Episode Review - Someone to Watch Over Me (Voyager, Season 5)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here.

Overview – Captain Janeway and Tuvok leave on an exchange assignment with a race known as the Kadi, a race that does not value over-stimulation of the senses. Nelix is assigned to host the Kadi ambassador who is responsible to evaluate the Voyager crew. During this exchange, the Doctor takes it upon himself to educate Seven of Nine in the art of romance. The Doctor ends up making a bet with Tom Paris as to her capability to be successful at dating. As he tutors her on the aspects of going on a date, the Doctor comes to realize that he himself is developing feelings for his pupil. Amidst this, the Kadi ambassador turns out to be more than Nelix seems to be prepared for.

Score: 8/10 – This episode is a light-hearted character driven story that taps into some standard motifs of the romantic comedy. We see the awkwardness of the inexperienced individual result in hilarity. There’s the falling in love of the teacher to the student. There is a typical bet that damages the relationship between the two, and an eventual resolution. While this episode does seem to hit the standard notes, it does so in a successful manner. The pacing is a bit rushed at times, and the story is mostly predictable, but it is a delight to watch. Seven’s disastrous date with Lt. Chapman is not too over the top, but still funny. There is some great banter and humor. Scott Thompson, best known for his work in “The Kids in the Hall” sketch show, does a great job as Tomin. He plays the part with flare and passion. It is unfortunate that some of the main characters are glorified extras in this episode. I think Chakotay is only in one scene, and Harry gets very little time as well. Tuvok is only seen at the start and end, with little else to do or say at those moments, and Janeway does not get much more screen time than that. Mostly, we get a great story that really pushes the relationship between the Doctor and Seven of Nine to a different level. Both Robert Picardo and Jeri Ryan sing for this episode, and the duet of “You are my Sunshine” is delightful.

Relevance – 3 points. This is the beginning of the Doctor having romantic feelings for Seven of Nine, so that scores a point. There is also a point for the final appearance of Sandrine’s, the holographic French pub that Tom Paris created. A great line is when Tom comes into the program and loudly wonders what happened to the pool table. There is also a reference as to why Seven refuses a glass of champagne, as in the episode “Timeless” she learned that synthehol has a negative effect on her.

Continuity – 3 points. Universe continuity is intact here. Character continuity is also good, although I found Seven forgiving the Doctor to be a bit quickly done. That is more of an issue with pacing than anything else, so not much I can do to detract from this category. I did find that it made perfect sense for the Doctor to develop feelings for Seven as he worked with her in developing social skills of the romantic nature. Story wise there was one small aspect that bothered me. When Janeway, Tuvok, and Neelix meet the Kadi in the transporter room, it was odd that Chakotay was not present as well. I would think that the first officer, who would be in command of the ship during Tomin’s visit, would be there to great them. Still, I find that to be a minor oversight, and while it deserves a mention, it doesn’t merit a point deduction.

Character Development – 3 points. We see the beginning of the Doctor’s infatuation with Seven in this episode. It is a significant advancement in the Doctor’s character, and it is carried through for almost the remainder of the series. Seven also gets some good attention as we see her expand her skills and interests into more interesting areas. The B story gives us a rare chance to grow Neelix’s character as we see him try to reign in the out-of-control ambassador. We have seen this before in TNG’s “Liasons”, but here we see Neelix’s charm and good heart win through.

Social Commentary – 1 points. Here is where the story comes up a bit short. This is a great character story that deepens the insight into two popular characters. We are given a fun story of futile love (which, come to think of it, might have been a fitting title, a former Borg trying to understand love). But what are they saying here that is truly relevant to us? Is it that love is a fickle game? Perhaps we could examine the Neelix story and come away with how living a sheltered life can become troublesome when you are in an environment where your inhibitions are freed. I suppose that something there is something to that in the story of Tomin. He has lived a very disciplined life and when given the opportunity to explore outside what he is accustomed to. Of course, the results have some hilarity, but it does make one think about the inhibitions we have. Still, most in our society do not have the level of restrictions that Kadi have, so this will give us just one point in this section.

Cool Stuff – 2 points. I loved the performance by Scott Thompson. He is a gifted comedic actor that really knows how to pull off an over-the-top character, and the suddenly unrestrained Tomin certainly qualifies. I am also scoring a point for the lovely singing that Seven and the Doctor engage in. It added a great sense of charm and sweetness to the episode.

Rank – Captain (20 points). This is such a fun and charming episode that does a great deal of justice to Seven’s and the Doctor’s relationship that it is just too good to pass up. While it lacks in the action and intrigue department, it more than makes up for it in the characterization, humor, and fun. Well worth multiple viewings.

If you would like to read other reviews from Star Trek: Voyager, click on the link here.

If you would like to read an episode review from any of the Trek series, click the following link to get to the series catalog. If the episode you want reviewed has not been done yet, then feel free to request it in the comments and I will see what I can do.

Episode Review - The Thaw (Voyager Season 2)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here.

Episode Overview – While exploring a deserted planet, the crew of Voyager are hailed by a recording from the remnants of a long-lost civilization. As Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres investigate, they find themselves trapped in a virtual reality, face-to-face with the embodiment of Fear.

Episode Score – 9/10. One of the most unique episodes in all of Trek, let alone Voyage, this second season episode is a wild ride through the fertile fields of imagination. With the main arc of the story being set in the alternate reality created by the Kohl survivors, the sky is the limit for creating this showdown against Fear. Michael McKean is brilliantly cast as the Clown, the embodiment of Fear itself. His over-the-top antics steal every scene he is in, and his chemistry with the main cast is perfect. Surrounding him is a surreal group of what can best be described as carnival performers from Bizzareland. These actors were actual Cirque du Soleil performers, and added a level of authenticity to the mood. The story is well told, the set has a tone to it that nostalgically reminds me of the Original series, and the acting is great. I only wish more of the crew had a bigger part. It would have been interesting to see Chakotay or Tuvok mix it up with the Clown.

Relevance – 0 points. As great as this episode is, it is a true stand-alone episode. If you have never seen it then it will have no bearing on anything else in the Trek universe. That is not a bad thing for an episode, but it will not score you points for this section.

Continuity – 2 points. Character continuity is a check. Harry, B’Elanna, the Doctor, and Janeway all act in a consistent manner. Universe continuity is respected, so a point is scored there. As for story continuity, this episode has no connection to Voyager’s overall story, so I can’t give it a point.

Character Development – 3 points. The Thaw provides a wonderful examination as to how different characters face fear. Harry Kim’s insecurities are definitely explored in this. The friendship between him and Torres is brought a little further along. The Doctor is used in one of the first instances that does not require a medical professional. Acting as a negotiator allows him to further evolve his character. Most of all, we see Kathryn Janeway at her best as she goes toe-to-toe with Fear. This is definitely a character driven story, and it is done extremely well.

Social Commentary – 3 points. Fear is a universal concept, and facing our fears is something we all must do. Sometimes we give into our fears and become its prisoner. Sometimes we fight against our fears and triumph. I think the most poignant moment is at the very end when, as the Clown faces his fate, expresses his own fear of the unknown. His last bit of dialogue with Janeway is excellent.

Cool Factor – 3 points. Michael McKean’s performance is so good in this episode. I love it. Cool point #1. Also, listen carefully to the giant Spectre that is in the Clown’s entourage. We hear him more than we see him, but he is played by Carel Struycken, better known as the often seen but rarely heard Mr. Homm. Another cool point scored. Third point goes to the Cirque to Soleil performers as the members of the Clown’s carnival. They really added a lot to the feel of the episode.

  

Rank – Captain (20 points). An excellent Voyager episode. The fact that it is a stand-alone episode is good in that you can watch it and enjoy it, but you don’t have to watch it in any particular order with any other episode. The downside is that due to this fact it is easy to overlook it. Because of how well done the episode is, I recommend that you do not skip it, but watch and enjoy. 

Why I Love Voyager

Celebrating the five full decades of Star Trek should be a yearlong event, so I thought I would spread the love of all things Trek. Previously in this series I wrote about why I love the Original Series, then why I loved the Next Generation, and most recently with why I loved Deep Space Nine. Next up, Captain Kathryn Janeway and the combined crew of Star Trek: Voyager.

The year was 1995. Picard and company were fresh off of their first major motion picture, Star Trek: Generations. Sisko and crew were well into their third season on Deep Space Nine. Paramount had started a new network, UPN, and wanted a new Star Trek show to be the flagship (not sure if the pun is intended). Along came Voyager. Created by Trek veterans Michael Piller, Rick Berman, and Jeri Taylor (finally, a woman at the helm!), Star Trek: Voyager was the story of a new class of Federation starship that is thrown halfway across the galaxy into the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant. To further complicate things, the crew is made up of a significant number of renegade Federation citizens, the Maquis (introduced in Deep Space Nine), as well as some more unconventional crew members who were there as much as necessity as anything else. Their story was to be more akin to “Lost in Space” as opposed to the usual comforts of previous Trek incarnations.

With a fresh crew, new surroundings, and endless possibilities, fans were excited about this new show. Most of the buzz was originally around the new female captain, especially after the original actress hired for the show, Genevieve Bujold, was released from her contract (on mutual terms, as the story goes), and the formidable Kate Mulgrew came in almost last minute. There were familiar trappings (Tim Russ in his fourth and most famous Trek role, Vulcan security officer Lt. Tuvok), some new aliens (Talaxians, Ocampans, Kazon, and Vidians), and some returning fan favorites (Q, the Borg, and Reginald Barclay). Voyager had a lot of promise at the beginning, and it was great to have a second Trek series on the air again.

I had mentioned previously that Deep Space Nine was the black sheep of the Trek family, but Voyager seems to be the series where a lot of fans started to openly criticize the show. Perhaps it was the movement of the internet into mainstream society, perhaps fans were suffering a bit of Trek fatigue, but there were a fair number of vocal critics, and Voyager’s ratings were getting lower. Still, it had enough to keep it going for the full seven seasons, and there were some wonderful episodes, stories, characters, and moments that helped Voyager earn its well-deserved place among Trek lore. Here are my Top Five Reasons for why I love Star Trek: Voyager.

1.     Captain Janeway – Yes, it was finally time to have a woman in the captain’s chair on a Trek show, but Janeway being a woman is not the reason why I love this captain so much. She had likely the biggest burden of all captains up to this point. Kirk, Picard, and Sisko all had the support of Starfleet. For most of the run of Voyager, she was on her own. As was mentioned in an early episode, there wasn’t a lot of Captains and Admirals around for her to associate with. Janeway had to make some tough decisions, and they were not always the right ones, but she was in a tough situation. She took a ragtag bunch of Starfleet officers, disgruntled Maquis, and the rejects of the Delta quadrant, and made them a family. She had an almost perfect balance of toughness and compassion. She valued the members of her crew because they were literally irreplaceable. Even though her first officer was Maquis, she welcomed and valued his insight. No matter how close they were, however, she often felt alone in command. That earned my respect.

2.     Back to the basics – Star Trek was often considered to be about exploring, but by the end of TNG there was little left to explore. While DS9 got around that with a wormhole to another part of the galaxy, they still had old familiar faces to fall back on. Not so with Voyager. Everything was new. New quadrant, new species, and new worlds to discover. Thanks to advances in technology, we were able to bring about species in new ways (looking at you, Species 8472). Not everything was a home run, but there were so many cool things that came about due to Voyager being stuck in the Delta Quadrant. It was a great to see so many new and different things, and we were allowed to have some great stories that came out of it.

3.     The Doctor – When the media releases for the new show started to emerge, there was one character that had me gravely concerned: the EMH. To hear that the new CMO was going to be a hologram made me nervous. How are they going to have a character in the sickbay all the time and be able to develop him adequately? I had seen a few hologram characters before, and I must say that they disappointed me greatly. Then I actually watched the show. It was wonderful to see this character grow from a simple program into a fully developed and realized member of the crew. His episodes are among my favorites, and Robert Picardo was able to bring such a light to his character’s eye in his brilliant performances. I loved the comedy and soul that the Doctor often brought to the show. I enjoyed how he developed a conscience and wrestled with many dilemmas that we find ourselves facing daily as human beings. Once he got his mobile emitter, the sky was the limit with him. I only wished that they had settled on a name with him sooner.

4.     The ultimate betrayer – In the first season there were a handful of Maquis crewmen who showed a lot of promise. The best, in my opinion, turned out to be a secret Cardassian agent who showed that she would stop at nothing to get home, even if it meant aligning with the Kazon. Seska was brilliantly played by Martha Hackett and stole every scene she was in. Her story seemed so well executed, an excellent example in how to develop a secondary character. I am not sure if the plan had always been to make her a spy, but it was set up brilliantly. Like all great villains, Seska eventually had her day of reckoning, but being killed off did not mean the end for her. She returned in some great ways, just to wreck a little more havoc on the crew.

5.     Building on a legacy – Voyager was able to do a lot with what had previously been established, given the setting of the show. While Q made an appearance on Deep Space Nine in the first season, he really didn’t click with the crew. On Voyager, he was able to bring things to a whole new level. Since Picard and his crew were off making movies, our omnipotent adversary turned to the Delta quadrant and traded barbs with Janeway. I actually thought that Q and Janeway had a wonderful adversarial relationship, due largely to the delightful chemistry between Kate Mulgrew and John de Lancie. Because of this, we received the wonderful episode “Death Wish”. Another favorite character of the past that was able to grow more fully was Reginald Barclay. Voyager gave our obsessive engineer a chance to shine in a new role in ways that he just couldn’t on the Next Generation. Finally, there was the Borg. While Picard and company were able to deal with the Borg on every encounter, Voyager was able to stick it to them on multiple occasions. The Borg as a collective grew more with Voyager, and we can thank Seven of Nine for that. Played the beautifully talented Jeri Ryan, we learned much more about the Borg, and it gave us a wonderful opportunity to study the life of one who was seeking to regain her lost humanity. Voyager had its flaws, but not building on the legacy of important characters, races, and aspects of the past was not one of them.

And there you go. The little show that could. I loved Star Trek Voyager for many more reasons, but these are the Top 5. Did I miss any? Please comment on what you loved about the show.