The Most Disliked Episode of VOY, 2023 Edition - Season 6...

[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 Six -

"EQUINOX, PART II"
"SURVIVAL INSTINCT"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"TINKER, TENOR, DOCTOR, SPY"
"ALICE"
"RIDDLES"
"DRAGON'S TEETH"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"PATHFINDER"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"BLINK OF AN EYE"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Farscape One]

Season 6... no season in the entire franchise is as schizoprenic in terms of quality as this one. We start out great, go to meh, to good, to bad, to awful, to great, to bad, to good, to horrible, to great, to bad. A rollercoaster of quality.

I will save the first gem of the season... "SURVIVAL INSTINCT". This was the only one Ronald D. Moore did for this show, and it just underscores why he was sorely missed.

Some great humor moments in here, which is a hallmark of Moore. Like the plant grabbing Janeway, or her asking Tom and Harry if they won the fight.

But the real meat of the story is Seven. Great story, great guest cast, and Jeri Ryan in her usual high quality acting.

It's a sad ending, but it's actually a hopeful and good one... they got what they wanted, and can live again. Really live, if only for a short while.

Damned shame the writing environment was not conducive to having Moore stay.


"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"TINKER, TENOR, DOCTOR, SPY"
"ALICE"
"RIDDLES"
"DRAGON'S TEETH"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"PATHFINDER"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"BLINK OF AN EYE"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Oddish]

Riddles is my first save, for the awesome interplay between a fundamentally changed Tuvok and Neelix. And those desserts sounded real good.

"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"TINKER, TENOR, DOCTOR, SPY"
"ALICE"
"DRAGON'S TEETH"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"PATHFINDER"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"BLINK OF AN EYE"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Seven of Five]

Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy is hilarious and has me crying with laughter every time I rewatch.

"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"DRAGON'S TEETH"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"PATHFINDER"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"BLINK OF AN EYE"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Farscape One]

"TINKER TENOR DOCTOR SPY" was quite literally going to be my next save, not only because of how awesome it is but because when I met Robert Picardo he sang the Vulcan Aria with me!

So I'm going with "BLINK OF AN EYE".

A classic story... Voyager literally becomes mythology. One of my favorites of the entire franchise, we got to see just how they inspired an entire world. THAT is the power of mythology, and one of the reasons why I love it so much. It's a great message about just how powerful these things are.

I've mentioned many times that Joe Menosky is one of my favorite writers in the franchise because of how he uses mythology in so many of his episodes, such as "Darmok", "DRAMATIS PERSONAE", "MUSE", and here.

Always a rewatch, and always a save.


"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"DRAGON'S TEETH"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"PATHFINDER"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Sakonna]

Overall, what a shitty season!

I will save "Dragon's Teeth", because I have nice memories of watching it with a family member shortly before he passed away. It's a sentimental favorite I enjoy for that reason, and I'm not even aware of what it's objective pros & cons might be.

"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"PATHFINDER"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Oddish]

Saving "Pathfinder", for Barclay, Neelix the cat, Troi, Reg's holodeck hijinks, and the awesome "Voyager finally calls home" scene.

"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"MEMORIAL"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "MEMORIAL".

This was a great concept really, really well. But possibly the most impressive thing about this episode was the acting of Beltran, McNeill, Wang, and Phillips. They ALL did a phenomenal job here. Their trauma felt completely real.

And while it can be argued Janeway essentially will allow people going forward to suffer without consent, she did place warning markers. And I did love the nice touch of Neelix being the only one saying those colonists deserve to be remembered... given his past, it makes the most sense he would be the one to advocate that. I'm glad the writers remembered.

This one is always a rewatch.


"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"TSUNKATSE"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Sakonna]

I like episodes with lots of aliens, so I appreciate "Tsunkatse" from that angle.

"EQUINOX, PART II"
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Oddish]

I like episodes with lots of aliens, so I appreciate "Tsunkatse" from that angle.

Plus, you know... the Rock.

 

[Qonundrum]

Oh, I am soooo saving U--

*cough* *sneeze* *snort*

"EQUINOX, PART II"​

Pt 1 is a pretty solid setup (by space's seashore), and part 2 is quite robust indeed as far as payoffs are concerned. The best since Seven's introduction, if not the best 2-part resolution of the lot.

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Good music, not overdone, either... and Janeway gets to be Ripley again, believe it or not!

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In full context, the song isn't as bad, but I still think the 1998 movie started a chorus of copycat singalongs. Good incidental music overall, too. Last but not least, they do more than just tap the edge of a nacelle and it doesn't boom-boom splodey the whole of the ship in the way that the Big-D would, as shown umpteen times on... Staaaaaaaaaar Trek The Next Generation! Weren't there criticisms back in 1992-ey or so of how fragile the Big-D could be? Now there's a fun design flaw...

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I'd like to see some of them strip, too. Wait, what now?



What's left:
"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Qonundrum]

Overall, what a shitty season!

Now, honestly, is "Unimatrix Zilch" all that bad? (Well... yeah, it's bloody awful, so I stand corrected... I still think the season's ups were good, but the ball was dropped more than a juggler before getting his first fix of the day. )

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "ONE SMALL STEP".

While I didn't like that Seven essentially hijacked what could have been a great Chakotay story about his heroes, I still love this one because it shows us how heroic astronauts are.

And I'm a firm believer that they are. They willingly go into the most inhospitable environment possible for humans so we can learn about the universe. Accepting that kind of danger just for the possibility of learning something new so all of humanity can know it, too.

I'm glad VOYAGER gave us this tribute to the spirit of the space program, and remind us that these are heroes. And well directed by Robert Picardo, too.


"BARGE OF THE DEAD"
"ALICE"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

Now, honestly, is "Unimatrix Zilch" all that bad? (Well... yeah, it's bloody awful, so I stand corrected... I still think the season's ups were good, but the ball was dropped more than a juggler before getting his first fix of the day. )

Yes... yes, it was all that bad. And worse. Personally, I call it the second worst episode of season.

 

[Seven of Five]

I can't help but love Barge of the Dead. It's a triumph of set design, and Roxann Dawson throws her all into the meaty emotions of dealing with the barge and her mother's death.

"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"LIVE FAST AND PROSPER"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Oddish]

Live Fast and Prosper is just a fun, lighthearted caper episode that I like to rewatch every now and then.

"ALICE"
"ONE SMALL STEP"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"MUSE"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Farscape One]

My next save is the last solo Joe Menosky episode for VOYAGER... "MUSE".

Again, his use of mythology is why I love his work so much. The power of mythology and story to spark positive change in a society... excellent message, and this one sends it so well.

Superb episode, with a surprising bit of casting of Tony Amendola. (Known to STARGATE SG-1 fans as Bra'tac.)



"ALICE"
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Qonundrum]

She doesn't live there anymore, but she spars with Mel, Vera, and Flo all the time:

"ALICE"​

The episode should be hokier than what it is, as it feels like a homage of that 80s horror movie involving a car, and is definitely not the 1960s sitcom "My Mother The Car". But somehow it gets more right than you'd think possible. I always return to it, but I'm goofy.


What's left:
"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"FURY"
"LIFE LINE"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Seven of Five]

Schizophrenic season indeed. Some series, and some terrible lows.

Life Line was a nice continuation of the Pathfinder story, and I liked seeing Lewis Zimmerman again. Picardo is great in the dual roles.

"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"CHILD'S PLAY"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"FURY"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Farscape One]

Getting hard to vote for any now.

I'll save "CHILD'S PLAY" next.

Seven's scene in the Ready Room explaining how it is personal looking out for Icheb is both about him and how bad her own parents were was excellent.

This really shows us the bond she has with Icheb l and why, along with next season's "IMPERFECTION", she was so close to him and why she (rightfully) went after Bejayzl in PICARD season 1.


"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"ASHES TO ASHES"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"FURY"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"

 

[Sakonna]

"Ashes To Ashes" I don't mind.

Continuity with the Borg children! (Well, most of them)

It would actually be a perfect episode, if we had ever seen this woman before and if Harry's story the first two seasons had been completely different than what it actually was (there is just no way to track Harry having this relationship onboard with the Harry we saw at the beginning of the series).

But if you can pretend that this series has a completely different backstory, it's a very compelling story.

"THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY"
"FAIR HAVEN"
"VIRTUOSO"
"COLLECTIVE"
"SPIRIT FOLK"
"GOOD SHEPHERD"
"FURY"
"THE HAUNTING OF DECK TWELVE"
"UNIMATRIX ZERO"