That's a very good point, Odonna, and one that I wasn't aware of... that brings a theoretical question to my mind relating to what the proper time frame for a response would be. At some point all things become water under the proverbial bridge and even scarring life events might be better left untouched. Makes one think for sure and this further clinches my liking of the "open ending" for this episode.
Wow,
CM, that’s a whole nother subject, beyond my wisdom to some extent. It is thought provoking that is for sure. I would just say that Recovered Memories have the problem of little or no evidence that it even happened and is “remembered” only after perhaps questionable therapy. As I understand it, most victims do remember the abuse (and perhaps would like to forget it…). How they seek and find healing I have to leave to the individuals.
Cosmic Mouse, I see you are moving rapidly through Season 4. Here are my humble thoughts on the Season. I’ll cover half now and more later.
I have mixed feelings about S4 overall. This season’s arc for Seven of Nine’s initial interaction with the crew and her re-discovery of her humanity is well constructed IMO. The episodes are well done and, as is usual, the ensemble balance is the show’s strength. To their credit, they tackle a number of difficult topics in the scifi form.
On the negative side, however, is that so many of the episodes are so grim that I am not inclined to watch them again. The exceptions are “Scorpion pt 2”, of course (I previously said under S3 that “Scorpion” Pts1 & 2 are my favorites of the series), as well as “Waking Moments”, “Hunters”, “Unforgettable”, “Living Witness”, and “One”. Just a few comments on the episodes:
“The Gift” was “in with the new and out with the old”. I thought what they did with Kes was rather bizarre. Too bad they didn’t bring Gary Graham, the nomadic Ocampa, back and let her go off with him. (did they kill him off? I don’t recall…)
“Day of Honor” – it’s always fun seeing B’Elanna having “a Klingon day”. She and Tom in spacesuits was a memorable sequence.
“Nemesis” – Not Chakotay’s best, but I like the episode. Tackles war propaganda, training, and the dehumanizing of an enemy. Chakotay with the little girl was sweet. Yes, the language was a little annoying, though I have thought that the Maquis should have had something like that (though done better), their own way or a shorthand of referring to certain things, as soldiers/sailors do. I especially liked that Voyager made contact with the other side (who reminded me of Nausicans—is that the same make up?). The end where Chakotay just walks away from the alien who had been helping to find him reminded me a bit of the NexGen episode “The Enemy” where Worf refuses to give his blood to save a Romulan.
“Revulsion” – is creepy and suspenseful. Introduces the doctor’s naivete when it comes to other holograms (isomorphs--?).
“The Raven” – It was interesting to see Seven’s back story, her family studying the Borg. But Janeway and the crew should have realized the Borg knew the Hansen’s methods, since they did get assimilated. Plot hole. I did like that they gave Seven Naomi for a friend. It sort of conveyed that Seven was also at an immature stage developmentally (in some areas) and had someone to “grow up” with.
“Scientific Method” – very creepy once we are shown what is going on. The scene between Chakotay and Neelix trying to top each other’s ailments though was pretty funny.
“Year of Hell Pt 1&2” – Very well done, imaginative, an exploration of time manipulation that hasn’t been done before. Also hard for me to watch. Janeway goes a bit over the edge. I don’t blame her given what they’re going through, but the doctor was right to challenge her fitness at that point. I liked when she found the watch and was surprised Chakotay hadn’t recycled it, then she wore it. I liked the irony of after everything Annorax had tried, it was getting rid of his own ship that restored his wife.
“Random Thoughts” – A good scifi concept, thought crimes. A good Tuvok episode.
“Concerning Flight” – Recovering their stolen goods was good, but this ep never grabbed me. I never found their DaVinci hologram all that interesting.
I’m sure trying out his flying machine was the purpose for the episode, and that was fun.
“Mortal Coil” – A tough topic. I found it more interesting re-watching. Chakotay seems to forget that his consciousness went “spirit walking” in S1 Cathexis, but otherwise good scenes between him and Neelix, especially the end. I loved Sam coming in and needing Neelix to get rid of the replicator monster for Naomi.
“Waking Moments” – A good ensamble piece, with a good featured role for Chakotay. A different kind of alien attack, and then our having to guess when they are really awake or asleep. Begs the question, how do the aliens keep their bodies from wasting away if they only sleep? This was a question that one of them actually raised with the captain.
“Message in a Bottle” – A promising premise that didn’t hold my interest. The introduction of the ancient communication Array was an interesting device. But it seemed a bit too risky to send and possibly lose their only doctor (unless they would, oh, I don’t know, make a copy of him for back up…). The new EMH seemed too goofy to be an upgraded EMH model. And it seemed a bit contrived that the ship just happened to be captured by Romulans. Nevertheless, informing Starfleet of Voyager’s status sets up the next episode.
“Hunters” – I liked the introduction of the ominous, though bombastic, Hirogen. (I guess they were introduced in "Message", but I don't always remember what happened when). I was glad neither Tuvok nor Seven got eaten, but in hindsight there needed to be a “red shirt” who was just to show these dudes don’t play around. I liked their receiving letters from home. Good character highlights. At the time I liked the scene at the end where Janeway talks about her fiancé getting married. It looked like they were clearing the decks for a Janeway-Chakotay romance (and I have heard that was how it was originally written). Now, the way she says she really has no opportunities with Chakotay sitting right there, makes Janeway come across as either insensitive or a numbskull.
Very poorly re-written IMO.
More of the Season later.
...but that's just the darker side of my brain talking. Love those Hirogens...
Plus, is it my imagination or did Janeway look a little miffed when she and Chak have the convo about Kellin and their relationship? 
