Q2 (2)

 DVD, Voyager (Q2) (2)

That's the answer to the change in Trek's quality and tone in the modern era: it's been taken over by a juvenile Q (although, does that mean Alex Kurtzman is omnipotent...?). It occurred to me when Q2, as the title calls him (even though no one in the actual episode calls him that), expressed disinterest in playing Kadis-kot because there aren't any explosions in it. That on a microscopic level is what Trek is now all about: style without substance. Another key line to my understanding came when Janeway tells Q he needs to make Q2 understand their are consequences to his actions, a valuable lesson for Kurtzman - or is he the Daddy Q and Akiva Goldsman the errant child, glorying in his anarchic manipulation of Trek? If only it were that simple, the Q can at least be appealed to... I jest, but the truth is, the Q are difficult to deal with. Not because they're omnipotent or omniscient, because they clearly aren't all-knowing, nor can they do anything at any time (witness Q2 being stripped of his powers or our Q being subject to the Continuum's decisions), but they're still capable of doing almost anything and that tends to strip away a coherent story or sense of investment or stakes. In other words they make episodes nonsensical! I suppose enough is kept vague about them that we can never really understand what they're about, but it also means they're so beyond the confines of storytelling that they make stories pointless, and that's a problem.

The times when Q worked best was when he was teaching humanity, or more specifically Picard, a lesson, and while it's fun to hear more about their society, if you can call it that, or get developments on such, just being about the Q doesn't get us anywhere because they're beyond us, they're like their own separate dimension or universe, akin to the Mirror Universe, another running history that ended up a little bit pointless from overuse and under-thinking. It's almost like this series itself doesn't quite remember what the Q are, Chakotay claims one of their responsibilities is to maintain order in the Universe. Since when, I don't remember that ever being a likely course of action? Maybe our Q is a bit of a renegade and a rebel, but it all seems rather petty to be getting involved with such 'lower' species at all. A good reason why he never whisked Voyager home - at least Janeway does ask why he won't do that this time and he has a fine excuse that he wouldn't be leading much of an example for his son, plus it would have been a major disappointment that they used this 'god' card, small 'g,' for want of a better analogy, to end the series after all these years - if that were the case why not have Q come in at the end of every Trek series and solve the problem, or even better, be there at the start so nothing went wrong in the first place!

You can see they were really trying to create a worthwhile story that brings development without breaking the bank - they probably didn't want to go down the route of the last Q episode, Season 3's 'The Q and The Grey' with all its expensive location shooting and antique costumes, etc. But if you're going to shoot for developing the Q then maybe they should have delved into the history a bit: bring back some other Q characters we'd seen across their appearances, at the very least Suzie Plakson for one last showing as the Female Q. As it is they're trying to deal with Q's son who has all the same lack of care for other life forms his Father demonstrated, but where Q seemed somehow purposeful in some of those 'TNG' stories, in 'Voyager' he tends to come across as frivolous (not as frivolous as his lone 'DS9' appearance which is more of a curio than a serious entry!). How can you teach an adolescent if you have no power over him? That could have been an angle to head down, somehow outwitting his destructive tendencies and playing on his weaknesses to curb them, but then they'd have had to be really clever in the writing, it would have had to be a much more psychological study and experience, and this late in the season, on this series, and a TV show, you weren't likely to get the depth necessary to make all this worthwhile.

Perhaps what hurts the episode is that it's meant to be a Q story, but it turns out to be more like half a Q story since John De Lancie doesn't appear for many scenes (I enjoyed the shot where he appears at the Turbolift door, Janeway shuts it and walks down the corridor, only for Q to pop in from the other side - De Lancie must've run round the set, and did it without seeming out of breath!). It does take the story on from the baby he had in Season 3, and again, the 'peace child' angle, living up to the weight of expectations for an entire species' survival (and with it the Galaxy at large), could have been explored and deepened rather than merely being one line. It becomes a simple tale of a son acting up, threatened with punishment, rebels even harder, experiences consequences, then sees the error of his ways. I suppose for our puny human minds (and puny human TV series'), to grasp the Q it has to be simplified, but somehow that doesn't make it one of the more satisfying stories. Back when I originally saw it I thought it was great, simply because it had been several years in real time since Q had appeared, and he's one of the few Alpha Quadrant races or established characters that can easily show up, having the run of all space. And for many years this was the last Q episode - he never returned for any of the films or 'Enterprise,' so it was a sort of trivia experience to watch: the last ever Q story. But even that's changed with 'Lower Decks' featuring a cameo, then 'Picard' bringing him back a little more substantially (though to even less effect than this episode!). If the 'Legacy' series happens with Picard's son and Q there to guide/annoy him, De Lancie could be back, but at this stage I feel the character (and maybe Trek itself), has run its course.

This episode is really about Q's son, however, ably played by De Lancie's actual offspring, Keegan, another fun trivia fact. But then that's what the episode is, really, and does remind me a lot of modern Trek with its references and general impression of inconsequential storytelling. It was great fun to see many of the main Alpha Quadrant races sat round Voyager's Briefing Room table (the Nausicaan played by Anthony Holiday who'd already been in this season as Rulat in 'Shattered'), even if it does remind us of the more interesting stories we could be getting if Voyager had got home already. It's even more fun that the Cardassian apologises for the Occupation to the Bajoran (even if we're shortchanged and don't see it actually happen, only the aftermath). There's lore galore with what may be the first time we'd ever seen a Bolian in his own race's uniform rather Starfleet's, representing the species rather than the Federation. The fact we get references to both Kirk and Picard early on, in those days would have been a coup as we weren't living in constant Nostalgia Factor Ten where it's relied on in lieu of great writing or exploration - indeed, those kind of references are par for the course. It's lovely to get actual onscreen confirmation that 2270 was the year Kirk's five-year mission ended, as heard in Icheb's report, the first time it had been said on screen, I believe. Even the old training uniforms Tuvok used to wear when exercising Maquis recruits, are back when he takes Q2 for a jog round the corridors! And what about Janeway's bath, have we seen one in her Quarters before? And of course the rare opportunity for Majel Barrett to inject personality into the Computer voice, probably not since 'TOS' (the Replicator replying to an order with the retort to 'make it yourself').

These are all fun and entertaining parts in their own right, but not enough to sustain such a basic story, and one that relies far too heavily on the guest cast. That mistake was made in 'Q-Less' on 'DS9,' and that put this episode in the same category of not using the Q to the best of their potential (sort of the theme of the episode in a way), while sidelining the people we really want to see interacting. Sure, you get little cameos from various characters, Paris taking Icheb and Q2 out for piloting lessons on the Flyer, B'Elanna aghast at her Engine Room being turned into a rave for barely dressed women (Q2's references to the attractiveness of humanoid women at odds with his low opinion of 'bipedal' species, but it's just one of the many contradictions about the Q, I suppose, and only follows his Dad's interest in procreating with Janeway...), although it certainly put a new spin on 'observing humanity' when he strips Seven of her clothes! Another contradictory statement was Q reminding his son that the Q Continuum's rule is not to provoke the Borg - this once again suggests they aren't omnipotent after all (if there was ever any doubt), but true to the consistency of their being inconsistent, provoking the Borg was exactly what Q did with the Enterprise, unless he's tacitly admitting that was a mistake seeing what it led to between the Borg and humanity over the years (another sign of lack of omniscience!). Was De Lancie actually in the great alien makeup he used as a disguise? Seems not, Michael Kagan's credited, which is a shame, it would have been fun to have De Lancie disguise his voice. And what about the Doctor claiming only Q can restore Neelix' vocal cords, surely a small matter for 24th Century medicine?

Levar Burton was fine as Director, but I don't tend to associate his style with flair, and maybe that would have assisted this episode. I'm not saying it was drab or dull, but it wasn't exactly suited when it should have at least been dynamic and experimental enough to take our minds off the lacking story (think of the boxing match in 'Q-Less' - the episode wasn't up to much, but that moment stands out). Keegan was fine, De Lancie was fine, but it never left me with the regret at how much we'd lost by not having more Q episodes. It really is a case of needing to have a terrific and worthwhile story for Q and then seeing him milk it. The cast need to be fully involved, especially as we're running out of time - Icheb, for all he's a great character, wasn't well suited to the excitable, bad boy exuberance of Q2 (a shame he wasn't used to his best in what was his penultimate appearance), and the episode seems to be mostly Janeway casting her eyes to the heavens in despair. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a bad episode, as I mentioned there are curios and nuggets (though another area where they seemed to forget the history is when the Q judges appear decked out in what were supposed to be 21st Century robes, since in 'Encounter At Farpoint' he was recreating a court from the post-apocalyptic horror period in Earth's 'history'!), but it doesn't gel well and can even be a little tiresome at times. Yet I'd still watch this multiple times rather than sit through 'Picard' Season 2 again!

**

Human Error (2)

 DVD, Voyager S7 (Human Error) (2)

'Hollow Pursuits' by any other name, would smell as sweet... How's that for quotations, Icheb? I believe this episode came about due to a bet Robert Beltran made to Brannon Braga who was attached to Jeri Ryan at the time, that he wouldn't write an episode in which the character his girlfriend played kissed Chakotay, and this was Braga's response. A canny move, it lives up to the challenge while sneakily bypassing it at the same time, and yet it remains unresolved by story's end and allowed for planted seeds to have the potential to sprout and grow, showing Braga's qualities as a writer. Of course he wasn't the only one credited for it, but I think he had a strong hand in its execution. It may all be an apocryphal story, I'm sure I've read interviews, but can't think of a specific quote. Either way it makes a good tale, and the tale it led to itself isn't bad. It marks a firm line in the sand as to the direction of Seven's arc, a natural progression following her experiences in 'Unimatrix Zero' which she refers to as inspiration for her exploration of emotional connection and a greater integration into humanity. It was something the modern writers of 'Picard' entirely rejected, ruining Trek's inspirational, optimistic style and instead turning Seven into a bruised, battered and broken person who'd all but left her Voyager lifetime and learnings behind for the sake of cheap drama, amid other obvious agendas, one of the horrors of that horrible series (minus Season 3 to a large extent).

But it can't take away from the hopefulness of this new direction in Seven's life, that she no longer finds mere duty to be fulfilling enough. Yes, she ends the episode believing her emotions must be put back under lock and key for the sake of her physical survival, a big step backward, but a necessary one for the time being, yet it also hints at a possible future for her where she is able to reduce her reliance on her Borg implants and gradually make the full transition back to the humanity that was ripped away from her as a child, and you'd expect nothing less. Data was content to realise a certain level of aping humanity, but though he was built to resemble his creator, he was still a machine, and his ultimate sacrifice to 'complete' his journey as far as he could go, was unsatisfying, dying in 'Nemesis.' Yet one good thing about 'Picard' (after they reinforced the original death by wiping out the last vestiges of his consciousness!), was finding a way to bring him back and make him more human than ever, the opposite of what they did with Seven, and while there's still hope for her in the 25th Century, of a return in some new series, and getting back on track, in the sense that she's still alive, it's a small and diminishing one, to the extent I'd rather not see her again after what that series did to her - if Ryan had trouble remembering how she played the character in the past she had only to watch such an episode as this to see exactly what the character could have become.

At the same time, and at the time this episode was made, they were naturally wary of tinkering too much with a popular and established character - Spock is the closest analogy to Seven, not least as I've always said she's the closest to a female Vulcan regular we ever got (even T'Pol is more emotional than her!). Both characters were wildly popular and arguably made the series they were on, but Spock had the advantage of developing beyond his series across all those films, in the same way Data's progress was a key part of the 'TNG' films, and I expect if 'Voyager' had been awarded its own continuation in this fashion (as I always imagined at the time), she and her direction towards being fully human would have been a central part of that endeavour. Instead we were denied, but that didn't prevent the series' writers from taking her a little further along the path in these last few episodes, laying down the direction of travel for the future if only Trek hadn't been taken over by those that had their own agendas and a twisted view of Trek, its lore and its characters, not the least its positive style. For that reason I'm glad such an episode as this exists to refute the misguided decisions of later 'creatives' and stands as a testament to Ryan's greatness in the role, even if she did forget it later.

It's funny that someone such as herself could be so identified with Reg Barclay, the man who started this idea of recreating his shipmates in holo-form in order to live out his fantasies. As some people would no doubt say about it, 'it was wrong then and it's wrong now,' and for once, in this case, that attitude seems correct! How can anyone be allowed to recreate the physical form of a real person, not just an abstract person, but someone they work with on a daily basis? Not only that, but take it a stage further towards actual intimacy! It's all quite bizarre, if mostly implied in the episode, but once again I say there must be strict rules governing the use of images in that context, surely they'd have worked all this stuff out when Holodecks were first introduced? As a viewer it's great seeing alternate versions of those we know, but surely the Doctor would be obligated to caution Seven against creating such a holoprogram, simply for ship's morale and the safety of its crew? At the same time I quite liked the fact that, other than him, her 'research' remains private - Janeway may have suspicions about what was going on in all that Holodeck time, but she doesn't pry, doesn't order Seven to show her. Partly that must be because she's come to trust Seven, and rightly so when you see how mature she's grown in only these few years aboard Voyager, going from frightened child, angry, rebellious adolescent, to a functioning member of the crew, and now, as shown, an integral and essential part of the ship's safety - where not being at her post is shown to compromise the running of the ship!

It's a big development, and it's been a quieter one this season as some of the other characters have been granted a little more of the limelight and Seven has been a touch more in the background throughout, so it's nice that they've generated a new direction, or pushed her further along it, even if what holo-Chakotay said about how she holds herself back is true, preferring the comfort of the 'metronome,' an apt metaphor for her entire existence of rigidity and order, keeping chaotic emotion and risk at bay. One question I do have is about how accurate was her (or the computer's), extrapolation of B'Elanna and Tom's baby shower - did Kim really replicate nappies with the Starfleet logo on them? Actually that should set up a good joke about modern Trek: nappies, poo, their insistence on plastering the Starfleet logo on everything... I just can't think of it right now. Fortunately... If personal privacy in terms of holoprograms was an issue nicely dealt with here, another issue came up regarding all those giant windows surrounding everyone's Quarters - holo-Neelix suggested curtains were needed, you never know when you're going to dock at a busy spaceport, and for that matter, with high-powered telescopes or sensors it could be possible for any old alien to be peering in across the vastness of space and I'm surprised this has never been addressed before. The closest I can think of is in one of the later 'Lower Decks' episodes Boimler moves into Quarters where the glare of the Bussard Collectors sends in a piercing red light, and I think it was dealt with by adjusting the transparency of the window itself, something that makes perfect sense.

The story did make me wish for more scenes between Seven and Barclay - both had emotional and social problems that led to their unorthodox use of the Holodeck, and it's interesting that Barclay had so much to do with the ship, especially that the majority of his appearances on the series were during Seven's tenure aboard. Their similarities should have given them more screen time together, although I'm not sure Seven especially would be in a place where she could confide in him as she's eventually forced to do with the Doctor. I was wondering, as she called for help and I noticed he wasn't wearing his holoemitter, whether he would put it on before going to her, or simply beam her to Sickbay, but of course she was in a Holodeck so he could easily transfer himself there! I must say the teaser itself confused me a bit, even though I knew what the story was about - I didn't see the significance of Seven playing the piano. Yes, she had her hair down in uncharacteristic style, but it wasn't until the episode opened and she's without implants, which is discussed, that I realised that was meant to be the big surprise! She's delightful as ever in the endearing way she has of talking so formally even about everyday niceties, my favourites being her dinner invitation to holo-Chakotay, expressed in the suggestion he could attend a meal to evaluate her work in preparing it. Or when she asks B'Elanna about her 'grooming regimen'! But the absolute best was about making her Quarters more personal (she could replicate some items and disperse them throughout the room!). It's funny, yet so true to the way she thinks, once again in stark contrast to the below-par writing in modern Trek when so much is done so lazily and thoughtlessly as if it doesn't even matter.

Even Seven's look is softer for her time in the Holodeck, she wears her hair in a more relaxed way, the clothes she sports, whether the extreme for her dinner engagement, or the uniform (which always suits her very well), are actually holographic covers over the top of her existing regeneration suit, which was a great touch, as was the ability to cloak her implants to appear more fully human, despite her rarely seeing herself in the programs. That she wishes to be able to sleep instead of regenerate, socialise one-on-one, and be seen without the Borg connection are all natural and believable desires for the character. And this fantasy of hers goes so deep that she even feels the need to return to the holoprogram to tell her version of Chakotay that it must end, when she's already got into trouble for leaving her post to go to the Holodeck, and when she could just as easily switch it off and never go back. But it's so real to her, as is this Chakotay (though I'm somewhat grateful the expected 'His Way' side didn't appear). Icheb didn't have much play in the episode, but he was so enjoyable as the even more inexperienced person coming along that doesn't understand her moods or reactions, saying the wrong thing and giving Seven the chance to express so many minor emotions, from irritation to resignation, switching to masking her feelings, and often leaving the guy baffled. It adds amusement and impresses even more with how subtly Ryan is able to communicate complex thoughts and feelings. I wouldn't say it's one of her best episodes, there have been plenty that have challenged her ability more, but as a late shift in direction or speed up of that goal, it works, and works well, living as an eternal reminder of what should have been done with the character when she was eventually brought back.

***

Workforce, Part II (2)

 DVD, Voyager S7 (Workforce, Part II) (2)

Usually, second parts are slightly inferior, not living up to all the setup of Part I, but in this case I found too much setup in the first episode and this second benefited from the satisfaction of all things being made right again as the net around the corruption ring draws slowly tighter thanks to the various individual parts being played and knowledge gained of both Voyager staff and honest Quarrens. That the conspiracy to capture and alter the memories of aliens in order to use them in the workforce was only a 'select' band is a relief, especially as we see ordinary, good citizens that simply want to do their job well and help others, which really adds a great sense of justice and goodness - the young doctor who questions his twisted superior may have been guileless in his innocence and should've played his cards close to his chest rather than confronting the other on what was going on (almost suffering his own memory adjustment as a result - love that he's offered the temptation to join evil and he clearly chose not to, despite the rewards for compliance and consequences for rejection - inspiring!), but it only serves to emphasise his lack of malevolence and cunning in comparison to the so-called 'superior,' Kadan. His character was best summed up when the other good man of the story, investigator Yerid, tries to get to the bottom of what's going on, has Kadan captive and tells him to get the other medical staff to leave the room: he delicately says to ask them for privacy, and in response the harsh indifference is shown by Kadan simply ordering them dismissed. Simple writing, but so eloquent!

Trek is (was), so great at giving us that strong sense of justice winning out, and this episode has exactly that, with the conspiracy unmasked and everyone happy, all back in order and as it should be - thanks to it being a two-parter we're afforded a little more time for the wrap-up than most individual episodes. Perhaps the cooperation of the Quarren government with Voyager could have been explored a little more, as it is we simply have the investigator and a high-up (I think it's the Ambassador seen in Part I), sitting around the conference table aboard Voyager with the ECH and Harry, but that side of things isn't as important to us as the resuming of the status quo, as Janeway arrives on the Bridge at the very end, Chakotay asking if she regrets losing the life she'd been given to return to her real one. Before that, we see Tom and B'Elanna together again as man and wife, playful banter showing how much this means to B'Elanna in particular. And then of course the tragic goodbye between Janeway and Jaffen after they'd grown so close. I did have a moment when I wondered if he was actually part of the plot, there to keep Janeway from ever guessing the truth, further incentive for her to remain oblivious to her old life: when she looks out at the plant and he's not at the console as the enemies arrive. It would have made it an easier parting if she'd been played, but it's much more dramatic to have an enforced separation as the two are no longer on equal footing thanks to her responsibilities to ship and crew.

I'd go so far as to say it was along the lines of how a 'DS9' episode would have finished: allowing breathing room for the ramifications to the characters, not skipping off merrily to the next adventure. Jaffen's devotion to Janeway stood out as true love since he agrees to go along with helping her and the others even though it looks like it will lead to separation from their newfound idyll - the ability to let go through self-sacrifice for the sake of another must be one of the profound elements of Trek characters, most notably displayed by Spock in saving the Enterprise at the cost of his own life. That isn't the case here, but Jaffen does lose the life he would have had otherwise. Chakotay continually does all that he needs to do to ensure the crew and Captain are saved, really getting to be the heroic First Officer we'd like to see more of, but who is far too often reduced to a 'yes, Captain, no Captain' slumped in his chair on the Bridge in far too many episodes. He was made to be a dynamic character and this story allows him the range he needs. And it's not limited to the characters on the planet - back aboard Voyager who better to rehabilitate the confused and distressed B'Elanna than gentle Neelix, meek and mild. He takes her through the realities of her true life and I was impressed with Roxann Dawson being able to deal with this important part of her character's arc while also having to govern the whole production as Director. Usually an actor will be given a story lighter on their character so they can focus on directing, but she had some key scenes.

I always think actors acting while being Director tend to be more serious than usual in their role as if they can't quite hide the grim determination and heavy responsibility of being in charge of a big budget episode of series' TV, and this was the case again, but it suited the position of the character in this case as she deals with the life she knows turning out to be fake. But there were a lot of moments across the episode when you get this satisfaction of people coming to some kind of realisation that there's more than what they know, always a rich seam to mine, and very sensitively handled much of the time here - a standout for me was the delicate way Chakotay breaks the news to Janeway that she's his Captain, by telling her indirectly while reporting events to Harry on the comm. It still has the force of a snakebite to Janeway who can't cope with the suggestion her ideal life is a mere dream. There are things that were a little too easy, such as Chakotay taking mere seconds to wipe away his alien face (it's unclear if this is supposed to be real skin grown from his own cells so as to avoid detection by medical authorities, or whether it's mere 'makeup,' but the use of a dermal regenerator seems to suggest actual skin manipulation), or the Doctor so quickly finding a way to access the crew's lost memories and fix them up in no time when surely memories being extracted or blocked should be a major issue. But these are minor problems simply solved so we can get on with the story.

The only major story point that I didn't feel had its due was the subplot of the Doctor enjoying command so much (even though he isn't exactly in command - see the review for the previous episode where I discussed this), he wants to remain in that mode once the crisis is over. It didn't make much sense since unless he goes off on his own ship, what can he be in command of, and it wouldn't be fair to other members of the crew that he can simply download these command subroutines to his program and suddenly he's qualified, in the same way that genetic modification gives unfair advantages and why the Federation rightly banned such things. But I still felt there was room for more discussion on the Doctor's ambitions for future career advancement, even if it's largely played as a joke, and is, really, since he is pompous and childish in his wish to do everything. At least the idea of Harry and he competing was nicely settled - while the Doc's idea of dropping a Photon Torpedo between two pursuing ships, then detonating it by shooting it with Phasers wasn't bad, it also seemed more common than they were suggesting, while Harry's solution to dealing with three pursuing vessels by releasing some Escape Pods, masking life signs and then detonating them, really did seem like tactical genius. The important thing is they gained respect for each other through the experience.

I'd completely forgotten Voyager hard-lands in this episode, hiding in the crater of a moon, but that's probably because we didn't see them go down and there wasn't the usual fuss and procedure with Blue Alert sounding and all that - they may have, but we weren't shown it. Just a couple of other notes: I found it interesting Seven had no trouble reading Quarren text which was clearly alien, so I wondered if her memories (and presumably everyone else's since they can all operate the consoles), were altered not just with a new life, but the ability to read the language so as to integrate more efficiently. As we know, language is key in forming the mind, if you control that then you control people's thoughts, as we see in the battle for ever more subtle use of words and wording in today's world to subvert our thinking. And how did Chakotay get wounded so badly his shoulder was bleeding? It could be the Quarren hand weapons, which appeared to emit a Phaser beam, like most energy weapons in Trek, were actually spitting out a Disruptor beam (like Klingons use), but there didn't seem much rupturing at the time in any of the bursts - the alternative would be that Chakotay fell against something during his fight, but either way it was quite dramatic to see blood in Trek! I should also mention this was Tom Virtue's final of four appearances on the series (the crooked supervisor at the plant), and Joseph Will (one of the security officers, though he's not very recognisable), had been in 'Muse' and would go on to be in three episodes of 'Enterprise' as a recurring character, so they must've liked him. It's funny that my previous viewing of this story gave me the opposite impression: that Part I was superior, so it's surprising what difference a few years makes.

***

Workforce (2)

 DVD, Voyager S7 (Workforce) (2)

Was this the best idea for a mid-season event two-parter? I know we'd already had 'Flesh and Blood' as the feature-length event, but this one seems more like a way to amortise the cost of the large sets they built by spreading the story across two episodes. In fairness it's not a bad first part, but I had the impression of not particularly liking it on previous viewings and despite the low expectations I didn't think it was amazing, though pretty good, the opposite of a recent 'TNG' rewatch when I saw 'The Dauphin' thinking it was going to be very average, but was highly impressed. I don't know if the knowledge this was a ripoff of a 'Stargate SG-1' episode, which I wouldn't have caught before as I wasn't as familiar with that series as I am now, may have coloured my perception - it's only fair if so since 'SG-1' was 'inspired' by so much Trek over the years, although in reality I'm not sure if this was a case of the sincerest form of flattery since I believe both series' stories came out the same year, the 2000-2001 TV season, and who knows which was actually written first, both roughly being in the middle of their respective seasons. It's more likely to be a case of two creative groups coming up with the same idea, and it's not a bad one. 'Workforce' comes off the better of the two, perhaps because it made it a big budget extravaganza, presumably so they could create these relatively large sets and significant amounts of CGI establishing shots - CGI was never really one of the series' strong points, it was early days for TV in that regard, but I would say it worked pretty well here.

Did it need to be a two-part story, now that's a different question? There are some interesting elements played with, some of which I found more appealing than others. No doubt the female audience were drawn to Janeway getting the chance to let her hair down (literally - she's really grown it out and it suits!), with a male colleague, something she can't ordinarily do since she outranks everyone on her ship, though of course they tried it occasionally with a guest character ('Counterpoint'), or a hologram (in the Irish village holoprogram). More successful from my point of view was the use of the more obscured characters of this season: Chakotay, Neelix, B'Elanna and Harry, allowing them to get a greater share of the spotlight than they had been getting, while Janeway, the Doctor, and especially Seven are bumped 'down' to more equal status, and in Seven's case she's reduced to very few scenes, so there is a much greater sense of the ensemble, even if a lot of them aren't ensembling together! Paris naturally gravitates to a bar, but his concern for the pregnant loner, B'Elanna, is touching and you can see the automatic impulses of reality in action, even while he's shown to be a bit of a womaniser - it's like he can't deny the subconscious urge to help and protect his real life wife and unborn child even if neither of them remember.

Not a lot really happens, it is after all about our characters having jobs on an alien world, mainly at a dull, smoky power plant, with the occasional social period - what's more interesting is when reality breaks through, as with Tuvok, who gets to the stage where he mind melds with Seven to bring her memories to the fore, or events on Voyager itself where the Doctor's changed into the Emergency Command Hologram when the Captain and crew were forced to abandon ship. I thought that was supposed to be a joke, not a real feature of his program, but it's nice to see him doing something different. Especially interesting to me was the command hierarchy in that situation: Janeway transfers command to him, with all her command codes, but then Chakotay, the First Officer, returns. I was wondering if Janeway empowering the Doctor to be ECH meant he outranked anyone other than her, but whether that's true or not, it's not what occurs in the practical situation of Chakotay's return. The Doc even complains about having to do menial repair work when he should be on the Bridge, but it's clear Chakotay is the one in charge - even Kim doesn't exactly recognise the Doctor's status when the pair of them are left for Chakotay to infiltrate Quarren society to find out what's happened to their missing crew - rather than state the hierarchy Chakotay leaves it to them to sort it out amongst themselves, which is an interesting command style! It'll be interesting to see if this ECH rank is further explained in part two, and how Janeway sees it, though I imagine she, too, would see it only as temporary command in an emergency, and once that's over with Chakotay, Neelix and Harry returning to Voyager, that effectively ends the need for it.

When it was just the Doctor, the episode this reminded me of was 'Remember Me' when Dr. Crusher found herself slowly becoming the only occupant of the vast Enterprise-D in 'TNG.' In this case it made a little more sense that a hologram could control a starship usually designed to be operated by an entire crew since he could interface directly with the ship's computer (always nice when Majel Barrett gets a little more to say as the Computer, especially when she's the only company for whoever's talking to her!), but in that case why would he bother with verbal interaction (other than for the benefit of the audience)? There was something quite pleasant about the idea of the four of them, Harry, Neelix, the Doctor and Chakotay all off in different parts of the ship working to get Voyager up to full strength again, or at least working strength. It was a bit of an anomaly that Voyager hadn't been taken by the Quarren until the story makes clear the crew left in escape pods and they tried to find it, but were unable to do so thanks to the actions of the Doctor, earning his keep as he always does, so there weren't any logic holes in the story that I could see. At the same time there isn't all that much to write about because it's mostly setup and the enjoyment of seeing our characters in other lives, the 'what if?' scenario usually reserved for Mirror Universe or other parallel universe stories.

In some ways the trivia of the episode is more interesting than the story, which is mysterious enough the first you come to it (even the first time I watched it I'd have known the twist that they're captives on an alien world with their minds brainwashed to think their jobs are what they should be doing, since I was reading Star Trek Monthly and getting episode synopses well in advance of viewing), since you don't know if Janeway is undercover or what from the teaser. But we not only hear of Neelix' ship, we get to see it again, a rare occurrence for the series, as he and Chakotay use it to go down to Quarra - I had the feeling it didn't exist any more, but maybe it's fate is still coming, or perhaps Neelix leaves with it at the end of the series, I don't recall. The casting is especially of interest - we get good old Tom Virtue back for both parts of the story. He'd been a human crewmember way back in two episodes of the first two seasons. It was a little incongruous seeing him since we know crewmembers have been altered mentally so you might expect Baxter to be seen (assuming he'd survived all the other adventures in the intervening years!), and other than some slight prosthetics to show he's alien, he looked very similar, to the extent it used to take me out of it a bit. The big name is Iona Morris, following her brother, Phil Morris' Trek career with her own entry, though she's also one of the few actors and actresses to have been in both 'TOS' and the later spinoffs, which is quite an exclusive club to be part of (she plays the bar owner where Paris wheedles his way into a job, but she'd been one of the uncredited children in 'Miri' back in the 60s when they simply got the offspring of 'TOS' and 'Mission: Impossible' stars in to play the roles!).

Apparently one of the Security Officers (#1, to be precise!), presumably the one who speaks to Janeway and Jaffen about curfew, would go on to have another small role as an Engineer in 'Enterprise.' Another Security Officer (#2, if you must know), was played by Matt Williamson who'd go on to be a Klingon in the 'Enterprise' pilot. And that's about it, really, it's a perfectly satisfactory story that introduces the situation and characters well, is nicely shot, all smoke and dark tones, so maybe Part II is the disappointment and doesn't live up to the setup, which can often be the case in Trek where it was almost like they couldn't quite stretch out a story beyond an hour, perhaps due to them being so used to condensing things tightly into the forty-five minute structure that worked so well for Trek. My only question is why there are purple Benzites there? Obviously they aren't really Benzites since they'd be blue (the blues are covered by Bolians who clearly must be from Voyager's crew), and it's just a case of the production reusing old masks, which are very good, but I think needed a little more modification than a simple colour change to get past the eagle eyes of Trekkers everywhere! In my previous review, back in 2010, I speculated that the issue of holograms in command would be addressed in any post-'Voyager' timeline production, but it never was, which says a lot about how much the modern writers care about Trek history and internal reality (what, you thought I could go a whole review without at least one dig about modern Trek?).

***

The Void (2)

 DVD, Voyager S7 (The Void) (2)

'Void by name, void by nature' is the impression I had of this episode from memory, and was expecting quite a weak story in consequence, but it's actually one of the purest Treks of the series since it boils down to whether they take the easy, advantageous, and 'realistic' route of behaving as the other ships in this empty region are doing, and pillage anyone weaker to survive. When it comes to survival that's when we're at our weakest in terms of holding to beliefs and ideals: an empty stomach, the quick, but immoral way of filling it, it's a huge temptation, and one Janeway's crew are open to considering. But that doesn't factor in the Captain, the strong-willed, idealistic woman who first stranded them in the Delta Quadrant - she was never going to go back on that attitude for a little comfort and hope. Indeed, she finds hope within the very ideals she strives to uphold, making this a strongly inspirational story. Janeway is not without doubts, we see her expressing the expectations of doubt she expects will come from others, and if Chakotay had forcefully opposed her views and Tuvok had continued putting the boot in about logic dictating a change of strategy (once again showing how ruthless Vulcans can be, and why, despite all their superior skills and abilities, they need the Federation's guidance as much as any race), she might have been persuaded. But that isn't her crew, either, they support her, even if they offer a counter view, no one directly opposes her lead because they're good Starfleet officers, but also they know she's got them through so many trials that they have great faith in her.

Far from being a void, the episode is rich in optimistic pickings, whether it be that continual desire to do right and not prey on the weak, or whether it's the scientific curiosity to investigate something, or in this case, some-one, who may have only tangential relevance for their dire situation. I was touched, for example, by Seven's unthinking decision to give away a portion of her Replicator rations to the mute alien beamed aboard by mistake - all she knows is that he requires food and so she shares what she has with him, a fine Christian attitude that should be an example to all of us! As Janeway later says to illustrate the situation they're in, it wasn't 'efficient' to give away food that could be better used on a valued member of the crew than an unknown stranger, yet she did it anyway: she saw a need and responded. Similarly, Janeway chooses to emphasise their differences to those living a scavenging, predatory life in the void, building an alliance, putting the precious resources they have on the line to accomplish trust and cooperation together, which is key to both their survival and eventual escape entirely. It shows the values and ideals of the Federation in practical use - of course this is a series about just that, so you'd expect them to succeed rather than it be a bleak examination of how they failed, but I kept thinking about how modern Trek would likely take a different tack and wouldn't allow the idealistic nature of things to be the solution, instead more probable to see them compromise and only succeed with great loss, having to sacrifice ideals to save themselves, which would be just as dramatic, but not good Trek.

It does somewhat make you wonder why Janeway hadn't used the alliance tactic in the series as a whole, other than the obvious reality that it would both change the look of the series to have them part of a flotilla of allies, lessen the sense of isolation and danger to them, and most importantly, from a production standpoint, cost a lot more to show multiple ships every time Voyager was seen externally, not to mention the addition of new sets and regular or recurring characters... You can see why such an idea would be avoided, but it would also have made a lot more sense (even if it might have ended up being more like 'Battlestar Galactica' than Trek!), and could have created ever more drama - as we see with this one foray into the idea of an alliance, it's not enough to have the same goal of protection and eventual escape, different personalities and attitudes come into play - Bosaal is picked out as a particularly objectionable sort for his dismissive and superior attitude towards Fantome's people, not recognising them as a sentient group of beings, but mere vermin. But then he's happy to exterminate even those he knows to be sentient as we hear from the provenance of the essential bit of kit he's contributed to the escape plan and Janeway is forced to send him packing with it, using it would be the same as being accomplice to his killings, as hard a position it was to turn down that technology. I didn't quite understand how they got round it in the end, but they came up with some sort of alternative.

It appeared to be hand-waved over with a montage of scenes of things coming together since we don't really understand how Fantome's gang helped them other than to sabotage their enemies, so it was a little pat in the end. There's also some questionable issues to do with beaming and shields in parts of the episode - how did the attackers beam Voyager's supplies away at the start since the ship still had shields? And later, Tuvok says the enemy vessels' shields had been 'penetrated' and Fantome's gang were able to be beamed aboard, but what does penetrated mean! Usually in Trek you cannot under any circumstances beam through a shield (if you could, it would always be short work to drop a Photon Torpedo directly into an enemy Engine Room and detonate it!), although Trek did fudge it a bit over the years, and we know shields can be modulated which suggests it's possible to beam through the 'gaps,' though it's all rather hazy and contradictory. It didn't take away from the excitement of the story, and in all other respects it came up trumps, from the atmospheric visuals of both the ships travelling in complete, starless blackness on the outside, to the dimmed lighting and almost pitch darkness inside (I've never noticed the wrist beacons they use as torches having lights on the back before, so I wonder if that was a new addition?), to the great alien designs - Fantome himself looked somewhat slimy and not something you'd want to touch, General Valen was very reminiscent of a Cardassian, though with silvery skin, and Bosaal with his bisecting cranial ridge down to the chin, while a design I think they'd done before, was nonetheless very effective, especially seen in profile. Plus the return of the Hierarchy potato heads!

The Doctor taking time to develop a language of music with Fantome was also a standout part of the episode, even if the musical notes didn't have the complexity to convey the level of conversations they were supposedly having (though I'm sure the episode's composer, Jay Chattaway, enjoyed the challenge and uniqueness of the 'language' instead of just cranking out the usual background music!). Above all it was a nice showcase for the cast as a whole, very much an ensemble episode since it was a situation that affected them all and there wasn't anywhere to hide (although even here Harry Kim managed to be quite hidden most of the time as he never had anything integral to do). They continue to get the characters right: Janeway with her unassailable confidence, yet not arrogant and occasionally self-searching; the Doctor with his kindness and interest in Fantome (amusing when it's pointed out he hasn't chosen a name in six years, but gives one to Fantome in days!); Seven, similarly (I'm surprised they never brought out an action figure of Gourmet Chef Seven with the apron!); Tom and B'Elanna both with disappointment on their faces at the setbacks and disappointments, yet neither pipes up and expresses frustration with Janeway's methods; Tuvok and his reminder of Vulcan logic; Chakotay, supportive as always, yet still able to bring an alternative view as is his job as First Officer... It was a good mix, and while the dark was best used as temporary atmosphere, I wouldn't want everywhere like that all the time, the visuals sold the futility and how close they were to despair.

The issue of dying for what you believe came up, questioning his Captain, and she says yes, but she's not ready to give up just yet, but it was a good reminder of Starfleet duty and that you've given over your life to the organisation, and that could mean the ultimate sacrifice if it came to it (like Spock or Data). That Janeway considers the Federation Charter a statement of principals rather than practicalities suggests she doesn't have as much belief in it as good guidance for life, but she proves that it is just that since following it led them to alliances and eventual solving of the problem, which shows that perhaps it is practical after all. The idea of everyone in the group despite their disparate views and beliefs, having to work together, was a good message, because it's not about everyone agreeing to believe the same things and have the same attitudes - Bosaal can see Fantome's people as nothing more than vermin if he wants to, that isn't what gets him booted out, but actual violence is the step that goes too far for Janeway. In other words they don't have to agree, and that's maybe the issue nowadays where we're going down a route where everyone must think the same rather than their actions cooperating in general being enough, but then if there are opposing ideologies it's a question of how far to push the rules in whatever direction to accommodate difference of opinion. Anyway, an interesting jumping off point and the nuance of which I again thought would be missing if this were modern Trek.

Some might point to the lack of actual sacrifice in the episode, nobody from Voyager dies, things work as they should, discipline is upheld, and they want more nastiness, a more 'realistic' view and result (although I would point out that our people don't seem particularly uncomfortable with the Hierarchy representatives coming up with a way to spy on any ship at any time - apparently that isn't outside of their ideals!), but on the contrary I felt this was exactly the kind of thing I like seeing in Trek - yes, it's not realistic that everything goes well for them (and in fact, as we saw with the various issues with Valen or Bosaal, they had their trip-ups along the way), but that's why we like Trek, not for hard-edged realism or brooding cynicism that reinforces how glum the outlook of the world is and reflects 'our' experiences, but something that shines out in the darkness, like little Voyager in the void, and reassures and pleases with its show of successful optimism and goodness winning out. It's what Trek's all about. The image of there being no stars would be done again ('Enterprise' had an episode like that), and had been seen on the series before ('Night' - I wish there'd been some reference to that experience and the contrast in Janeway's behaviour here), but it's always a strong visual, shocking compared to what we're used to in Trek - I loved the sense of despair presented with the depiction of Voyager first trying to escape by travelling 'vertically' up the tunnel until it runs out of steam and drops heartbreakingly back down into the dark pool of the void, selling the situation perfectly. The same with sticking to the principals where you're almost thinking maybe Janeway should just allow them to use Bosaal's technology in order to get out, and then part ways feeling bad about it, and at least they escaped, but that just shows how strong the temptation was. Same with her refusal to steal from the enemy when she has a chance and nobly only takes back her own.

We hear that one of the crews Voyager allied with possessed technology that tripled their Replicator efficiency, and when you consider our ship was top of the line only a short time ago when it launched and must therefore have the best Starfleet could provide, cutting edge tech with the Gel Packs, etc, this must be an amazing race of people to be able to out-efficiency the Federation, maybe a more permanent alliance is in order! At least they should mention how well the Replicators are doing in subsequent episodes as we assume they have the knowledge to keep it going now. I liked the design of Fantome's race but for one thing: their chubby fingers didn't look capable of tapping in anything on the little PADDs they were using to communicate musically! But they were well acted, obviously this would have been Jonathan Del Arco's final role in Trek since he never showed up in 'Enterprise' - best known for the ex-Borg, Hugh, in a couple of 'TNG' episodes, he'd return a couple of decades later for 'Picard' Season 1, only to be nastily killed off. Oh well, at least he could come back as Fantome to this day, but it wouldn't have been any good for the 'Voyager' almost-spinoff, 'Prodigy,' since his character doesn't speak! Del Arco wasn't the only actor to return for a role in the next era of Trek as Scott Lawrence (Garon, the first to join the alliance), was in 'Into Darkness' aboard the USS Vengeance, not much of a credit, but it's something, I suppose. And I got the 'Babylon 5' reference with Valen, having watched the entire series (and everything else in that franchise), since last seeing this episode, but forgot the actor who played him, Robin Sachs, was also in that series. This episode wasn't a classic, but it was far from being null and void.

***

Prophecy (2)

 DVD, Voyager S7 (Prophecy) (2)

Theeeeeeere's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow, there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, cap'n... This is a chance to see what the series might have been like had it been set in the Alpha Quadrant, and there is something appealing about a herd of the warrior race descending on our little ship, especially as at this point in Trek's production there weren't many more of those traditional stories about familiar races due to 'DS9' ending and 'Enterprise' being barely a twinkle in its Daddies' eyes, so for all we knew this could be the only proper Klingon tale we'd ever see, and that gave it added weight and increased its delight. And it is all very Klingon, right from the assured mind of longtime Trek boffin and details enthusiast Larry Nemecek (among others), whose mark you can clearly see in both how well Trek lore is adhered to, and how minor issues were dealt with, leading to a satisfying conclusion that comes down on neither one side or the other in a debate about the efficacy of prophecy. Being a very secular series it of course throws up a lot of scepticism about the realities of faith, belief and tradition, showing up such things, at least in the specific context of this sect, but which can easily be interpreted as an examination of the dangers of such beliefs to upend a society, yet at the same time allow plenty of room for interpretation from a perspective of believers in faith in their own lives, a subtle and balanced approach that means it can be taken various ways.

As we see with the main Klingon sceptic, T'Greth (most of Grethor in his name, meaning Klingon Hell, maybe not a coincidence?), who constantly challenges his leader's assertions about B'Elanna Torres' unborn daughter being the long-sought saviour of their people, the Kuvah'magh. Interestingly, T'Greth was played by Sherman Howard, notable as Captain Endar in 'TNG' ('Suddenly Human'), and another role in 'DS9' ('Shakaar'), while his fellow plotter, Morak (Paul Eckstein), who numbered Jem'Hadar and Hirogen among his roles on both 'DS9' and this, marked his fourth role on 'Voyager.' As the story progresses we find Captain Kohlar is actually leading his people astray, having tired of their generational journey and wishing to put down roots and end the endless search begun so long ago - he's jumped at the unlikely opportunity presented to him in the form of B'Elanna (as she and Tom discussed, the odds of them stumbling on the only ship in the Quadrant with a Klingon aboard were as likely as the odds of the pair of them getting married and having a child in the first place, which appears to me that such odds are an almost impossibility, they were so great, lending credence to the prophecy in the first place), and as Klingons do, burns his bridges at first chance - in this case literally burning his Bridge (and the rest of his ship), by initiating self-destruct, causing Voyager to have no choice but to take them all aboard.

At this point we have to talk about the beauty of the old D7 ships, the class seen in 'TOS,' since this episode is an example in how to update something without losing its essence - it's not ten times bigger than it should be, it actually looks fairly small compared to the broad length of such battlecruisers we'd seen in previous iterations of 24th Century Trek, but it has a little more texture to it. We don't get a really good look at it, partly because it cloaks a lot during its battle with Voyager, and it doesn't last very long, but it just looks right and was a wonderful idea to bring it in, showing the right thinking behind the episode in contrast to that seen in modern Trek where it's all about making things BIGGER and flashier and... less true to the history. At the same time you could complain that the scene where all two hundred Klingons are beamed aboard Voyager was pushing it a little in what Federation tech is capable of. I'm not sure if we'd been in a situation where this ship in particular had needed to beam that many at one time and it did seem a little too convenient, but true to form, the episode comes back around to this unspoken concern many a true 'faithful' may well have had floating around in their heads while watching, and not only clears it up, but makes a virtue of it by turning it into part of the plot! A Klingon looking to take over Voyager craftily comments on how much superior its Transporters are compared to his old vessel allowing Kim to explain they don't usually beam so many due to safety concerns, so bravo for deftness of writing.

I'm not sure it was wise to beam all these Klingons into the Shuttlebay, it could have been dangerous: they might steal the Shuttles to exit the ship, or even blast their way through the doors, and while unlikely, it was a major security concern. I don't think we saw any actual vehicles in that space, so it could be they were beamed to a Cargo Bay or possibly even out into space to accompany the mothership (though we never see any in shots of Voyager, so that's not very plausible). Speaking of security concerns, though, you'd think Tuvok would keep the door to his Quarters locked, especially at a time when unknown Klingons are aboard in large numbers, yet Neelix breezes in while the Vulcan's relaxing in either a robe or his pyjamas with not even a door chime to warn him of the Talaxian's intent, but then I suppose that was the point - if Neelix had been at the door it would have been easier for Tuvok to deny him entry rather than him settling down and emptying his stuff on the floor as he did. I would say this somewhat B-plot was the missing piece of the episode, as having Tuvok and Neelix share Quarters sounds like a great episode idea on its own (I can imagine it happening somehow in ordinary day-to-day operations if there was some kind of radiation leak and no other alternative than for him to come and stay for a few days), harking back to the early days in much the same way as Odo and Quark on 'DS9,' both pairings which weren't explored as much as you might think from the success of their scenes together.

The real B-story is another entry in Harry Kim's difficult path with the opposite sex, this time a statuesque Klingon warrior woman taking a liking to him so that he's reduced to crawling through the Jefferies Tubes to avoid her until Neelix happily takes her off his hands. A questionable side to the story, but then Klingons, especially the female ones, have often been shown to be aggressive in their pursuits, so it's hardly out of character. Klingons aren't supposed to be something we look up to (other than literally), they represent the violence of humanity, but here they also represent the deception of false religion when Kohlar prefers to mislead his people, interpret the ancient scrolls to achieve his end, and all because he wants them to settle on a planet instead of continuing to wander. It doesn't do much for B'Elanna's faith in her Klingon heritage, even though it appears to provide a nostalgic aside when he gets her to join him in praying to Kahless for their ancestors. Some interesting points raised here, since Kohlar wouldn't know that Kahless 'returned' to his people, although I think it was known that he was a clone of the original, or was it, it's been a while since I watched 'Rightful Heir'? Either way, this sect's been out of contact with their culture (might have been fun to have them all be flat-forehead 'TOS' versions of the race to further tie to the 23rd Century from which they came, but I suppose the genetic virus was already active and would have mutated them along with most of the Empire wherever they went), so wouldn't know anything about that, unless they took time to read up on recent Klingon history in Starfleet databases - possible, but not very likely.

The other notion I took from the scene was that Sto-Vo-Kor isn't up to much if the dead can't rest there unless the living honour their memory! You live an honourable life, you die an honourable death and head off to honourable Klingon Heaven, and yet there's still no peace unless someone back home cares enough to pray for you? Tough system! Unless this is yet another interpretation designed to reinforce traditions and faith rather being something of substance - Kohlar's behaviour calls into question Klingon ethics where it concerns their beliefs, and although he's only one man, he's also the leader of this sect that has been travelling for four generations, apparently. There was a slight issue with the timing of it all, since Kohlar claims more than a hundred years ago his Great-Grandfather was part of this sect, but since the race live for two hundred-plus years this guy could still have been around and I'm not sure it adds up that there would be so relatively few after all that time when they can live so long. At the same time they provide an out for this, besides the Klingon predilection for battling anyone that stands in their way: this disease that afflicts them and can come at any time, or so I read it, though it's also referred to like old age. It was a touch convenient that T'Greth would fall victim to it right in the middle of the Bat'leth fight with Paris, and it almost seems like they should either have gone for a battle to the death, or have Tom somehow beat him fair and square, though it's a bit much to believe a human who can barely have picked up the weapon would be trained to proficiency in the little time he had before the fight.

It's possible he regularly trained with a Bat'leth in a Klingon holoprogram to impress B'Elanna, but then again Klingon stuff doesn't tend to impress her and Tom usually prefers more old-fashioned programs. Odd we don't see any kind of training montage with Kohlar coaching him, but I assume time constraints put paid to that. My first thought when T'Greth collapsed was another deception from the master, Kohlar, ensuring victory for the Father of the Kuvah'magh at all costs by poisoning his friend - I do like that they appear to be friends and at least Kohlar calls him that, but there's also so much animosity from T'Greth, while Kohlar barely bats an eyelid, not offended at all. Very Klingon. The episode succeeds in its opening of the eyes of T'Greth to become a full believer in what Kohlar was only using as a useful circumstance, since the Kuvah'magh did save them. I'm not sure if this Klingon prophecy was meant to be for it saving the whole race or just this specific sect, in which case it could be called a self-fulfilling prophecy since if they'd never set out to fulfil it, they'd never have met the Kuvah'magh (unless it was when she's finally born and back in home space, but then certain things couldn't have fallen into place in that scenario). Kohlar came across as a bit of a bad leader in the sense that this group has been on this mission for so long and yet now he wants to sabotage it, even though it's for good reasons and the care of his people that motivates him. There's a good sense of the mysterious nature of prophecy finding a way to come true despite scepticism, but at the same time Kohlar's one of those negative stereotypes of a manipulator - interpret the scrolls to make them consistent with B'Elanna's life, his answer!

There's probably a word for an ordinary character who becomes the significant figure of their race, it's a bit of a trope of sci-fi and fantasy, especially in Trek where we have Sisko the key man in Bajoran religion, Worf (and Picard), integral to Klingon politics, Odo the bridge to his entire people, etc, and now Torres is to be Mother to a Messiah figure (again, unclear whether meant for this one sect or for all Klingons since it doesn't seem like they particularly need a change, being at peace with the Federation, for example). And of course modern Trek is full of 'superheroes' that are super-special - at least it wasn't Torres herself, but her child, and something that could have been picked up on in future had they ever wanted to play with Klingon politics and religion again. As is often the case with Trek, faith is often shown as being blind: what evidence did their ancestors have when beginning their journey, only their faith! But faith in what, why should they give up everything to follow some scrolls without any other kind of proof or motivation? I suppose Klingons are quite stubborn and once they get an idea in their heads they simply follow it to its conclusion, or death, so it's not going against type for them to act this way. In fact the only real fault I can find in the episode is Harry Kim claiming he cut himself shaving, since however they shave, I can't imagine it would be with a naked blade (they are not Klingons!), it would be some super-safe and super-effective technology doing the trimming. But even there, he was just making up stories to hide the fact he'd been bitten by Ch'Rega, so no real problems there other than if the Doc had been taken in, which he wasn't. Qapla'! pItlh!

***

Repentance (2)

 DVD, Voyager S7 (Repentance) (2)

If anyone ever says 'Voyager' couldn't do complex stories or deal with morality this is a great example to hold up in response. Watching it, you experience the conflict of struggling to believe the change of heart (or more specifically, mind), that has overtaken the convicted murderer, Iko, while simultaneously wanting it to be true. And yet also feeling the need for justice and punishment. It could make Trek look rather soft and naive if his was the only story of the episode, that this horrible criminal, intent only on unloosing pain on a hostile universe, should be so easily 'cured,' if behaviour can be seen as something to be cured, and then go on to live a productive life that we'd never know about because the ship is always moving on. If Seven had had her way perhaps Iko could have become a recurring character and shown rehabilitation in action, week to week, but this wasn't really the series for that, and it doesn't end all pat and a nicey-nice showing that remorse and resolve to live right works, happy ending and all (even though life goes on, so it wouldn't have been an ending). But we don't have that reward, Iko has changed, we can be sure through both the medical evidence and with his reaction to a chance to exact revenge on the hardbitten gaoler who is so frosty through experience with these violent men that he won't even admit the chance of a change. It's a harsh lesson, one that Iko won't be able to benefit either himself or his society from, since where he comes from they give all power of sentencing to the victims.

Victimhood was the key point that I took away from this, because it is unpleasant to think that anyone could get away with the full stop on a life of these heinous crimes, no way back, and you don't want to identify and sympathise - there's a good chance the sly, evil man is playing with you, manipulating any way he can. I felt this was a good episode for today's times because for one it's against capital punishment and reminds us of the Federation position, while also spelling out the arguments for such justice when Seven argues with the Doctor who is entirely uneasy about transporting these murderers to execution, perhaps the biggest reason being the chance for redemption. But a society controlled by victims is a society without objective reasoning and without mercy, and it's frightening that we seem to be heading toward that dystopia where every little emotional distress caused someone can be viewed as a crime, whether it was the victim's sensitivity or way of life that caused them to be more susceptible to such distress, or not - the idea of offence being an offence in law. It also means to be a victim is to be in a position of power, a source of recompense for perceived wrongs, rather than strict, objective justice, and shows the result when Iko has no second chance despite all the evidence stating that he should, even if it was to live to make recompense to the victims of his crimes.

But the episode isn't one-sided, it shows the leering face of those who would escape true justice by throwing up excuses, by manipulation of those who would try to help them as Neelix is taken in by Joleg, the self-styled victim of racial profiling - his people are given stiffer sentences, are viewed more suspiciously, are the real victims of society, and while Neelix sees that much of this appears to be true, we're still dealing with a crafty individual who will use whatever means he can to avoid his guilt and sentence. In contrast to Iko, Joleg is charming, polite, good company, but is shown to be just as ruthless when his brother arrives in a tough little ship to break him out, and almost succeeds. While it was necessary for the story and was an exciting part of the episode, none of that made much sense: Voyager is up against one tiny ship, yet somehow it causes enough damage that the forcefields in the Cargo Bay go down! How could that happen with the limited damage it was even able to do, let alone the necessity of such key systems needing to be the last to fail (what about emergency bulkheads sealed by forcefields?). It also makes Starfleet Security look useless that they're unable to prevent a rush of these criminals when they have the weapons (wide-angle stun setting?), and are so easily overpowered. The one other mistake in that sequence was the Phaser Joleg hands to Iko to finish off gaoler Yediq was surely on kill setting, but when Iko instead gives it to Yediq, he shoots the others and it seemed more like a stun (certainly we aren't told, but if Joleg had set it, then he'd have put it on the highest setting and completely vaporised his enemy).

I saw a lot of good Christian values in the willingness of Seven and Neelix to visit those in prison, to dole out civility and respect for them as people rather than merely holding strictly to duty, even if Neelix uses the excuse of protocols in how prisoners are treated - it was going above and beyond for him to play Kadis-kot with Joleg, or to agree to send off the transmission to his brother, and it's not like Neelix to be so easily played, but being aboard Voyager did emphasise the softer aspects of his nature to the extent it was like he'd found a loving family and had let go of the rough edges he'd needed for survival, so it does show that even too much safety and comfort can weaken the instincts, though I'm sure he'd rather it was that way than the alternative of being a drifter who doesn't trust anyone. Seven being willing to assist the Doctor in treating Iko was another great example of the being Janeway had helped to create through her tough love and support - even though Iko had threatened to kill her and held her hostage, or later, the Doctor asking for her help, she remains matter-of-fact and has no strong feelings either way. She doesn't wish to spend any more time in his presence than she needs to, but she's neither frightened nor horrified by him. Part of that must be due to the parallel Seven can't help but see between them, and this is another key element of the plot that raises it above basic action or drama.

She still feels the guilt of what she was made to do as a Borg and showing what mentorship can do for someone, she strives to give Iko the support she received from Janeway when his apparent conversion has become irrefutable. The truth of it is clear in the way he no longer gains pleasure from hurting others and simply wants to die for his sins until Seven helps to show him that there could be a future for him - another strong Christian lesson in the idea of one person being killed for their crimes, and yet Seven has found redemption, despite the unfairness of what she did in the past. Without intending it, the writers created a strong illustration of God's grace, shown in how Seven was treated, rehabilitated and now lives productively having learned how to live, even though she still struggles with feelings of guilt for her past, all very inspiring. It's still perhaps a little too easy to suggest major crime is the result of a 'neurological defect' rather than a choice someone makes, and that Iko was in no way responsible, but that's all part of the moral complexity of the story and would provide ample discussion, as the most interesting Treks do, something we don't really see any more as moral positions are increasingly confused in today's world.

The equivalence of what Neelix' game board might be worth to him as opposed to a detached judge, was another point of interest: to the judge it's merely a board, to Neelix it could be a priceless family heirloom, but you'd also think that such circumstances would be taken into consideration since there's a definite value judgement to be made, if proof could be given. I liked that Tom Paris, Voyager's resident ex-con, mentioned his time in the Federation penal colony and his experience of everyone convicted having a 'story' and not to take them too seriously, but perhaps he could have been more involved in the plot due to his background. Then again, maybe that would have been too obvious, Neelix and Seven's interactions with the prisoners were full of potential, but you could do the same story with each of the series' characters and come up with different approaches each time, the hallmark of a great collection of characters. There's even a new way of looking at the Doctor when he succinctly explains to Iko that he's made of light, which is why Tuvok's Phaser left him unhurt, to which Iko responds wistfully that he wishes he was made of light - a poetic idea that is more than the mere science of holograms can express since it says so much about Iko, not to mention the Doctor. There was one thing about that, though, as the Doc says Tuvok's friendly fire may have caused a feedback loop in his emitters, but surely the emitters are separate so the beam only went through his visible form (for that matter, we know he can lose solidity when he chooses, so it might have been easier to simply walk away from his captor!), if he meant THE emitter it'd have made more sense, but being in Sickbay he wasn't wearing it.

If there're nitpicks to be had, I'd also cite the idea of setting aside the Cargo Bay and building a whole new set of cells! I can understand the Brig might be too small, but can they really afford to expend all that Replicator energy on a temporary building project? It was necessary for the story, and you can tell story is king, and it certainly doesn't affect what is a powerful drama, but with only a few tweaks here and there they could have had a watertight episode that only adds another layer of satisfaction for viewers. I'm also unsure about the Prime Directive being cited since surely that doesn't apply when dealing with a warp-capable species, which these appeared to be, but then the PD tends to be there as a buffer whenever there's some issue to deal with.

Casting added much to the story with Tim De Zarn (whom I'd confused in my mind with Francis Guinan - Zar in 'Live Fast and Prosper'!), who goes all the way back to 'TNG' ('Starship Mine'), in his fourth and final Trek role (to date!), as Yediq, the gaoler who finds himself shocked at the realisation of Iko's genuine reform. Jeff Kober who was so strong as Iko would return in a less memorable role on 'Enterprise' ('Shadows of P'Jem'), Greg Poland (presumably the Security Officer that yells at Yediq to stop beating Iko), had played an Elloran in 'Insurrection,' and the familiar face of FJ Rio was in his fourth of five Trek roles, most notably as semi-recurring Muniz on 'DS9,' whom I best remember him as, but would have one more Trek role in 'Enterprise' (to date!), with very similar alien makeup, perhaps a reuse or modification? If 'Voyager' had had more successes with its morality plays like this one it may have gained a better reputation in those stakes like 'DS9' and 'TNG' (perhaps even 'TOS'), but it's not what I tend to think of the series for, especially as Janeway is so inconsistent across the years, and while at one time the action would have been enough, the way things were shot or the effects work eventually looks basic or of a time, but the power of story never fades. It's almost up there with 'Duet' on 'DS9' as an examination of crime and justice and is something Trek has done so well in the past. The only equivalent I can think of nowadays is the 'SNW' story 'Ad Astra Per Aspera,' a thoroughly boring and wrongheaded courtroom 'drama,' and it's clear Trek's current shape doesn't have much room for anything beyond the action and effects - I imagine in time that will show itself up, while a classic like this one will, and has, stood the test of time.

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