"Memorial" is one of those episodes you can absolutely skip, as it really adds nothing at all.
Generally speaking, it's a standard message about the horrors of war, and maybe on that level it might be viewed for comparison with the number of times, say, Deep Space Nine did it (as early as its first season), but it's just so generic and doesn't even have a strong central if random lead role like "Nemesis" did with Chakotay in the fourth season.
So here's one you can skip.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Voyager 6x13 "Virtuoso"
*
After being the character with the best character work throughout the series, The Doctor was due for an episode that generally works and speaks to his particular situation, but maybe wasn't all that necessary.
Basically he thinks he can get more respect from a random visiting alien culture, and so makes the decision to leave the ship, only to discover his horrible mistake. It's the basic plot of his need for validation and expanded rights, but at a more frivolous angle.
It's certainly entertaining, but not exactly essential.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
After being the character with the best character work throughout the series, The Doctor was due for an episode that generally works and speaks to his particular situation, but maybe wasn't all that necessary.
Basically he thinks he can get more respect from a random visiting alien culture, and so makes the decision to leave the ship, only to discover his horrible mistake. It's the basic plot of his need for validation and expanded rights, but at a more frivolous angle.
It's certainly entertaining, but not exactly essential.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x12 "Blink of an Eye"
**
A lot of Star Trek fans like to complain that any Star Trek series repeats the same general format as a predecessor. By that I mean that four out of the five live action shows took the exploration format and ran with it. It was fine when Next Generation did it. Deep Space Nine sat in one place. Then Voyager went back to exploration, and so did Enterprise, even if they had other layers to the narrative. What's the point? Genre fans perhaps don't watch Law & Order. The point is there's always another cool way to do the same basic story. (If there weren't, many millennia of storytellers wouldn't exist.)
"Blink of an Eye" is one of the more awesome visits to a random alien world in the whole of the franchise. There's a key difference in this world, in that it spins far quicker than the average, and so civilization rapidly progresses in the time it takes our crew to dislodge their ship from its orbit, so that the episode is really about progress and impact, a more ambitious story than is typical.
You don't need to love Voyager to love "Blink of an Eye," and so it's essential viewing regardless of whether or not you like any of the characters (The Doctor has an understated subplot that may be worth noting), just so long as you love Star Trek.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Daniel Dae Kim
Memory Alpha summary.
A lot of Star Trek fans like to complain that any Star Trek series repeats the same general format as a predecessor. By that I mean that four out of the five live action shows took the exploration format and ran with it. It was fine when Next Generation did it. Deep Space Nine sat in one place. Then Voyager went back to exploration, and so did Enterprise, even if they had other layers to the narrative. What's the point? Genre fans perhaps don't watch Law & Order. The point is there's always another cool way to do the same basic story. (If there weren't, many millennia of storytellers wouldn't exist.)
"Blink of an Eye" is one of the more awesome visits to a random alien world in the whole of the franchise. There's a key difference in this world, in that it spins far quicker than the average, and so civilization rapidly progresses in the time it takes our crew to dislodge their ship from its orbit, so that the episode is really about progress and impact, a more ambitious story than is typical.
You don't need to love Voyager to love "Blink of an Eye," and so it's essential viewing regardless of whether or not you like any of the characters (The Doctor has an understated subplot that may be worth noting), just so long as you love Star Trek.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Daniel Dae Kim
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x11 "Fair Haven"
**
Consider how she began the season, Janeway really needed a break, and that's exactly what she got in "Fair Haven."
A lot of fans latched onto the later episode "Spirit Folk" as indicative of what made the season so generally appalling, and joked that the Captain had a romance with a hologram, but actually watching "Fair Haven" is a strong argument that these sentiments are spurious at best.
In the early seasons, Janeway had a fiance in the Alpha Quadrant and a budding romance with Chakotay. Both were subsequently taken from her, and the strain of the voyage was displayed in episodes like "Night," and the sad fact is that she probably suffered the most out of everyone for the decision she made in "Caretaker." "Fair Haven" represents the first break she had in six seasons, and is an appropriately complicated tale for someone in as complicated a situation as Janeway.
I won't go so far as to say it's essential viewing, but for both the season and the series, it wouldn't have made any sense for it not to happen. For Janeway, it's a defining episode, to be sure, and I've said elsewhere, the whole season seems to have been dedicated at the very least to settling thorny issues from the past and preparing everyone for the conclusion. Yes, you can skip this one and still follow the thrust of things, but not if you want to know or care about Kathryn Janeway.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Richard Riehle
Memory Alpha summary.
Consider how she began the season, Janeway really needed a break, and that's exactly what she got in "Fair Haven."
A lot of fans latched onto the later episode "Spirit Folk" as indicative of what made the season so generally appalling, and joked that the Captain had a romance with a hologram, but actually watching "Fair Haven" is a strong argument that these sentiments are spurious at best.
In the early seasons, Janeway had a fiance in the Alpha Quadrant and a budding romance with Chakotay. Both were subsequently taken from her, and the strain of the voyage was displayed in episodes like "Night," and the sad fact is that she probably suffered the most out of everyone for the decision she made in "Caretaker." "Fair Haven" represents the first break she had in six seasons, and is an appropriately complicated tale for someone in as complicated a situation as Janeway.
I won't go so far as to say it's essential viewing, but for both the season and the series, it wouldn't have made any sense for it not to happen. For Janeway, it's a defining episode, to be sure, and I've said elsewhere, the whole season seems to have been dedicated at the very least to settling thorny issues from the past and preparing everyone for the conclusion. Yes, you can skip this one and still follow the thrust of things, but not if you want to know or care about Kathryn Janeway.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Richard Riehle
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x10 "Pathfinder"
****
In the many sweeping generalizations of the last half-decade of the franchise before the J.J. Abrams reboot, it's always been unfair to suggest the sixth season of Voyager as both a colossal failure and waste of time, and you can look no further for contradiction than "Pathfinder," the episode that began the crew's last leg of the journey home.
There's a lot of things to like about this one, actually, or if you're still being obstinate, then at least consider it noteworthy. Dwight Schultz, for instance, returns to the series (after making a more random appearance in the second season episode "Projections") and the franchise as the ship's unlikely savior. Then again, maybe he wasn't so unlikely. Originally a beloved if neurotic recurring character in The Next Generation, Reginald Barclay was a brilliant engineer who kept getting in his own way, finally tapping into his potential with a little prodding from the combined efforts of Captain Picard's crew. He made an appearance in First Contact, but seemed destined to remain known as the guy who was once nicknamed "Broccoli" (and not affectionately).
Some fans considered "Pathfinder" to be a character regression for the guy who first made a name for himself retreating to the fantasies of the Holodeck, Barclay once again preferring to hang out with holograms rather than real people. Yet they really missed the point. In a roundabout way, what he was really doing was integrating what had once been his biggest failing with his greatest strength, and in the process solved the riddle of how Starfleet could locate and establish regular contact with the wayward crew in the Delta Quadrant. It was a fete of brilliance that he could never have achieved serving aboard a starship. No offense to Scotty or La Forge, but this is an accomplishment of far greater important than making an engine sing even in the midst of a crisis.
Anyway, Barclay is joined by Marina Sirtis (making the first of three appearances in the series), once again portraying Deanna Troi, saddled with the task of figuring out the most peculiar officer in the fleet one more time. The episode also features the debut of Richard Herd in the role of Admiral Owen Paris, former colleague of Captain Janeway and Tom Paris, making the implicit case that father no longer so harshly judges son in his efforts to oversee the success of this project.
Subconsciously, "Pathfinder" was a huge development in the series, making what the show would never be able to do without limiting the dramatic impact of finally getting home in the finale possible by finally opening contact with home.
It's essential viewing in every sense of the word, a clear highlight of the series, something a skeptical fan can use if they want to approach with an open mind, a break from the regular format, a giant step forward for an established character...you name it.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Dwight Schultz
Marina Sirtis
Richard Herd
Memory Alpha summary.
In the many sweeping generalizations of the last half-decade of the franchise before the J.J. Abrams reboot, it's always been unfair to suggest the sixth season of Voyager as both a colossal failure and waste of time, and you can look no further for contradiction than "Pathfinder," the episode that began the crew's last leg of the journey home.
There's a lot of things to like about this one, actually, or if you're still being obstinate, then at least consider it noteworthy. Dwight Schultz, for instance, returns to the series (after making a more random appearance in the second season episode "Projections") and the franchise as the ship's unlikely savior. Then again, maybe he wasn't so unlikely. Originally a beloved if neurotic recurring character in The Next Generation, Reginald Barclay was a brilliant engineer who kept getting in his own way, finally tapping into his potential with a little prodding from the combined efforts of Captain Picard's crew. He made an appearance in First Contact, but seemed destined to remain known as the guy who was once nicknamed "Broccoli" (and not affectionately).
Some fans considered "Pathfinder" to be a character regression for the guy who first made a name for himself retreating to the fantasies of the Holodeck, Barclay once again preferring to hang out with holograms rather than real people. Yet they really missed the point. In a roundabout way, what he was really doing was integrating what had once been his biggest failing with his greatest strength, and in the process solved the riddle of how Starfleet could locate and establish regular contact with the wayward crew in the Delta Quadrant. It was a fete of brilliance that he could never have achieved serving aboard a starship. No offense to Scotty or La Forge, but this is an accomplishment of far greater important than making an engine sing even in the midst of a crisis.
Anyway, Barclay is joined by Marina Sirtis (making the first of three appearances in the series), once again portraying Deanna Troi, saddled with the task of figuring out the most peculiar officer in the fleet one more time. The episode also features the debut of Richard Herd in the role of Admiral Owen Paris, former colleague of Captain Janeway and Tom Paris, making the implicit case that father no longer so harshly judges son in his efforts to oversee the success of this project.
Subconsciously, "Pathfinder" was a huge development in the series, making what the show would never be able to do without limiting the dramatic impact of finally getting home in the finale possible by finally opening contact with home.
It's essential viewing in every sense of the word, a clear highlight of the series, something a skeptical fan can use if they want to approach with an open mind, a break from the regular format, a giant step forward for an established character...you name it.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Dwight Schultz
Marina Sirtis
Richard Herd
Memory Alpha summary.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Voyager 6x9 "The Voyager Conspiracy"
***
This is one of the most brilliant episodes of the series. It's not one of the best, but yes, it's one of the most brilliant. You owe it to yourself to see it if you have any interest in Voyager.
Basically, Seven makes a huge mistake and becomes paranoid to the point where she tries to figure out why exactly she ended up on Voyager, questioning the motives of Chakotay and Janeway, pulling all the things fans assumed the writers had forgotten into a sharp new perspective, and eventually ending in a poignant moment shared between Janeway and Seven in which their relationship is nicely summed up.
No other Star Trek ever did something like this, which is so clever it borders on meta, and does not even feature Q. So many fans tried to claim the writers had no idea what they were doing, or how to tell a good Voyager-specific episode, and then "The Voyager Conspiracy" comes along.
To be clear, if you love the series you'll love this episode. What's the worth of adding a character later on in a show's run? To give some fresh perspective. But this one goes above and beyond the call of duty.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
This is one of the most brilliant episodes of the series. It's not one of the best, but yes, it's one of the most brilliant. You owe it to yourself to see it if you have any interest in Voyager.
Basically, Seven makes a huge mistake and becomes paranoid to the point where she tries to figure out why exactly she ended up on Voyager, questioning the motives of Chakotay and Janeway, pulling all the things fans assumed the writers had forgotten into a sharp new perspective, and eventually ending in a poignant moment shared between Janeway and Seven in which their relationship is nicely summed up.
No other Star Trek ever did something like this, which is so clever it borders on meta, and does not even feature Q. So many fans tried to claim the writers had no idea what they were doing, or how to tell a good Voyager-specific episode, and then "The Voyager Conspiracy" comes along.
To be clear, if you love the series you'll love this episode. What's the worth of adding a character later on in a show's run? To give some fresh perspective. But this one goes above and beyond the call of duty.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x8 "One Small Step"
*
Every now and again Star Trek likes to remind everyone that its stories set in the future have a parallel in the future, our own time's explorations of space, an homage to the hard work and dedication that either seems to be well-funded and widely respected, or under-funded and virtually ignored (we've been in the latter period since Columbia).
"One Small Step" isn't the best of those episodes, but it's a worthy addition to the fold.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Phil Morris
Memory Alpha summary.
Every now and again Star Trek likes to remind everyone that its stories set in the future have a parallel in the future, our own time's explorations of space, an homage to the hard work and dedication that either seems to be well-funded and widely respected, or under-funded and virtually ignored (we've been in the latter period since Columbia).
"One Small Step" isn't the best of those episodes, but it's a worthy addition to the fold.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Phil Morris
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x7 "Dragon's Teeth"
**
This is one of the sixth season episodes that actually provoked a positive reaction from otherwise skeptical-at-best fans, since it's an experience that could have happened on any Star Trek, but the experience seems right for Voyager and seemed to introduce a new threat that might have come back later on for more.
"Dragon's Teeth" does not spawn any return engagements. It's a standalone episode, to be clear. The crew stumbles across another species locked in suspended animation, decides to awaken it, and discovers that this was a very bad mistake. There's even another chance that they can use this experience to get a little closer home, but no dice, once again. They learn their mistake and narrowly survive and are once again off on their merry way. In some ways a very typical and therefore potentially forgettable entry, but stands out just enough where you will thank yourself for viewing it. Not essential, but definitely won't leave you hating the show.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Robert Knepper
Memory Alpha summary.
This is one of the sixth season episodes that actually provoked a positive reaction from otherwise skeptical-at-best fans, since it's an experience that could have happened on any Star Trek, but the experience seems right for Voyager and seemed to introduce a new threat that might have come back later on for more.
"Dragon's Teeth" does not spawn any return engagements. It's a standalone episode, to be clear. The crew stumbles across another species locked in suspended animation, decides to awaken it, and discovers that this was a very bad mistake. There's even another chance that they can use this experience to get a little closer home, but no dice, once again. They learn their mistake and narrowly survive and are once again off on their merry way. In some ways a very typical and therefore potentially forgettable entry, but stands out just enough where you will thank yourself for viewing it. Not essential, but definitely won't leave you hating the show.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Robert Knepper
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x6 "Riddles"
**
Most of the time, Tuvok was just kind of there. Sometimes he was featured as one of Janeway's closest friends and confidants, but sometimes he was just kind of there. As tactical officer, he sometimes got to play cop, but he never really got to be the House of Star Trek, even though he was ideally suited for that role, logically explaining things no one else would ever have even considered, with just a vague note of sarcasm in his voice. (Seriously, how awesome would that have been?)
As the second Vulcan to be a series regular in Star Trek, Tuvok had a lot to live up to, but not until T'Pol did the writers feel like really contrasting the Vulcan perspective. Tuvok was a nearly ordinary Vulcan, who after all still had his share of unfortunate repercussions from being lost on the other side of the galaxy.
And then there were the episodes where the writers just wanted to play cruel tricks on him. "Riddles" is a cruel trick. Of course, Tuvok counterpoint Neelix is there to help him navigate the experience, such as possible. Tuvok and Neelix were the unsung heroes of the series, the ones who most grew in relation to the other. This is the one time where Tuvok really seems to appreciate the relationship, and it's because he's lost pretty much everything that makes him who he is.
It's tragically awesome. You don't need to be a fan of Voyager to enjoy this one, and it could have been another species besides a Vulcan who suffered in it, but it's the definitive episode for Tuvok and Neelix (and there were some pretty good rivals, not the least being "Tuvix"), and will have you crying salty tears a season later when they say goodbye to each other.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Most of the time, Tuvok was just kind of there. Sometimes he was featured as one of Janeway's closest friends and confidants, but sometimes he was just kind of there. As tactical officer, he sometimes got to play cop, but he never really got to be the House of Star Trek, even though he was ideally suited for that role, logically explaining things no one else would ever have even considered, with just a vague note of sarcasm in his voice. (Seriously, how awesome would that have been?)
As the second Vulcan to be a series regular in Star Trek, Tuvok had a lot to live up to, but not until T'Pol did the writers feel like really contrasting the Vulcan perspective. Tuvok was a nearly ordinary Vulcan, who after all still had his share of unfortunate repercussions from being lost on the other side of the galaxy.
And then there were the episodes where the writers just wanted to play cruel tricks on him. "Riddles" is a cruel trick. Of course, Tuvok counterpoint Neelix is there to help him navigate the experience, such as possible. Tuvok and Neelix were the unsung heroes of the series, the ones who most grew in relation to the other. This is the one time where Tuvok really seems to appreciate the relationship, and it's because he's lost pretty much everything that makes him who he is.
It's tragically awesome. You don't need to be a fan of Voyager to enjoy this one, and it could have been another species besides a Vulcan who suffered in it, but it's the definitive episode for Tuvok and Neelix (and there were some pretty good rivals, not the least being "Tuvix"), and will have you crying salty tears a season later when they say goodbye to each other.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x5 "Alice"
*
Tom Paris tends to get himself in trouble when he lets his ambition get ahead of him, not so much because he makes bad decisions, but because bad things happen when he doesn't adequately consider the risks involved. (That's probably the difference between him and Nicholas Locarno, too.)
Case in point (other than "Threshold," a gem that's thrown in the scrapheap by most fans) is "Alice," where he gets the opportunity to test a radical new navigation system that in typical sci-fi fashion totally backfires, an artificial intelligence that turns evil. (It's a wonder that the crew wasn't paranoid about The Doctor pulling this sort of thing. But it never came up. About the only Doctor story Voyager didn't do.)
You don't need to see this one for any other reason than it reflects the tendencies of Paris. Not his best moment and actually a bit of a backslide for him, actually, perhaps evidence that this grease monkey will always need paying attention to. B'Elanna, definitely pay attention.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
John Fleck
Memory Alpha summary.
Tom Paris tends to get himself in trouble when he lets his ambition get ahead of him, not so much because he makes bad decisions, but because bad things happen when he doesn't adequately consider the risks involved. (That's probably the difference between him and Nicholas Locarno, too.)
Case in point (other than "Threshold," a gem that's thrown in the scrapheap by most fans) is "Alice," where he gets the opportunity to test a radical new navigation system that in typical sci-fi fashion totally backfires, an artificial intelligence that turns evil. (It's a wonder that the crew wasn't paranoid about The Doctor pulling this sort of thing. But it never came up. About the only Doctor story Voyager didn't do.)
You don't need to see this one for any other reason than it reflects the tendencies of Paris. Not his best moment and actually a bit of a backslide for him, actually, perhaps evidence that this grease monkey will always need paying attention to. B'Elanna, definitely pay attention.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
John Fleck
Memory Alpha summary.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Voyager 6x4 "Tinker, Tailor, Doctor, Spy"
**
Far more important than it first seems, the latest spotlight for The Doctor is another turning point that pushes a lead character in the direction that will define him for the rest of the series.
Most of The Doctor's episodes are fairly episodic in nature, seeing him in a moment of crisis that doesn't necessarily impact the next moment of crisis so much as push him further along his development as an individual fighting to understand, explore, and represent his rights to the rest of the crew.
This time, he develops his own ambitions, fantasizing about responsibilities that are far outside his usual sphere, developing the concept of the Emergency Command Hologram that would become a reality in the final season. Watching the episode, you think it's a lark, a one-off bit of nonsense, but unlike other episodes featuring The Doctor, the overall impact is left for the audience to figure out.
Plus the debut of the Potato Heads!
So you can have fun watching this one and also enjoy the fact that there's progress being made!
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Far more important than it first seems, the latest spotlight for The Doctor is another turning point that pushes a lead character in the direction that will define him for the rest of the series.
Most of The Doctor's episodes are fairly episodic in nature, seeing him in a moment of crisis that doesn't necessarily impact the next moment of crisis so much as push him further along his development as an individual fighting to understand, explore, and represent his rights to the rest of the crew.
This time, he develops his own ambitions, fantasizing about responsibilities that are far outside his usual sphere, developing the concept of the Emergency Command Hologram that would become a reality in the final season. Watching the episode, you think it's a lark, a one-off bit of nonsense, but unlike other episodes featuring The Doctor, the overall impact is left for the audience to figure out.
Plus the debut of the Potato Heads!
So you can have fun watching this one and also enjoy the fact that there's progress being made!
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x3 "Barge of the Dead"
****
B'Elanna Torres seemed to go just about as far as she could thanks to a strong early push sooner than some of the other characters. "Barge of the Dead" is the point where the writers start to figure out there's more that can be done.
Much of the character's previous experiences were incredibly insular. Sure, early on she developed a weird bond with Harry Kim, had the support of Chakotay, and dueled with Joe Carey before earning his respect, but it wasn't until she started a romance with Tom Paris that B'Elanna started to play nice with others in any real sense. Even most of her spotlight episodes kept her isolated, in sometimes imaginative and tragic ways. Her struggles with the Klingon and human parts of both her biology and experiences were confined in that inner world, too.
Again, "Barge of the Dead" changes all that. Here we meet her mother (took six seasons!), thanks to an elaborate setup that drops her off in the Klingon afterlife, which is itself significant as one of the more intimate looks at an alien culture in Star Trek history (showing rather than telling, which is what many, many people who believe they know what storytelling should do are always, um, saying).
For the rest of the series, everything we thought we'd concluded about B'Elanna becomes fodder for further expansive exploration of the show's most dependable dramatic subject. That makes this one essential on every level.
Not bad for a season that didn't seem to know how to do anything right. Well, take that as a suggestion about the real worth of the year.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Eric Pierpont
Memory Alpha summary.
B'Elanna Torres seemed to go just about as far as she could thanks to a strong early push sooner than some of the other characters. "Barge of the Dead" is the point where the writers start to figure out there's more that can be done.
Much of the character's previous experiences were incredibly insular. Sure, early on she developed a weird bond with Harry Kim, had the support of Chakotay, and dueled with Joe Carey before earning his respect, but it wasn't until she started a romance with Tom Paris that B'Elanna started to play nice with others in any real sense. Even most of her spotlight episodes kept her isolated, in sometimes imaginative and tragic ways. Her struggles with the Klingon and human parts of both her biology and experiences were confined in that inner world, too.
Again, "Barge of the Dead" changes all that. Here we meet her mother (took six seasons!), thanks to an elaborate setup that drops her off in the Klingon afterlife, which is itself significant as one of the more intimate looks at an alien culture in Star Trek history (showing rather than telling, which is what many, many people who believe they know what storytelling should do are always, um, saying).
For the rest of the series, everything we thought we'd concluded about B'Elanna becomes fodder for further expansive exploration of the show's most dependable dramatic subject. That makes this one essential on every level.
Not bad for a season that didn't seem to know how to do anything right. Well, take that as a suggestion about the real worth of the year.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Eric Pierpont
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 6x2 "Survival Instinct"
**
Seven receives a little more backstory concerning her history in the Borg Collective in this episode, and it's both surprising and ironic, calling to mind a third season episode ("Unity") in the process.
It seems that Seven once experienced a brief moment of separation from the hive mind, along with the rest of her unit at the time, and she's the one who fought it the most. Years later, in the present, she reunites with these drones, who've also since permanently left the Collective behind, and it turns out she's had better luck severing the connection.
Some convenience is necessary to make this one work, but it's a welcome return to the kind of Borg storytelling that works best in this particular Star Trek, and casts an appropriate glance backward for Seven as well as foreshadowing for later developments in the season ("Collective").
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Vaughn Armstrong
Memory Alpha summary.
Seven receives a little more backstory concerning her history in the Borg Collective in this episode, and it's both surprising and ironic, calling to mind a third season episode ("Unity") in the process.
It seems that Seven once experienced a brief moment of separation from the hive mind, along with the rest of her unit at the time, and she's the one who fought it the most. Years later, in the present, she reunites with these drones, who've also since permanently left the Collective behind, and it turns out she's had better luck severing the connection.
Some convenience is necessary to make this one work, but it's a welcome return to the kind of Borg storytelling that works best in this particular Star Trek, and casts an appropriate glance backward for Seven as well as foreshadowing for later developments in the season ("Collective").
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Vaughn Armstrong
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager Season 6x1 "Equinox, Part 2"
****
The sixth season of the series was not exactly its most beloved. Okay, so it's the least popular season. Okay, so in some circles it was pretty much despised. Perhaps some of that necessarily stems from the way it opened. "Equinox, Part 2" concludes the story of Janeway's ideological clash with Captain Ransom, another Starfleet officer trying to make the long journey home to the Alpha Quadrant. Ransom seems to have made pretty much all the opposite decisions Janeway did, except for that one similarity, and this irks her in a moral sense.
The problem is, she ends up in a moral quandary once it becomes clear to her that she cannot sit by and let him continue. Like other Star Trek captains before and after her, Janeway develops an intense need to bring this nemesis to justice, but she seems to push it too far, threatening torture and execution in order to reach her goal. Even Chakotay is abhorred by this behavior, and usually there isn't a more dependable voice of agreement in her crew.
So the challenge is to watch this episode and judge for yourself, with or without a greater awareness of how Janeway has conducted herself. This makes it a key episode for the series and for Janeway herself, no matter your conclusions. (It may or may not be worth noting that the loose arc for the character during the rest of the season is one of redemption.)
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
John Savage
Titus Welliver
Rick Worthy
Memory Alpha summary.
The sixth season of the series was not exactly its most beloved. Okay, so it's the least popular season. Okay, so in some circles it was pretty much despised. Perhaps some of that necessarily stems from the way it opened. "Equinox, Part 2" concludes the story of Janeway's ideological clash with Captain Ransom, another Starfleet officer trying to make the long journey home to the Alpha Quadrant. Ransom seems to have made pretty much all the opposite decisions Janeway did, except for that one similarity, and this irks her in a moral sense.
The problem is, she ends up in a moral quandary once it becomes clear to her that she cannot sit by and let him continue. Like other Star Trek captains before and after her, Janeway develops an intense need to bring this nemesis to justice, but she seems to push it too far, threatening torture and execution in order to reach her goal. Even Chakotay is abhorred by this behavior, and usually there isn't a more dependable voice of agreement in her crew.
So the challenge is to watch this episode and judge for yourself, with or without a greater awareness of how Janeway has conducted herself. This makes it a key episode for the series and for Janeway herself, no matter your conclusions. (It may or may not be worth noting that the loose arc for the character during the rest of the season is one of redemption.)
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
John Savage
Titus Welliver
Rick Worthy
Memory Alpha summary.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Voyager 4x26 "Hope and Fear"
***
Anyone who wonders what the value of doing Borg stories after "The Best of Both Worlds" and First Contact needs to watch "Hope and Fear."
A show set in the home territory of the Borg Collective can so much more effectively convey the scope of its existence than random cataclysmic encounters, where the results of Borg actively can be felt rather than encountered. The fact that humanity has eluded assimilation is an anomaly in the greater experience of the Borg (otherwise resistance could not really be considered futile). The Voyager crew gets to experience in dramatic terms not only the results of their meddling in "Scorpion," but what lengths those affected by the Borg will really go to in order to find some peace. It's ironic that the Borg seek order and all they do to those around them is produce chaos.
The other layer of "Hope and Fear" is another chance to see how badly the crew wants to get home, and one possible way it could have actually happened. The series teased these opportunities on a regular basis, and this was one of the more clever examples. A series that only looked at what might be perceived as the harsh realities of the crew's situation probably would never have even considered an episode like this, and that would have been a shame. When someone tells you that this show was a giant waste of time, this is an episode that contradicts that opinion.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Ray Wise
Memory Alpha summary.
Anyone who wonders what the value of doing Borg stories after "The Best of Both Worlds" and First Contact needs to watch "Hope and Fear."
A show set in the home territory of the Borg Collective can so much more effectively convey the scope of its existence than random cataclysmic encounters, where the results of Borg actively can be felt rather than encountered. The fact that humanity has eluded assimilation is an anomaly in the greater experience of the Borg (otherwise resistance could not really be considered futile). The Voyager crew gets to experience in dramatic terms not only the results of their meddling in "Scorpion," but what lengths those affected by the Borg will really go to in order to find some peace. It's ironic that the Borg seek order and all they do to those around them is produce chaos.
The other layer of "Hope and Fear" is another chance to see how badly the crew wants to get home, and one possible way it could have actually happened. The series teased these opportunities on a regular basis, and this was one of the more clever examples. A series that only looked at what might be perceived as the harsh realities of the crew's situation probably would never have even considered an episode like this, and that would have been a shame. When someone tells you that this show was a giant waste of time, this is an episode that contradicts that opinion.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Ray Wise
Memory Alpha summary.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Voyager 4x25 "One"
*
There are other episodes like "One" in other iterations of Star Trek, so you might as well view this one for comparison.
Seven's last episode of the season finds her trying to cope with being the only member of the crew still conscious during transport through a particularly tricky area of space. It's not really that probing of Seven's character, or the fact that she used to exist in a Collective where she was never alone (that's mere implication). Mostly it's just an excuse to see how she reacts.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Wade Williams
Memory Alpha summary.
There are other episodes like "One" in other iterations of Star Trek, so you might as well view this one for comparison.
Seven's last episode of the season finds her trying to cope with being the only member of the crew still conscious during transport through a particularly tricky area of space. It's not really that probing of Seven's character, or the fact that she used to exist in a Collective where she was never alone (that's mere implication). Mostly it's just an excuse to see how she reacts.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Wade Williams
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 4x24 "Demon"
**
It's hard to believe, but the dynamic duo of Tom Paris and Harry Kim had to wait all season for their episode (in fact, this is pretty much the only episode that centers around Harry this season, which may not be surprising, given that the producers were going to scrap him at the end of the previous one), but it's exactly the kind of nightmare scenario that's typical for them, so don't sweat it.
The kicker is that there's a sequel to this one later on, so "Demon" bears paying attention to, if only so you can say that you know what everyone's talking about in "Course: Oblivion" the following season.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha Summary.
It's hard to believe, but the dynamic duo of Tom Paris and Harry Kim had to wait all season for their episode (in fact, this is pretty much the only episode that centers around Harry this season, which may not be surprising, given that the producers were going to scrap him at the end of the previous one), but it's exactly the kind of nightmare scenario that's typical for them, so don't sweat it.
The kicker is that there's a sequel to this one later on, so "Demon" bears paying attention to, if only so you can say that you know what everyone's talking about in "Course: Oblivion" the following season.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha Summary.
Voyager 4x23 "Living Witness"
****
A must-see episode on every account, featuring The Doctor being "awakened" many years hence on an alien world, forced to account for the version of his crew's reputation that has survived there.
Beyond clever, this is exactly the kind of episode that the series had every potential to produce. The Doctor was the artificial being whose existence received the most exploration in the franchise, eclipsing Data in fairly quick order, moving past and then circling around the exact nature of his existence while also capitalizing on nearly every possibility with such regularity that he seemed to be the main character whenever he was in the spotlight, not just in the episode, but the series in general.
Anyway, to get back to "Living Witness" specifically, a backup program of The Doctor's is discovered in the wreckage recovered by Delta Quadrant natives who remember the Voyager crew as tyrants, and have simulations to prove it. The Doctor is thus in the unique situation to set the record straight, but will he believed? Every now and again, the series liked to explore what people who had no experience with the Federation might actually think of a Starfleet crew forced to represent its best ideals without any real sense that anyone but them cared about those ideals.
Anyway, it doesn't matter what I say about it. Watch it. Essential viewing. Anyone who can watch this episode and still dismiss the series can't be taken seriously.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
A must-see episode on every account, featuring The Doctor being "awakened" many years hence on an alien world, forced to account for the version of his crew's reputation that has survived there.
Beyond clever, this is exactly the kind of episode that the series had every potential to produce. The Doctor was the artificial being whose existence received the most exploration in the franchise, eclipsing Data in fairly quick order, moving past and then circling around the exact nature of his existence while also capitalizing on nearly every possibility with such regularity that he seemed to be the main character whenever he was in the spotlight, not just in the episode, but the series in general.
Anyway, to get back to "Living Witness" specifically, a backup program of The Doctor's is discovered in the wreckage recovered by Delta Quadrant natives who remember the Voyager crew as tyrants, and have simulations to prove it. The Doctor is thus in the unique situation to set the record straight, but will he believed? Every now and again, the series liked to explore what people who had no experience with the Federation might actually think of a Starfleet crew forced to represent its best ideals without any real sense that anyone but them cared about those ideals.
Anyway, it doesn't matter what I say about it. Watch it. Essential viewing. Anyone who can watch this episode and still dismiss the series can't be taken seriously.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 4x22 "Unforgettable"
*
Once all his best relationships faded into the past, Chakotay became a free agent, and his spotlight episodes were uniformly episode-of-the-week endeavors. Though fans still liked to think of the possible romance with Janeway, Chakotay stayed on the shelf until the end of the series, when he hooked up with Seven, for all the reasons that kept him there all that time.
But his great romance was "Unforgettable," a heartbreaking experience with someone who predictably could never remain a permanent fixture of his life, not just because she was from a random alien species the ship was going to move on from soon enough, but because she couldn't remember him, and was a secret agent besides...Janeway had her own relationship almost exactly like this, too, but Chakotay had the best one-off experience of this kind in the series. It has no lasting consequences and means nothing to the continuing saga of the crew, but it's arguably the best episode for Chakotay in the last four seasons, a capsule of the frustrations he experienced on a regular basis with the pesky Seska in the first two.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Virginia Madsen
Memory Alpha summary.
Once all his best relationships faded into the past, Chakotay became a free agent, and his spotlight episodes were uniformly episode-of-the-week endeavors. Though fans still liked to think of the possible romance with Janeway, Chakotay stayed on the shelf until the end of the series, when he hooked up with Seven, for all the reasons that kept him there all that time.
But his great romance was "Unforgettable," a heartbreaking experience with someone who predictably could never remain a permanent fixture of his life, not just because she was from a random alien species the ship was going to move on from soon enough, but because she couldn't remember him, and was a secret agent besides...Janeway had her own relationship almost exactly like this, too, but Chakotay had the best one-off experience of this kind in the series. It has no lasting consequences and means nothing to the continuing saga of the crew, but it's arguably the best episode for Chakotay in the last four seasons, a capsule of the frustrations he experienced on a regular basis with the pesky Seska in the first two.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Virginia Madsen
Memory Alpha summary.
Voyager 4x21 "The Omega Directive"
***
Surprisingly, there are very few episodes of Star Trek where the characters seem to be deliberately engaged in specific interests of the times they are living in. "The Omega Directive" is an exception because it unexpectedly gives our crew the chance to examine their responsibilities to something of great importance to both Starfleet and the Borg Collective.
On the surface, and if you want to take it simply as that, both Janeway and Seven find themselves horribly intrigued by a phenomenon everyone's been looking for. It's an episode that reminds you that Janeway's background is in science, and that the Borg aren't just interested in assimilating unsuspecting species, but advancing knowledge and striving for perfection. Both characters find themselves in unusual circumstances trying to justify what turns out for both of them to be rash pursuits. It's not often that Star Trek does this kind of thing without a villainous presence in the story. If you want, think of this as a more pure version of "Equinox" from later in the series, or even the ideal of maintaining ideals and what the cost can sometimes be, as the show was essentially about from the very start.
So it's a good one to see on a number of levels, maybe not essential exactly, because a lot of it is a little more abstract and random than it really needs to be, but that was another line the show was always straddling. If you must, think of "The Omega Directive" as a really good shot at the best possible storytelling for the series.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Surprisingly, there are very few episodes of Star Trek where the characters seem to be deliberately engaged in specific interests of the times they are living in. "The Omega Directive" is an exception because it unexpectedly gives our crew the chance to examine their responsibilities to something of great importance to both Starfleet and the Borg Collective.
On the surface, and if you want to take it simply as that, both Janeway and Seven find themselves horribly intrigued by a phenomenon everyone's been looking for. It's an episode that reminds you that Janeway's background is in science, and that the Borg aren't just interested in assimilating unsuspecting species, but advancing knowledge and striving for perfection. Both characters find themselves in unusual circumstances trying to justify what turns out for both of them to be rash pursuits. It's not often that Star Trek does this kind of thing without a villainous presence in the story. If you want, think of this as a more pure version of "Equinox" from later in the series, or even the ideal of maintaining ideals and what the cost can sometimes be, as the show was essentially about from the very start.
So it's a good one to see on a number of levels, maybe not essential exactly, because a lot of it is a little more abstract and random than it really needs to be, but that was another line the show was always straddling. If you must, think of "The Omega Directive" as a really good shot at the best possible storytelling for the series.
franchise * series * essential * character
Memory Alpha summary.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
WrestleMania XXVIII
Results:
Sheamus def. Daniel Bryan
Short match that actually fit into the momentum of both wrestlers. Sheamus has been waiting to get back into the main event scene since last fall, and finally recapturing a world championship means he's there. Bryan's run as champion was improbable from the start, and this is to take nothing from him, but rather acknowledge that he's not what most people think of as WWE world championship material. Still, they should have a nice feud continuing throughout the spring.
Kane def. Randy Orton
Here's where the unofficial theme of the night really begins, with experience in the company triumphing almost uniformly (except in the divas match, where this sort of thing really doesn't matter).
Big Show def. Cody Rhodes
New Intercontinental champion. Who didn't see this one coming? It's still good for Cody's career, just like Daniel Bryan's embarrassing loss.
Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos def. Eve & Beth Phoenix
This one was another no-brainer.
Undertaker def. Triple H
Best match of the night, easily, far better than the match on last year's card, better than the two Shawn Michaels matches, and arguably better than the Michaels-Ric Flair match that unofficially set the whole thing rolling.
Team Johnny def. Team Teddy
Pitch-perfect ending.
CM Punk def. Chris Jericho
This was the match both wrestlers needed to have, and would easily have been the match of the night on any other night. Punk's best WrestleMania match, and arguably Jericho's (but he's had his share of good ones). if anyone could make the WWE championship match memorable on a night like this, it was these two, and they didn't disappoint.
The Rock def. John Cena
Surprising result, but the one that needed to happen. It was clear that The Rock was wrestling Cena's match, and it worked, but no one would have been happy with a Cena victory. I respect Cena, but this is the necessary result of any match like this for John Cena. He's the guy people love to see lose the big one. The Rock used to have a career defined by giving other people the big ones. But he always deserved better, and that's what he's got now, and there's no reason to change that.
Good, nay great night. Arguably the best WrestleMania of all time. It was a crucial evening, and it was a success.
Sheamus def. Daniel Bryan
Short match that actually fit into the momentum of both wrestlers. Sheamus has been waiting to get back into the main event scene since last fall, and finally recapturing a world championship means he's there. Bryan's run as champion was improbable from the start, and this is to take nothing from him, but rather acknowledge that he's not what most people think of as WWE world championship material. Still, they should have a nice feud continuing throughout the spring.
Kane def. Randy Orton
Here's where the unofficial theme of the night really begins, with experience in the company triumphing almost uniformly (except in the divas match, where this sort of thing really doesn't matter).
Big Show def. Cody Rhodes
New Intercontinental champion. Who didn't see this one coming? It's still good for Cody's career, just like Daniel Bryan's embarrassing loss.
Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos def. Eve & Beth Phoenix
This one was another no-brainer.
Undertaker def. Triple H
Best match of the night, easily, far better than the match on last year's card, better than the two Shawn Michaels matches, and arguably better than the Michaels-Ric Flair match that unofficially set the whole thing rolling.
Team Johnny def. Team Teddy
Pitch-perfect ending.
CM Punk def. Chris Jericho
This was the match both wrestlers needed to have, and would easily have been the match of the night on any other night. Punk's best WrestleMania match, and arguably Jericho's (but he's had his share of good ones). if anyone could make the WWE championship match memorable on a night like this, it was these two, and they didn't disappoint.
The Rock def. John Cena
Surprising result, but the one that needed to happen. It was clear that The Rock was wrestling Cena's match, and it worked, but no one would have been happy with a Cena victory. I respect Cena, but this is the necessary result of any match like this for John Cena. He's the guy people love to see lose the big one. The Rock used to have a career defined by giving other people the big ones. But he always deserved better, and that's what he's got now, and there's no reason to change that.
Good, nay great night. Arguably the best WrestleMania of all time. It was a crucial evening, and it was a success.
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