Voyager!


Year 2000

Just a quick note that my critiques in 1998 have largely 
been remedied.  The characters have all been redeemed 
of the faults I listed then.  Tom Paris has undergone 
some growth experience and Seven of Nine has 
contributed a unique and special new character fitting 
the Star Trek Genre.  

In fact, the combination of the Doctor, The Borg and 
the Vulcan give us a unique triumverate of alternative 
beings comparable to the uniqueness of the original 
Mr. Spock.

Yes, I know Neelix is up there too, even if he does have 
to rely on quite human resources and isn't perfectly 
logical, capable of transmitting himself or conscious 
of the difference between individuality and the 
collective.

And just because I haven't mentioned Janeway, Torres,
Kim and others does not mean they aren't doing the 
greatest job - right on!

Year 1998

As you read this, do not let my rambling critique's give  
you the impression I do not love this show.  Although  
Roddenberry's death has left a horrible void, the  
momentum he placed in motion is still moving.  From  
Captain Janeway's cup of coffee to Neelix's soup, there is  
hardly finer dining on TV. 

Though this essay may sound critical, I love this show
very much.  I wondered why I was so critical.  The 
answer came to me.  This show does not only have the
criteria of good acting and good scripts to live up
to, but my own idea's of the Star Trek genre, all the
past character boundries of specific races within the
federation, and the general ideals instilled by Gene
Roddenberry to maintain themes of mutual cooperation,
tolerance, intelligence and recognition of protocols
required within specific hierarchies.  All in all, any
actor in this crew has to cover a lot more bases than
any other show except Deep Space Nine that is on 
Television today.  My praise to all the characters,
even Tom Paris.
 
Voyager is one of the greats in the Golden Age of  
Television.  In the traditional manner, Voyager continues  
to raise the consciousness of society while providing  
relaxing entertainment, unlike so many programs that  
lower the consciousness of society by numbing people to  
the events of our time. 
 
A consistent issue across all Star Trek serials is how the  
program is engaged in educating people with futuristic  
cultural themes.  This being done in the idealism that our  
future would embrace our ideas of justice for all.   
 
Keep in mind, that about the same time Bobby Inman  
stated the future is no longer what it used to be, Gene  
Roddenberry dies and many of us see the Machiavellian  
aspects of our social order rise above our precepts of  
justice for all. 
 
Voyager as a post-Roddenberry series, begins to see a  
relaxing of the ideals with the allowance of characters  
who stray.  Not wanting to be too harsh on Tom Paris, he  
is this character.  In one episode we see him dare  
Chakotay to remove his mask and breathe the toxic  
atmosphere.  While we learn later that this was not the  
real Tom Paris, it was quite believable and in character  
for Tom.  Ensign Kim has a tendency to keep up with  
Tom Paris and also shows signs of straying. 

B'Ellana Torres strays also.  In "Ship in a Bottle" she
becomes irate with Seven of Nine over behavior.  While
she may be in part justified: some people are rude and
impolite, I do not think she was here and furthermore,
her scenario creates a foundation for the basis for
unethical discrimination based on cultural nuances for 
fascist corporatism to attack without cause the 
individual.  On a Starship, there is a hierarchy of
authority.  Either Seven of Nine is acting within it
or she is not.  That can be dealt with.  However, the
subjective attack on Seven of Nine is consistent with 
the arbitrary way in which corporations are engaging in
discrimination: a newer, more subtle way.  If a group of
people wish to get rid of someone, someone complains 
about that persons style.  In a case of someone being
attacked, they are usually cautious and there is nothing
substantial to attack them with.  However, using a 
subjective value, one person may lead an attack.  If
this does not create friction, another person may join.
Now, several of the group who wish to discriminate simply
have to chorus in and the truth is out the window, and
the person targeted has lost their job.  I think that
B'Ellana's attack against Seven of Nine was uncalled for
and the scripting was the result of the new unethical 
corporate fascist influence that has replaced Gene 
Roddenberry.  Star Trek does portray a military hierarchy
similar to a corporate/fasciestic culture, and I am not
criticizing that.  I am critical that any Star Trek 
episode would validate what is being used as a means to
circumvent protections against discrimination enabling
the corporate fascistic structure to engage in petty and
arbitrary attacks against individuals who have otherwise
done their job well, and who perhaps are the victims of
political groups seeking to discriminate in subtle ways.
Star Trek teaches to accept the multi-cultural melting
pot.  To now start validating non-cooperation and feuding
based on possible cultural differences, possible other
undisclosed factors, or simply rascist and discriminatory
agenda's is something Gene Roddenberry would have 
unmasked and presented in full scope.

Otherwise, I like B'Ellana's character very much, and as
she was not part of such a deliberate targeting of 
someone, I am not condemning the character which is 
very good at all:  I am only condemning the specific
incident which writers used to backslide on the very
tight ethical systems integral to Star Trek.
 
The Star Trek theme of justice for all and mutually  
respectful behaviors for differing cultures was in direct  
contrast to the egotistical one-step-upmanship of  
individuals plagued by inferiority complexes and low self  
esteem, who behave condescending to others to make  
themselves feel better.  From Star Trek to the next
Generation we saw the development for more respectful
interaction, which is maintained well in Deep Space
Nine.  Voyager, while having much greatness from the
momentum and culture that exists, must be careful 
not to undermine the cultural advances put forth by
Star Trek Serials in general by validating childish
abuses that are fitting only for the Q.
 
In one Voyager episode, the Doctor.  says "facts be  
darned"(in order to save lives) but later reverses this  
belief realizing that history is doomed to repeat 
itself as  long as lies are allowed to supplant truth.
This is very admirable and is consistent with the 
ethical values established by Star Trek Series, and
consistent with the realization that the means affect
the ends, or that Machiavellian politics is self 
defeating and ultimately displaces tyranny with 
tyranny.  

With discipline and respect, the crew of Voyager 
presents  responsible, highly aware, and conscientious 
role models for today's and tomorrow's societies.
Seven of Nine has adapted admirable and quick, and
detached and dedicated, present a professional
demeanor.  Chakotay, although not of Star Fleet,
has adapted as if he has had the best training 
there is.  

Inclusion of vision quests, lucid dreaming, and
other phenomenon still veiled from science but
beyond denial by Chakotay brings a valuable asset
to Voyager.  The lesson here is for science to 
work to understand the unknown, rather than 
go into childish denial of that which cannot be
quantified or tested by scientific means.

I was sorry to see Tess go.  And I think I recognize
Tuvoc.  Wasn't he the same guy who tried to Hijack
Picard's enterprise when it was being cleaned of
Barium particles.  Of course, he was human in that
episode, but he could have had his Vulcan ears 
masked.  Tuvoc has had a very hard role to follow
after Mr. Spock, but I am sure that this offers 
Tuvoc many opportunities not yet exercised.  Indeed,
Tuvoc has hardly started to play the logic card.

I relate very much to Neelix, being an inventive
cook myself, with a diverse background of knowledge.
I think there is much we can see in the growth of
Neelix's character, discovering new talents no-one
knew he had.

The Doctor is quite the innovation.  A holographic
officer who can travel radio networks is quite an
accomplishment, and I think Janeway will have lots
to show off if she ever gets back to Earth.

Janeway has a very tough role.  To follow all the
male captains of the past, and keep that authority
and respect while not losing her feminine traits.
I think she is doing it, and will continue to lead
the way.  Her role is quite important as it deals 
with a leadership role of women in society.  There
are plenty of scenario's to test her, and much in
real life to draw on which may be hurled at her to
see how she responds!

Janeway, as the first famous female captain of a Star  
Fleet Vessel hopefully will not let a "June Lockhart in  
Lassie" motherliness get in the way of her being a  
captain as she deals with infantile and egotistical  
behavior from one of her officers who is influencing the  
others. 
 
If Janeway wants to be June Lockhart in Lassie, Parris  
will suffice as Timmy.  If she's going to get the Voyager  
home, she'll need to make a real Star Fleet officer out of  
Tom.

I think Tom is a bad influence on the crew.  He is  
kind of like an immature 'Q', without the power of 'Q' or  
the discipline of Star Fleet. He has done lots of good
too, and he has become more disciplined, but he must
work on his trifling behaviors and perhaps low self
esteem.

Tom Paris is not without hope.  If Janeway hadn't turned  
into a lizard and had sex with him, she probably would  
have kicked his butt and got him in shape by now,  
instead of being his lover.  Paris needs a make-over: an  
episode where he grows up fast.  Perhaps make him into  
a victim of a Catch 22 so he understands the importance  
of mutual respect.
 
"Q" represented that elitist of the oligarchy which is  
above the law, above morals, totally egotistical and  
without conscious.  As Americans are slowly  
brainwashed into forgetting our beliefs in Justice and  
Truth and Human Rights, gradually buying into the  
egocentric arrogance of power by wealth, we lose the  
striving for a classless system and slip back into the  
horrors of a past epitomized by caste systems, nobility,  
serfs and laws that are the whims of some and no more  
than tools of enslavement for others.  As America forgets  
Thomas Jefferson and misquotes Thomas Jefferson, the  
culture of Star Trek is threatened by the culture of the Q  
continuum. 
 
I love Voyager's crew.  Chakotay, Ensign Kim, B'llana  
Torres, Tuvoc, Tess, Neelix, Seven of Nine, Captain  
Janeway, the doctor, Ensign Kim and even Tom Paris.
I hope to see them chart more unexplored space than
Captain Kirk before they are through, and to expose 
the overt monsters of Captain Kirk, as well as the
more covert monters Picard had to deal with.  


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Eoroneth

Eoroneth@hotmail.com
California
United States