Star Trek: Voyager Reviews for Season Six

Biggest unintentional laugh of the episode?  Janeway when asked if she's ever broken the Prime Directive saying that she may have 'bent' it but never broken it.  That one put me on the floor.  For crying out loud, Voyager is stuck in the Delta Quadrant because she broke the Prime Directive.  What about that war she interfered with?  You know, the one where she picked herself up a Borg cutie on the cube?  Plus, countless other times when aliens have refused her passage through their space but she's bombed on through any way.  (Including that time when Seven went off to discover the Raven and Janeway followed her.)

And people wonder why Seven adores her so much. ; )

In any event, we're left with Janeway on Voyager and *gasp*, Seven trapped on the Equinox which is getting away (along with the 'good' Doctor, I think because he would have had to go somewhere when the 'evil' Doctor took his device ... hey, I like the guy, but let's not have any smarmy romantic stuff with him for Seven to start the sixth season.)  I'm sure Janeway will track down these villains and rescue the girl but man, what a long summer it's going to be.  It's a far more disappointing ending than Hope and Fear of last year.

(September 23, 1999)
Well, no subtext to speak of whatsoever unless one presents the case that Janeway was really after Seven rather than Ransom ... naw, even I can't push for that one.  In any event, Janeway and Seven weren't in one scene together so that severely damages the sub-text factor. About the only thing I could possibly point out, is how well Seven defended her captain.  But honestly, it wasn't enough to grant a star.

However, as I watched, I couldn't help thinking that this is the Janeway I'd be writing in the JB series if Seven was not a factor (though why I would want to in the first place, is unfathomable ... but that's not the point I'm trying to make).  Janeway has nothing and no one to temper her (not even our favorite Borg who wasn't even on Voyager for most of this episode).  Heck, the captain hasn't even had a day off in six years.  Her exec is not Starfleet and seems incapable of performing as an adequate first officer that she can respect ... unsurprising because he became her exec by accident rather than because he was carefully chosen by her (and Starfleet) to balance her temperament.  As a result, though Janeway claims to trust him, I don't really believe she does, and his opinion on Starfleet is well known, so he doesn't really have faith in her, either.  It makes for a completely uncertain relationship at a time when a captain and his/her exec requires absolute faith in each other.  It leaves a viewer wondering why she doesn't replace him because after six years since they're no more a smoothly working team than they were in the first season (actually, they were better in the first season).  On the other hand, who else could fill the role?  Tuvok comes to mind immediately, but even he backed down in the face of all that red headed fury.  His cool logic would be a nice counter to her emotion (as another Vulcan provided for a certain captain), but his history with her might preclude such a thing.  So here she is, with very limited choices which only makes her command more difficult.

Janeway has no one to answer to nor does she have anyone to relieve the load.  She would, I think, progress to this jittery, on-the-edge, slightly-out-of-control woman in exactly this manner.  Starfleet is all she has to hang onto, even if she has to bend the protocols to uphold them.  That may seem an oxymoron, of course, but not really.  The harder one tries to hang onto something, the more it slips away ... in this case, her ideals.  In the end, she was not so different from Ransom which was probably the point they were trying to make, but while Ransom died a heroic death, Janeway goes on to the next episode with little sense of growth, so in the end, her character is damaged a little in the eyes of the viewers.  The last scene was evocative but weak.  I think they were trying to indicate, with Voyager's plaque falling that so did her captain and by putting it up together, Janeway and Chakotay would start anew.  The problem is, it shouldn't be that easy. Or maybe Janeway did acknowledge her failure but if so, it was done in a way that left things cloudy.

There's nothing wrong with being cloudy, DS9 excelled at it, after all.  But when a plot wasn't completely handled in one episode, they tended to go back to it in a future ep.  Voyager, on the other hand, prides itself on providing stand alone episodes with little in the way of ongoing sub-plots so characterization like this has no flow at all.  It comes across as jarring and not at all true to the characters.

Janeway is absolutely alone in what could be considered unbearable circumstances and as the series progresses, that becomes even more clear.   If ever a Borg had to present her case, it's now.  Janeway really needs a safe haven, a confidante, a place where she can go and be something other than the captain.  (And somehow, I don't think an Irish pub and a big bear of a bartender is the way to go.)

Next week is a Seven show.  One can always hope for a scene or two between her and Kathryn.

(September 30, 1999)
As I watched this episode, all I could think is that this is what Voyager should be all the time and alas, will probably not be again this season because Ron Moore wrote this episode and as we know, he is no longer with the show.  And until now, I don't think I really realized what that meant.  Now I do and I feel kinda sick inside.

There wasn't much sub-text, and honestly that's to be expected.  Where in the fourth season, the 'heart-to-heart' talks that Seven undertook all would have been with the captain, now they're obviously spreading the scenes amongst the characters.  This year, Seven has one with the captain, one with Chakotay, one with the Doctor and heck, one with B'Elanna (and what did the engineer do to her hair?!?).  As a J/7er, I miss the fourth season sensibility, but I do understand why they're trying for more ensemble now in the sixth season, particularly with Mulgrew demanding  more time off and the rest of the cast demanding more scenes. Certainly, Jeri Ryan is such a fine actress that she elevates whatever scene she's in, thereby making the others in the cast look better by extension.  They benefit by having more scenes with her.  But I still liked the Janeway/Seven scene the most.  And I notice that Janeway's still getting in her personal space and there was also a nice little look in sickbay.

I liked this ep and if the rest of the season was like this, even without a lot of J/7 scenes, I would be a happy little Trekker.  However, the cynic in me doubts it because they replaced Moore with Biller (writer of such gems as Bliss ... 'nuff said).  But who knows?

(October 16th, 1999) Quite a few readers point out that when the Borg modules were offered to Seven, she told the guy that "Captain Janeway would take care of any remuneration."  Apparently, for couples, this is rather significant as in "My girlfriend will pay for it."  I don't know that I buy that entirely, but because it was mentioned to me a few times, I'm going to go with it. *G*

(October 9, 1999)
Seven simply wasn't in many scenes in this episode. ( In fact, it's been kind of a slim season this year so far for J/7 interaction, but then, so was last year other than Drone, Latent Image and Dark Frontier.  Those were great, however, so one must always have hope for the rest of season.)  I enjoyed the show, found all the performances quite entertaining and liked seeing a character find her 'roots'.  Three episodes, three fairly decent character-before-plot scripts.  One can only hope it continues (even with Ron Moore leaving).

It was nice to see B'Elanna given a chance to shine (plus, she looked quite fantastic in that Klingon outfit) and of course, the rest of the cast had some nice bits.  Not too much to comment on for this page because of course, these reviews are for J/7 but the Trekker in me is finding this to be a really good season so far.  Next week is apparently a comedy episode and the chance for the cast to chew up the scenery (as in Living Witness in season five).  It looks like it has the potential for being really great ... or really bad.  It's a fine line, but let's wait to see if they can walk it.

(October 16, 1999)
Hmm, where to begin.  I suppose, I have to admit I went into this with a little trepidation, not only because I usually do not like the 'comedy' episodes Voyager attempts, particularly those involving holodecks or holograms or holo-anything, but also because I figured it would provide the show with the opportunity to present more implication of a Seven/Doctor romantic relationship.  Imagine my surprise when I found I truly found the episode amusing and furthermore, it contained the best J/7 sub-text of the season to date.  Yet, come to think of it, the first Doctor episode of last year, Latent Image, also provided the best J/7 sub-text, what with all those wonderful 'philosophical discussions' and shots of Janeway's lonely, empty bed not to mention, Janeway trotting in and waking up her Borg just to 'talk'.

• First off, when Seven and Harry go to the holodeck to tap into the Doctor's various 'daydreams', when does Harry contact the captain and B'Elanna in sickbay?  Apparently when they come across the 'painting' scenario.  I guess Harry didn't think the captain would be interested in any of the Doctor's fantasies until then.
• When Janeway does get down there, what she is faced with is a nude Seven and several portraits of said figure.  Does she flicker?  No, her only response (aside from several, lingering appreciative looks at both the model and the artwork) was the comment, "at least he got the hands right."  As if she knows exactly what Seven looks like under that biometric suit ... certainly enough to know where the Doctor's imagination has failed him.  Hmm ... such pause for thought that scene inspires.
• When Janeway must put the Doctor in command while she monitors via a hidden microphone, where does she choose to do it from?  Not from her ready room, where she could be on the bridge in a second should something unexpected happen.  Not in auxiliary control, which Voyager does have on board, the obvious back up room for the captain to take over in a pinch.  Not even engineering where control is usually channeled through if necessary.  Noooo, she's in astrometrics, standing next to a gently smiling Seven.  Several interesting looks are exchanged in this scene and certainly, if anyone was indulging in the J/7 drinking game for this ep, they'd have produced a fairly pleasant 'buzz' by this time.
• And finally, while this isn't really J/7 sub-text, there were two examples which sort of squelch the whole 7/EMH romance. First, the EMH is clearly shown to have lustful thoughts toward all the powerful women on Voyager, not just Seven, therefore indicating he is an equal opportunity lecher.  And secondly, the final scene where Seven pecks him on the cheek, but makes it clear that it is only 'platonic' and that she will never 'pose for him' in a rather dangerous voice (hmm, wonder who she's been taking lessons from in the voice inflection area?)  Obviously she meant what she said at the end of 'Someone To Watch Over Me' ... she has no romantic feelings toward the doctor.  One does wonder, however, who she's saving her first, 'non-platonic' kiss for?  Or who has already received it since she clearly knows the difference at this point.

(October 22, 1999)
This was not a bad episode.  It was not a good episode.  This episode may have been very enjoyable to those who are Paris fans, but since I'm not, I just found it kind of tedious.  There was one 'Seven Summons' in it (that's when our beloved Borg orders the captain to 'report to astrometrics', regardless of the addition of the 'please', and the Captain GOES without a flicker), but it wasn't enough to warrant a star, particularly since the rest of the episode was so dull.

I am curious about one thing. Why did the ship think the particle fountain was its home?

(November 5th, 1999)
A really nice episode and one moment of subtext note.  Neelix is speaking to Seven in the messhall about Tuvok no longer being a Vulcan.  She says  something to the effect that Janeway did not try to restore Seven to what she had been, but rather, helped her discover who she could be.  And Neelix also notes that Janeway never gave up on Seven.  There were also a couple of scenes where Janeway and the Borg exchanged some glances but since they were never alone in the scene, they were passing glances, at best.

Otherwise, a fairly enjoyable episode and upheld its part of the season well.  Which leads one to think that perhaps it's just the character of Paris that brings an episode down, and not the actual writing, since Alice was such a clunker.  I should also note that this episode was directed by Roxanne Biggs-Dawson (she actually has only one last name now but I can't remember which one she chose) who plays B'Elanna and she did a very nice job.  Lots of camera angles that just aren't normally seen on the show.

(From Emily, November 7, 1999)
Hey, just a quick note about the voyager ep. "Riddles" kinda sub-texty: I just loved it when Janeway said "All right, Seven ... Do it" when they were ready to fire the beam from the deflector dish.

(From me, June 2, 2000)
You know, I was watching this, and discovered that in the scene in astrometrics, when Janeway and Seven are standing close together, Seven puts her hands behind her back, takes a deep breath, and for a while there, her right breast is resting on Janeway's left arm.  I was kinda amazed I missed it the first time around.  Also, in the scene in the messhall, it occurs to me to wonder why Seven is brooding so hard on being unable to find the alien ships.  Is there a specific redhead that she really wants to please and is unable to?  Just a thought.

(November 12th, 1999)
Not a particularly bad episode but it lacked something.  I think the problem is that it originally was going to be two hours, then they cut it back to one, thinking they didn't have enough material for a two hour movie, then realized afterward that it probably should have been two hours after  all.  As a result, it felt like too much in too short of time.  A few minor moments:

• Seven is taught compassion constantly by Janeway so finally puts it into action ... though apparently against Starfleet away mission protocols.
• In doing so, though Janeway could and maybe should have come down on her a little harder, she chose not to for whatever reason.
• At the end, they have a minor philosophical discussion but unfortunately, there were few sparks there, if any.

I wanted to like this episode but in the end, it was just bland to me. One star for the interaction, but it is grudgingly given.

(November 19th, 1999)
I admit, I did not have high expectations for this one but to my surprise, it turned out a little better than I expected. A fairly decent Trek episode with a few moments of interaction between Janeway and Seven.

• In the conference room, Seven lingers behind to question this need of the Starfleet crew.  Janeway notices and spends a little time trying to convince her of the worth of studying one's history, something Seven finds completely irrelevant until Janeway starts using that voice to help convince her.
• And because Janeway suggests it, Seven volunteers for a mission she has no real use for.  What lengths she will go to in order to please that little redhead.
• When they report to Janeway, the captain seems most interested in finding out what Seven thinks of it and is pleased when the Borg is somewhat intrigued.
• Chakotay disobeys orders and Seven is livid.  She doesn't like it when he defies her captain's orders.  An aside here, people complain when Seven is in conflict with the captain but the fact is, she's an outsider who was dumped on Voyager against her will, and really holds no official rank on the ship.  And, she rarely, if ever, questions Janeway publicly.  Chakotay, on the other hand, has accepted the responsibility of being first officer and when he disobeys the captain, it's usually in front of junior officers, thereby undermining her in a dangerous and damaging way.  Not much wonder Janeway is on the edge.  She can't trust her first officer when the chips are down.
• The memorial service at the end of the episode allowed for a significant look between Seven and Janeway.  But, to me, Mulgrew's still giving a bit of a flat performance.  Ryan was wonderful, however, and even Beltran wasn't too bad in the second half of the episode (though he was sort of whiny in the first half.)
• Another minor aside.  It seems to me that Lt. Kelly is really getting around.  Or his corpse is anyway.  Shot off into the reaches of the Delta Quadrant, no doubt to be picked up by yet another alien species sometime in the distant future.  But in a way, he would have liked that, wouldn't he?

(From slayrfest, November 26, 1999)
I just wanted to tell you about a piece of subtext you might not have noticed.  It was when the captain was able to contact them through the use of the probe and Chakotay said "it's good to hear your voice" to Kathryn.  The look that Seven gave him was of anger or disgust.  Maybe I'm wrong but I think she didn't like him saying that to her.  Jealousy maybe?  That's what I got from the look.

(November 26th, 1999)
Well, my goodness, two sub-text episodes in a row and even the J/Cers were happy with this one, as well.  I think it's fair:  they're never going to get what they want and we're never going to get what we want, but if Trek can balance it like this, then both groups are, if not happy, at least granted enough nuggets for the fan fic writers to work with.  The J/Cers get sort of bland candlelight dinners (devoid of chemistry so they seem like dinners between friends or even co-workers ... I mean, Chakotay even still wears his uniform ... obviously they have a long way to go before the trust between them shattered in Equinox yet again is repaired) while we get small scenes, devoid of domestic touches, but absolutely laden with chemistry and all sorts of burning attraction (which the J/Cers, no doubt, see as 'maternal'.)  Both groups are represented, but personally, I think we win in the romance department. ; )

• Janeway looked so proud of her Borg when the 'flea theory' turned out to be true.  A rather smug look by the Borg is returned to her.
• A warm ... one might even say, flirtatious ... 'good-morning' by Janeway to Seven when the Borg drops by with startling news about the catapult.
• That discussion was very reminiscent of the fourth season, lots of chemistry.  In fact, there's just lots of spark and crackle in all the Janeway/Seven scenes this episode.  (Guess someone found a box of matches.)
• Did Janeway look a little disgruntled that Seven requested Chakotay's presence in astrometrics rather than her own? (okay, that one's a reach.)
• Chakotay seemed rather quick to believe that Janeway was guilty of conspiracy whereas later, she is far more reluctant to believe the worst of him.  (Not a J/7 sub-text, but yet another sign of a first officer unsuitable for the role.)  I mean, I'm sitting here thinking, there are many ways he could shoot down Seven's theories and instead, he seemed almost to want to accept them.
• Jeri Ryan had a heck of a lot of dialogue this ep and a report indicated she was getting it just as each scene was shot ... in spite of that, she did a commendable job.  (I will say, though I love Ryan's acting, it got a little tedious when she was rattling off her proof towards the end of the episode.  It just went on and on and on...)
• Though Janeway states there's no one on the vessel that she trusts more than Chakotay (said, ironically, in the same tone as she told Ransom that she had never broken the Prime Directive ... and just as believable but that's another story), Seven makes her change her mind.  Perhaps only Seven could do it.
• Janeway tells Chakotay that only she has a chance of getting through to Seven.
• Seven sounds so hurt when she thinks Janeway has deceived her.
• Janeway gets through to Seven.  Amazing that the captain can rip off those Stardates regarding Seven just off the top of her head. After all, unlike Seven, she does not have the same type of memory nor would there be any reason for her to remember them ... particularly the first time Seven said "Thank you."  Then she mentions the 'bond' between them.  So many  lines, great chemistry.  Great scene.
• And Janeway gets down on one knee in front of her Borg at the end.  Wowsa.

(From Katharina, Dec. 3, 1999)
There was a bit of subtext that I think you might have overlooked.  Probably because it occurred during two different scenes.  I'm referring to Seven's body language when she is informing Chakotay of the Captain's duplicitous agenda.  Seven stalks about Astrometrics, very much like a caged animal.  Her movements are
sporadic and panicked, and her voice is laced with barely controlled anger.  It seemed to me that Seven was extremely disappointed to find out about the Captain's (perceived) motives, and felt personally betrayed.  She just barely avoided throttling Chakotay when he contradicted her.  Yet, in the scene where Seven reveals Chakotay's ulterior motives to Janeway, her body is relaxed and at ease, and her voice is calm.  Even when the Captain disagrees with her, Seven proceeds to rattle off more data, but she remains at ease.  She explains herself to Janeway much as if she were explaining herself to a child. I think Seven's feelings for Janeway run so deep, that even a perceived failing of the Captain causes Seven to lose herself.  I mean, the girl even knows the hour when she said "thank you" to her captain!  Eidetic memory be damned, Seven's got it bad!

(From slayer, Dec. 3, 1999)
You neglect to mention the way Janeway leans in very closely to Seven (the entire time looking her straight in the eye) as she is getting down on one knee in the Delta Flyer.

(From Susan, Dec. 3, 1999)

• When Janeway beams aboard the Flyer, Seven doesn't even need to look over her shoulder to know it's the captain who has come for her.
• Janeway tells Seven, "You need to be in sickbay, not behind a force field.  Let me help you."  J's voice has lost the command tone it had prior to this moment...it's now much softer.  Also note, this is now personal -- she doesn't say "Let us help you" but "Let *me* help you."
• Seven doesn't respond, so Janeway makes it even more personal.  With a very intense expression on her face, gazing into Seven's eyes, she says "I've never lied to you before...and I'm not lying now."  With a pleading look, she says "put your doubts aside and trust me."  Very intense eye contact here...and it reminded me of when Seven stood behind the force field in "Relativity" and pleaded with Janeway "Trust me now."
• Janeway begins rattling off specific stardates...pretty impressive, as you mentioned in your review, since she doesn't have a memory like Seven's.  But it's as though they're anniversaries to her -- significant moments in her relationship with Seven.  Most people remember dates because they hold some personal significance.  "Stardate 51030" -- Janeway pauses after saying the date, looks down for a moment and when she looks back up, she's squints as though blinking back tears. Janeway mentions two other significant stardates, each time pausing for a split second before describing what happened on that particular date.  When she comes to the fourth date, however, there's absolutely no hesitation.
• Extreme eye contact here. "Stardate 52841.  For the first time, Seven tells the captain 'thank you.'"  The thing about this comment, is that Janeway's voice has dropped down to a virtual whisper...her eyes are totally filled with emotion...and there's a definite quiver in her voice.  Seven corrects her...also in a whisper, she says "It was stardate 52842, 0600 hours, in the messhall...(leaves Janeway's eyes to look down her body, then back up to her eyes) "We had just finished breakfast." Oh, really?????  !!!!!! -- Hmmmmm...just how often *do* they have breakfast together?  And what was it that they were doing *before* breakfast, that made Seven rake her eyes over Janeway's body when she recalled the moment?  Janeway smiles and whispers, "my mistake."  Maybe it's just me, but isn't whispering (in the context in which it was done here) a somewhat intimate way to communicate with another person? (especially when you're simultaneously gazing deeply into the other person's eyes!)  I think sometimes it's even referred to as "lovers' talk" or something along those lines.  Janeway continues, *still* whispering..."Stardate today.  Janeway beams aboard the Delta Flyer" <she pauses again here, and gives Seven an intense look>..."She reminds Seven of the bond that's grown between them"  <this causes Seven to look Janeway up and down again!  What's up with that?  ;-) >
• After Janeway says "All I'm asking is that you trust me again,"  it takes Seven only 2 seconds to lower the force field.  Then, what does Janeway do?   Walk over to the other chair and sit down?  Stand there and say "great, let's head back"???  No, she leans in so close to Seven, looking deep intoher eyes, for a split second I thought she was actually going to kiss her! And note how Seven inhales a deep breath during that moment, as though "affected" by their close proximity.  She continues to maintain the eye contact, even when Janeway gets down on one knee!

(From Kathy-Anne, Dec. 3, 1999)
What struck me was that Seven looked like she was actively fighting to keep herself from kissing Janeway.  Look at her mouth in the final scene, when Janeway genuflects before her.  She can't keep her mouth closed; her jaw is moving in the most sensuous manner.  The tension at the very end there is palpable--subtext has made it to the foreground. The "bond" between them is this restrained sexuality that Janeway likes to fool herself into thinking is mentor-ish, but her words betray her in this moment between them..."trust me just one more time" sounds too much like the entreaty of a lover than of a mentor or even of a parent.  A mother says "I love you, I have lived longer, I have more experience, I know what's best for you, therefore do what I say."  But a lover does not have the almost god-like authority that a parent has; she can't say "do this-or-that because I said so."  A lover has to appeal to the love that has grown between them.  The love between parent and child is unconscious in the sense that it is a given, you don't question it because you have had it all your life, you didn't have to work for it.  The love that Seven and Janeway feel for each other has been earned and has crept up on them almost without their knowledge.  Seven was accepted into Janeway's family and by extension her heart.  The trust that they have built together is valued by Seven that she puts aside her logic.  That's akin to Tuvok accepting an emotional interpretation of facts in lieu of a
logical interpretation of facts.

(From Criss, Dec. 3, 1999)
Did you note that when Capt. Janeway is bending down on one knee--two things occur -- Janeway almost looks as if she is going to kiss Seven and then watch Seven's chest heave in a big sigh almost as if she
is so nervous with the Captain so near she has to remember to breath.....just some thoughts---that episode was filled  with subtext---LOVED it

(From Deaette, Dec 10, 1999)
Other things of note, I found it very telling when Janeway would sometimes say the Captain did this on this stardate, but then replaced it with Janeway twice. Once to say did Janeway lead her astray, wanting to note it was personal and not professional or she would have said Captain. Then she says stardate today Janeway beams aboard. Again making it personal and not professional. She is not the Captain, she is Janeway. Janeway came to get her not the Captain. Also the look on Sevens face when the Captain starts saying stardates is one of warm astonishment. She knows the Captain does not have the kind of memory she does, yet took the time to remember the stardates that have to do with her.

(From Jari, Dec 10, 1999)
I just read what others had to say about subtext in the reviews of the Voyager Conspiracy episode and I'd like to add something I noticed. When Janeway is kneeling in front of Seven, she hails Voyager and says two to beam out. Why not just fly the Delta Flyer back to the shuttlebay and that way, avoid a 'public' entrance. Instead she has them beam both her and Seven back to the ship, together. Since Janeway beamed directly from the bridge to the Delta Flyer will they beam back to there and will they materialize with the Captain kneeling in front of Seven? Most likely they both stood up before the transporter was energized but the act of them beaming together seems like the good Captain doesn't care if the rest of the crew knows how she feels about Seven.

(From Kristen, Dec 10, 1999)
I'm surprised no one has yet commented on the scene when Janeway confronted Chakotay in Cargo Bay 2. She immediately stepped into that Borg alcove as if it was territory she controlled and protected. (Which is kind of echoes the scene of her standing in it in "The Raven" while being lost in the thoughts of missing Seven.) It's an interesting body placement given that she viewed Chakotay as a saboteur to her family (however she may define that.)

I'm guessing that Janeway kneeling before Seven really sent this one over the top.  It's no Dark Frontier but still, a nice episode and certainly better than I expected.  Amazing how one scene can make an episode.

(December 3rd, 1999)
As a longtime Trekker, I enjoyed this episode.  It was nice to see both Barclay and Deanna Troi again.  The scene with the Voyager crew picking up the communication was extremely well done.  Kate Mulgrew brought all her acting chops to that and honestly, almost brought me to tears with the emotion of hearing from home brought to her and how she controlled and suppressed it.  Simply wonderful.  But it was definitely more a TNG episode in the guise of a Voyager episode.  I do hope they touch on the communication aspect again.  It would be especially interesting if regular contact was established and Janeway was in the position of having to make a decision because of circumstances, yet Starfleet Command was disagreeing because they simply don't know what it's like out there.  I think it would do the show a world of good to have this continual link with home and yet, they could still have the whole aspect of Voyager being lost and out of reach of the Federation.

No scenes with Janeway and Seven so no subtext.  But perhaps, this was an important episode in how it will affect Voyager in the future.

(January 14th, 2000)
And so we start the new millennium with the unmistakable question of Why? (Oh god, why?)  I was actually tempted not to watch this at all.  I mean, why get all aggravated over something that I can do nothing about when I can watch a rerun of Kids In the Hall on the Comedy channel instead.  The Chicken Lady at a strip club mooning over Rooster Boy has got to be better than Janeway at an Irish pub mooning over a bartender, right?  But I watched it anyway.  The Voyager ep, not Kids In the Hall.

Seriously, this is an episode which is supposed to show the acute loneliness of a starship captain.  Something that is certainly a valid and significant plot line (certainly one I've explored extensively in my fan fic) and I can also fully accept that Janeway (or any other 24th century Federation member) would utilize the holodeck for 'entertainment' purposes, but what I can't accept is the idea that Janeway would fall in love with a hologram as implied by the show, and encouraged by the Doctor.  And I'd feel this way even if the object of Janeway's affection was a lovely female hologram.  Even if it was a reproduction of Seven! (In fact, that would be far more horrible than this, in a way. Think about it.)

Now, I fully expect that all people growing up in the high-tech areas of the Federation, particularly Earth, probably had a 'holo-crush' at one time or another, but I'm sure they get over it once they got through puberty.  Holoprograms are part of that culture (remember that Janeway also played with Flotter when she was a child?) and chances are that, instead of clumsily exploring burgeoning sexuality with other teenagers (resulting in unwanted pregnancies, STDs, and generally bad experiences for 'first times', particularly for girls), one would simply have a holoprogram created for this purpose to learn all the 'ins and outs' of sexual expression (no pun intended).  In fact, it would actually be a quite healthy way to get through what is potentially damaging time in an individual's growth, particularly with the holodeck's safeties on.  And unsurprisingly, young people would probably 'fall in love' with their 'first friends', but they would most likely quickly grow out of it once they learned that real people are so much more gratifying and interesting and unpredictable than 'virtual' lovers.  They would also probably do it at a much younger age than Harry Kim, Geordi LaForge, or anyone else that we've seen on Star Trek getting involved with holocharacters.  So the thought that a Starfleet captain of Janeway's life experience, with at least one engagement under her belt (and two with Justin Tighe if you accept Mosaic as canon) would go so far as to consider the concept of indulging in a real relationship with a holocharacter is horrible.  Hey, if it's just for entertainment (as daVinci was, as her first season gothic novel was) then heck, there's nothing wrong with that.  It's a device, use it, and if certain frustrations are relieved in the process, hey, that's a bonus, but you don't fall in love with your computer or your vibrator, y'know?  Even if it does have arms and legs and starts fights and generally acts as obnoxious as any person (provided one programs all those inconvenient traits in), it's still a vibrator and indulging with a real relationship with it, is a little (or a lot) off the beam.

But then it occurs to me that not only is Kathryn Janeway the first female Star Trek captain in the lead of a series, she is also being portrayed by the Trek writers as the first mentally unstable Star Trek captain in the lead role.  After Night and Equinox and now this episode, one can only assume that once she gets back to the Alpha Quadrant, they're not going to leave Voyager in her hands nor anything else; Starfleet Medical will just put her in a home, one of those very restful places where she can walk around in a bathrobe and slippers and carry on conversations with the roses.  (In fact, wouldn't that be an interesting ending for Voyager? In the last episode, show the entire series to be nothing more than the ongoing delusion of a Janeway who returned Voyager using the Caretaker's array, losing as many crew on the trip back as she did on the trip there, and has spent the last seven years in a room in a Starfleet Medical facility dealing with extreme guilt ... okay, that's kinda cruel but it's sort of a neat idea ... hmmm *G*)  Love or hate Jeri Taylor's contribution to Voyager, there was no character assassination of Janeway while she was producer.  That only comes with having young males running the production staff.

And they also shouldn't have shown this ep as the first new one immediately after Pathfinder because comparisons between the 'lovable loser' Barclay and our Captain Janeway are bound to be made and that's bad news.  Barclay can afford to be a loser with his preference for holo-characters over real people, and we like him despite it ... it's part of his character and his charm.  But a Starfleet captain, particularly an elegant and passionate woman like Janeway should never be perceived this way.  It's damaging in the extreme to her character.

 Now that I have all that off my chest, let's check out my impressions as I watched the program.

• Okay, why is Janeway suddenly so lonely she'd get to this point?  I mean, she's always been this lonely, but she's coped before. Has something changed in the last little while to make her feel her loneliness even more acutely?  The arrival of a certain blonde Borg with whom she refuses to involve herself, perhaps? (Okay, that one's a reach.)
• As someone said, if you say "Sullivan" really fast, it sounds kinda like "Seven".  (That's really a reach.)
• In astrometrics, Janeway walks around Chakotay and stands right beside Seven, touching and everything.  A few glances are exchanged.  Then Janeway is really conscious of her loneliness in the next scene, burning the midnight oil and suddenly flings herself into the holodeck. (No reach, this is what actually happened.)
• Janeway simpers a lot in the early stages of this ep, possibly because she doesn't know how to flirt ... or thinks that is how a woman should flirt in an Irish village in that time period. (Or maybe its because she's just trying to distract herself from thoughts of who she'd rather be with.  I mean, honestly, who goes and suddenly jumps a hologram unless something is driving one to try to distract one's self?  Something more than the loneliness which has been a part of a captain since the ship was lost?)
• The scary thing is, I actually liked Michael far more before his alterations. He had an honest, rugged kind of quality.  He was charming and down to earth. He was a kind barkeep meeting a new friend and not afraid of introducing her to his wife.  After the alterations, he's just a bland little toy.  The saddest aspect of the whole episode to me and what it said about what Janeway feels she wants in 'entertainment', but to her credit, she eventually recognizes it herself.
• When Janeway alters the hologram's program, she replaces his personality with traits which are very similiar to Seven; more intelligent, more curious about the world around him, more outspoken ... taller, about Seven's height. But otherwise, that scene in the holo-programming room?  That was pretty creepy.
• My question is, where did Janeway spend the three days with this guy?  Seriously, anyone could walk into this program, it was 'open 24 hours'.  And the holodeck is basically just one big room.  What if the power had gone off in the middle of it and everyone who happened to be playing in the Fair Haven program at that moment was just sort of left staring at each other ... as well as a nekkid captain flat on her ass on the floor?  In a particularly delicate moment?  (I'm sorry, weird stuff went through my head while I watched this.  I'm left with the thought that Janeway was really incredibly desperate in this ep to let herself go like this, and again, I have to ask myself, what is suddenly triggering this ... or who?) (Another aside ... three days?  Hey, good thing he was a hologram rather than a real man.  Let's remember that a Borg probably has that kind of endurance, right?)
• I didn't like the Doctor's advice.  It was very disturbing actually, but on the other hand, it's not really his job to make the captain mentally healthy, it's his job to keep the captain functioning and if encouraging her to indulge in a fantasy of falling in love with something that isn't real keeps her going from day to day in her command, even though years down the road, it might damage her (or at least, embarrass her tremendously), then that's what he is required to do. A real Doctor, depending on his ethics, might not, but the EMH ethics are based on Starfleet practicality, which might be considered cruel, but it's likely part of his basic programming, so ingrained that he probably doesn't even know it exists.  Now, if we want to look at it as an ethical thing on a personal level on his part, then he also has a vested interest in directing Janeway's attention to romantic possibilities in the holodeck rather than who is in astrometrics. Face it, if Seven had the option of choosing between the Doctor and Janeway as a romantic partner, you know who would lose that one.
• Janeway did not hesitate in getting rid of the holoprogram when it was time and her ship was threatened.  Harry was kinda weird about it though. Not much wonder he's still an ensign.
• And at the end, it seems Janeway's learned her lesson in the futility of it, but unfortunately, the writers left it open and there's apparently some sequels in the works.  Seven needs to convince the captain that she's not her 'subordinante' except for when she chooses to be.  Then Janeway can let go of the comfortable new buffer she's created for herself (it used to be Mark left behind in the alpha quadrant) and take a chance on a real relationship.
• (Jan. 15, 2000)  It occured to me later that perhaps I was a little hard on the Doctor. Perhaps he knows something about Janeway and her emotional stability over this.  After all, her head completely understands that this is a futile relationship, that there is no future in it, but her heart, kept on the shelf for years, might not be as accepting. A heart has to have some kind of emotional closure, not an intellectual one, and simply ceasing her visits to the holodeck probably would not accomplish that for her, leaving her head and her heart in constant conflict which doesn't do the captain any good. As the Doctor said, Michael's broken heart can be fixed with a flick of a switch, it was the captain's feelings which were concerning him. By suggesting that the captain pursue the relationship, the sooner the cold truth about holoprograms will become apparent to even her heart and she'll be able to walk away from it without looking back (or needing to 'save' it.)   And perhaps, she might even, at that point, be ready to try a real relationship.

• This was one episode you had to watch a few times to get over your first reactions.  I did so and found many things to like about the show.  True, I didn't much like the Captain being shown so desperate, but perhaps it will give the next team of writers more to work with.  I saw so much subtextual imagery in this episode!  We are often drawn to people that we recognize on an unconscious level, but at the conscious level are not quite sure WHY we like a person instantly or dislike them.  And I believe it was this familiar imagery that drew Captain Janeway to Michael Sullivan.  For example, the very first time she sees him, he is standing behind a bar.  Where else has  she seen someone she finds attractive standing behind an imposing piece of furniture, like a bank of consoles perhaps? Then in the following scene we see Seven in Astrometrics.  The same image, but this time Janeway weaves her way to Seven's side, unconsciously perhaps.
• The scene where she is talking to Michael about home and a stranger  is a friend you just haven't met yet, stuck a cord with me.  It seemed much too wishful to be simply about a distant relative.  Was she perhaps reflecting about the 'stranger' she stole away from the Borg Collective who was now her 'friend'?  Was she regretting that as close as Seven and she are, they are particularly strangers still?  When Michael remarks that "You're closer to home than you think"  It startles her out of her thoughts and brings her back to the present conversation.  The one where Michael is obviously telling her he is interested in her.  The challenges Michael gives her at Rings and then at arm wrestling must have felt very familiar to Janeway. There are similar friendly competitions she shares with Seven.
• In the scene where Janeway modifies Sullivan's programming, you are very correct in noting that all of the attributes she gives him are characteristics that Seven of Nine possesses, especially in adjusting his education level.  Janeway finds conversations with Seven stimulating and challenging.  No way she's going to be deeply involved with anyone who can't meet her on that plane.  It was the first thing she fixed. (smile) The height adjustment was very telling as well.  What difference would 3  centimeters make?  Much too precise to be a random thing.  Could she be accustom to looking up into the eyes of someone at that particular angle?
• Skipping to when Janeway meets the "new and improved' Sullivan.  I couldn't help but laugh at where they met,  a train platform.  Trains gave me the image of large metal  machines, powerful and the most advanced technology of its time.  Hello Borg imagery! But the "new and improved' Sullivan offers Janeway what she can only dream of with Seven.  Michael actively pursues the Captain.  He invites her to join him, initially and in the future to discuss 'poetry'. Yeah, right. (smile)  He offers her his arm and acts on her desire to take her  to see the sights. His directness is something Janeway is very familiar. However, when he asks her would she be interested in a bartender who reads poetry in strange places?  I think the Captain subconsciously wishes Seven could express her feelings that directly as well as her objections to things.  Janeway loves physical contact with those she is close to.  Something that she can not opening display with Seven.  Something sadly,  that Seven can not express.  So, Janeway falls for the trap she designed for herself, a pseudo-Seven with some minor improvements.
• I was surprised that your posting missed Seven's response to things.  Tuvok and Seven were not interested in the Fair Haven program.  Tuvok stated as much in his sickness sequence and up until that point, Seven was not seen in Fair Haven.  The only mention of her was the reports she was filing on the progress of the storm.  However, after the infamous 'three days' the Captain spent there, suddenly the Borg shows up at the bar.  Hmmm.  After playful banter with the old man, she selects a table for them to sit down at.  A table that is in direct line of view of Michael Sullivan.  Each shot of Michael after his emotional outburst, thereafter you can see Seven in the background observing Michael.  And when the fight breaks out, she stands and
• seems slightly disturbed.
• The sequence with Janeway and the Doctor debating the rightness of her actions was a total wash for me.  No way the Doctor should have won that round. It was out of character for Janeway to give in that easily. I didn't buy it so the scenes after that were just as illogical to me.  However, the shining lights of truth went off when she explained what her 'type' was like .... attractive, intelligent... (Sing it with me Borg-a-teers ...S-E-V....E-N-O....F-N-I-N-E......)
• Yeah, the subtext was there, but you had to dig for it.  (putting my shovel away for now)

(Jan 21, 2000)
This was a very good episode for Trekkers but for J/7, there was a distinct lack other than the regular visits from Janeway to astrometrics so she could make eyes at Seven (who is probably still pissed from last week and isn't ready to return them with the same energy.)  I noticed B'Elanna looked a little disgusted with the Doctor and Janeway when they were swapping quips about relationships in the transporter room.  Hmm, I wonder if that will be pursued.

(January 28, 2000)
This is a Doctor episode with little in the way of J/7.  It was interesting to see how he relates to the various people on Voyager yet at the end of it, nothing much has changed. The Doctor is still a superficial being reacting to things on superficial levels ... on emotionally limited levels ... and it leaves me with the question; is the Doctor really sentient ... or merely a program expanding within the confines of Voyager's databanks, drawing on what's there, but not really becoming his own person.  Note, this is not a condemnation of the character.  In a way, it makes him more interesting because one is not sure where it will end.  What is that magical moment that says he is a living being and not still confined to the programmed limitations of his matrix?

One could say he found love with Seven in Someone To Watch Over Me, but in subsequent episodes (Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy) he is shown to merely be attracted to powerful women even as he wishes to 'change' them to his liking, a personality trait programmed in by his creator, Dr. Zimmerman.  His emotion toward the Borg is no stronger (or any less strong) than his attraction to the Vidiian, Kes, the holographic wife in his 'family program' or even the 'fan' in this episode.  One thinks he finds ethical and moral strength when he refuses to use 'tainted' Cardassian medical knowledge in Nothing Human, yet in Equinox II, his ethics, his morals ... his 'soul' is easily removed with a flick of a switch.  One thinks he acquires true emotional growth in Latent Image, only to discover he can forget a  'roommate and son' easily in Blink of An Eye.  One can, of course, blame TPTB of lacking continuity from ep to ep and that's certainly a valid complaint ... this is Voyager after all ... but if you wish to adapt what is on the screen, then this proves the Doctor is not a living being but is still limited by his matrix, incapable of growing much from experiences but still acquiring data that expands his databanks.  Perhaps one day, when he has the opportunity to stand up on his hind legs before a Starfleet board of inquiry and say, 'I am more than the sum of my programming',  then that will be the defining moment.  For now, I  remain unconvinced that he has reached it yet.  Just when I think he has, he is shown to be no more than a program with lots of personality traits at his fingertips, but none that truly define who he is.  Though to be fair, one might also say that about Harry, or Tom or Chakotay (what's his specialty going to be next week?)

(From Marco, Feb 4th, 2000)
I was hopeful in the first third of the episode.  Seven didn't even show up, so I was thinking, "Thank god, it's not about her".  Then, Voyager goes to red alert while Janeway is on the bridge.  I always thought that only the captain could order red alert, but apparently, guess who lets out the alarm - Seven of Nine from Astrometrics.  What, did Janeway give her special pet red alert privileges ("Here's my captain's codes, my Sweet Seven, you can call red alert ANY time") or something?

(From Jari, Feb 4th, 2000)
I'd like to add one bit of possible J/7 subtext. Near the end of the episode when the Doc sees Captain Janeway requesting to get reinstated back as the ship's doctor, Janeway says, he offended a lot of people who care about him. The look on her face shows she was a bit annoyed at him for doing this. Who in this episode was offended the most by the Doc leaving? Seven.

(From psylocke, Feb 4th, 2000)
I will agree, the moment was fleeting, but I found the conversation between Janeway and Seven in Astrometrics to be humorous and lighthearted.  Janeway explaining the idea of a fan to Seven of all people. ;o) There's a type of flirtatious fun about the conversation.  The laugh as Janeway explains that the people are not trying to sabotage Voyager, but want to know the Doctor better.  The look from Seven to  Janeway in search of what is so funny.  Janeway doesn't show that funny side to her to just anyone, and to see her be playful with Seven says a lot for subtext purposes.  The fact that Janeway turns around before leaving, looks and Seven and says something with that oh so cute smile of Janeway's. This episode shows that Seven has expanded her emotional attachments towards the EMH.  In doing so, TPTB have provided us with more emotions for Seven that will make for better stories. Small subtext, perhaps not even worthy of a star, but fun and interesting to see none the less.

(Feb 4th, 2000)
An interesting Trek episode.  Not any opportunity for J/7 sub-text, and certainly, it was a plotline that was done to better effect in The Next Generation when Picard was forced to relive the life of another in the space of an hour, but for Voyager, it was quite good.  Janeway was shown in a much better light this episode and Seven had a good scene with Neelix.  By the way, Janeway is talking to Neelix, Seven is talking to Neelix ... you suppose he's acting as a go-between? A couple of scenes in astrometrics but the big dull lump was there too, so they couldn't flirt.  My impressions as I watched it:

• I don't think B'Elanna was too wise in replicating a television ... if Tom ignored her before, he's gonna be non-existant now.  Still, you think she would have liked hockey ... by the way, that was not a fifties game ... that looked like a game from the seventies.  I'm pretty sure they did not broadcast Hockey Night in Canada in color in the fifties.  But I could be wrong.
• Poor Harry, they give him really tacky jobs in the Jeffries tubes, don't they.  Really, should a senior officer be mucking around there?  Ah, to be doomed an ensign your entire life.  And even in the illusion, he's sort of a coward/murderer.  Is the role played in the scenario a reflection of the individual (Chakotay was a leader, sorry he had to do the job, Neelix tried to protect the children.... if so, it does not speak well of poor Harry.)
• There was some good scenes in this, Neelix in the messhall was particularly notable. The conference room scene was good.  I don't know how good the script was, but it seemed as if the actors finally had something to sink their teeth into ... which in the end, is a sad commentary on what they usually have to deal with in scripts.
• Just once, I'd like to see B'Elanna punch Tom in the teeth. I think it would do both of them a world of good.  Maybe not necessarily in this case, but just generally ... pow, right in the kisser.
• I liked that Janeway made the tough decision at the end.  This Janeway is one we haven't seen for awhile and I for one, was glad to see her back.  Too often lately, the show has taken the easy route, the reset button has been pushed too many times.  I can only hope that in a future episode, they will touch on this again ... to prove the memorial did indeed, work.

(Feb 11th, 2000)
Well, after all the rumors, all the hype, all the outrage, it finally arrives.  A WWF wrestler appears on Star Trek and while the world did not immediately end, nor did Trek finally reach rock bottom (one has to wait until the entire run of Voyager to decide that), this was not anything the average Trekker was looking forward to.  So I enter into this review with more than a little trepidation.

• Okay, first off, it's disturbing to see Starfleet members cheering on a bloodsport.  Regardless of whether there was death or not, you'd think they'd have enough of violence and destruction in their every day lives to be unappreciative of it as a form of entertainment.  I can't help but think that any Starfleet member in the Alpha Quadrant, fresh off the Dominion war, would look at this (and the Voyager crewmembers) with absolute disdain.
• Obviously a Janeway-lite (read; Mulgrew wanting time off) episode.  They got rid of her as soon as possible.
• It was good to see some Chakotay and B'Elanna interaction, and particularly some Seven and Tuvok teaming up.  I did like Tom and Seven's scene (the only time I actually like the guy is when he's in a scene with Seven).
• Seven blew the Doctor off to be with Tuvok.  So much for the Doc/7 romance.  That put a grin on my face anyway.
• I actually love seeing Tuvok and Seven together.  They have such a nice little chemistry and they actually produce more of a sense of friendship and honest liking for each other than all the forced Harry/Tom 'friendship' scenes.  Ironic, considering the lack of emotion they supposedly offer.  Of course, Tim Russ has always been able to generate more emotion in one eyebrow than the rest do with all their theatrical gestures.  A vastly under-utilized character, unfortunately.
• Seven fights for Tuvok, but then, I believe she would do it for anyone.
• B'Elanna finally gets the bridge, which is nice.  The reason she does, is kinda tacky.
• At least the show did point out the barbarisms of sports ... then undercuts it with the Doctor being a wimp.
• The Rock appears, and at least he didn't have too many lines.  Overacted his bit terribly, of course but wasn't as bad as it could have been.
• Well, let's be shallow here, Seven in that outfit, fighting ... well, it almost makes this tape-worthy.  (Okay, shallow moment over.)
• I do wish she would have had the chance to kick this gober's ass ... and she did have him, but hesitated because of all this compassion and 'being Human' being shoved down her throat by everyone around her all the time (the same ones who were gleefully cheering this violence prior to her appearance, which is somewhat ironic.)
• Another flat performance from Mulgrew in this.  I'd almost rather she not appear at all that do this 'phone-in' crap that she does in her light episodes.  Her best friend and her 'child' (for those that buy that) are kidnapped, Seven's being beaten up, and that's the most emotion she can show?  The same person that has spasms over Species 8472's pain and this is all there is for her own crewmembers?  The kindest thing I could say was that maybe she just didn't read the rest of the script and didn't know what the hell she was supposed to be playing off of as she did her solitary scenes in front of a camera in the Delta Flyer set.  On the other hand, I suppose if she had been really dramatic, people would say she was being off the deep end again.  I just feel she could have done this scene better if she wanted.
• Tuvok has a very protective attitude toward Seven (another aspect of my believing he looks on her as a surrogate daughter) and while some might think he was a trifle bloodthirsty, he was actually being logical. When only one person can live, better it be his friend than the one he does not know.  And this is not new for him.  In The Killing Game, he also advised Seven on how to react to the Nazis/Hirogen, concerned over her survival when she refused to sing.
• Saw the climactic scene coming a mile away.  But that's Voyager, predictable to a fault.
• Janeway to the rescue which was nice and I'm glad they got the Hirogen out.
• I truly liked the last scene.  It was a wonderful moment and while it might have been nice to be a J/7 scene, Tuvok was the only logical person to be there and to help her, just as he was there with her when she discovered The Raven.

(Feb 18, 2000)
Hmm, Borg Babies.  Why do I get this mental image of a Saturday morning cartoon springing from this?  Why not?  UPN has sank to far lower depths.  My reaction as I watched this:

• It was nice to see the crew playing cards though I snickered when the Borg cube appeared and Chakotay yells battle stations ... like that would actually work.
• Goodness, Janeway was really feisty in these early scenes.  Seven cast a few admiring glances her way.
• I don't care what people say about Voyager 'diminishing' the threat of the Borg.  Those kids are damned spooky.  And the baby in the maturation chamber?  Eewww.
• One thing people seem to be missing is that this was Seven's fate.  This is exactly what she went through in terms of how she was assimilated as a child.  She may not have become 'flawed' but certainly she wasn't rescued before she had lost most of her childhood to the Collective.  And isn't that the true horror of the Borg? Not the big ships, or the powerful weapons, but the knowledge of what they take away from an person and yet, leave behind, without remorse or regret.  *shudder*
• Seven would be a formidable mother.  I don't think her kids would get away with much.
• Little girl does whup ass on Tom.  That was worth a giggle.
• Seven doesn't mess around with Janeway in sickbay.  She gives her the unvarnished truth.  Some really intense looks in that scene.  A lot of non-verbal communication going on there that was nice to see.  There hasn't been a lot of it this season.
• I really liked the "Then, you're with me," line from Janeway in sickbay to Seven.  In that voice?  Who could resist?  It's futile.
• Well, there's Harry, the only one the Borg overlooked.  Yet, I bet before it's all over, he needs to be rescued.  Any takers?
• The little snot manhandles Janeway and Seven jumps to protect her.   Another little intense look at the end of that scene.
• Well, to be fair to Harry, it's Janeway that sends him away from the safety of the Delta Flyer.  So gotta give the guy a break in this one.
• Hmm, teenage boy drone's got a crush on Seven.  Join the club, buddy.
• Janeway and Seven in the ready room. Some really nice dialogue, but putting a little more distance between them (to prevent themselves from grabbing each other ... okay, that's a reach, but I couldn't help myself). I do find it amusing that they're always trying to position Janeway so that she's higher than Seven.  And is it just me, or can Mulgrew do more with that husky  voice of hers than other actors can with their whole person?  I also like how she says "You" to Seven.  (Netgyrl, are you getting any of this stuff?  Surely there's gotta be a dance mix in this one, right?)
• I'm thinking, it would be easy to dislike the 'leader' but the fact is, he is just a boy trying to guide the rest of his 'collective'.  He was assimilated as a baby and came out of the maturation chamber early. He's just doing his best and is he to be blamed because he's a natural leader?  However, he's outmatched because he's got both Janeway and Seven against him.  Poor kid.
• Harry gets caught because he left a trail of cards behind him.  I take it back, he is an idiot.  The little girl scared him spitless though, didn't she?  She really was properly creepy.  Impressive.
• So let me get this straight, Seven holds the baby, then Janeway holds her next ... hmm, no connection there, eh?
• Ha, so the Borg baby got to Janeway after all, since she refuses to give into Tuvok's suggestion that she use the pathogen. Besides, wouldn't it have killed Seven as well?  Isn't she still a cybernetic being?  Did no one think of that?  Fortunately, it isn't the Starfleet way to randomly slaughter people, regardless of provocation.  Good thing.
• Lovely scene in the ready room.  Don't you love how Janeway gets Seven to do stuff, just with that voice of hers, a little quirk of the eyebrow, a slight upturn of her mouth. Of course, I think Seven knows it. She rolled her eyes when she left, but of course, she's still gonna do what Janeway wants her to.
• It ends with Seven saying, "Sweet dreams" to her new charges.  Wonder where ... or from whom ... she picked that up from?

(From Kris, Feb 25, 2000)
You mentioned the Ready Room scene but I was surprised you didn't mention
that Janeway said "You turned out alright Seven"  with a very, very interesting smile on her face... Also... maybe TPTB are reading your stuff... That blue suit...  the color of the Captain's eyes when she's in that mood?  My first thought when I saw that outfit was your stories.

(Feb 25, 2000)
Okay, I'm going into this with the worst kind of expectations after having read more reviews and comments than perhaps I should have since Wednesday, but I will try to be semi-objective as I sit here and watch it.  These will be my reactions as I watch the thing.

• First off, let's just say, I'm not putting a tape in for this one.
• I do find it a bit curious that they ran this on the night they knew it would be up against the Grammy Awards (Wednesday night on UPN).  Undoubtedly, they knew that was a ratings graveyard anyway.  Was this a sacrificial episode?  Consider that last week, Collective was the first part of the 'Borg Children Arc', part two is next week and part three is the week after.  Did they know this one was a bomb, way back when and that's why they tossed it into the fray here rather than one of their Borg Kiddie eps?
• Hmm, you know what, maybe this is a straight verses gay thing, but if I had a woman like B'Elanna, I sure as hell wouldn't be wasting my time in the holodeck.  What is this guy, dysfunctional?  Maybe there's a reason that Janeway has turned to the holodeck if this is the quality of 'real men' in the 24th century.  You know, it all makes perfect sense now. It's just too bad she hasn't realized that the women on her ship are twice the people the men are.
• Why does the Doctor want to be a Roman Catholic priest?  On the other hand, I'm sure the crew is grateful that the poor holograms are forced to listen to the Doctor rather than them.
• Smooth move Katie ... don't like the questions, end the program.  Geez, don't ya hate it when your vibrator starts malfunctioning just when you had specific plans for the evening?
• I don't know, there was something hysterically funny about Tom and Harry running for their lives from a bunch of Irish holograms.
• Seven and B'Elanna agree, definitely a momentous occasion.  Hmm, if I decided that I was going to write B/7, this would be a good point to start from.  B'Elanna dumps a Tom who wastes too much time ignoring her for a holoprogram and Seven decides that there was one person on Voyager worthy of her after all.  I know that Janeway can't be ranking too damned high in her estimation any more.
• Actually, after all this, I still believe that Janeway still considers this whole thing as nothing more than a fairly entertaining program, just because of the way Mulgrew acted in these scenes.  Not once did I feel she was having Janeway look at Michael as an equal, a true lover, but rather more like a rather clever puppy (who happens to haul her ashes every so often) that she'd really rather not put down because she still has some use for it.  It doesn't say much about Janeway's sensitivity as a person (or her intelligence or her Humanity ... um, I'd better stop now) but at least she's not completely insane. And besides, sad as it is, when has Janeway ever been accused of being 'sensitive' since around the beginning of the fifth season?
• Irk.  I'll have to classify this as the absolute worst episode of any Trek (including Spock's Brain).  In fact, I could throw in Babylon Five and Battlestar Galactica, and this would still be the all time single worst episode of a series ... EVER.  It had no purpose, no point and worst of all, it made the characters we, the viewer, care about, look absolutely foolish for not one good reason.  What were they thinking?
• I think I'll go watch the Hidden Element video again and try to purge myself of this.  I can't even write something to fix this.  It's like, the only thing that would work would be an opening scene where Chakotay and Janeway are sitting on the bridge and Janeway leans over and says, "Honestly, Commander, you wouldn't believe this weird dream I had last night.  It's just as well Tom was never able to get his Fair Haven program running again."  And never mention it again.

(March 3, 2000)
The second part of 'The Children of the Borg' trilogy.  Not that I'm expecting much necessarily, but I know it can't possibly be as bad as last week.  A root canal isn't as bad as what they gave us last week.

• Okay.  Cute, bald chick fleeing from big ship, looking for Voyager.  So far, so good.
• Gotta love that little Borg girl.  The big guy's a kissup though.  I hate to say this, but I like the Borg kid more than Naomi.
• I like the bald chick too, um, Lindsay.  God, she's quite mouthy, and definitely a lot more interesting than most of the drones on the ship.  Are they sure she came from Voyager?
• If she was killed a few years ago, spent two years with her 'family', then caught up to Voyager in six months, that is some serious traveling through the Delta Quadrant.  I mean, is no one interested in this?  Is Voyager just going around in circles?
• You know, they could've used someone we had heard of before.  And since when is Harry so adept with the ladies?  Since when has he had a successful relationship, in fact?
• Jeez, Seven is tough.  But she is way out of her depth with these kids.  In a way, it was quite unfair of Janeway to do this to Seven and the kids, sort of like using these people as guinea pigs.  Someone ought to give the captain a 'punishment'.
• Tom Paris has a hockey program?  Yeah, right.  Must be a no contact kind of deal.  One good bodycheck would put this guy out of commission.
• A date with Janeway?  And you know what, it was.  Janeway actually dressed in civvies.  I'm not sure why Janeway is able to be so open with this woman, and what would have been a very interesting conversation got diverted by her 'regressing' to alien.  Another missed opportunity for some real drama with Janeway rather than irrelevant melodrama with an alien.  What a shame.
• Hmm, waitaminute, a bald chick 'rescued' from an alien oppressor who took away her Humanity which she's trying to get back ... could Janeway possibly be diverting her attention from who she really wants to be with and just substituting?
• Kids sculpting?  Now where did Seven get this from?  A certain red-headed captain?
• Kind of a flat ending. In the end, the show served no real purpose ... except possibly make Harry feel bad again.  But will he remember her new week?  Probably not, since he didn't remember Libby this week. *sigh*  Though it was cute that Harry got the little Borg kid to help him sabotage Tuvok's program.  You know, if they're gonna keep a kid, it would be in their best interests to keep this one, not the tall one.  But why do I think they're not going to be clever with this at all.

• What a cute opening. Now that is humor that Trek does best, dry and clever (and Voyager does so rarely for some reason.)  So much better than the slapstick inanity of Spirit Folk.  This was supposedly written by one of the new writers on staff.  The freshness is apparent right away.  A few looks exchanged between Janeway and Seven.  The Borg is so proud of her little charges and Janeway is, of course proud of her.
• Hmm, late night in Janeway's quarters.  Hot damn. Man, can Janeway read Seven or what?  Nice scene in the Captain's cabin, good interaction between Janeway and Seven. A star for that.
• This is a really well done story.  However, I am curious as to how Janeway thinks dropping a kid off on a planet which gets regularly visited by the Borg could possibly be good for him.
• Liked how Janeway was looking at Seven in the beginning of the conference room scene.  And there was a lot of heavy tension.  Hoo boy, a level ten look and that low voice which insists that Seven wait for her in her ready room. Sent a shiver up my spine.
• The ready room scene was very  reminiscent of those wonderful kickass scenes in the fourth season, only with more communication and less antagonism.  Heaving bosoms, sparks flying and lots of heavy eye contact.  Wonderful stuff. 'Nother star for that.
• Transporter room.  Seven says good-bye to Icheb and Janeway's with her.  Seven's hurting so bad and so Janeway hurts as well. *sniff*  Third star.
• Astrometrics lab.  First, how many people can yank Janeway out of bed at 3 in the morning.  Secondly, how many people can convince Janeway to turn the ship around on a hunch.  Thirdly, nice, lingering touch on the arm.  Fourth star.
• Wow, and here's Janeway ready to take on the Borg one more time ... just for Seven.  Gotta love it.
• I do wonder why, assuming that no one was so inclined to volunteer to do what Icheb had to do (though there's usually at least one who would do it in Human culture because of all that programming about heroics and getting one's name in the history books as a savior or simply someone who wanted personal revenge on the Borg) why this government simply didn't pick someone without family ties to begin with.   An orphan.  God knows there should be plenty at this point. That also would have been the natural choice even if the person in question shouldn't know what was in store simply so the Borg wouldn't be tipped off once they assimilated the person.  So to have the parents doing this, is creepy in the extreme.  He was even specifically concieved for this purpose.  Irk.  That's even worse.  What  kind of people sacrifice their own children for their own safety ... well, actually, every nation that's ever sent their young off to war ... okay, bad example. But by the end of this, don't you kinda think that these people actually deserve to be assimilated?

(From Elisa, March 31, 2000)
Don't you just love it what kind of excuses Seven uses to go to Janeway's quarters at night? Requesting data ... ha! Like she couldn't do that via a comm channel. That would have been less interrupting and much more quicker, right? One-two-ask for the data - three-four- Janeway transfers them to her and there you go. But no, Seven's got other things on her mind and Janeway sees that. I loved it how Janeway's leaning her head against the chair and asking if Seven's told the parents ... no answer, and there Janeway's answer to why Seven's really there. It's so cute! And just for the record, I thought Janeway was looking pretty damn hot in this episode. There was just this amazing glow to her, even at a late hour. Or maybe it's just because she seems to always shine when she's in the same room with Seven. It's a glow ;) ... And I love her in that Starfleet gray shirt. Yummy! Oh oh oh ... and for some reason the lines

Seven: My feelings are irrelevant
Janeway: Are they?

made me swoon ... really! Isn't that just a bit subtexty if you want to read it like that? Godalmighty ... and the way Janeway says it ... *swoon*

(From Teresa, June 22, 2001)
Just sat down for a re-run of "Child's Play," one of my favorite Voyager eps, and spotted a possible subtext moment I'd missed until tonight: Janeway tells Seven to wait in her ready room--using her deepest, Captainy tones--but doesn't allow her obvious ire to be more than apparent to observers.  Once alone with Seven in the ready room, Janeway says something along the lines of "I know how easy it is to feel protective toward someone you have helped through a difficult time." Gee, how would Janeway know that?  Perhaps she is indeed aware of protective feelings she has towatd another ex-borg?

This one gets four stars.  It misses one more only because I'm saving that one for the big one ... i.e. a kiss or something concrete.  We may never have a five star ep, but I gotta hold it in reserve because hope springs eternal.

(March 17, 2000)
I've heard some good things about this episode which is supposed to be reminiscent of Lower Decks.  I've popped in a tape (but not a new one) and have settled in on this stormy, snowy Friday to watch the show (hoping that the power doesn't go off midway through).

• Cool opening sequence.  From the first fly past to Janeway's ready room to the bottom of the ship.  Very neat.
• Wow, that was a nasty shot Janeway gave Chakotay about the three people 'who slipped through the cracks' aren't 'drones'.  Kind of a needle in a guy who has a hard time with the Borg, having been assimilated (sort of) before. In fact, her body language was very antagonistic toward him in this scene for some odd reason.  Maybe because she thought it was his job to have looked after these people?  They played this scene kind of oddly to me.
• I really am liking Janeway in this one. The only problem is, this is the Janeway we should have been seeing all along ... it just seems very odd to see her suddenly concerned about the lower ranked crew six years into the Delta Quadrant.  A good stand alone episode ... but again, unfortunately, makes no sense within the larger picture of the series.  This is what's so frustrating about Voyager.  They can do great scripts, but for some reason, can't do them consistently, or worse, can't do them within a larger context.  With another show, they'd get away with it.  With Trek, as the ratings over the past few years have shown, they can't.
• Wow, that scene in astrometrics after the other crewmembers had left and Janeway and Seven were alone together ... Janeway leans over the console, her voice lowers, Seven looks vaguely amused, the lighting lowers ... yum.  Also, Seven makes a note that Janeway might be risking her life with these guys.  Obviously, that is her primary concern in this.  That was a cute scene and I'm gonna give a star for it. (And people were telling me there was no J/7 in this one.)
• Wow, this Bajoran has a bit of a crush on the captain.  Can't blame her.
• God, now if they made Harron (sp?) guy Janeway's first officer, I'd have loved that.  He really knows how to stick a needle in Janeway while she knows just how to deflate him.  I'm sure at least two of those scientific comments were flat out insults to each other.  Such wonderful banter there.  Why don't they have this give and take between her and Chakotay?  Hmm, why don't they just give Chakotay half the personality they gave this guy?
• You know, I'm liking this Bajoran as well.  My,  Janeway's certainly getting her eyes opened on this mission.
• Whups, Harron just pissed off the captain.  He's a dead man.  Actually, that's what made this episode kind of exciting; with the exception of Janeway, the rest are essentially 'red shirts'.  Any one of them could die at any time.
• Not a bad episode.  A reasonably good hour of Trek as a matter of fact.

(September 1, 2000 from Kiara)
I don't know if this counts, but what about that part where Seven has to beam those impostors to the brig, and she only gets one, she is so upset when she tells Janeway,  AND she gets "Janeway" the impostor. Maybe it's not really subtext, I'll take it.

• "Seven, you're with me." (Of course she is, dolt. You don't even have to ask.)  "Yes, Captain." (Far more demure than Seven responds to anyone else.)  Granted, it ain't much, but this year, one is taking every little scrap one can manage at this point.
• Janeway and Seven's hands were wonderfully close together in Astrometrics.  Some glances, a few tonal inflections, but not very much to work with. Not worthy of what we've come to expect.  Hell, they're uncovering 'missing scenes' from last year that hold far more subtext.  (Check out Think Tank the next time it comes through on a rerun ... they've readded the scenes they cut before, particularly in lengthening the scene between Janeway and Seven in the ready room.)

(From Valkyrie, June 2, 2000)
I noticed a subtle, twist-it-the-way-you-want-to-see-it bit of subtext in the infamous Deck Twelve "Seven, you're with me" scene.........when they leave Engineering, Seven is looking as impeccable as ever, and Janeway, though her jacket is open, looks none the worse for wear; however, when they reach Astrometrics, Janeway's jacket is gone, she's looking a bit mussed and Seven is noticeably disheveled, particularly with the hair falling loose around her face...:)  Call the hair mussing a result of oxygen masks if you will (I know I *won't*) but there is simply no explaining Janeway's missing jacket ... yeah, we know environmental controls were failing, but why, if she was hot enough to discard it, didn't she just leave it in Engineering?? Call me an optimist, but that scene simply screamed subtext at me!!

• Okay, it's almost half over and Janeway and Seven haven't even been in a scene together. *sigh*
• Hmm, Seven remembers the female Starfleet officer, but not the guy who's supposedly the love of her life.  Uh huh.
• My, Janeway didn't like this whole 'Axum' idea when she first hears his name, did she?
• Oooh, Janeway and Seven get mindmelded which is fairly intriguing.
• Cute line about 'turning in early tonight'.  Said in a slightly flirtatious tone.
• Janeway liked what she saw in Unimatrix Zero, particularly when it came to Seven.  (Who tells her that there, she's known as 'Annika'.  Not a big deal at the time, but later, she demands that loverboy call her Seven of Nine with a certain amount of distaste in her tone, so that basically is that.)
• I do have to giggle when the Queen says 'Janeway' in sort of the same tone Seinfeld says 'Newman'.
• A 'walk and talk' as Janeway tells Seven how much she likes 'Annika', or words to that effect.  Did it have any effect upon subsequent events and Seven's pulling away from Axum?
• I don't suppose it occured to the producers or writers that if Seven does remember what happened all those years in this virtual reality, where she essentially grew up, made friends, and developed a romantic relationship (though so far, we only have the dude's word for it), then she would have all the social skills needed to fit in completely as a crewmember on Voyager.  What's the point of her character any longer?  She'd really have nothing left to learn, and no reason to be the 'outsider' any longer.  She'd basically be Human and a huge part of her charm and