Post by Dimitris on Jun 4, 2004 8:53:16 GMT -5
Star Trek: Voyager The Great Episodes of Season Two
The second season of Star Trek: Voyager was a creative high point with storylines that expanded character backstories, defined the Delta Quadrant and its various alien species more, and took us to places hitherto unknown. Plotlines that would resonate throughout the season and beyond were established and viewers were treated to some of Star Trek's finest hours. Below is a selection of some of the best from Season 2 of Voyager.
"The 37's"
More than the quirky set-up where Voyager first finds an old pickup truck in space, to the discovery of several abducted humans from 1937 Earth, including legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart, this episode is all about the possibility of starting life over on a planet that resembles home versus loyalty to captain and crew. "The 37's" provides one of the most heartwarming scenes in Trek when Captain Janeway orders any departing crew to report to a cargo bay before leaving. As the temptation is obvious, she assumes a number of her crew will be waiting to leave the ship. As she enters, you sense the possible effect of the loss that she faces and the potential impact on her mission to get back to the Alpha Quadrant. Of course, the crew is loyal down to the last person, but you still get the sense that if just one crewmember had decided to stay behind, it would have been a huge personal blow to Janeway.
Although originally shot for the first season, "The 37's" was actually held over to the second season's air schedule, serving as the season premiere.
"Initiations"
The Kazon are a strange race. Although they are spacefaring beings, they somehow appear to lack any real sophistication. Perhaps their hairstyle precludes any sense of style. One thing they do have is a set of strict rituals that define their hierarchy. "Initiations" is the episode where we get to see them in full bloom. The story is set in motion by a young whippersnapper of a Kazon, Kar (Aron Eisenberg, on loan to Voyager from Deep Space Nine), who must gain his warrior name by carrying out a killing. Unfortunately, the unwitting intended victim is Chakotay, who happens to be passing this area of space in a shuttlecraft while undergoing his own ritual that commemorates his father's death. What we see in this episode is a great deal of what it means to be a true warrior, for once from a non-Klingon perspective, and how being a warrior isn't so much about killing, but acting honorably.
"Non Sequitur"
One of the things Voyager did successfully was finding new ways to play with time, in the form of potential timelines and alternate realities. In this instance, Harry Kim, by some bizarre intersection of an alien species' "time-streams," ends up back on Earth, upwardly mobile in Starfleet, engaged to be married and happy as a clam. The only problem is that he isn't supposed to be there. "Non Sequitur" gives us a great look at San Francisco (much filmed on the Paramount backlot), life back in Starfleet and what could have been his reality had he not been assigned to Voyager's crew. What makes "Non Sequitur" so interesting is the fact that Harry and Tom Paris have a relationship, even in this reality, that mirrors closely the one in their own reality. Friendship and sacrifice are two themes that emerge from "Non Sequitur."
"Alliances"
It's those Kazon again. In a story that draws parallels to a "Godfather"-like scenario, "Alliances" is a cautionary tale of two Delta Quadrant races that demonstrates that in space, no one's trust is sacred. When the Trabe, who once enslaved the Kazon, enlist the trust of the Voyager crew to convene a meeting with the various heads of the Kazon sects, the Trabe stage a ruthless attack that alters the balance of power considerably. Janeway and the Voyager crew, understandably vulnerable, are rocked by this betrayal, and their potential "alliance" to ensure their safety is questionable.
"Meld"
When Tuvok mind-melds with a deranged crewman accused of murder aboard Voyager, it sets off a range of emotions in the normally stoic Vulcan. What is fascinating about this episode is that we see what can only be described as Tuvok going to a bad place. His meld with Lon Suder releases something that even he cannot fathom: irrational behavior that leads to illogical actions. In other words, Tuvok comes into direct contact with something his Vulcan mind simply cannot comprehend, the fact that Suder acted without any visible means of motivation to carry out a senseless act of violence.
"Dreadnought"
You may have seen this idea before: good (albeit destructive) machinery goes bad and endangers the lives of millions. When a guided missile from hell, the titular Dreadnought, loses its bearings in the Delta Quadrant, Superman is not around to save the day. But Torres is and she's no slouch. As it is, the super engineer has to convince this wayward piece of technology that it is not in the Alpha Quadrant anymore, and is in fact about to destroy a planet with 2 million innocent lives. Don't you hate it when that happens?
"Death Wish"
A Charles Bronson revenge movie perhaps? Not quite, just a story that, again, makes us love science fiction. When a nearly omnipotent being is actually bored with the goings-on in his life of eternity, he wishes to end it quietly. However, to the Q, that race of powerful, super-intelligent hyper-beings, this represents something of a treasonous act against the rest of their race. For a being who has everything and could, conceivably, do whatever it takes to make himself happy, it makes no sense to even desire an end to it all. What follows in this episode are some great cameos (John de Lancie as "Q" and Jonathan Frakes as "Riker") and some great conundrums. A fun yet thought-provoking episode.
"Tuvix"
If this were a Spice Girls song, the title would be "2 Becomes 1 Becomes 2." If asked, Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons might comment "Best episode EV-er!" Bottom line, "Tuvix" is that perfect mix of great science fiction (the fusing of Tuvok and Neelix through a transporter mishap) and drama (the unwillingness of "Tuvix" to become two again) with a moral dilemma at its core that, to this day, makes people talk. Tom Wright gives a perfectly nuanced performance as the new lifeform that seems to have the best of both worlds, the logic of the Vulcan and the gregariousness of Neelix. A true classic.
"Resolutions"
For the "will they won't they" brigade, this episode offered some closure on the question that fans had been asking since the show began. The question: Will Janeway and Chakotay hook up? The answer: No. "Resolutions" gave us a nice answer to the question without ever stating categorically one way or another. When the two are forced to lead a life together (temporarily, it turns out) on a remote planet quarantined from Voyager, they must confront questions about their relationship. Ultimately, the "resolution" is clear and the final act sees the two comfortable with their future together.
"Basics, Part I"
"Basics" represents the first two-part episode of Voyager, and it's a good one. When Janeway and crew are led into a trap and thrown off their own ship by the Kazon, with help from Seska, it means they will eventually rely on others aboard Voyager who are left behind. One of them is the Doctor, who is a computer program still limited to the confines of Sickbay, and the other is top-notch psycho Ensign Lon Suder. The cliffhanger at the end sees the crew stranded on a remote planet, with little means of escape. The question then is, how do they? That will be revealed, of course, in Season 3!
www.startrek.com
The second season of Star Trek: Voyager was a creative high point with storylines that expanded character backstories, defined the Delta Quadrant and its various alien species more, and took us to places hitherto unknown. Plotlines that would resonate throughout the season and beyond were established and viewers were treated to some of Star Trek's finest hours. Below is a selection of some of the best from Season 2 of Voyager.
"The 37's"
More than the quirky set-up where Voyager first finds an old pickup truck in space, to the discovery of several abducted humans from 1937 Earth, including legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart, this episode is all about the possibility of starting life over on a planet that resembles home versus loyalty to captain and crew. "The 37's" provides one of the most heartwarming scenes in Trek when Captain Janeway orders any departing crew to report to a cargo bay before leaving. As the temptation is obvious, she assumes a number of her crew will be waiting to leave the ship. As she enters, you sense the possible effect of the loss that she faces and the potential impact on her mission to get back to the Alpha Quadrant. Of course, the crew is loyal down to the last person, but you still get the sense that if just one crewmember had decided to stay behind, it would have been a huge personal blow to Janeway.
Although originally shot for the first season, "The 37's" was actually held over to the second season's air schedule, serving as the season premiere.
"Initiations"
The Kazon are a strange race. Although they are spacefaring beings, they somehow appear to lack any real sophistication. Perhaps their hairstyle precludes any sense of style. One thing they do have is a set of strict rituals that define their hierarchy. "Initiations" is the episode where we get to see them in full bloom. The story is set in motion by a young whippersnapper of a Kazon, Kar (Aron Eisenberg, on loan to Voyager from Deep Space Nine), who must gain his warrior name by carrying out a killing. Unfortunately, the unwitting intended victim is Chakotay, who happens to be passing this area of space in a shuttlecraft while undergoing his own ritual that commemorates his father's death. What we see in this episode is a great deal of what it means to be a true warrior, for once from a non-Klingon perspective, and how being a warrior isn't so much about killing, but acting honorably.
"Non Sequitur"
One of the things Voyager did successfully was finding new ways to play with time, in the form of potential timelines and alternate realities. In this instance, Harry Kim, by some bizarre intersection of an alien species' "time-streams," ends up back on Earth, upwardly mobile in Starfleet, engaged to be married and happy as a clam. The only problem is that he isn't supposed to be there. "Non Sequitur" gives us a great look at San Francisco (much filmed on the Paramount backlot), life back in Starfleet and what could have been his reality had he not been assigned to Voyager's crew. What makes "Non Sequitur" so interesting is the fact that Harry and Tom Paris have a relationship, even in this reality, that mirrors closely the one in their own reality. Friendship and sacrifice are two themes that emerge from "Non Sequitur."
"Alliances"
It's those Kazon again. In a story that draws parallels to a "Godfather"-like scenario, "Alliances" is a cautionary tale of two Delta Quadrant races that demonstrates that in space, no one's trust is sacred. When the Trabe, who once enslaved the Kazon, enlist the trust of the Voyager crew to convene a meeting with the various heads of the Kazon sects, the Trabe stage a ruthless attack that alters the balance of power considerably. Janeway and the Voyager crew, understandably vulnerable, are rocked by this betrayal, and their potential "alliance" to ensure their safety is questionable.
"Meld"
When Tuvok mind-melds with a deranged crewman accused of murder aboard Voyager, it sets off a range of emotions in the normally stoic Vulcan. What is fascinating about this episode is that we see what can only be described as Tuvok going to a bad place. His meld with Lon Suder releases something that even he cannot fathom: irrational behavior that leads to illogical actions. In other words, Tuvok comes into direct contact with something his Vulcan mind simply cannot comprehend, the fact that Suder acted without any visible means of motivation to carry out a senseless act of violence.
"Dreadnought"
You may have seen this idea before: good (albeit destructive) machinery goes bad and endangers the lives of millions. When a guided missile from hell, the titular Dreadnought, loses its bearings in the Delta Quadrant, Superman is not around to save the day. But Torres is and she's no slouch. As it is, the super engineer has to convince this wayward piece of technology that it is not in the Alpha Quadrant anymore, and is in fact about to destroy a planet with 2 million innocent lives. Don't you hate it when that happens?
"Death Wish"
A Charles Bronson revenge movie perhaps? Not quite, just a story that, again, makes us love science fiction. When a nearly omnipotent being is actually bored with the goings-on in his life of eternity, he wishes to end it quietly. However, to the Q, that race of powerful, super-intelligent hyper-beings, this represents something of a treasonous act against the rest of their race. For a being who has everything and could, conceivably, do whatever it takes to make himself happy, it makes no sense to even desire an end to it all. What follows in this episode are some great cameos (John de Lancie as "Q" and Jonathan Frakes as "Riker") and some great conundrums. A fun yet thought-provoking episode.
"Tuvix"
If this were a Spice Girls song, the title would be "2 Becomes 1 Becomes 2." If asked, Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons might comment "Best episode EV-er!" Bottom line, "Tuvix" is that perfect mix of great science fiction (the fusing of Tuvok and Neelix through a transporter mishap) and drama (the unwillingness of "Tuvix" to become two again) with a moral dilemma at its core that, to this day, makes people talk. Tom Wright gives a perfectly nuanced performance as the new lifeform that seems to have the best of both worlds, the logic of the Vulcan and the gregariousness of Neelix. A true classic.
"Resolutions"
For the "will they won't they" brigade, this episode offered some closure on the question that fans had been asking since the show began. The question: Will Janeway and Chakotay hook up? The answer: No. "Resolutions" gave us a nice answer to the question without ever stating categorically one way or another. When the two are forced to lead a life together (temporarily, it turns out) on a remote planet quarantined from Voyager, they must confront questions about their relationship. Ultimately, the "resolution" is clear and the final act sees the two comfortable with their future together.
"Basics, Part I"
"Basics" represents the first two-part episode of Voyager, and it's a good one. When Janeway and crew are led into a trap and thrown off their own ship by the Kazon, with help from Seska, it means they will eventually rely on others aboard Voyager who are left behind. One of them is the Doctor, who is a computer program still limited to the confines of Sickbay, and the other is top-notch psycho Ensign Lon Suder. The cliffhanger at the end sees the crew stranded on a remote planet, with little means of escape. The question then is, how do they? That will be revealed, of course, in Season 3!
www.startrek.com