Caretaker The horrible science that hampers modern Treks is painfully apparent in the visualization of the "Badlands." Obviously something like this has to be created to handwave the ability of the Maquis to wage space war. However, even though their isn't a big word to be heard, the Badlands are technobabble of the first water, albeit by the rarely used definition of "horribly stupid science passed off with nonsense terminology." The nonsense about no rain on the Ocampan planet because of missing particles had the big words. Since raindrops can condense on dust particles, it too was offensively stupid. The four Maquis turn out to be an ex-Starfleet commander, a dropout from Starfleet Academy, an undercover operative from Starfleet and an Admiral's son in jail. It is perfectly obvious that whatever the Maquis were about in the Alpha Quadrant, they are not about being anti-Starfleet in the Delta Quadrant. It is most obvious in Paris' case, but going back home puts them in jail. Taking their time is no hardship. In other words, being stranded isn't going to be a downer for most of them. The instant sacrifice of the Maquis vessel establishes this will be a Star Trek show with Starfleet. The Caretaker trying to put them at ease by taking the form of a banjo playing farmer didn't seem strange to me, but then, I've seen old fashioned farms. So, it appears, have some of the producers. How this would have been reassuring to twenty-fourth century people is a mystery resolved only by remembering that someone doesn't actually think people in the future doesn't think differently from people now. The way in which the Caretaker is trying to reproduce first with Torres, then Kim, is left undefined. I have an impoverished imagination, and can't conceive any mental images at all. Perhaps this is just as well. Janeway is established as free with her interpretations of the Prime Directive, in the cause of humanity at least, instead of a by the book commander and willing to gamble on people. The decision to help the Ocampans and Paris were the key moments there. There were efforts to establish conflict between Paris and Chakotay, and between Paris and authority, which in retrospect look lame. Kim is a satellite of Paris, existing to cast light on him. Otherwise he is merely a fountain of green. Neelix exists to introduce Kes, whose instant adherence to morality and the Starfleet ethos of exploration is a wonder to behold. Half the human characters would be in jail if they got back home, but technically, her character will be separated from her entire species for possibly her entire life. Yet she immediately decides to go even further away? A show's premises are established in the initial episodes. Plainly Voyager was always meant to be about exploration, hence Kes. Kes is also introduced as suffering but brave heroine. The initial impression that she would be more or less perfect was quite correct. Tuvok was more an exposition machine than a character, either Janeway expositing confidences to him or him expositing the obvious to us in the guise of talking to the other characters. One exception is the Neelix/Tuvok conflict. Like the Paris/Chakotay conflict or the Paris/world conflict, it has little intrinsic interest. It is more humorous, thankfully. The Enterprise picture of Vulcans as rationalizers, not rationalists, in hindsight begins here. A note about hair. Janeway had the infamous Bun of Steel. But Chakotay had gray and Paris had an unflattering do that made him look ten years older. Plainly there was an intention to make Paris the Unresolved Sexual Tension with Janeway. The Doctor begins somewhat stereotypically but we are quickly informed that he would be running far longer than designed far. The implication that character would develop isn't quite marked with flashing neon, but no one could say we weren't forewarned. The science fictional interest of the episode is the Ocampan subterranean world. The Caretaker and this civilization are cunningly tied into the adventure story but it adds a decidedly entertaining flavor to the story. Now, after developing an affection for some of the characters, every episode has at least the favorites working in its favor. But the unique story makes the episode an above average pilot. PS It is still odd that people can't get that a time bomb wouldn't work because they didn't have the time to master the Array before the Kazon would be there in force.
Parallax In real life parallax is the apparent change in an object's position relative to a background due to a change in the observer's position. The science fictional gimmick of a peculiar bendiness in time means that Voyager sees itself from two different perspectives in its own proper time, which seems to reveal a difference in situation. There is of course only one. As a figure of speech, the title is cunningly apt. In making sense, it is is not babble. As a big word, it is technobabble, however. Thus, the first episode establishes that Voyager doesn't just use the technobabble but sometimes revels in it. First episodes are often called "second pilots," because they continue the process of establishing the show premises and characters. The dedication to humanitarian rescue continues establishing that Starfleet ethos rules. This should have made clear to those who wanted to see the Maquis tear up the namby pamby humanitarianism and get real were going to be disappointed because that was not the show's premise. The structure of Parallax is cleverly designed to culminate in an crisis where Janeway and Torres bond. Bonding over the solution to an intellectual puzzle is still a character buildling moment, especially as it is a key step in formalizing Torres' role as chief engineer. Janeway's and Torres' mutual delight in solving the puzzle indicates quite clearly a natural process, where the political issue dividing Maquis and Starfleet are left 70 000 light years behind. As a character piece the episode is successful. The science puzzle is left awfully murky and undefined, with a minimum of technobabble. The solution itself requires no knowledge of real science at all! I have a vague notion that the technobabble label is indiscriminately slapped onto any exposition at all! Time and Again This is another character piece, this time focusing on Janeway and Paris. Paris is snarky and obnoxious, but I think he is supposed to be witty and forthright. Paris has a line about eating children, delivered to a frightened child, that is actually funny (remember, humor is aggression.) Since Paris risks his own life, to the point of getting shot, for said child, like so much humor it concludes in the restoration of the status quo by slathering gobs of sentimentality on screen. (Humor that doesn't restore the status quo is either farce, where the decompression of the id may cause anarchy but somehow no real harm, or tragicomedy, where the aggression does have the natural and expected results.) In retrospect, this character piece foreshadows the failure of the Paris character. The temporal paradox where Janeway's attempt to preserve the Prime Directive led to the catastrophe which led to their presence but subsequently (to Janeway's proper time, that is,) lef to the survival of the civilization relies on the untenable claim that paradoxes are possible. They are not. As everyone knows, this issue has never been resolved in Star Trek. Essentially it boils down to the idle wish that technology (time travel in this case) really is equivalent to magic, and can give god-like powers. The dramatic issue of nuclear power in this world is buried by crappy science. The dramatic issue of Janeway being wrong and Paris being right is also kind of buried, particularly since Paris being right smacks of plot contrivance. Having a paradox casts a shade of unreality over everything, despite the power of wish fulfillment. I have no idea why the significance of a character's choice is supposed to be greater if it "really" happened in the fictional context, but they duly have Kes aware that something happened. It is notable that the writers explicitly show Janeway as wrong in the third episode. It's as though people who thought Janeway was portrayed as always right didn't watch the show on screen!
Your reviews are very entertaining, but you're much too generous. However, I'm a person who enjoys reading views that conflict with his own, so keep 'em coming!
The Cloud This is yet another character oriented episode. The introduction of holodeck novels as character insight was quickly dropped. Characters are revealed by what they do. If they're playing a role, they're not themselves. Thus, the holodeck novels, no matter how cheap to produce, actively undermine the characters by adding a layer of ambiguity. Any benefit from self-reflexive dramatic irony is moot. Neelix's determination to look on the bright side is broad but effective.