Your Favourite Underrated / Less Discussed Episodes

[Warp 10 (Pepperoni)]

What are some Voyager episodes that you feel are generally underrated? Perhaps there's potential classics that you feel don't get enough attention, or some middle-of-the-pack stories that you just love despite their flaws?

My picks:

Season 2 - Deadlock
Attempting to evade the Vidiians, a duplicate Voyager is created after it passes through a spatial scission.

I'm listing these in chronological order but I appreciate this one is likely more discussed than the others, particularly due to Harry dying and being replaced (or did the whole crew die and sole-survivor Harry endure?). Either way, a thrilling early episode that gives the whole cast a lot to do that I haven't seen on any top ten lists.

Season 2 - Resolutions
Janeway and Chakotay must adapt to life quarantined on a planet after they contract an incurable disease. Meanwhile, the Voyager crew risk their lives to seek out a possible cure from the Vidiians.

A glimpse at how Janeway and Chakotay's relationship could have become romantic if they'd found themselves in different circumstances. I wish they could have touched on this again; I like the dynamic of them wanting to act on something but refusing as their roles on the ship take priority. (Not worlds away from Picard and Dr Crusher really).

Season 4 - Scientific Method
The crew have unexplained illnesses as they are closely observed by unseen intruders.

Just a great premise for a Trek episode. Bit of a silly premise with a touch of body horror that develops some high stakes.

Season 5 - Nothing Human
A wounded alien is brought on board from a stranded vessel and attaches itself to B'Elanna Torres.

Haven't watched this one in a while but the ethical dilemma it presents really sticks with me.

Season 6 - Fair Haven
The crew enjoys a respite inside a holodeck creation designed by Tom Paris, while Voyager faces the threat of an oncoming storm in space.

I know this is one that most people hate but it's like a naff airport novel come to life. Super low stakes and a romance for Janeway. Calm and relaxing as far as Voyager goes. Plus: "Delete the wife."

Season 6 - Virtuoso
Visiting aliens who have never before encountered music become fascinated with the Doctor's Opera singing, and ask him to leave Voyager and join their society.

The first episode that comes to mind when i think of underrated Voyager. Another episode with fairly low stakes that combines comedy with some depth and character development for the Doctor.

 

[Oddish]

Some that I like include...

Ex Post Facto: Tom is wrongfully accused, and Tuvok has to Poirot him out of trouble.

Faces: B'Elanna's split personality is dramatically demonstrated.

The Swarm: Our first look at Lewis Zimmerman, whose name the EMH was supposed to use.

The Q and the Gray: Q tries to seduce Janeway and gets totally blown off.

Worst Case Scenario: The Maquis mutiny we never got for real.

In the Flesh: 8472's secret plans for the Federation lead to a crazy surprise for the Voyager crew.

Live Fast and Prosper: Real Voyager vs. Evil Voyager Cosplayer Crew.

 

[Warp 10 (Pepperoni)]

Some that I like include...

Ex Post Facto: Tom is wrongfully accused, and Tuvok has to Poirot him out of trouble.

Faces: B'Elanna's split personality is dramatically demonstrated.

The Swarm: Our first look at Lewis Zimmerman, whose name the EMH was supposed to use.

The Q and the Gray: Q tries to seduce Jabrway and gets totally blown off.

Worst Case Scenario: The Maquis mutiny we never got for real.

In the Flesh: 8472's secret plans for the Federation lead to a crazy surprise for the Voyager crew.

Live Fast and Prosper: Real Voyager vs. Evil Voyager Cosplayer Crew.

I love the bootleg crew in Live Fast and Prosper, particularly fake Tuvok never really breaking character.

I don't really recall Ex Post Facto. Early episodes with Tom don't typically appeal but will give it a rewatch!

 

[Phaser Two]

Some good ones mentioned in here already. I'm not as sure of this as I should be, but I believe Worst Case Scenario is my favorite Voyager episode (it's either that or Distant Origin). I don’t think WCS is all that underrated, but I doubt many have it as their overall #1 or #2.

However, Cathexis is in my Top Ten, and I know for sure that's not a popular opinion. It's action-packed with a good mystery, it makes good use of the whole cast, it has crackling dialogue, and I love the ending.

 

[Warp 10 (Pepperoni)]

After a quick Google I can't recall Cathexis at all (maybe I've never even seen it?) so it's going straight on the watch list.

 

[somebuddyX]

If underrated means all the ones that most people rate at the bottom, like this list: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?series=tt0112178&view=simple&count=250&sort=user_rating,desc
then I guess I like crap because I dig a lot of those episode at the bottom. I love "Threshold", I remember liking "The Fight" a lot, "Darkling" was bonkers with the Doc becoming some Mr Hyde like creation, "11:59" was very sweet, I had a fun time with "Sacred Ground." I love a bad episode way more than a boring episode. Enterprise's "A Night in Sickbay" with it's chainsaws was so stupid I loved it.

 

[gweeps]

Non Sequitur For some reason, this episode unsettles me, especially when Harry potentially beams into outer space.

And yeah, Deadlock is a classic. That rolling shooting stunt by Wang as Harry was fantastic.

Persistence of Vision has probably the scariest alien in Star Trek next to Nagilum.

Shattered is a neat Chakotay episode with a cool concept. Great to see the callbacks to previous episodes.

I've always thought The Cloud was comforting.

Whereas, Bliss is creepy. So was Macrocosm.

Mortal Coil is one of the more sweeter episodes, and deals with existentialism and depression wonderfully.

The Haunting of Deck Twelve is another sweet episode. And spooky fun.

The Void felt like one last old school episode of "Delta Quadrant danger" before the series end.

Distant Origin There needs to be more Trek from the perspective of the aliens not yet encountered.

Oh, and Drone. Jeri Ryan gives possibly her very best performance as Seven. "You are hurting me" choked me up.

 

[at Quark's]

I agree that Cathexis is a very good and underrated episode. Not sure it would quite make my top ten, but it has great pacing and suspense.

The thaw is a good one to that I don't hear too much about, mainly thanks to the performance of The Clown.

I also like rarely-mentioned muse for its non-conventional format of story telling and 'meta' qualities, reminding us both of how far story telling/acting out has come in the last 25 centuries and how at its core those stories still are essentially the same as in classical Greek drama.

 

[DonIago]

I wasn't aware that many of these episodes were particularly underrated or less-discussed...

Sorry, not meaning to sound critical, I'm just a bit confused as to what this thread is aiming for...

 

[Summer Solstice]

Some good ones mentioned in here already. I'm not as sure of this as I should be, but I believe Worst Case Scenario is my favorite Voyager episode (it's either that or Distant Origin). I don’t think WCS is all that underrated, but I doubt many have it as their overall #1 or #2.

However, Cathexis is in my Top Ten, and I know for sure that's not a popular opinion. It's action-packed with a good mystery, it makes good use of the whole cast, it has crackling dialogue, and I love the ending.

After a quick Google I can't recall Cathexis at all (maybe I've never even seen it?) so it's going straight on the watch list.

"Worst Case Scenario" is in my top 5

"Cathexis" has the Jane Eyre holodeck novel at the start, if that helps.

I really enjoy "Repression". There's too much story for one episode and it really needed to be set much earlier in the show, but there's just something about it. "Bride of Chaotica!" doesn't get talked about that much and is fun.

 

[tomalak301]

I don't post in this forum very much anymore, but I always enjoy questions like these, so 1 from each season:

Season 1 - Jetrel
Season 2 - Meld
Season 3 - The Chute
Season 4 - The Omega Directive
Season 5 - Bliss
Season 6 - Life Line
Season 7 - Lineage

 

[Phaser Two]

Season 3 - The Chute
Season 4 - The Omega Directive

The Chute is excellent. It's a great Tom/Harry episode. The Omega Directive is another very good one - very military and Starfleet, with an unexpected (but logical and quite naturally flowing) story for Seven.

 

[sevenstars]

I personally love "Ashes to Ashes."

 

[Oddish]

I personally love "Ashes to Ashes."

It has great story potential, that's for sure. ST Online did a sequel to it (called "Dust to Dust", of course) that had another character brought back by the Kobali... and you wonder who else they might have found drifting through space. Can you imagine what Zombie Seska might do?

 

[Warp 10 (Pepperoni)]

Some that I like include...

Ex Post Facto: Tom is wrongfully accused, and Tuvok has to Poirot him out of trouble.

I watched this the other day and the design of the feather-y aliens was so jarring, but I respect they tried something new!

 

[Phaser Two]

Non Sequitur For some reason, this episode unsettles me, especially when Harry potentially beams into outer space.

And yeah, Deadlock is a classic. That rolling shooting stunt by Wang as Harry was fantastic.

Persistence of Vision has probably the scariest alien in Star Trek next to Nagilum.

Shattered is a neat Chakotay episode with a cool concept. Great to see the callbacks to previous episodes.

I've always thought The Cloud was comforting.

Whereas, Bliss is creepy. So was Macrocosm.

Mortal Coil is one of the more sweeter episodes, and deals with existentialism and depression wonderfully.

The Haunting of Deck Twelve is another sweet episode. And spooky fun.

The Void felt like one last old school episode of "Delta Quadrant danger" before the series end.

Distant Origin There needs to be more Trek from the perspective of the aliens not yet encountered.

Oh, and Drone. Jeri Ryan gives possibly her very best performance as Seven. "You are hurting me" choked me up.

Now THAT is a great list. Jeri is an amazing performer.

 

[Lynx]

"Persistence Of Vision" and "Cold Fire" never get the credit they deserve.

 

[James Cole]

If underrated means all the ones that most people rate at the bottom, like this list: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?series=tt0112178&view=simple&count=250&sort=user_rating,desc
then I guess I like crap because I dig a lot of those episode at the bottom. I love "Threshold", I remember liking "The Fight" a lot, "Darkling" was bonkers with the Doc becoming some Mr Hyde like creation, "11:59" was very sweet, I had a fun time with "Sacred Ground." I love a bad episode way more than a boring episode. Enterprise's "A Night in Sickbay" with it's chainsaws was so stupid I loved it.

I'm surprised "Barge of the Dead" and "Alice" are so lowly rated there.

 

[Oddish]

"Alice" had its moments, for sure.

 

[at Quark's]

I always had a soft spot for Barge of the Dead - but then again, my tastes apparently aren't average. I also think Threshold isn't the best episode but not as bad as many people make it out to be.