Elogium

DVD, Voyager S2 (Elogium)

Ever since 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' began, the issue of families aboard starships has been a constant factor. The USS Voyager being a smaller, sleeker, faster ship for short scientific missions had no need to include the families of crewmembers as they'd be seeing them again in only a few weeks or months. That was the plan, but since Voyager was swept 75 years away from the Federation the issue of 'fraternization' as Chakotay puts it, is just one of several issues facing the crew.

The fascinating potential of a generational ship and the question of where replacement crewmembers would come from is something that should have been explored a lot more on the series, but as it is, this episode does a good job of debating such things as parenthood, the governance of human nature while also showing some of the characters in a new light and tying smartly into the larger story of the ship interfering inadvertently with space-dwelling lifeforms. That part of the story is less interesting than the effects they have on Kes, and the early-days CGI is a little weak, but the solution to the crisis is simple and satisfying, and it's not often that non-humanoid aliens crop up, so enjoy it when they do.

The pairing off of crewmembers has been skimmed over before, Paris telling Kim about the Delaney sisters, for example. It's a given that Kes and Neelix are a couple, but having a child is a bit of a big step (oops, I'm sounding like Sisko now!) that they're both uncertain about. Neelix turns to Mr. Vulcan for advice and uncovers some of Tuvok's impressions on being a Father and how he misses his family, while Kes turns to the Doctor, who can't give her any direction except for being someone to talk to. It's clear that he's still considered a lesser being by the crew at this stage - Neelix is incandescent with rage at being told to leave sickbay, but Kes sees the Doc as a person, and says so.

Neelix' strong emotions come to the fore, and his jealousy over Paris helping Kes carry some vegetables, or righteous indignation at being ejected from sickbay are much funnier by the way he half behaves like a Vulcan. He's so explosive in his anger that his whole body shakes and his arms want to violently wave around, but yet he manages to contain the rage enough that he doesn't go wild, and this partial containment is quite hilarious to see. Janeway knows what to expect from him now and so she only half listens to his complaints until hearing that Kes is ill when she gives him her full attention! The Captain is the one who talks Kes down from her agonised state of mind, and I can't imagine any other Captain being able to keep her dignity and authority, but also hugging a member of her crew to comfort them!

Kes' physical changes make her appear wild and desperate and are very effective in telegraphing her condition, as is Jennifer Lien's breathless, agitated performance, the first chance she's been given to really show her skill. Kes always comes across as so honest and calm, but here she's unrestrained and confused, and there's a bit of humour in that too, just as in Neelix' lack of restraint in anger. When the 'inner' (character) and 'outer' (shipwide) stories both connect there is a better sense of logic and cohesion to an episode, so much more than disconnected plots, and this comes across best in this one, out of the first four episodes.

I think the hints of later things to come help - Ensign Wildman getting pregnant (Janeway calling her by her surname instead of the more familiar first name when she reveals her condition isn't quite right), mention of her husband being back on DS9, the teasing friendship between Janeway and Chakotay (even mention of the Breen!), and the Captain's hope that she'll see Mark again before he gives her up for dead (and she would, just not in the way she expected...) are all pieces in the jigsaw puzzle of the series that have been put into place. Some might have come to fruition better than others, but the episode shows a confidence in it's characters that would continue throughout the season.

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