The Most Disliked Episode of VOY, 2023 Edition - Season 2...

[Farscape One]

Welcome to our bi-yearly 'Most Disliked Episode' games! Now that the 'Least Disliked Episode' games hosted by BlueStuff (who inspired me to create these games, so thank you very much for paving the way) have concluded, we can begin the opposite side of that coin.

Here's the game. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. I'll provide a list of the episodes for each season and you need to eliminate your most favorite or the one you deem the 'best.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed. Finally, leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you feel they would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Hall of Champions (or Failures?)
2011 - "THE FIGHT"
2018 - "FAVORITE SON"
2019 - "SPIRIT FOLK"
2021 - "FURY"
2023 - "FRIENDSHIP ONE"


Season Two -

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"PROJECTIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"MELD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"DEATH WISH"
"LIFESIGNS"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"DEADLOCK"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"RESOLUTIONS"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Farscape One]

My apologies for starting this season's game much later than I said I would. A few things got in the way today.


Season 2 of VOYAGER was a better season than a lot of people say. There are a number of great ones here, and though the Kazon were a poor choice to use for an ongoing arc, at least the writers DID an arc this season, which was something this series was ripe for... even more so than DS9, simply due to the premise of this show. A shame there were very few arcs in VOYAGER.

My first save of this season will actually be one that was produced for season 1..."PROJECTIONS".

This is definitely a highlight, as it not only focuses entirely on The Doctor, which casting Robert Picardo was one of the best casting decisions of the franchise, but has Jonathan Frakes directing in his usual very high quality. The fact that this is VOYAGER's version of "Frame of Mind" doesn't take away from it at all. (The irony is not lost on me that it is Frakes who directs this version. I might go so far as to say this succeeds because of that fact.) In fact, if Braga didn't write this one, it could have been a really bad one. But it all works perfectly, right down to bringing in Barclay.


"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"MELD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"DEATH WISH"
"LIFESIGNS"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"DEADLOCK"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"RESOLUTIONS"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Qonundrum]

Easily my favorite of the season and IMHO one of VOY's best outings in general,

"MELD"​

allows Tim Russ to shine, while exploring new facets of Betazeds and Vulcans. The whole episode is a must-see as an example of first rate early-VOY.

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(Tim Russ deserved numerous accolades. He's great as emotionless Tuvok, but this scene adds a new dimension and his nuanced acting just nails it.)

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(In or out of context, the Neelix scene is still a chilling one. Tim Russ and Ethan Philips are always terrific together, and if you've not seen Ethan in TNG's Menage-A-Troi, you should: He lifts the episode considerably in playing the evil Ferengi scientist that shows how deliciously malevolent early-Ferengi could have been. Now remember that with Neelix and the word "range" and phrase "much acting range" comes to mind. 90s Trek had some first class talented people on it...)


What's left:
"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"DEATH WISH"
"LIFESIGNS"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"DEADLOCK"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"RESOLUTIONS"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Oddish]

Saving "Resolutions". Janeway and Chakotay's chemistry with each other sells this one.

What's left:
"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"DEATH WISH"
"LIFESIGNS"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"DEADLOCK"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Farscape One]

Qonundrum, I am totally with you about "MELD". One of the best of the entire series. Well acted and directed, and spoke very well about the nature of violent impulses.

My next save is "DEATH WISH".

Terrific episode, another of the best of the series. Not only did we get a look inside the Q Continuum, but this had an excellent message about the value of life and a great other perspective about suicide.


"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"LIFESIGNS"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"DEADLOCK"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Seven of Five]

S2 is a bit of a step down from S1 for me. I liked the use of continuity with Seska and the Kazon, even if the Tom Paris mutiny arc ended stupidly.

Lifesigns is one of the best ROTW in the franchise. As bad as the Vidiians act to find new organs and body parts, every member of their society is a victim, and Danara Pol was played in such h a way that we couldn't help but sympathize with her.

The Doctor showing her without the phage in holographic form was a nice touch.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"DEADLOCK"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[CitadelZombies]

"Deadlock" is a really fun episode and part of one of the first Voyager VHS tapes I got. It's a shame that the giant reset button got pressed at the end. It would have been cool to see the damage to Voyager repaired over the next few episodes. Oh, well. I do find it funny that the Original Harry and Naomi Wildman don't survive this episode, get replaced by their duplicates, and it never gets mentioned again as far as I'm aware.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"THE THAW"
"TUVIX"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Oddish]

I'll save "The Thaw", because of the last few minutes, where Janeway shows that the only thing to fear is fear itself... unless you can make fear itself fear you.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"TUVIX"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Qonundrum]

Designed to tug at everyone's heart string, Janeway is heartless toward

"TUVIX"​

Now this episode redefines "maintaining the status quo"!

This isn't even the luxury of time travel being used as plot device for a quick resolve; they've indirectly lost two crewmembers via the transporter trope of the week. Now amalgamated into one perfect character, she's risking losing this one - effectively the best of both, in a slim and dramatic attempt to repatriate both to be ready for next week's escapade by using the now-repaired transporter* maguffin. Just don't ask where the extra matter comes from to fill in the missing bits, or where the original matter went when the transporter amalgamated the two so precisely -- maybe there's a tertiary buffer, next to the bio packs someone sneezed on while the flower pollinated the system.

The episode was bold to go big with some main characters rather than having a few episodes with shiny new ensigns Tom and Freddy and then pull this stunt after getting to know them, and it would have been more bold and daring to have made Tuvix permanent**. But we can't have that in Staaaaaaaat Trek TNGLite Voyager. Especially as this is Tuvok and Neelix, rather than Harry and Kes. But who wants Hessy or Karsy? This isn't a 1970s sitcom about middle school kids played by thirty-somethings.

* but the power of Plotarm'r(tm) ensures the percentage of "slim" is "42,000,000,000,000% plus that cup of sugar your kinky neighbor wanted
** admit it, you'd be missing Neelix after a fortnight as well. You'd also be missing Tuvok after half a week​

Now with that nitpick aside, I actually love this episode and the fairly original and high-concept quandary it poses, even if it's also consciously and using Tuvix's charm at the audience as a wind-up to a cold finish. Nor is this the first episode to chicken out or hit that shiny reset button..

And, as a palette-refresher:

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She posits the ideal solution in her main comment section: Duplicate Tuvix and then use the other to restore the original two crewmen. Given how often they look up the logs***

*** No worries folks, they show goes between "we're cut off from everything in Starfleet" to "We have a backup copy of everything in our big big computer and we look up Picard's exploits constantly!"​

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Hey look, it's even being done via a site-to-site protocol, rather than inside the transporter chamber proper what with the delicacy of the murderaneuver.


What's left:
"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"PERSISTENCE OF VISION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Sakonna]

"Persistence Of Vision" Love the spookiness, great Kes showcase, awesome villain.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"MANEUVERS"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Oddish]

Hey look, it's even being done via a site-to-site protocol, rather than inside the transporter chamber proper what with the delicacy of the murderaneuver.

Worth rewatching just to see the Doctor basically telling Janeway where to go.

 

[Brennyren]

"Maneuvers" combined action, betrayal, and classic evening soap opera. Beltran played Chakotay's passion and conflict well, and Chak had gallows humor down cold in his effort to sow discord between Seska and Culluh. And this episode actually set up an arc for the rest of the season, entertaining enough while it lasted even if it ultimately didn't go anywhere.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"RESISTANCE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Farscape One]

Wow... all of the ones you folks saved would have been my next save. I applaud each of you!

Saving "RESISTANCE" next.

This episode is one of the best examples of how just casting well can easily elevate an episode. It's a simple story, but Joel Grey's performance REALLY makes this one extremely memorable. Of all the guest starring one off roles of VOYAGER, his was easily a top 3.

Kate Mulgrew was fantastic, as always. She certainly elevated any material she was given. Had her character been written more consistently, I think Janeway would have rated better with more people.


"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"COLD FIRE"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Sakonna]

"Cold Fire" Another great Kes showcase, I've been meaning to rewatch it the last few days.

God, she was a great character! The writers ineptness with her still pisses me off.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"DREADNOUGHT"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Oddish]

Dreadnought is a pretty good B'Elanna episode, despite the insane level of coincidence. Nice bit with Janeway and Tuvok at the end.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "ALLIANCES" next.

I've always loved this one... until the final speech Janeway gave. This had great pacing and was honestly something Voyager should have done more often.

Tuvok's words on why an alliance with a couple Kazon factions could potentially work was good.

I love the intrigue of the Trabe and how Voyager was being used to destroy the Kazon leadership. Good twist.

The only mark against this episode was Janeway's speech at the end. I just thought it didn't work because while those values are good and should be used as a routine, a situation like theirs requires a bit of flexibility and there are times when those values can bite you in the ass... which is exactly why it didn't work with the Trabe. The Trabe took advantage of her good will and the 'principles and ideals of the Federation', in this case, were not the 'best allies we could have'. Frankly, it made her look naive.



"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"ELOGIUM"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"PROTOTYPE"
"ALLIANCES"
"THRESHOLD"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Sakonna]

I'm on a real pro-Kes kick, so I'm going to keep it running with "Elogium." All sorts of things wrong with the story, obviously, but Jennifer Lien acts the hell out of it. I like the space creature effects as well.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"PROTOTYPE"
"THRESHOLD"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"
"BASICS, PART I"

 

[Oddish]

I've always loved this one... until the final speech Janeway gave. This had great pacing and was honestly something Voyager should have done more often.

That speech alone is why I didn't save this one. "We're getting pummeled by Kazon one of our crew just died, and we may lose a lot more .. but hey, it's Ok now!"

 

[Seven of Five]

Basics Part I was a pretty decent cliffhanger, as it was good to see Seska and Sudar again. I'm not sure how realistic it would be that the crew would turn back to help Seska and the baby, especially as it was so obviously a trap.

"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"PROTOTYPE"
"THRESHOLD"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"

 

[Farscape One]

Okay, it's time for a really controversial save... "THRESHOLD".

I am well aware that this one is very much maligned across the entire fanbase, but ignore the last 5 minutes... and it's honestly a very good episode. My reasons...


1. We have the first appearance of this type of shuttlecraft, which I always thought was a cool design.

2. It's a good character piece for Tom. He goes into this hoping for a quick fix of his reputation, as he says, but learns the more important thing to work on in his opinion of himself and respecting himself more.

3. Tom's scene with Janeway in his quarters was really, really good and heartfelt. I've also felt this scene had a deeper message... while we always want our children to feel special, sometimes going overboard on that can be damaging. It can feel like a stigma attached to you if you don't succeed in some really high way and that follows you throughout life... and in the case of Tom, can lead to making some really bad decisions you might not have made otherwise, like what got him cashiered from Starfleet. And it all snowballed from there.

4. It touches on the concept of hitting warp 10. And while a lot of people dismiss the idea of being everywhere at once when you do this... is it really any more unbelievable than transporters? Or Starfleet doctors finding the cure for a deadly disease by the end of an episode? Or the dozens of methods of time travel? It's called 'science fiction', folks. Sometimes... just roll with it.

5. It's a great use of body horror. As a horror fan, I really loved this! Especially effective was Tom ripping out his own tongue. (Also... this earned VOYAGER an Emmy.)


So I am definitely one of the few people who will defend "THRESHOLD". And as long as I am around to vote (at least, after my other favorites are saved first), I am not going to let this one get to the Finals.


"THE 37's"
"INITIATIONS"
"NON SEQUITUR"
"TWISTED"
"PARTURITION"
"TATTOO"
"PROTOTYPE"
"INVESTIGATIONS"
"INNOCENCE"