Episode 16: Learning Curve

This might be the worst start to an episode of Voyager so far.  We're back on Janeway's Edwardian “holonovel” where she's a Governess to a couple of children, one of whom is the most horrible brat in all of Star Trek... well so far.  He also grew up to be John Connor in the short lived Terminator TV series, so at least he was in a better Sci-Fi series, well I say "better".

So anyway, back to the story proper, such as it is.  It can be summed up as Voyager does Full Metal Jacket or maybe Half Empty Metal Jacket.  Tuvok takes on the R Lee Ermey role but unfortunately doesn't go on to say "Only two things come from Bajor..."

There are a number of problems with this type story, for one it's horribly clichéd unless it's done really well and unsurprisingly it isn't and even more unsurprisingly they all learned an important lesson at the end.  Indeed, it's so unsubtle I wouldn't have blinked if He-Man had come on at the end to tell me what I've learned.

Another annoying thing was the annoying maquis, if I was supposed to feel any kind of sympathy of them at any point I didn't.  In fact if Tuvok had shoved them out of an air lock I think it would've been a good thing for the show.

So that was season one, though four episodes were held over to season two for some reason, so it's not going to improve any time soon, if at all.

This episode also has the "distinction" of being the story to feature the line "Get the cheese to sickbay".  So there's that.

(This review brought to you by the quotation mark and the word "spite".)

Episode 15: Jetrel

So this is the episode in which Neelix meets Robert Oppenheimer.  No, it's not a terrible interplanetary chat show it's actually a not bad episode of Voyager.  Two in fifteen episodes.  What are the odds?*

The story starts off in the holodeck pool bar where it appears the rules have changed again and you don't even need to hit the ball anymore, but never mind that, a war criminal has come to talk to Neelix.  You see Jetrel was to blame for that weapon that destroyed Neelix's colony lo those many years ago.  Yeagh, me neither.

Neelix wasn't actually annoying in this episode mainly because he was being played as an actual person and not the comic relief.  I wish I could hope this is the way of things to come but alas I know differently.  There was even a brief chat between Neelix and Kes about there relationship for those of us who keep forgetting.

James Sloyan who played Jetrel (and many other Star Trek characters) and excellent as usual was good at making you feel pity for this man who spent the last fifteen years of his life atoning for his mistake.

Now the ending.  It implies that Neelix forgiveness is just something he said because Jetrel was on his death bed to ease him on his way.  But is this even something he'd do?  Sure he's learned a lot about Jetrel (and himself) but I'm not entirely convinced of this.

*Never tell me the odds.

Episode 14: Faces

After the teaser it starts with Neelix making Plomeek Soup to remind him of home.  I suspect Neelix doesn’t and never will understand the no emotions of Vulcans.  Would’ve been good if Tuvok was secretly a Romulan and killed Neelix one day but anyway I digress.

So yes, this is the one where Torres is split into her Human and Klingon halves; I thought they’d have done this later on in the series if at all.  No, don’t role your eyes yet though, it’s not as bad as it sounds, true there are bad moments in the episode but then this is Voyager.  Plus I liked how while she was going to be to normal as it were by the next episode she wasn’t at the end of this one.  Also that the continuing fighting between her two halves will go on and she wasn’t all happy and contented.

This episode also marked the first death of a Voyager crewmember since arriving in the Delta Quadrant.  How was this sad occasion marked by the Captain and crew?  Well... it wasn’t.  Since you ask they also left the other prisoners of the Vidiians in the prison camp.  Probably Prime Directive or something or other.

According to Memory Alpha this episode marks the halfway point of all Star Trek episodes and movies.  So just think about that, apart from the Deep Space Nine remaining at this point we’re only halfway through now and there’s still the rest of Voyager and Enterprise to come.  But that’s another story or maybe adventure would be a better word.

Episode 13: Cathexis

See the picture above?  You can imagine how good this episode is can’t you?  It does’t help it reminded me of Spock’s Brain at the start, Chakotay becomes brain dead after an alien attack, his consciousness floating about Voyager doing battle with an alien entity.  Hey, it did almost get good at one point where it’s hinted the crew will start to become paranoid.  All about the crew wondering who the alien is and isn’t, but that’s soon done away with, after all this is a Star Fleet, we can’t be having conflict damnit!

At the start of the episode Janeway is shown in her downtime relaxing in her “holonovel”.  Now I don’t mind this, after all Picard had his Dixon Hill, but couldn’t she have something I bit more exciting than some kind of Jane Eyre program?  Who am I kidding?  Of course she couldn’t.  Also couldn’t they have used Carolyn Seymour in something better than a holo villain who you see for approximately four minutes?!

As it was the episode didn’t really seem to be about anything, it seemed to meander around and be a hodge podge of different ideas which might’ve come off better as different stories.  And don’t even get me started on a dark matter nebula that you can actually see.

Episode 12: Heroes And Demons

Hey look it's a holodeck malfunction but it's okay it gives the Doctor an excuse to do something.  Unfortunately that something is rescue Harry Kim, but you can't have everything can you?  If you could they wouldn’t have done Enterprise.

This episode wasn’t too bad, it did give the Doctor a chance to shine outside of his normal sickbay confinements (sans cheese).  I thought the actress who played Freya was particularly good too.  Some parts of the story were quite predictable though, like the beginning which had a confinement beam breach at the start.  Imagine my considerable surprise when the creature turned out to be from that.

The only problem I have with the character of the Doctor in Star Trek Voyager is that he's essentially a feeling lifeform created by Star Fleet, yet only a few years earlier there was the big thing about them not being able to create one.  A bit geeky I know, especially since he's the best thing about the show.

In this episode the Doctor almost chooses a name but it's associated with a painful time to which Janeway responds "Sounds like you had quite an adventure"  Because if there's one thing that says adventure it's pain.  So to sum up, Captain Janeway is quite the adventure.