1-10 Prime FactorsWell, if this episode doesn't convince people that Janeway is unsuited for her position then I don't know what will. She rigidly adheres to some principle that, if broken, wouldn't really have harmed anyone, and would perhaps have made it possible for Voyager to get back home. Frankly she deserved the almost mutiny she got for not looking out for the interests of her crew. And then she scolds them afterwards! It's not a question whether she can trust people like Torres or Tuvok after this, but if the crew can trust her. But naturally they will because this is a weekly TV show, she's the Captain and it will all be forgotten by next episode anyway.
I'm also amazed that the writers did another we-may-be-able-to-get-home episode so soon after
Eye of the Needle, when it's obvious they won't when there are many more seasons left to go. So the attempt was doomed to fail for that reason alone, and accomplished with some convenient technobabble explanation.
And those pleasure-seeking aliens quickly came off as egotistic and unsympathetic, with the exception of that girl Kim befriended. As for the magistrate guy, he set off creepy vibes from the start and I'm surprised Janeway was initially smitten by him. But then again, her judgement was really lacking in this episode.
Given that the aliens have this amazing technology that can transport people tens of thousands of light-years and they are reluctant to share it, it's strange that no one has tried to take it by force. Given how open they are to visitors (and their stories) it wouldn't be much of a secret in this quadrant. Also, since they could allow people like Kim to travel to a planet 40,000 light years away, why wasn't the possibility of transporting the Voyager crew members that distance discussed, even if it meant leaving the ship behind?
It might seem like I didn't care much for this episode, but I still think it was a good if not spectacular outing. It finally showed some serious conflict among the crew on a vital matter, and I really liked that Tuvok sided with the mutineers. After all, it was the only logical course of action.
So I will give
Prime Factors a middle grade of
5 out of 10.
1-11 State of FluxThere's been an embarrassing shortage of really good episodes thus far, so I was happy when
State of Flux came around. Finally an episode that dealt with their specific Delta quadrant predicament, the return of a previously seen (although eventually disappointing) enemy and a mystery done right.
I do like the Seska character but found the revelation that she's really a Cardassian in disguise somewhat disappointing since I think her reasoning wouldn't hinge on her being a member of an "evil" species. I made the whole thing too obvious.
Still, it was rather cleverly done, with the story presenting enough clues for us to tag along but still feel uncertain. Her being alone in that cave where the Kazons also where was something of a Chekov's gun, but could easily have been a misdirection. And her explanations for having the wrong blood sounded perfectly legit, that is until the Doctor set things straight. But I do wonder how she was able to fake her identity for so long. Even the Maquis must try and keep medical records of their people. And no one on Voyager thought it odd that she hadn't been through a medical investigation once the Maquis became crewmembers.
Martha Hackett gave a great and convincing performance as Seska. The character felt real even when she chillingly turned once the game was up. And please don't think me a bad person for thinking that she had a lot of valuable points. I actually find it hard to disagree with her about calling Janeway and Chakotay idiots for missing a lot of opportunities to get home, staring with destroying the Caretaker array. Even so, allying yourself, as she did, with the Kazon wasn't the brightest idea considering that the Kazon aren't that, well, bright. Seska was a complex personality and it's too bad that she will become more of your regular garden variety villain after this.
And I laughed at this line to Tuvok from the gullible Chakotay: "You were working for her [Janeway], Seska was working for them [the Cardassians]. Was anyone on that ship working for me?"
I give
State of Flux a grade of
7+ out of 10.
1-12 Heroes and DemonsThis is you standard holodeck malfunction™ episode, although technically it suffered from an alien intervention, and once again I wonder why they're still allowed on Federation vessels if they're so prone to accidents. And I admit I'm really tired of holodeck stories overall; they're a lazy excuse for the writers to conjure up some artificial drama.
But the episode is somewhat saved by making the Doctor a hero in the tale of Beowulf and Grendel. He gets to shine a little bit and I always like Picardo's performance. He even gets a little holo-romance with Freya the shield maiden, played by Marjorie Monaghan, who would later be in consideration for the role of T'Pol on
Enterprise.
Again, the crew encounters some misunderstood energy alien life form, and it's one time too many. Alas, this if far from the last time this cliché happens.
I admit a chuckled at this exchange: Tuvok: "I would point out there are no demons in Vulcan literature." Chakotay: "That might account for its popularity."
I give
Heroes and Demons a grade of
4-. The Doctor saves it from a 3.