# of episodes
episode average
25
2.86
series Top 20
series Flop 20
1 episodes
3 episodes
EPISODE SUMMARY
2.1 The 37s
2.2 Initiations
2.3 Projections
2.4 Elogium
2.5 Non Sequitur
2.6 Twisted
2.7 Parturition
2.8 Persistence of Vision
2.9 Tattoo
2.10 Cold Fire
2.11 Maneuvers
2.12 Resistance
2.13 Prototype
2.14 Alliances
2.15 Threshold
2.16 Meld
2.17 Dreadnought
2.18 Death Wish
2.19 Lifesigns
2.20 Investigations
2.21 Deadlock
2.22 Innocence
2.23 The Thaw
2.24 Tuvix
2.25 Resolutions
SKIPPABLE
2.1 THE 37s
Voyager intercept a radio transmission with an Alpha Quadrant signature that was seemingly sent in the 1930s.
Despite a preposterous premise — Amelia Earhart in space! — the episode evolves into an interesting parable on the journey and community. It is fairly customary for a season opener to “renew the lease” on the show, as it were, giving the crew a reason to keep going and the audience a reason to keep watching. And although nothing major happens here plot-wise, the crew leave with a refreshed sense of purpose and even stronger motivation to reach home. The final scene, with Janeway giving everyone a choice to stay or go on, makes at least partial amends for her decision in the pilot of stranding everyone in the Delta Quadrant.
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The story itself is fairly banal, and Lawrence’s talent is wasted on a character that does no justice to its namesake. If you’re going to bring a major historical figure on the show, you either give it a cameo (like Albert Einstein in TNG) or you spend a lot of time building their character (like Mark Twain, also in TNG). This script does neither, as Earhart could have been literally any other 1930s woman and nothing would have changed. There are also some plot holes, such as the crew’s inability to detect three large cities full of human beings, that are inexplicable and unexplained. Overall, the episode has its ups and downs. I like to focus on the positive, but I realize that not everyone will see it that way.
SKIPPABLE
2.2 INITIATIONS
Chakotay is taken prisoner by Kar, a Kazon young boy who is on his first official training mission to become a Kazon warrior.
Although this story has been done before, most notably in TNG S4’s “Almost Human,” its traits peculiar to VOY make this installment just as good as those that came before… which, to be fair, was never very good in the first place, as these stories are incredibly difficult to do right. Part of the script focuses on the classic moral struggle between respecting another’s values and standing up for one’s own. This leads to uncomfortable scenes as Chakotay tries to “civilize” the Kazon boy, which feels gross given his Native American heritage. The finale is also predictable, as he creates the impression of submission to give the boy a second chance to earn his name. Again, nothing we haven’t seen before.
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But perhaps the worst part is how criminally uninteresting the Kazon are as a culture. They display the usual gang mentality (honor, ritual killings, etc.) that we’ve seen explored to much better effect in the various Klingon clones over the years. Their only role is as a foil to the supposed civilized Federation, which, needless to say, is Orientalist nonsense. Some scenes are salvageable, such as the conversation between Kar and Chakotay in the cave about earning one’s name/uniform. It explores the idea of cultural belonging with sufficient clarity, and showcases once more Chakotay’s anthropological background. But a few good scenes, or Eisenberg’s usual valid performance, can’t fix a trite episode.
SERIES FLOP 20
2.3 PROJECTIONS
After experimenting with his holo-matrix, the Doctor is trapped in the holodeck with a simulation of Lt. Barclay.
VOY’s first dose of “real-or-no-real” is a messy Matrioska doll of nested realities with little focus. These stories are hard to get right and require two ingredients: a linear plot development (because this is not a philosophy class, and we must be able to follow) and a cool premise (because this is really not a philosophy class, and we must care). As a philosophy college prof, I can’t emphasize how I want these scripts to keep it simple, because this topic is simple. Unfortunately, this one gets it all wrong. The premise is criminally boring, because nothing at all happens. If Doc had done either nothing or the opposite of what he did, the outcome would have been exactly the same! That is a waste of time. Contrast to S4’s “Waking Moments,” where aliens who exist in a sleep state try to take over the ship in the waking world and Chakotay must figure out whether or not he is asleep. I wish my kids had that sort of motivation to solve philosophical puzzles! But not in this episode. As for a linear plot development, alas 90% of this script is Doc going back and forth among various scenarios and being indignant at the suggestion that he may not be real, which gets old after about five seconds. TNG did this well in S6’s “Frame of Mind,” but we knew all along that Riker wasn’t crazy, so that episode focused on his slow descent into self-doubt and madness, which is definitely entertaining. But none of that happens here, and despite Schultz’s excellent Barclay (who has better roles in S6), this episode is totally forgettable.
WORTH WATCHING
2.4 ELOGIUM
Kes enters the elogium, the Ocampa fertility period that only happens once in a lifetime, but she and Neelix aren't ready to have a child.
ST is notoriously bad with sex and romance, but this is a rare exception. It’s a clear-headed, honest story that goes straight to the point, successfully tackling issues of puberty, reproductive choice, and parenthood. Several conversations are noteworthy, like that between Janeway and Chakotay (Voyager as a generational ship) and between Neelix and Tuvok (nature of parenthood; and Tuvok’s line “why would it be any different from what you would teach a son?” is great). Janeway also develops as a motherly figure in important ways, and while I understand that authors need to be careful with that so as to not fall for the “women are meant to be nurturing and caring” stereotype, Janeway’s character does have this in her. The show is often capable of exploring this side very well, culminating in her beautifully nuanced relationship with Seven of Nine from S4 on. Needless to say, both Mulgrew and Lien show a very good acting range here.
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The horny space creatures secondary plot is trite and mirrors TNG’s “Galaxy’s Child,” although here too everyone is in-character, from Janeway’s concerns to Torres’ dismissive attitude to Chakotay’s scientific interest. So even though the episode never goes very deep (it’s not very dramatic and it doesn’t break new ground), and although the resolution is too hurried (there’s no master scene where Kes and Neelix mutually decide not to have a child), it remains one of the first times that the show demonstrates it can tackle human drama as well as science-y riddles. This is no small feat for a show that, after its 7-season run, was able to elevate ST science-fiction to new dramatic and comic heights, which is one of the reasons I love VOY so much. This episode, small and inconsequential as it may be in the bigger picture of the show, paves the way for all that, so it deserves praise and recognition.
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Fun fact: first appearance of Samantha Wildman, whose pregnancy with Naomi is announced here.
SKIPPABLE
2.5 NON SEQUItur
Kim wakes up at home on San Francisco, on Earth, with no memory of how he got there, and soon suspects that he is displaced in time.
The episode starts off promising but soon descends into an annoying spiral of “are you crazy?” and “please believe me.” This is one of the worst sci-fi tropes. If a trusted friend told you a weird, world-altering thing, believe them. If they’re telling the truth, they need your help. If they’re not, their delusion will catch up to them and you’ll confront them with the truth. That is the only sane reaction to this sort of situation. But characters in these stories accuse the protagonist of lying, being sick, being crazy, etc. until he has to figure it out himself. This creates a powerful pull on the audience, a devious form of “injustice porn” not unlike that of dystopias that makes us feel bad for the protagonist… but it’s a cheap appeal, like a beat-up dog in a tearful ad. There’s no moral or intellectual labor behind this sympathy, so the script is essentially cheating. This is what happens in the latter half, which goes as far as Starfleet security putting an ankle bracelet on Harry! I realize that this may be a fairly minor gripe in some people’s eyes, but it’s so important to me that the characters behave logically and that the script not gaslight the audience; must be my Vulcan half...
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Let’s be clear, the episode isn’t bad. Some of the early mystery is fun, the final scene is well-scripted, and the character of Cosimo is a good idea... too good, in fact, as it should have been explored in more depth. A freak accident alters the timeline and the displaced character wants to go back; so far so good. But then a species of time-dwelling aliens follow him to the new timeline to make sure he’s okay. Whoa! Tell me more! Instead, this fantastic plot bunny never grows into a rabbit, which is infuriating. So despite a few good ideas and a convincing setting, this episode falls under the weight of its own incapacity to exploit them. S5’s “Timeless” would do a better job of essentially the same premise. Plus, Libby is so annoying that Harry should definitely date a Delaney sister.
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Ensign Kim Disappears #4... and nobody on Voyager even notices, this time!
SERIES FLOP 20
2.6 TWISTED
The ship encounter an anomaly that distorts space... or something, I don't know, it's a clusterfuck. Please don't watch it.
Quite simply, the worst episode. How did this make it out of the writing room. For one, it’s laughable that a spatial anomaly rearranges rooms neatly with no hull breaches. Worse, this fact is repeated for thirty excruciating minutes as the crew wander the ship. We get it, it’s weird, now what? Only in the last ten minutes is a solution proposed, and of course it’s rushed. Insult to injury: that the anomaly was a sentient being seeking contact was interesting, but is mentioned only in one throwaway line at the end... and in Janeway’s nightmarish slurred speech (“it’s talking to meeeee!”). Garnish all this with the awkward Kes-Neelix-Paris triangle and we have got a bad, bad episode that simply should have never been done.
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Doctor Isn’t #1: “I’m a doctor, not a bartender!”
SKIPPABLE
2.7 PARTURITION
Paris and Neelix, who are sparring over Kes and are very jealous of each other, are stranded on an alien planet with some odd lifeforms.
Whatever else happens here, and most of it is bad, this will be remembered as the Baby Lizard episode. And while that’s not even the worst thing involving lizards in this season (!), it is still annoying. The Kes-Neelix-Paris triangle is dramatically out of character. It was a bad idea to even bring it up in the awful “Twisted,” and that was before the Quadrant’s two worst alpha males were matched in a contest to demonstrate their maternal instincts! If this were a buddy comedy with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as high-schoolers caring for an egg for a science project, it would be fun… but the comedy is unfunny, the acting stilted, and the setting quite ill-fitted to this kind of narrative, so the whole episode is a disaster.
It is also upsetting that yet another worthy premise, like a breeding ground for a species of sentient lizards, is wasted on a throwaway plot. The episode’s only saving graces are that for once the technobabble is entertaining, especially in the hypospray scene; that the love triangle from Planet Hell is nipped in the bud and never mentioned again; and that Janeway’s new hairstyle debuts here... although it is then mysteriously canned until S4.
Doctor Isn’t #2: “I’m a doctor, not a voyeur!”
WORTH WATCHING
2.8 Persistence of vision
Janeway suffers from hallucinations related to her holonovel.
I am usually wary of plots based on “revealing the crew’s innermost fears and desires,” as they are incredibly hard to do right and often result in a trite pile of sentimentalist psychobabble. And while this episode is no Solaris (in my view, the only sci-fi movie to ever get it just right), it is better than similar premises in ST, such as TNG’s awful “Where No One Has Gone Before.” Part of its charm is that we truly do not know until very late whether Janeway is insane or whether there is a technical problem, and all potential explanations, starting with the holographic emitters experiments, are considered carefully. This respects the audience’s investment and labor and doesn’t feel naïve, absurd, or rushed.
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The eventual solution is creative, and once again the show brings up a highly original premise. It’s unfortunate that the final act is predictable and that some of the hallucinations so annoying. B’Elanna’s wild sex with Chakotay is difficult to forgive or forget, especially in light of her upcoming relationship with Paris, and Janeway’s own dealings with Mark are half-baked and not as effective as her holo-adventures. Still, the episode works because the premise is valid, the plot well-crafted, Kes’s role believable and in-character, and the direction good. While not quite on the level of TNG’s “Night Terrors,” some moments are truly spooky and fun. VOY would return to the trope of the powerful-alien-messing-with-us-for-giggles in S4’s “Scientific Method,” with even better results.
WORTH WATCHING
2.9 TATTOO
On an alien planet, Chakotay finds archaeological evidence that travellers from his Native American tribe may have visited the Delta Quadrant.
It’s notorious that Hollywood is incapable of being honest to Native American characters, as somehow almost all of the stories that involve them happen to conveniently omit their genocide. Yes, talking about it is a bummer, but so is genocide. This episode is no exception. It prances around the issue with half-baked phrases like “foreigners with weapons and disease came,” as if it were inevitable. That’s too bad, because the very nature of the plot screams out for more. The aliens that originated Chakotay’s tribe left Earth when they saw that humans had turned to violence, which would have been a perfect place to say all of that. Instead, we get the usual we’re-not-like-that-anymore speech. Fine, but it’s a missed opportunity, the latest of many. Not that being Native must be about genocide (that would be objectifying in the wrong direction), but as there are almost no mainstream media that mention it at all, we are way overdue for proper representation and the reckoning that it will bring.
Now that I’ve complained about what really pisses me off in these stories, I will talk about this particular episode as if my historical memory did not work quite so well. This is Chakotay’s best character development so far, and it was sorely needed. We’d seen bits and pieces of his demure and spirituality, and we know that he is a skilled anthropologist and “a gentle man,” but it’s quite a treat to see these traits put to their best use in a compelling and heartfelt narrative. And while there are few too many procedural scenes for my taste, such as the away team nonsense and the attempted landing of Voyager, those scenes that are dedicated to Chakotay and the main plot are resoundingly successful.
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I especially love how old Chakotay does everything his father advised his younger self to do, even without consciously trying to. There is no one moment, save for the very end, that he says to himself “ah, so this is what the old man meant; let’s try it; thanks dad!” Instead, his father’s teachings emerge as if from nowhere, and it becomes clear to him and to us that they had molded him into the man he is all along. Is that not exactly how most of us learn from those who came before, not clearly or logically or explicitly, but quietly and subconsciously? The script is nuanced, careful, and deeply respectful of this difficult bond between Chakotay and his roots, which elevates it well beyond the trite Daddy-issues cautionary tale that it could have been. It doesn’t go beyond 3.5 stars because it is occasionally slow and on-the-nose (like with the hawk thing), because the secondary plotline with Doc and Kes is boring and not at all related to the main one, and of course because of the aforementioned general disrespect toward Native Americans. But as a tale of psychology and anthropology, it is most excellent.
WORTH WATCHING
2.10 COLD fire
Voyager detect a life form in space that could be the second Caretaker. Meanwhile, Kes begins experimenting with her telepathic faculties.
A deliciously eerie thriller that subverts VOY’s narrative conventions and advances the plot in interesting ways. At the same time, it is far too cavalier with the second Caretaker’s character, her motivations, and the crew’s reactions. On the positive side, the episode is greatly shot and directed. The admittedly cringeworthy scenes still serve a valid purpose, in my opinion: Tuvok’s disfigurement, Kes’s Carrie-like powers and panicky scream, Torres suspended in midair in engineering, Tanis’s agony (“Suspiri-ahhh!”)... all give the episode a unique B-movie horror feel. I understand that some viewers may find all of this ridiculous, and I respect that, but personally I think it’s great fun.
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Suspiria herself is a mixed bag. Representing a creepy powerful creature via a small pretty child is not groundbreaking (the “creepy little girl” trope), so that part is annoying, even though Ridgeway is perfectly cast for the role. But more importantly, I don’t like how the script portrays Suspiria’s hatred. Why would she continue to believe that the humans have killed her mate? Can’t she read Janeway’s mind and know that it isn’t so? And why exactly does she care so much, since according to Tanis the two Caretakers parted ways because they didn’t like each other? (even “Banjo Man” says as much in the pilot). For that matter, nor is it ever clear what Tanis wants with Kes. Is it mere altruism, as he wants to rescue Kes? Is it because he’s a creep? Surely it’s not that Suspiria wants Kes, as she explicitly says that she doesn’t care. So I’m at a loss.
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I’m also less than thrilled with the choice to introduce the second Caretaker so early into the show’s run and to immediately brush her aside. And although Janeway does say at the end that she intends to continue searching, Suspiria is never even mentioned again, indicating that the authors may have meant for this episode to settle this particular plot point and redirect the show elsewhere. I respect that, because if they had focused later episodes (or, heaven forbid, even the series finale) on finding the Caretaker, it would have reeked of deus ex machina. I just would have wanted this send-off to be a little more thorough and to feel less like a procedural afterthought.
Of course, the main focus is the growth of Kes’s telepathic abilities. The script anticipates the progress we see in S4’s “The Gift” by focusing on how quickly she learns new things and how difficult it is for her to control them. This is the best part of her character and I’m bitter that it has received so little attention, because every time it’s brought up it’s entertaining and spooky. Her rapport with Tuvok also receives much attention, which is a welcome addition.
WORTH WATCHING
2.11 MANEUVERS
When the Kazon attack Voyager again, Chakotay becomes determined to settle his old score with Seska once and for all.
A valid episode with several exciting scenes, although the psychology holds up far less well than the action. The first time I watched VOY I was so glad to see Seska reappear, as the character had way too much promise as a villain to be wasted in a couple of S1 episodes. Sure enough, and thanks in no small part to Martha Hackett, she evolves into a devious and complex villain here, and will peak even further throughout the rest of S2. Unfortunately, she remains by far the most interesting part of the Kazon, whose inter-tribe rivalries are boring and poorly discussed (though they will be explored much better in “Alliances”).
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I’ve always been wary of Chakotay’s relationship with Seska, but I must admit that it’s well-written. Torres’s conversation with Janeway about how Chakotay is a private man and how it must have hurt for Seska to air his dirty laundry in front of everyone is especially valid, and this episode is exactly what we could have expected to happen given his personality. It also fleshes out Torres’s and Chakotay’s relationship in the best way, solidifying them as best friends and nothing more. And while all of this doesn’t change the fact that some scenes are cliched, like Chakotay’s interrogation, beat-up raspy voice and everything, overall the episode does work and makes for entertaining viewing.
SERIES TOP 20
2.12 RESISTANCE
Janeway bonds with an insane old man who lost his entire family to an oppressive fascist government.
A soul-crushing fresco of a dystopian nightmare that ably sidesteps most of the common tropes of the genre and goes straight for the heart. Usually, the well-meaning outsiders (Voyager, in this case) would rouse the oppressed natives and liberate the world in a rehashing of the old white-guilt story. But not here. This episode focuses on how tyrannies murder the souls of the people who are caught up in them, and how survivors can take it upon themselves to carry on the torch of memory. No politics, no lofty ideals: just the mundane suffering of everyday people driven mad by the pain.
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The character of Caylem, played with great confidence by Joel Grey, is eerily believably because he is not caricatured. He straddles the fine line of sanity and madness by knowing his place in the world even as he lives out the most painful of all delusions: the denial that his wife and daughter were murdered by the Mokra. We need not know why he believes that Janeway is his long-dead Ralkana; all we need for the story to work is that Janeway, a stranger to this conflict, is entrusted with the memory and the struggle of someone else who has carried them inside for far too long.
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Roughly the same narrative that I just described will be repeated several times through VOY’s run, as various crew members witness the suffering of distant aliens and do their best to honor their sacrifice, often posthumously. I refer to this as the trope of historical testimony, a valuable ethnographic reality whose dramatic impact the authors seem to understand well. Episodes in this same general vein include masterpieces like S3’s “Remember,” where Torres lives out the life of a woman who participated in genocide; S4’s “Nemesis,” where Chakotay is enlisted in an alien war; S6’s “Memorial,” where the crew receive memories of soldiers who committed a war crime; plus a half-dozen others. I find this to be an extremely effective narrative tool, as it is only by living out the experiences of others, as opposed to being told, that one can truly understand them. Thus, these episodes represent the best kind of exploration (cultural, not scientific) that the show has to offer.
The downsides? Surely, Janeway pretending to be a prostitute is the equivalent of Kirk pretending to be sick to distract the guards, which is laughable. And the rescue attempts from the ship are too procedural. But none of this lessens the weight of the main story, which is one of the absolute best in VOY’s entire run.
WORTH WATCHING
2.13 PROTOTYPE
Torres reactivates a humanoid robot found adrift in space, and soon realizes that it is from a robotic species that cannot breed.
A fun tech adventure with interesting twists. It’s a plot that ST hasn’t tried before, which by itself is impressive. Like any engineer, from Scotty to La Forge, Torres also cannot resist an engineering puzzle. This starts like an innocent enough exercise, but quickly evolves into a “playing God” tale with huge Prime Directive repercussions. I love the simplicity of the puzzle: to allow a race of essentially sterile robots to gain the capacity to reproduce, a problem that would have been similarly interesting if it had involved biological instead of robotic beings.
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However, the script should have spent more time discussing the underlying ethical issue. Janeway does warn Torres of the implications, but after B’Elanna is abducted there is no more discussion: whenever she’s seen working on the prototype, she appears convinced that this is the right thing to do. And it is only when 3947 reveals that the robots killed their creators that she has second thoughts. I am not sure that’s relevant, though. Sure, it’s a nice twist, but that alone is not why you shouldn’t help sterile races to breed. The Prime Directive would apply equally even if they were perfectly nice people (or robots) who had never killed, so the script takes the cheap way out and neglects to analyze the deeper ramifications of the episode. Still, what’s here is entertaining and makes for a good Torres episode.
MUST-SEE
2.14 ALLIANCES
After yet another attack badly damages Voyager, Janeway seeks to establish an alliance among all the Kazon sects.
An outstanding political thriller that should have happened earlier, ideally in S1; or it could have been S2’s opener at the absolute latest. It serves to renew the lease on Voyager’s presence in the Delta Quadrant, and it reinforces the crew’s (but especially Janeway’s) reliance on Starfleet ideals. Indeed, despite the many procedural and action scenes, the script’s emphasis is firmly on which principles should guide a Federation vessel that is so far from Federation space, without the possibility of refit or support. Several officers, including Chakotay and Tuvok, make these points to Janeway, and she appears receptive in some way...
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...but given how the alliance with the Trabe turns out, her steadfast belief in the principles of Starfleet and the Federation comes out even stronger. This is both excellent and annoying. Excellent because it’s in-character; annoying because viewers really want Janeway to get down-and-dirty with these down-and-dirty adversaries (which, thankfully, she will in later seasons). I’m a little nonplussed about the reverence for so-called Federation ideals, not because I don’t value a principled captain, but because it’s never made abundantly clear what exactly these values are. It seems that at this point of the show the authors have a very black-and-white vision of them, while later they (like the crew) will learn to see shades of gray and compromise.
WORST EPISODE OF ALL TIME
2.15 THRESHOLD
After taking an experimental flight that breaks the Warp 10 barrier, Paris begins to mutate uncontrollably into a post-humanoid life form.
Quite universally reviled as the worst episode in all of Star Trek, perhaps with the exception of TNG’s “Code of Honor,” it is an unadulterated mess from start to finish. When a bad idea is executed badly, you end up with a bad episode, as in S2’s “Twisted.” When a good idea is executed badly, you end up with a very bad episode, as in this case. Just like in TNG’s “The Chase,” the authors of this episode (Michael De Luca and Brannon Braga) also do not seem to realize the potential of what they were working with. As Janeway says in one throwaway line to Torres, crossing the Warp 10 threshold would fundamentally alter the nature of human existence. Indeed, it would. Then why develop this premise into a mutation freak-show with a touch of Daddy issues?! Why not focus on the ethical, scientific, and anthropological dilemmas it presents? S4’s “The Omega Directive,” one of the show’s best episodes, gets all of that perfectly.
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For one, why attempt a manned flight at all after a mere month’s worth of holo-deck simulations? Why not an unmanned flight with some sort of biomatter to simulate organic tissue? Surely that would be more than enough to detect the problems that would arise. Moreover, Paris’s resulting mutations are ridiculous and strain even the most permissive suspension of disbelief. I understand he’s evolving very quickly. That makes sense and is compatible with the premise of a Warp 10 flight. But there is absolutely zero mention of the fact that there is no one set blueprint for how humanity may evolve in the future, since evolution by natural selection depends exclusively on the fitness of random mutations with their organism’s environmental factors. So what Paris (and, alas, eventually, Janeway) evolved into is but one possible trajectory that future humans may take... which is massively irrelevant and uninteresting, since there are literally millions of possible future evolutionary stages for our species. This problem is also fixed later, in S3’s excellent “Distant Origin,” which gets the science right. Much ado has been made about the ending with the lizard babies, and I agree that it’s laughable, cheap, and most of all completely unnecessary. But it’s not like the episode was any better before then, so let’s not focus too much on that.
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Here’s how the plot should have gone, in my opinion. The first five minutes are perfect. Then they try an unmanned probe flight and detect organic mutations. Doc develops his radiation treatment to revert the mutations, so Paris takes the risk with a manned flight against Janeway’s advice. He has a transcendental experience, much like he describes in sickbay: being everywhere at once, etc. BUT -- and this would have been the kicker -- the shuttle’s sensor logs show that it was unoccupied throughout the flight and recorded many hours’ worth of data, even though Paris supposedly cut the engines after a few seconds. Upon hitting Warp 10, organic and inorganic matter seem to have separated in some way, so even though transwarp flight may be feasible technologically, it seems like the humanoid body is incapable of sustaining it (and, therefore, of using it to travel). This would create a unique and highly intriguing premise: we are able to breach a natural barrier technologically, but not biologically. This would also explain why they couldn’t just use transwarp to go home, since apparently the Doc’s radiation treatment shields them from the effects of the mutations. The moral would be that this is a barrier that the human species is yet incapable of crossing, a reminder of our limited place in the cosmos. Now THAT episode, like “The Omega Directive,” I would have enjoyed. But as it is, “Threshold” is a complete, lizard-y mess.
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They Could Get Home #3: Transwarp is safe thanks to Doc’s treatment, so, as Torres says, it’s just navigation. And that doesn’t seem like a problem either, as Paris says he saw Voyager was looking for him and he decided to come out of transwarp where and when he did. Sounds a lot like navigation to me! Of all the superfast technologies they encounter throughout the show and manage not to use for some reason or another, this is among the most egregious.
MUST-SEE
2.16 MELD
Tuvok investigates why Lon Suder, a Maquis crewman, murdered a Starfleet crewman in cold blood for no apparent reason.
I love this episode and wish it were even better than it already is. I think it’s one of the better portrayals of what it means to be Vulcan that ST has to offer, a tall order considering it’s the oldest and most carefully characterized alien species. The premise is excellent: I cannot think of a better way for a scholar of Tuvok’s rigor to understand the concept and the allure of violence than by melding with a perfectly psychopathic man like Suder. And though the meld’s consequences are predictable (Suder stable, Tuvok unstable), they’re consistent with what we know of mind-melds, and echo Picard’s lasting bond with Sarek from TNG. The resulting loss of control is genuinely frightening and reveals the Vulcan nature so well. Vulcans are usually described as emotionless, but as Tuvok often says, they have the same emotions as other species but have learned to control them through centuries of discipline (a worthy goal for humans to aspire to, which of course was Roddenberry’s original idea when creating this species).
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Even a good story cannot be told without good acting, especially since there is no real plot. Russ and Brad Dourif deliver two exceptional performances. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dourif in a bad role, and his Suder is tantalizing and creepy. And although Russ, like Spiner in TNG, is routinely capable of portraying a non-emotional being with great subtlety, he outdoes himself here. Each scene after the meld is a masterpiece of body-language and voice-tone nuance, perfectly illustrating the character’s inner struggle. And even when all control is gone and Tuvok lets loose, as in the sickbay scenes, Russ remains diligent and does not overact, so even crazy-Tuvok is perfectly believable (and, dare I say, scarier than crazy-Suder). I am especially pleased that Dourif/Suder will also return in a later episode and that this excellent storyline receives a worthy conclusion. I do admit, however, that I always chuckle when Janeway says that they have to find an alternative method of containing Suder because executing people is just out of the question... unless they’re called Tuvix, I guess!
WORTH WATCHING
2.17 DREADNOUGHT
The crew find a Cardassian superweapon from the Alpha Quadrant that is erroneously targeting an alien planet.
A highly entertaining techie romp that has little to say but says it well. It’s a classic alien-of-the-week episode with no lofty aspirations that focuses on a simple puzzle. As a result, it is heavily procedural and full of technobabble, but VOY has been able to elevate this sort of story to new heights, and they’re very seldom bad. Most of this script is dedicated to Torres talking to Dreadnought, which would be boring in most episodes but is framed as an excellent battle of wits here. And since Dreadnought was programmed by Torres herself during her Maquis era, in a way it’s Torres battling her past self, a fact so obvious that it even gets acknowledged in the script itself (“who would have thought, after all this time, that we would end up here trying to kill each other”).
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Still, there is very little drama or exploration of Torres’s remorse over her past life. I think that’s a good thing, as it leaves more room for the puzzle without a pretentious emphasis on the psychology. (Not that Torres’s story isn’t worth telling, of course and many future episodes will tell it oh-so-well). The only bad parts of this episode are the self-destruct sequence at the end. As perfectly in-character as it is, and as lovely as it is to see Tuvok stand by Janeway in the final hour, I feel that something this big should not be wasted on a throwaway plot. If Janeway is staring death in the face, I want it to mean something!
WORTH WATCHING
2.18 DEATH WISH
A member of the Q Continuum, tired of immortality, requests asylum on Voyager so that he may die.
The show’s first foray into Q is also the best. It is a slow, careful, and pondered philosophical dilemma that analyzes the nature of immortality in even more detail than TNG’s previous explorations into the topic (those, too, usually in the context of Q-ness). Graham and de Lancie provide valid performances as the Q demigods and are excellent foils for each other. In fact, much of the Voyager crew has little relevance to the plot, except for Janeway in her role as mediator, but that’s okay: when the aliens-of-the-week are so interesting and well-written, the regulars can take a seat.
I’m not crazy about the “trial” format, a fairly tired way to explore arguments and counterarguments, but thankfully most of the script focuses on the actual arguments and not on their presentation and other procedural drama. The visit to the Q Continuum is particularly exciting. The author (Michael Piller) shows a fairly sophisticated understanding of the idea of (im)mortality, so the contrast between Q and Q2 feels realistic and neither position is caricatured. And it is a good conclusion that Q finally, eventually, at oh-so-long last learns something about his own nature. Future Q episodes will return to this theme, although the “Q war” thing is never as satisfying as this slow-moving but deep introspection.
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However, some parts of the episode are definitely troubling. As pleasant as it is to see Frakes resume his Riker role, it’s a waste to conjure up a TNG regular for literally 5 minutes... and in a scene where Maury Fucking Ginsberg has more screen time than he does! That’s just painful to watch, and worse, it adds very little to the episode, as Q uses the human props to make a minor point about Q2 that ends up not conJaneway’s decision in any way. Too bad.
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They Could Get Home #4: Either Q could easily send them home, and both Qs are very grateful to Janeway... so why the hell not send them home?!
SKIPPABLE
2.19 LIFESIGNS
Voyager rescue Denara Pel, a Vidiian scientist infected with the Phage with weeks left to live. As he treats her, Doc begins to develop feelings for her.
It’s no mystery that ST is bad at romance, with rare exceptions such as TNG’s “Lessons.” This episode is the perfect example of why. Doc falls for Denara for no discernible reason other than authorial fiat, and his love interest is attracted to him for the same reason (plus an awkward gratitude-cum-hero-worship that is a lousy foundation for love). This is the very definition of ill-assorted. While we may believe that people fall in love randomly, they often do have reasons, and discussing these reasons is what validates romance plots. The seasons-long Torres-Paris affair is worth watching precisely because it develops out of friendship and because those characters have good reason to grow to love each other in spite of differences. Occasional relationships typically have none of that, and so tend to be stilted and awkward, as this one also is.
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What I find even more appalling is how cavalierly Doc and the script as a whole treat Denara’s holographic embodiment. We didn’t even know it was possible. It’s introduced in a 30-second scene, cooked up and done as if it’s no big deal, and never analyzed in detail. All we get is Denara’s(predictable rejection of her organic body and her half-assed attempt to kill it. What we should have gotten, instead, is a discussion of whether holo-Denara is really Denara; whether and how it’s possible for a highly-developed conscience to integrate into the ship’s systems; why, if so, this isn’t done whenever someone dies to prolong their life span; and whether/how Denara’s being a hologram contributes to the Doctor’s feelings . All of that is sidelined in favor of a sophomoric romance with all the classic attending stereotypes. It’s a bad sign when the episode’s top redeeming quality is Paul Baillargeon’s great musical score, the first of many...
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Fun fact: Paris’s deception in preparation for the events of “Investigations” has now lasted for three episodes, and culminates here. While all of the antics with Chakotay are a bit awkward, they’re retroactively explained in the next episode and make good sense, in hindsight...
MUST-SEE
2.20 INVESTIGATIONS
Neelix discovers that someone may be spying for the Kazon. Meanwhile, Paris asks to be put off the ship...
An original and exciting whodunit that hits all the right notes and rarely misses. Several episodes’ worth of buildup culminates here, a plot continuity seldom seen in ST outside of DS9. The parallel arcs of Paris’s growing insubordination and Jonas’s betrayal come to a fun, if occasionally predictable, apex. I like that since the audience knows the traitor’s identity, Janeway and Tuvok weren’t in the dark and had been trying to catch up all along. It would have been worse if they had discovered everything in one go, as Jonas would have been able to screw them over from day one. And while I do miss a big moment of reckoning (a why-did-you-do-this conversation between Janeway and Jonas), the eventual resolution is plenty satisfactory. Good riddance, asshole.
The idea of interjecting a third party into this showdown makes for a fun show, and Neelix is perfect for it. His titular investigations are an entertaining mixture of thriller and comedy, and Phillips delivers in troves on both ends. It sucks that “A Briefing with Neelix” would only appear once more, retitled “Good Morning, Voyager” in S3’s “Macrocosm,” because the idea had good potential to further contribute to that homey feeling that VOY does so well (that is, the repeated and consistent portrayal of certain ship environments and traditions, making it look more of a home or community than in previous ST shows, which makes sense considering the circumstances). Overall, a great entry and a highlight of S2, and thankfully, the odious Kazon are almost on the way out…
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Fun fact: King Abdullah II of Jordan, then prince, a big fan of the show, appears in this episode in a non-speaking role. He can be seeing interacting with Kim in a corridor toward the beginning, wearing a blue science uniform.
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Doctor Isn’t #3: “I’m a doctor, not a performer.”
MUST-SEE
2.21 DEADLOCK
An anomaly creates a complete duplicate of Voyager and severely damages one of the two ships.
A seemingly ludicrous idea turns into one of the show’s best tech puzzles, and even has an excellent plot and character development. Duplicating the entire ship should not be done lightly, as evidenced by disasters like S4’s “Demon” and S5’s “Course: Oblivion.” But here it’s done carefully and with great results. I love how the first main mystery (the proton bursts) begins in medias res, and that we follow only the original Voyager, without excessive technobabble or any other narrative gimmicks. It’s a frightening and effective tale of desperation. But when Kim and the Wildman baby die, we know something isn’t right... and surely enough, within seconds, the script introduces the duplication storyline as Kes vanishes in a corridor, and the episode takes a major turn.
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What follows is equally valid. After the “Janeway ghost” scene, we transition to the other ship to make sense of the new mystery: what happened and how to fix it. The script minimizes the weirdness of having two crews by focusing only on the interactions between the Janeways, which are very well-written. One of her most outstanding characteristic is how self-assured and determined she is, and it is showcased so well. Despite being in tragically different predicaments, both captains reason similarly and would make the same sacrifice, which is excellent character development. The eventual resolution is as surprising as it is fun. The self-destruction of the original ship would make sense, but when the Vidiians attack we know that it’s got to be the duplicate. This makes even more sense, as the original feels more authentic and it’s the one that we “should” continue to follow in the rest of the show. And while replacing Kim and the Wildman baby with duplicates may seem like a cop-out, I think it’s terrific sci-fi that does not break any rules and enriches the lore. Its weirdness is even mentioned, albeit briefly, toward the end, a scene that I wasn’t expecting but that, in retrospect, is essential. Welcome aboard, Naomi Wildman!
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Ensign Kim Disappears #5: I mean, he literally dies... for a while!
SKIPPABLE
2.22 INNOCENCE
Tuvok is stranded on a planet with three alien children who say that they were send there by their elders to die.
Adding this to the long list of VOY episodes based on intriguing premises but that, much like Tuvok’s shuttlecraft, never get off the ground. It is particularly infuriating when the quality of the premise is only revealed in the last five or so minutes. That’s not a plot twist: it’s a lazy writing choice that results in a lot of procedural mannerisms and not enough time for thorough discussion. In this case, I would have loved to know a lot more about these aliens.
Why is their aging process “reversed” and why do they die when they become what-we-know-aschildren? Are they Benjamin Button-ing through life or what? And is that why are isolationist xenophobes, or is that unrelated? Some of these problems also mar the plot’s continuity and create veritable holes. For example, the children behave like actual children (bratty, scared, obnoxious) and only drop occasional hints of the truth, such as “we were sent here to die”... and the only explanation we get for all this, at the very end, is that “they get confused” at this age. Huh?! That’s a pity, because it would have been fun to have child-looking characters who are actually wise old people and who behave accordingly. Instead, we get children’s antics, and not even well-acted. (I often complain that with so many valid child actors in the U.S., Star Trek has a knack for picking out the bad ones, Scarlett Pomers as Naomi Wildman being a fortunate exception.
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A rare plus of this episode is that it’s beautiful to see Tuvok’s paternal side, from the stern admonishment of the children to the sweetness of his singing voice. His line about being incomplete without his family is heartbreaking, and his willingness to take Tressa under his wing a true testament to what we can imagine Vulcan love is: mentorship, protection, and the passing of wisdom. It’s unfortunate that all these traits are barely hinted to in a script that wastes way too much time on nonsense and not enough on what really matters.
WORTH WATCHING
2.23 THE THAW
The crew find three aliens in suspended animation whose minds are being enslaved by a sentient computer program.
Another valid idea for an episode that predates the Matrix saga but is based on similar principles, a not-uncommon sci-fi trope (in some form, it dates all the way back to Gibson’s cyberpunk) that’s effective even when the characters aren’t that interesting. Surely enough, these ones aren’t. Despite McKean’s usual versatile performance, there isn’t much in the script that makes us care about whether these people live or die… except, of course, for Kim, who YET AGAIN disappears and has to have Janeway come rescue his ass.
The script lays out a few clear rules for how the simulation works, and for the most part abides by it, although it’s unclear whether the clown does or doesn’t know that a real person is in the system. The “few minutes of lag” thing seems ad hoc, too, a plot armor of sorts, and it wouldn’t bother me all that much if the ending didn’t rely on it. Still, despite all the narrative contrivances, the episode is effective on a psychological level. Janeway proves to be strong and resilient beyond what would be expected of a Starfleet captain, as once more she gets up close and personal to danger and comes out the winner. The ending is a little masterpiece of subtlety and horror, as the lights dim and Janeway -- now simultaneously the hero and the villain -- whispers “I know.” It’s a wonderful conclusion, although the episode that preceded it is average.
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Ensign Kim Disappears #6
WORTH WATCHING
2.24 TUVIX
A transporter accident joins Tuvok and Neelix into one person who bears the memories of both men but who has a distinct new personality.
One of the most frequently discussed, prodded, analyzed, and anthologized ST episodes, and for good reason. It presents a horrific moral dilemma that only a high-tech sci-fi show like this could tackle, and discusses it from all possible perspectives with great lucidity. I’d go as far as to say that it is one of the best explanations of the philosophical quandary of personal identity ever seen on ST. Wright’s outstanding performance, a patient script that doesn’t rush the crucial scenes, the absence of any filler, and an uplifting musical score all contribute to 35-some minutes of excellent and mature science-fiction.
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And then the script has to make a moral decision, and boy does it make a bad one. It’s a common trope that Janeway is against murder “unless it’s Tuvix,” and there’s good reason for that recurring joke. After such careful analysis of the issue, the only rational conclusion is that Tuvix has a right to live and that no-one can take that away from him. The only supporting evidence for the other bell is that Tuvok-Neelix have people who will miss them, which Tuvix promptly and rightfully dismisses by basically saying “so do I, and anyway they’re dead, but I’m here right now.” It really is as simple as that. It would be different if, for some reason, Tuvix had brought about Tuvok’s and Neelix’s death or benefited from it in ways that were immoral, unjust, or that caused suffering to others, but none of these are the case, and the script does a very good job at facing each of these issues and dismissing them.
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Then why the low score? Because the moral dilemma is so well-designed that the only possible conclusion is to lose Tuvok and Neelix. But of course that is the only solution that the show cannot pick, as it cannot lose two regulars to a guest star. And as the episode moves forward, *that* becomes the dominant (and, by the end, the only) reason why Tuvix must die, a fourth-wall breaking plot armor that shields Tuvok and Neelix from certain and, by all reasonable accounts, just death. In this sense, the script is too good for its own sake by backing itself into a narrative corner it can’t escape.
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The episode tries to dress all of this up by focusing on the “necessary evil” of a captain’s choice, and it is very effective from an emotional and psychological perspective. Indeed, the final scenes where Tuvix is marched to sickbay and the procedure is carried out are incredibly well-filmed and directed. But none of that suffices to hide the moral fact that we are seeing an execution, that there is no reason for it (no “necessary” in “necessary evil”), and that we’re left with a captain that has burdened herself with murder. Here the script is dishonest by not even acknowledging this fact. I would have had more respect if it included some semblance of self-reflection, such as admitting that this is the absolutely wrong thing to do but that they miss their friends too damn much to respect a stranger’s right to life. But that too, of course, would not be very Starfleet of them, so once again the problem is that the script backs itself into a corner with no escape. Sure, Janeway has a heavy heart, but there is no acknowledgment that she knows she is doing the wrong thing, and that’s a major, major miss.
Too bad, because this had the potential to become one of the best episodes of the show, and perhaps of all ST... but as it is, it’s just the butt of another joke.
MUST-SEE
2.25 RESOLUTIONS
After being infected with an incurable virus, Janeway and Chakotay decide to settle on a planet and let Voyager go.
Although the premise is fairly feeble and mostly exists for dramatic effect, the result is a valid tale focused on character development and the strength of the crew as a unit. Janeway’s dedication to bringing them home has been the main focus of the first two seasons, but their allegiance to her as a leader has hardly been explored, and this is a good occasion for it. Likewise for Janeway and Chakotay’s friendship, with all the adversarial caveats that make it such a riveting relationship. And while the script doesn’t go nearly as deep as (say) S4’s “Scorpion” in this regard, it presents a fascinating environment for their truest personalities to emerge. I am also incredibly glad that the possibility of romance is not explored any further, and that their joining hands here toward the end of the episode is as far as it goes. I think it would have cheapened and banalized an essentially professional and mutually enriching rapport, so I am happy that that’s all we get.
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The secondary plot aboard Voyager, which focuses on Tuvok and Kim, is a little less successful and a little more stilted. Both are a bit out of character as their fundamental traits (cold logic in one case, wide-eyed loyalty in the other) are exaggerated for dramatic effect. The resulting conflict feels a bit contrived at times. Nevertheless, the action bits are exciting, and just like Data made for an excellent captain when given the chance (TNG’s “Redemption, part II”), Tuvok is equally skilled and pulls off a convincing tactical victory against the Vidiians.
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It would have been nice to see some more of the titular resolution to Janeway and Chakotay’s story, but alas there is no wrap-up conversation as they return to business as usual. It’s not that I wanted more fluff or some big drama, but I am pretty adamant that reflecting on what has been learned is an important part of a good script. ST, and especially VOY, usually does that well, but it’s a bit lacking in this otherwise very good episode.