I know this has probably been asked to death, so I sorry.
But why didn't they change them when they got into contact with earth?
But why didn't they change them when they got into contact with earth?
Voyager Uniforms
- Thread starter PhoenixIreland
- Start date
This has irked me to no end. I would've loved to see the Voyager crew switch uniforms. It was like they were stuck in the DS9 era. I think the answer was two-fold.
First (and most likely) it would've cost too much unncessary $$$ to purchase new uniforms for all the actors and actresses.
Second, in the story, it probably would've consumed quite a bit of power to replicate all new uniforms. Either that or uniforms are designed with materials that aren't easily replicated. Or Starfleet Command didn't see it necessary to send Voyager updated uniform designs.
First (and most likely) it would've cost too much unncessary $$$ to purchase new uniforms for all the actors and actresses.
Second, in the story, it probably would've consumed quite a bit of power to replicate all new uniforms. Either that or uniforms are designed with materials that aren't easily replicated. Or Starfleet Command didn't see it necessary to send Voyager updated uniform designs.
I'm pretty sure this is the answer. Would have like to had seen it myself.
The only reason they wouldn't still have had the costumes left over from DS9/TNG stored in the wardrobe department is if Those buggers stole them all as "momentos" of their tenure in Star Trek on their last days (Check the ebay logs?).
Do we really think Dwight had a new uniform made up for his episodes? Or did he have to bring the one in from home he liberated after they finished Filming Nemesis?
It's only technically thieving if the producer didn't permit it as gravy for a job well done.
Though from the comments made in "TNG IN Theory" were Keiko is complaining that miles wouldn't put his socks back into the replicator at the end of the night cycle... It would explain a lack of a laundry or laundry service on Voyager.
Though remember in Generations that they had to use all the different Uniforms from all the different periods of TNG, and Geordie even changed era during the course of the show.
i think it had to do more with "identity" that if their staple of morality was fluid then what could they really hold up as a plaque to prove they're better than anyone that devaluing there previous uniforms devalues their previous Superiorousness... Or...
It was Janeways way of keep the Maquis in their place. Provisional rank badges were not enough. A Starfleet officer is something special beyound the uniform, a matter of heart and tradition, a sence of something internal and intrinsically honorable so it didn't matter if they were sporting dress up costumes intended for the dust bin which weren't at all real Star fleet uniforms just as long as those terrorists weren't no longer allowed to pretend they cream when they were really scum, so long as they were to thick to figure out they were being persecuted as long as they did the grunt work for the over class.
Seven knew this and refused to play Janeway's power tripping games and wriggled into a body sock every morning.
Janeway is a monster.
Do we really think Dwight had a new uniform made up for his episodes? Or did he have to bring the one in from home he liberated after they finished Filming Nemesis?
It's only technically thieving if the producer didn't permit it as gravy for a job well done.
Though from the comments made in "TNG IN Theory" were Keiko is complaining that miles wouldn't put his socks back into the replicator at the end of the night cycle... It would explain a lack of a laundry or laundry service on Voyager.
Though remember in Generations that they had to use all the different Uniforms from all the different periods of TNG, and Geordie even changed era during the course of the show.
i think it had to do more with "identity" that if their staple of morality was fluid then what could they really hold up as a plaque to prove they're better than anyone that devaluing there previous uniforms devalues their previous Superiorousness... Or...
It was Janeways way of keep the Maquis in their place. Provisional rank badges were not enough. A Starfleet officer is something special beyound the uniform, a matter of heart and tradition, a sence of something internal and intrinsically honorable so it didn't matter if they were sporting dress up costumes intended for the dust bin which weren't at all real Star fleet uniforms just as long as those terrorists weren't no longer allowed to pretend they cream when they were really scum, so long as they were to thick to figure out they were being persecuted as long as they did the grunt work for the over class.
Seven knew this and refused to play Janeway's power tripping games and wriggled into a body sock every morning.
Janeway is a monster.
Barclay isn't in Nememess. He is in First Contact, but he isn't in uniform.
Stil think its a money issue. They may have had some FC uniforms lying around, but you would have had to custom make them for the main crew. You would need one for everyone apart from Seven & Neelix (The Doctor should have one left over from Ds9 though). That's what...6 or 7 new custom made uniforms?
The show wasn't exactly flying in the ratings at this point. I would imagine they thought about it and decided against it. Didn't Voyager have a lower budget overall than TNG and Ds9? I seem to remember reading that was the reason they went with the Ds9 uniforms at the start...
I think it had more to do with the UPN suit's rules about stand alone episodes. They wanted Voyager viewers to be able to turn on any episode, from any season, and not be confused by changes. If they had changed the uniforms in Season Six then we would instantly know we were watching a late series episode.
FWIW, I loved the First Contact/late DS9 uniforms. They were much better looking than the alternatives.
FWIW, I loved the First Contact/late DS9 uniforms. They were much better looking than the alternatives.
I wonder if they ever thought about adopting the future uniforms of Braxton and Ducane, to jump the gun and make the provincial folks back in the heart of the Federation feel backwards and removed from where it's at.
that kind of happened anyway. If you turned on an episode and saw Seven of Nine in it, you would know that it was an episode from after season 4
I would't say they had regular communications. It was only once a month that they were able to send a small bit of data back and forth and that only started in the second to last season
Right, I never remember.
I'd say the opposate, they'd want to have some connection with home however shallow even if it was just the same uniforms, it would have played into Janeways "were still starfleet" theme
How much of a cost would it really be compared to the weekly cast's salary or overall budget?
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I would imagine the crew would be able to replicate new uniforms with no problem.
Just put them into the replicator for recycling and replicate a new uniform in it's place.
And I find it improbable the new uniforms were made of some kind of material which is tougher to replicate or requires more energy.
I would agree they would probably use more advanced materials in the future, but aside from the design itself, and probably some minor material alterations to make the fabric more resistant to harsher conditions, I don't see what the issue is.
Then again, Janeway probably didn't see it as a necessity really, nor did any of the crew as the uniforms they usually wear are adequate enough.
And it's also possible they never really programmed the replicators to do it given the fact they were always worrying over something more important.
But switching the uniforms would have been nice in my POV.
Just put them into the replicator for recycling and replicate a new uniform in it's place.
And I find it improbable the new uniforms were made of some kind of material which is tougher to replicate or requires more energy.
I would agree they would probably use more advanced materials in the future, but aside from the design itself, and probably some minor material alterations to make the fabric more resistant to harsher conditions, I don't see what the issue is.
Then again, Janeway probably didn't see it as a necessity really, nor did any of the crew as the uniforms they usually wear are adequate enough.
And it's also possible they never really programmed the replicators to do it given the fact they were always worrying over something more important.
But switching the uniforms would have been nice in my POV.
I also agree that switching the uniforms to the FC ones would have been nice. It would have been another way for Janeway and the crew to feel like they were still part of Starfleet. Frankly, I never much cared for that uniform design, and unfortunately, given all seven seasons of VOY, and five to six seasons of DSN, that adds up to 12 seasons, making it the uniform worn the longest in all ST series. After all, in TOS, those uniforms lasted three seasons, while the the first TNG jumpsuit was used for only the first and second seasons, then the second uniform was around for five seasons, from three to seven.
Perhaps there's some obscure regulation that the uniform you start out in at the beginning of a mission is the one you finish up in at the end. Maybe Janeway was following this regulation, or perhaps it was some old Starfleet tradiition she was following.
It's also feasible that since the crew was a mix of Starfleet and Maquis types that she felt a change would have been too disruptive to the camraderie they had forged over the years in the Delta Quadrant.
Frankly, the other in-universe explanations don't make sense -- replicating uniforms takes too much energy, etc.
Red Ranger
Perhaps there's some obscure regulation that the uniform you start out in at the beginning of a mission is the one you finish up in at the end. Maybe Janeway was following this regulation, or perhaps it was some old Starfleet tradiition she was following.
It's also feasible that since the crew was a mix of Starfleet and Maquis types that she felt a change would have been too disruptive to the camraderie they had forged over the years in the Delta Quadrant.
Frankly, the other in-universe explanations don't make sense -- replicating uniforms takes too much energy, etc.
Red Ranger
I remember an interview in which the DS9 producers joked about getting their new FC uniforms and sending their set of oldies over to Voyager, where they were needed "pretty badly". Oddly enough, shortly after that we got "In the Flesh", featuring a bunch of 8472 aliens repriducing Starfleet Command, older uniforms and all.
While the phasers and tricorders magically changed from the TNG-style props to the newer, sleeker models also used on DS9 (and some movies) without any hubbub, I suspect that new uniforms that don't seem to offer anything but a colour change seem to be high up on the list of "tactical updates" that were sent to Voyager once communications were re-established. I'm certain the producers considered it, but UPN and their general sentiment towards keeping things the same probably nixed the idea.
Mark
While the phasers and tricorders magically changed from the TNG-style props to the newer, sleeker models also used on DS9 (and some movies) without any hubbub, I suspect that new uniforms that don't seem to offer anything but a colour change seem to be high up on the list of "tactical updates" that were sent to Voyager once communications were re-established. I'm certain the producers considered it, but UPN and their general sentiment towards keeping things the same probably nixed the idea.
Mark
