ugh, the Kazon...

Resistance
Death Wish
Lifesigns
Deadlock

 

[Takeru]

Death Wish, it's an entertaining episode but it explained way too much about the Q. It also contradicts earlier episodes, the Q executed Amanda's parents and before that the main Q was turned into a human but here the idea of a Q dying is something the continuum cannot accept?


Resistance
Lifesigns
Deadlock

 

[Summer Solstice]

"Resistance" because the other two are slightly better, but it's a difficult decision. Lifesigns has some wonderful character development for the EMH and both Lifesigns and Deadlock have the Vidiians who are fantastic villians. Resistance is heart breaking and well-acted but is less important for the ongoing storyline of the show.


Lifesigns
Deadlock

 

[Sakonna]

Axing "Deadlock" to make "Lifesigns" the winner. "Lifesigns" is one of my favorite Trek ROTW's, and "Deadlock" is not aging well. It seems a bit hackier every time I revisit.

"Lifesigns" wins!

I'm glad "Death Wish" didn't make it to the end. I was coming back here to eliminate it if it were still in play. I just can't get past the basic premise that Janeway would be allowed to adjudicate this matter for these super beings! When you're going to court, you don't want the judge to be a literal neanderthal.

 

[Oddish]

I was a bit surprised at this one. I would have expected "Deadlock" or "The Thaw" to take it... but then, this is an unpredictable game by its nature.

Still, "Lifesigns" is a good episode. Its chief flaw IMO is that (given the Doc's feelings for Denara), it would have made more sense for him to adopt the name she gave him. I thought I had a good sense of humor, but the "inside joke" of the EMH's NAMELESSNESS eludes me.

EDIT: Stupid autocorrect.

 

[ReddishAlert]

Denara is an interesting character played by a talented actress.

I’m glad it wasn’t Basics (1). I will never forgive that episode for setting up such an awesome ending scene of Voyager flying off and the stranded crew and then completely wasting that part of the premise in Basics (2).

I’m glad somebody else eliminated Death Wish. Too much of a Riker fan to eliminate it myself. But it certainly isn’t the best episode of the season :-)

 

[Seven of Five]

Good choice with Lifesigns! The Vidiians were a very tragic race and much better villains than the warmed-over-Klingons Kazon.

The romance between Denara and the Doctor is lovely.

I like Deadlock, but it's just annoying that there was no follow-up to the damage caused to the ship, though it was typical of most VOY episodes involving a big fight.

 

[Warp 10 (Pepperoni)]

Confession time: I haven't seen Lifesigns! (Or possibly more accurately, I don't remember it at all because my partner swears we've watched it together). Either way, it's next on my watch list.

 

[Oddish]

The romance between Denara and the Doctor is lovely.

Yes. And it's a crucial point in his evolution from a mere piece of software to something more. Which is why, of the Doctor's myriad names (Scweitzer, Kenneth, Dr. Zimmerman, van Gogh, and even Joe)... there might be others I like better aesthetically, but the most logical sobriquet will always be Dr. Shmullus.

 

[Sakonna]

I was planning to marathon the finalists in this game (I did that with the DS9 list and was excited to realize -- it's a structure of Trek rewatching I haven't tried before! A short eclectic mix of high-ish points watched chronologically)

But this first batch being so Vidiian heavy -- "Phage", "State Of Flux", "Lifesigns", "Deadlock" -- might be too depressing! I love the Vidiians, but they are also super sad. If I watched 4 episodes consecutively I don't think the dosage could be 75% Vidiian.

Also, it just hit me how much more interesting it would have been if Seska ran off with the Vidiians instead of the Kazon.

Can't wait for season 3. Lots of awful episodes in that season I would be happy to chop.

Of course, my most loathed Voyager (widely loved by seemingly everyone else) is waiting in season 5. Soon...

 

[Takeru]

Of course, my most loathed Voyager (widely loved by seemingly everyone else) is waiting in season 5. Soon...

You can use the dagger I used on The Visitor if you want.

 

[Farscape One]

I was planning to marathon the finalists in this game (I did that with the DS9 list and was excited to realize -- it's a structure of Trek rewatching I haven't tried before! A short eclectic mix of high-ish points watched chronologically)

But this first batch being so Vidiian heavy -- "Phage", "State Of Flux", "Lifesigns", "Deadlock" -- might be too depressing! I love the Vidiians, but they are also super sad. If I watched 4 episodes consecutively I don't think the dosage could be 75% Vidiian.

Also, it just hit me how much more interesting it would have been if Seska ran off with the Vidiians instead of the Kazon.

Can't wait for season 3. Lots of awful episodes in that season I would be happy to chop.

Of course, my most loathed Voyager (widely loved by seemingly everyone else) is waiting in season 5. Soon...

Seska could never manipulate the Vidiians the way she did the Kazon. Plus, after a while, they'll just harvest her parts. Not to mention there was no guarantee she couldn't contract the phage.

 

[Oddish]

Also, it just hit me how much more interesting it would have been if Seska ran off with the Vidiians instead of the Kazon.

Or if she somehow wound up on Voyager again, and had to work alongside Janeway and the others.

You can use the dagger I used on The Visitor if you want.

No high explosives?