Star Trek - Voyager

[Poobum]

The Cloud is a nice episode, more lovely Doctor moments,

Spoiler alert

interesting story of eviscerating some poor cloud beast. The silly French thing was meh. Annoyed how they treated the idea of a suture as some bizarre ancient thing "a sootchore?"

[close]

. What's brilliant is the Delta Flyers podcast, where they rip into how cringey Chakotay's animal guide stuff was. The real bombshell though was dropped by Garrett Wang, that the writers thought Harry Kim was Chinese for the whole show.

[purlieu]

The Cloud. Ah yes, more weird space things alert. Enjoyed that a lot. It definitely feels a lot less daring than what I'm used to from DS9, but it's comfortable and familiar in a very good way, just nice Star Trek stuff. Also, another episode where they've accidentally caused a problem that they've had to solve. The French bit was a bit jarring in the middle and went on for a bit long, but the rest of the on-ship stuff was good. They're getting straight to exploring the characters here.

[oy vey]

The anomaly turns out to be a lion with a splinter in his paw. Never saw that before. But I enjoyed it. They are developing a community vibe given the situation the ship is in. I also like the holodeck program though the color tone is dull. And I like the spirit guide vision quest thingy but I'm easy with Shamanic stuff anyway. Not sure about the rule of not saying what your animal guide is. Neelix threatened to be annoying there. He's on thin ice.

[purlieu]

Neelix is still in Quark territory for me here: he's not onboard with the Federation spirit but ultimately going along for the ride and everything it entails.
I mean he's nowhere near as entertaining as Quark, but very few characters are going to be.

[oy vey]

I suppose he's not used to all the Starfleet scientific exploration stuff. It might have been better giving that plot point to a Maquis character but it's early days.

[purlieu]

Eye of the Needle. I knew it'd be the Romulans. That was really great, one of those episodes where you know how it'll end, but no idea how it'll get there. The most emotional story so far, some real sadness in it. Nice to see the Doctor's character given more development, too. Really enjoyed that, my favourite so far.

[Deanjam]

Eye of the Needle. I knew it'd be the Romulans. That was really great, one of those episodes where you know how it'll end, but no idea how it'll get there. The most emotional story so far, some real sadness in it. Nice to see the Doctor's character given more development, too. Really enjoyed that, my favourite so far.

My favourite episode of the first three seasons [though I love a certain 2 parter in season 3 as well]. As you say, you know it can only end one way, but it all plays out beautifully,

[oy vey]

It's a great episode. My fav so far. If I had one gripe, it might have been a little early for a "possible way home" episode but there you have it, the first rug pull.

[Mobbd]

Eye of the Needle. I knew it'd be the Romulans. That was really great, one of those episodes where you know how it'll end, but no idea how it'll get there. The most emotional story so far, some real sadness in it. Nice to see the Doctor's character given more development, too. Really enjoyed that, my favourite so far.

We were blown away by this one. We hadn't remembered it as particularly great but it's really, really good. I actually wonder if it's not the best episode in the entire run for script craftsmanship and general well-madeness. Seems crazy to say, especially given how much is yet to come. But it's a forgotten gem anyway.

[Wonderful Butternut]

Eye of the Needle. I knew it'd be the Romulans. That was really great, one of those episodes where you know how it'll end, but no idea how it'll get there. The most emotional story so far, some real sadness in it. Nice to see the Doctor's character given more development, too. Really enjoyed that, my favourite so far.

I like when they have sound Romulans in Star Trek. They're a great bunch of lads really.

[Lemming]

Echoing the general sentiment, Eye of the Needle is first class.

[Malcy]

This thread makes me want to skip TNG & DS9 on my big rewatch. Ages since I've seen a lot of Voyager. Eye Of The Needle is a great episode and probably the first I think of when thinking of great VOY episodes.

[Mr Trumpet]

I like when they have sound Romulans in Star Trek. They're a great bunch of lads really.

They're my faves because they run the gamut between proper nasty bastards and actually fairly decent. See the guy at the end of TNG's The Chase, who's the only one other than Picard not to be pissed off at the idea all the different aliens are related to each other.

[purlieu]

Yeah, they feel like a more rounded race than a lot of them, less defined by a particular characteristic and more like actual people, each with wildly varying perspectives and attitudes.

Ex-Post Facto. Felt like a TNG b-side. Why the fuck is there a dog in the Delta Quadrant?

[Poobum]

I liked the concept of using implanted memories for smuggling information, but the episode as a whole was a thin rerun of a bunch of clichés that Trek has already done before and much better. The dog reveal had the advantage of reminding me of a Columbo episode, so there's that.

[Deanjam]

Why the fuck is there a dog in the Delta Quadrant?

Space dog.

[oy vey]

I fucking hate those "main character womaniser is accused of murder" episodes. 0/10 for me. Why does Trek do CSI?

Dog comments really made me laugh. Thanks guys.

[Lemming]

After that episode, just want to reassure first-time watchers that Paris's character massively changes for the better after a couple of seasons, ditching the cringeworthy aspects completely. Same sort of "worst character to one of the best characters" trajectory as Bashir.

[purlieu]

Yes, I was holding out for some change, as I can't imagine him carrying on being so unpleasant throughout the whole run. My girlfriend hates him, and also thinks he looks like a young Damian Collins.

The dog, though. They actually call it a fucking dog. How did that get through? Just call it a Flarb and have Tuvok point out that it's remarkably similar to Earth canine species.

[Mr Trumpet]

It's a bit lame but tbf they meet aliens that are exactly identical to humans in the Delta Quadrant (Sikarians?) so i'm not too bothered by it.

[oy vey]

I like Tom, even at this early stage. Neelix is on my yellow alert list. I hadn't remembered him being this annoying this quickly. He was fine in the pilot but he's too emotionally reactive and generally hyper at the minute. Anyway we'll see...

[purlieu]

Neelix hasn't bothered me at all yet actually.

Emanations. Ah yes, Star Trek: The Next Emanation. There's a good story buried in here, but it ultimately felt a bit underwhelming. Could have done much more with it.

[oy vey]

Well, Neelix wasn't in it. I'm joking. He's not the worst. He just needs a decent episode...

I think Emanations is okay, but it fails on a thematic level. Sorry but I get no depth or insight into the life after death debate.

[Mobbd]

Neelix hasn't bothered me at all yet actually.

Emanations. Ah yes, Star Trek: The Next Emanation. There's a good story buried in here, but it ultimately felt a bit underwhelming. Could have done much more with it.

Voyager in a nutshell, isn't it? I mean, I love it but it's so often a case of almost telling a very good story.

Emanations was definitely that. Fairly bland-feeling but with a pretty wild idea at its core. Still,

Spoiler alert

Jerry Hardin!

[close]

And there is something a bit

Spoiler alert

heartbreaking when you're watching that guy wrap himself up in the shroud

[close]

.

[Poobum]

I loved Robert Duncan McNeil on the Delta Flyers podcast getting so annoyed at them misusing the word vacuole, that's my kind of pedantry. I'd have the same pedantry over there being a stable element with 500 nucleons existing naturally, but then I am a stinky smelly loser.

[purlieu]

Prime Factors. First two thirds fell very much into the TNG b-side category. Final third was a lot more interesting, some good character decisions and Janeway being more authoritative than usual. Definitely rescued an otherwise pretty dull story.

[Deanjam]

Prime Factors. First two thirds fell very much into the TNG b-side category. Final third was a lot more interesting, some good character decisions and Janeway being more authoritative than usual. Definitely rescued an otherwise pretty dull story.

The first of many episodes where Harry passes up some sex with a hot girl because he's waiting for Tom a big nerd.

[oy vey]

As soon as that chick showed him the harp that plays 70's sci-fi tv drama music he was in, but he had to fuck it up.

I really liked this episode to be honest. The head plonker was a cross between Michael Bolton and that prick who Nicole Kidman dances with at the beginning of Eyes Wide Shut. "Don't you think one of the pleasures of being 70,000 light years from your lover is that you can fuck the aliens you really want."

Anyway, the episode flipped the prime directive on its head, and though it's another rug pull, the last scene is my favorite of the series so far (except maybe that scene in Eye of the Needle where Janeway is in her quarters talking to Mr. Romulan). It's a double boot up the arse for Torres and Tuvok and I believed it. Perfectly written and well played. I like the surprise of Tuvok's actions as well. Good and unpredictable.

[Mr Trumpet]

CBA to check whether this has been posted but I very much enjoyed RenegadeCut's tribute to Voyager from a few months back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Sh0NAsHfU (Spoilers abound)

[purlieu]

State of Flux. Good stuff. A genuine whodunnit that dangles the answer in front of you without you really knowing. Wasn't expecting any of the reveals. Still not really taken by the Kazons, they just seem like generic aliens with no identifying characteristics.