Created by Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor
Network: UPN
Cast: Kate Mulgrew (1), Robert Beltran (2), Tim Russ (3), Robert Duncan McNeill (4), Roxann Dawson (5), Garrett Wang, Robert Picardo (6), Ethan Phillips (7), Jennifer Lien, and Alicia Coppola (8)
Blink & Miss It - Alicia Coppola has a small speaking role in the first episode of Star Trek Voyager. I first noticed her when she played a murderer on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation so when I re-watched Star Trek Voyager, I noticed her straightaway.
My interest in Star Trek began in the mid 90s when I started watching Star Trek Voyager late at night on cable TV with my mum. She was the one who was interested in science fiction space shows and she got me hooked on them too. Shows like Babylon 5, seaQuest DSV, and of course Star Trek Voyager was the staple for late night viewing at home. She would shoo me off to bed because it usually airs really late at night and I had school the next morning. So I would beg her to record them for me and I would watch it in the afternoon after school.
Even so, I missed quite a bit of the series and only saw parts of the series and never in its entirety. It was only in the early 2000s when I was studying in Australia that I rediscovered my interest in the series when I stumbled upon the Star Trek Voyager series on DVD! We didn't have Blu Ray theAll 7 seasons! We didn't have Blu Ray then. But it was still pretty pricey. But I never regretted spending money on the DVDs because I fell in love with the series and its characters. When I watched the final episode, I was pretty bummed and wish there was more to watch.
Strangely, I never got hooked on the other series under the Star Trek franchise like Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, or Star Trek: Enterprise. I haven't tried watching them again but maybe one day I will.
The reason why I decided to pull out my Star Trek Voyager DVDs and take them out of storage to watch is because of the soon to be released Star Trek film Star Trek Into Darkness, a follow-up to the first J.J. Abrams' film in 2009 Star Trek. I thought, why not re-watch the series that got me sucked into the world Gene Roddenberry created before the film is released. That would be a great way to remember all the reasons I fell in love with the ethos of Star Trek.
So here I am. Sitting back in the chair of my home "office", feet propped up on my bed, cold coffee beside me, on an enjoyable Monday afternoon, about to embark on a journey back into the Delta quadrant with Captain Janeway and her Voyager crew.
Episode 1 & 2 - Caretaker
It took 2 1-hour episodes just to set up the premise of the show. While the 2 episodes may be a little slow moving, I'm still glad they did it because it really allowed the audience to get to know the various players in the series better. And since Star Trek Voyager has a large ensemble cast, it had A LOT to do!
Here's a crew list for Season 1:
Captain Kathryn Janeway played by Kate Mulgrew
First Officer Chakotay played by Robert Beltran
Security and Tactical Officer Tuvok played by Tim Russ
Helmsman and Medic Tom Paris played by Robert Duncan McNeill
Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres played by Roxann Dawson
Operations Officer Harry Kim played by Garrett Wang
The Emergency Medical Hologram Doctor played by Robert Picardo
Cook, Morale Officer, and Ambassador Neelix played by Ethan Phillips
Nurse and Botanist Kes played by Jennifer Lien
"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kanas anymore."
- Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in the film The Wizard Of Oz
 |
Stadi: Do you always fly at women at warp speed Mr Paris?
Paris: Only when they're in visual range. |
 |
Reminds me of the scene when Bones and Kirk
first see the Enterprise from their shuttle. |
 |
| The U.S.S Voyager. What a beauty. |
Lieutenant Stadi: That's our ship. That's Voyager. Intrepid-class. Sustainable cruise velocity of warp factor 9.975. 15 decks. Crew compliment of 141. Bio-neural circuitry.
Tom Paris: Bio-neural?
Lieutenant Stadi: Some of the traditional circuitry has been replaced by gel packs that contain bio-neural cells. They organise information more efficiently. Speed up response time.
I love that Star Trek Voyager is the only Star Trek series with a female captain as a main character. And I think Kate Mulgrew does a fantastic job as Captain Kathryn Janeway. She is able to inspire with her leadership abilities and to be empathetic to the needs of her crew. And the fact that Voyager has a female captain is lightheartedly addressed with this scene between Harry Kim, Tom Paris and Captain Janeway.
 |
=P I love the budding relationships you can see
even in the first episode of the season. |
Captain Janeway: Gentlemen, welcome aboard Voyager.
Harry Kim: Thank you Sir.
Captain Janeway: Mr Kim, at ease before you sprain something. Ensign, despite Starfleet protocol, I don't like to be addressed as Sir.
Harry Kim: I'm sorry... Ma'am.
Captain Janeway: Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch but I prefer Captain. We're getting ready to leave let me show you to the bridge.
Now the bromance between Tom Paris and Harry Kim is evident right from the moment Tom saves Harry from the Ferengi who is trying to talk him into buying a gift for his parents. And I love the way Harry stands by Tom despite knowing his history. It is very telling of both their characters.
Tom Paris: There you see. I told you it wouldn't take long.
Harry Kim: Is it true?
Tom Paris: Was the accident my fault? Yes. Pilot Error. But it took me awhile to admit it. Urgh! 14 varieties and they can't even get plain tomato soup right.
Harry Kim: They said you falsified reports.
Tom Paris: That's right.
Harry Kim: Why?
Tom Paris: What's the difference? I lied.
Harry Kim: But then you came forward and you admitted that it was your fault?
Tom Paris: I'll tell you the truth Harry. All I had to do was to keep my mouth shut and I was home free. But I couldn't. The ghosts of those three dead officers came to me in the middle of the night and taught me the true meaning of Christmas. So I confessed. Pft. Worst mistake I ever made, but not my last. After they cashiered me out of Starfleet I went out looking for a fight and found the Marquis. And on my first assignment I was caught.
Harry Kim: It must have been especially tough on you, being the son of an Admiral.
Tom Paris: Frankly I think it was tougher on my father than it was on me. Look, I know those guys told you to stay away from me and you know what, you ought to listen to them. I'm not exactly a good luck charm.
Harry Kim: I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me.
Friendship is one of the core themes of Star Trek Voyager. It is friendship that helped the Voyager crew to survive as long as they did in the Delta quadrant. And from friendship, it of course develops into a tight knit familial bond.
Tuvok is the logical one of the group which as I understand from the special features is the least alike his character. You see Tim Russ, a fantastic actor who also guest starred in my favourite science fiction series seaQuest DSV, is very easy going and very much the joker of the group. While Tuvok is a character with the driest sense of humour. If not for the special features, I would have never know he was the comedian of the lot.
By the mere fact that Captain Janeway goes after Tuvok when he disappears in the Badlands, we know that she is someone who never gives up on a person under her charge, and that Tuvok is someone of importance to her. And we find that out in their discussion in the first 2 episodes of the season.
 |
Captain Janeway and Tuvok. What she lacks, he provides.
What he lacks, she provides. Now that's what I call
a great working relationship. |
Tuvok: Captain. You require sleep.
Captain Janeway: Kim's mother called me just after he left earth. Delightful woman. He's her only son. He left his clarinet behind. She wanted to know if she had time to send it. I had to tell her no. Did you know he played the clarinet in the Juilliard Youth Symphony?
Tuvok: I did not have the opportunity to meet Mr. Kim.
Captain Janeway: I barely knew him. I never assumed to have the chance to get to know any of them. I have to urm... I have to take more time to do that. It's a fine crew. And I've got to get them home.
Tuvok: The crew will not benefit from the leadership of an exhausted captain.
Captain Janeway: You're right as usual. I have missed your counsel Tuvok.
Tuvok: I am gratified that you came after me so I can offer once again.
Captain Janeway: I spoke to your family before I left.
Tuvok: Are they well?
Captain Janeway: Well... But worried about you.
Tuvok: That would not be an accurate perception captain. Vulcans do not worry.
Captain Janeway: They miss you.
Tuvok: As I do them.
Captain Janeway: I'll get you back to them. That's a promise Tuvok.
Another very fascinating relationship that exists in Star Trek Voyager is between 2 very opposite characters - Tuvok and Neelix. Not everyone has the affinity to become good friends. And it's really fascinating to see Tuvok and Neelix try to find a way to co-exist amicable. This relationship's roots form in this 2 episode pilot and already even without knowing what comes next, we can foresee a lot of issues between these two.
 |
| Tuvok looked so uncomfortable it made me laugh so hard. |
Captain Janeway: We'd appreciate any help you could give us in finding these Ocampa.
Neelix: I, I, I really wish that I could help you. I do. But as you can see there's just, there's so much debris for me to investigate today. You'd be surprised the things of value some people abandon.
Captain Janeway: Of course we'd want to compensate you for your trouble.
Neelix: Ah! There's really very little you could offer me. Unless...
Captain Janeway: Yes?
Neelix: Unless of course you had... water?
Captian Janeway: If you help us find our missing crew members, you can have all the water you want.
Neelix: That sounds like a very reasonable arrangement.
Captain Janeway: Good. We're beam you over and tow your ship into our shuttle bay. Mr Tuvok, go to transporter room 2 and meet our guest.
Neelix: Beam?
Captain Janeway: We have a technology which can take you instantly from your ship to ours. It's quite harmless. May we?
Tuvok: Energise.
Neelix: Astonishing! You Federations are obviously an advanced culture.
Tuvok: The Federation is made up of many cultures. I am Vulcan.
Neelix: Neelix. Good to meet you! Interesting. What? What exactly? What exactly does all this, all this do?
Tuvok: I assure you that everything in this room has a specific function. However it would take several hours to explain it all. I suggest we proceed to your quarters. Perhaps you would care for a bath.
Neelix: A what?
Oh and I love the way Harry talks back to B'Elanna. It really changes our perception of his 'pushover' status from when he encountered the Ferengi. It also sets up a friendship between B'Elanna and Harry that promises much playful jabs and name calling. Mostly by B'Elanna calling Harry 'Starfleet'.
 |
| B'Elanna meets Harry 'Starfleet' Kim for the first time. |
Harry Kim: It's okay. It's okay.
B'Elanna Torres: Who are you?
Harry Kim: My name is Kim. Harry Kim. I'm an Ensign on the starship Voyager. I was kidnapped from the array just like you were. I don't know where we are.
B'Elanna Torres: What was Starfleet doing at that array?
Harry Kim: We were looking for you actually. I mean one minute we're in the badlands, the next we're...
B'Elanna Torres: You mean you were trying to capture us!
Harry Kim: Yeah. Consider yourself captured. Oh I know I have a phaser here somewhere.
B'Elanna Torres: I don't find this at all amusing Starfleet.
Harry Kim: There's no point. It's locked. Hey! Hey hey hey what's that going to accomplish?
B'Elanna Torres: What are they doing to us? What are these things growing on us?
Harry Kim: Look do you want them to sedate you again?
B'Elanna Torres: You're right Starfleet. It's the Klingon half of me. It's just hard to control sometimes.
Harry Kim: What's your name Marquis?
B'Elanna Torres: B'Elanna. B'Elanna Torres.
