Finally ready to delve into more detail about my Top 10, Bottom 5, and what didn't make the cut on either end. I have links to my original reviews embedded into the titles.
For the Top 10, I gave most of these episodes a 10, but there weren't enough of them, so a few 9s managed to work their way in. Anything I gave a 9 or above is eligible. I gave everything in the Bottom 5 under a 5.
Top Ten
1. "Deadlock" -- This episode had everything! Pyrotechnics with everything being destroyed all over the place on "Voyager A". All kinds of things, like Kim dying, making you think, "How are they going to undo all of
this?!" Then the surprise of the "Voyager B".
The high concept of Voyager A and Voyager B being like Siamese Twins. The scene between Janeway and Janeway in Engineering. And then subverting our expectations. Going in, you totally think it's going to be the Voyager A that destroys itself. But nope, it's the Voyager B! Loved the way Janeway greeted the Vidiians, "Welcome to the bridge!" Then the explosion.
The button on the episode: "Kim B" (and "Naomi B") on "Voyager A". Kim telling Janeway, "It's all a little weird." And then Janeway delivering the line of the episode, "We're Starfleet Officers! Weird is part of the job!" Doesn't get any better than this.
2. "Worst Case Scenario" -- I loved watching everyone going through the simulation and the way it depicted an alternate direction Voyager could've gone in. And it throws you a loop for the first several minutes. I love watching YouTube Reactors react to this episode and seeing them catch on for the first time. It's like reexperiencing how I experienced it.
After it's revealed that Tuvok wrote it, and Paris insists on continuing it, I think
this is when Paris decided he wanted to write a holonovel of his own. Not just finish
Insurrection: Alpha. After Seska spoiled it for him, I think Paris still wanted to write a holonovel anyway, and that's what led to
Captain Proton. Paris and Kim in the holodeck playing out
Captain Proton just over a year later? That would track. I can see it taking about that long for Paris to develop it.
Speaking of Seska! It was nice to see her again. And
without the Kazon! I'm a huge fan of Seska. She's my favorite villain for the first half of the series. And there was always the strange juxtaposition that she ended up with my least favorite villains from the first half of the series. But at least she lifted up all the Kazon episodes she was in.
3. "Projections" -- This episode was the ultimate mindfuck. It twists things around so much that if I hadn't known better, I would've
almost believed that Voyager was a simulation. My favorite moment was when the Doctor thought it was out of the "simulation" and then the reveal that Kes is his "wife".
Have to mention something about Barclay. Nice seeing him again, even if it was a holo-version. I have to wonder if the writers thought back to
this episode later on when thought, "Let's bring him back in the flesh!"
4. "Eye of the Needle" -- The very first episode where Voyager thinks it's found a short-cut way to get home. I was with the crew in that I thought it was horrible luck that who they came into contact with was a Romulan. But the Romulan turned out to be a truly sympathetic character, out alone, separated from his family and friends just like the Voyager crew were.
Every time they
think they found a way home, something comes up.
A wormhole? It's too small!
Transport everyone? Nope. It'll take them 20 years into the past!
Can we at least messages that can be delivered? Nope! The Romulan died before he would've delivered them! Murphy's Law at every turn.
5. "Macrocosm" -- Watching the Macro-Viruses spread like wildfire was a sight to see. The CGI that brought them to life was incredible. In fact, I think the Macro-Viruses here are what convinced the TPTB that they could pull off Species 8472 at the end of the season. So, I think there was some long-term planning there on the technical end.
Another thing I love about this episode was that it throws you right in, we don't know how Voyager became infested, and it leaves you wondering before everything was revealed through flashback.
Then the icing on the cake: Janeway goes into full Ripley mode, fighting off the Macro-Viruses. It's like she was in
Aliens. I guess that would make the Doctor Bishop.
6. "Remember" -- It was engrossing watching Torres live this whole other life whenever she went to sleep. Only to find out that it was really relaying to her events that actually happened. That makes it similar to "The Inner Light" in the broadest of strokes, except Torres is only living out the most important parts and only for a short time from her perspective. Great acting from Roxanne Dawson, where it really does feel like she's playing this whole other character in a forbidden romance.
The end of the end of the episode reveals how much better Starfleet Officers are than many people of today. Voyager has ingratiated itself with these aliens. Then when Torres reveals the truth about them, that's the end of it. The aliens leave and Voyager has nothing further to do with them. I wish it could be that easy in real life.
7. "Distant Origin" -- The Voth were extremely interesting as evolved dinosaurs that travelled away from Earth and ended up in the Delta Quadrant. They have this whole belief system that doesn't allow them to consider even the possibility that they might've come from Earth, and Voyager is a direct threat to their entire belief system.
Odala is like the Kai Winn of
Voyager, except I think Odala pulls it off even better. She knows how to make Gegen bend to her will. The way the Voth overpower Voyager, her threat to Voyager that they should
never return carries real weight. And the way she declares something "Heresy!" actually sounds formidable in a way that Winn saying "Blasphemy" never has. Not a knock on Winn. I like her as a villain as well, but Odala just happens to pull it off better.
Another highlight of this episode was looking at Voyager from an outsider's perspective. Trying to watch Gegen and his assistant piece things together was interesting and amusing at the same time. Seeing these outsiders on Voyager and depicting it from
their point-of-view was something different as well. Even though they were "intruders", it felt like I was rooting for them and I didn't want them to get caught.
8. "Before and After" -- The most interesting thing about this episode is watching a possible direction that
Voyager could've gone in. Partly anyway. I don't think Janeway or Torres would've died. Paris/Kes would've been too weird. Same as with Kim and Kes' hypothetical daughter. While this episode forewarns about the Krennim,
Voyager never struck me as the type of series that would spend an entire season fighting a single enemy so continuously and have it be so devastating for an entire year. It's not the show's style. So, it had me wondering what they'd do when Voyager actually ran into them.
The episode also addresses a question that was on my mind about how they would've handled Kes in the later seasons, as she would've gotten old. The more I think about it, the more I think TPTB knew they wanted to write Kes off at this stage and wanted to address the question of how Kes would've aged. It had story potential and they probably thought this was "now or never", which I assume is what led to whole time-travel aspect of it with Kes moving backwards through time.
9. "Meld" -- Suder steals the show. Until Tuvok's mind-meld with him. Then Tuvok influenced by Suder steals the show! Great performance from Brad Dourif. Great performance from Tim Russ. And poor Janeway having to hear everything Tuvok says when he doesn't hold back. Nothing more needs to be said. Their performances alone are enough to put this into the Top 10.
10. "Death Wish" -- An episode that looks at the Q from a different perspective: through Quinn. It's not that he doesn't want to be a Q anymore. He simply just doesn't want to
be period. It's all been said, it's all been done. Interesting to see someone who's so done with everything fighting for the right to end his existence.
After living millions or billions of years (or even more?!), I can understand it. Janeway hopes Quinn will live out life as a mortal, but I can see why he wouldn't. He says he's experienced everything, but I don't think that's true. He hasn't experienced being a "lower" lifeform, and I don't think that's something he would've been able to stand. He was already predisposed to kill himself anyway, so this would push him even further.
Didn't Make the Cut
"Future's End" Part I & Part II -- I love Part I. It would've been in the Top 10, except I like to include both parts of a two-parter together and Part II wasn't as good. That having been said, it was fun to see the crew in 1996, I liked Rain Robinson, I liked Braxton, and Henry Starling was a great antagonist. I'm used to seeing Ed Begley Jr. as Cliff Main on
Better Call Saul. So, I get a kick out of seeing him here, younger, and in a such a different role.
"Jetrel" -- Despite the fact that I gave it a 10, that's because of how well I thought the episode was put together. Watching Jetrel and Neelix constantly argue isn't something I need to see again. I've had my fill. Which doesn't take away from the points they bring up.
"Tuvix" -- See above. Controversial episode, powerful episode. One that leaves us still talking 30 years later. But watching the arguments about having Tuvix versus Tuvok and Neelix, and how that effects everyone, isn't exactly light viewing, and not something I feel the need to put on again unless it's part of another full series re-watch.
"Prime Factors" -- Much like with "Dax" on DS9, this was an early favorite of mine that was overshadowed by what came later. I will say that it was interesting to see Voyager on the opposite end of the Prime Directive argument, where the natives won't share their technology with them. Seska shines as a bad influence on Torres. And then the twist of Tuvok going behind Janeway's back, literally everyone's surprise, and the fall-out from that. This would easily be in my Top 15.
Didn't Make the Cut (on the other end)
"Darkling" -- I actually like this one. The Doctor as Lord Byron reminds me a little bit of Quentin Collins from
Dark Shadows. If you know, you know. Aside from that, the Evil Doctor with his beady was
so intense to watch! How can I dislike an episode where Bob Picardo gives such a performance?!
Bottom Five
5. "Favorite Son" -- This is a ridiculous, "bad '50s style" sci-fi episode, and the idea of Kim being from this other planet in the Delta Quadrant who's to be mated with all these women sounds crazy. But unlike the other episodes in this list, at least I find it entertaining for all the wrong reasons. So that makes it the least offensive.
4. "Parturition" -- Jealous Neelix? Watching Neelix get into food-fight with Paris? Pass. Watching them with a hatchling was nice and all, but it's not enough.
3. "Elogium" -- The fake Kes pregnancy thing, her having what looked like melted, grated cheese all over her (because this is a cheesy episode!), and Neelix having cutesy worries about fatherhood didn't do it for me.
2. "Threshold" -- Warp 10 makes you de-evolve into a salamander! How can it get any worse than this? You're about to get your answer.
1. "False Profits" -- This episode told "Threshold" to hold its beer. The Ferengi were
terrible in this episode. And the Voyager crew were completely, totally incompetent in stopping them from getting away, to say nothing about screwing up an opportunity to get home in such an embarrassing way. The writing wasn't the only thing that was embarrassing, but so were all the performances from the guest-cast. And Neelix as the "Grand Proxy". Come on!
