monkee reviews Season Seven
Overall Impression: A solid season, with mostly good episodes, but it wasn't the exceptional showing that Voyager needed to improve its mediocre reputation. And now it's too late.
The Numbers: The average rating for the season was an 8.4/10, a significant improvement over seasons six (8.0) and five (7.9). The vast majority of the episodes, however, fell in the 8.0 – 9.0 range, and, I'm sorry to say, weren't all that memorable. Only two ranked higher than 9.0 ('Shattered' and 'Friendship One'), but on the other hand, not one episode fell below a 7.0. There were no bona fide stinkers this season.
Contrary: I know I'm being contrary, but I almost missed not having a really awful episode to mock! No 'Fury' to be outraged by. No 'Tsunkatse' to snub. No 'Threshold' to make fun of. This may seem like a trivial complaint, but there also wasn't a 'Timeless,' or 'One Small Step' to be blown away by. Perhaps the seasons are more fun and memorable when there are higher highs, and lower lows.
The Highlights: While I appreciate a good plot, I tend to prefer nostalgic and character-driven episodes. For me, the highlights of the season were 'Shattered', 'Workforce', 'Friendship One', 'Homestead', and 'Imperfection'. The season/series finale, 'Endgame', was also outstanding, but it had some unfortunate flaws that soured it for me.
The Worst of the Worst: I'd say 'Nightingale' and 'Natural Law' were the low points of the season, but even they weren't all that bad. I also intensely disliked the titillation factor in 'Human Error', but the episode had some redeeming qualities. I know a lot of people loathed 'Repression,' but I'm not one of them. It had a terrible ending, but I found most of it quite engaging.
How the Characters Fared:
Janeway: Janeway was most strongly featured in 'Unimatrix Zero 2,' 'Flesh and Blood,' 'Shattered,' 'The Void,' 'Workforce,' 'Q2,' 'Friendship One,' and, of course, 'Endgame.' In general, I think she fared pretty well, unless you want to count her egregious temporal violations in 'Endgame.' It's interesting to note, however, that in THREE of these episodes ('Flesh and Blood', 'Shattered', and 'Endgame'); she's second-guessing past decisions. While I personally find this understandable, it may not be the most admirable of qualities in a Starship Captain. Janeway did the right thing by destroying the Caretaker's array, and it became tiresome to watch her agonize over it so much throughout the series. But I digress. I think we got to see a full range of Janeway in 'Shattered' – everything I love about her was there, as was the guilt that I find less admirable. I also enjoyed seeing a Janeway unburdened by command in 'Workforce'. And although she had to give a few too many sanctimonious speeches in 'The Void,' it was still a triumphant Janeway piece. I wish we'd had more of those over the years. Mulgrew, as always, was outstanding in nearly every scene she was in. Her performance in 'Endgame' was top-notch, and I think she deserves Emmy consideration.
Chakotay: Robert Beltran's griping paid off! He finally got a decent amount of screen time. He was featured in 'Repression,' 'Shattered,' 'Workforce,' 'Human Error,' Natural Law,' and (unfortunately) 'Endgame.' I can't say that his character developed much, though. He wasn't himself in 'Repression' or 'Human Error,' and we already knew that he was interested in Anthropology ('Natural Law'). He was most appealing in 'Shattered' and 'Workforce', as a good XO and friend to Janeway, but then she always did bring out the best in him. Although Beltran has said that he always wanted the show's writers to pursue a C/7 relationship, in this reviewer's opinion, 'Endgame' was the worst thing that could have happened to the character. In the final episode of the series, Chakotay was relegated to 'generic love interest for Seven' status. We were never given even a hint of his motivation for pursuing this relationship, and long-term viewers were left wondering what on earth happened to his series-long attraction to Janeway. I couldn't stand Endgame Chakotay, and it left me with a very bad feeling towards the character. Sadly, it's damage that can't be repaired.
Paris: Paris fared quite well this season. He was strongly featured as half of the Paris/Torres couple in 'Drive,' 'Lineage,' 'Prophecy,' 'Workforce' and 'Endgame.' He was also prominent in 'Friendship One,' and he had some nice moments in several other episodes. I have to give the writers credit for at least trying with Paris and Torres. I'm surprised they took it as far as they did in this last season, with marriage, an eventful pregnancy and an actual baby by the end. I think Paris fared better, as a character, than Torres did in the pairing. He was a bit of a jerk in 'Drive', but I really liked his efforts to understand and help her in 'Lineage,' and the way he stood by her in 'Prophecy.' And I thought it was sweet the way he befriended and cared for her in 'Workforce,' even when he didn't know who she was. Paris was also wonderful in 'Friendship One,' where he did a great job as both the head of the captured landing party and a medic. He also had some nice moments with Tuvok in 'Body and Soul,' with the Doctor in 'Author, Author,' and with Neelix in 'Homestead.'
Torres: She, of course, was featured as the other half of the Paris/Torres couple in the episodes mentioned above. As I've said before, I think that the character of Torres has been diminished by P/T. The pairing too often sank into either sitcom humor or soap opera dramatics, and Torres seemed to lose a lot of her original edge. Childhood trauma or not, 'Lineage' Torres was too over the top for my tastes. After seeing Roxann Dawson discuss Torres with great passion at conventions, however, I'm willing to accept her. If Torres turned out to be more like Dawson than what *I* thought the character should be, well...okay. She was still likeable. Aside from the P/T episodes, Torres wasn't given much else to do this season. Kudos to Dawson, though, for directing herself (and everyone else, of course) so well in 'Workforce 2', and for her brilliant portrayal of the Doctor in 'Renaissance Man.'
The Doctor: The Doctor's big episodes this season were 'Critical Care', 'Body and Soul,' 'Flesh and Blood,' 'Author, Author', and 'Renaissance Man'. He also got a lot of B stories. It's interesting that in two of these episodes ('Body and Soul', and 'Renaissance Man'), other actors were playing him, a clever approach that I enjoyed. Holographic rights was a recurring theme this season, and it was interesting, but I have to admit that the Doctor's arrogant approach to it ('Flesh and Blood', 'Workforce,' and 'Author, Author') was beginning to get on my nerves. And finally, the Doctor's interest in Seven was resolved this season. Unfortunately, it was resolved with a smirk and one stilted conversation – too bad, it deserved better, and so did the Doctor. As we saw in 'Human Error,' his feelings for Seven ran quite deep.
Seven: Seven's main episodes were 'Unimatrix Zero 2', 'Imperfection,' 'Body and Soul,' 'Repentance,' 'Human Error,' 'Natural Law,' and 'Endgame.' She had a lot of B stories, too. I'll be honest and admit that she wasn't as horribly overused as she has been in previous seasons, but it doesn't matter – the damage had already been done. I've seen at least twice as much of Seven of Nine and her quest for humanity than I ever wanted to. Of her episodes this season, I liked 'Imperfection' best. I also found some of her 'Human Error' scenes (the ones where she WASN'T wearing a trashy red dress and sucking on Chakotay's finger) poignant. I think it's noteworthy that both the first and last episodes of the season featured mawkish Seven love stories. I can't help but think that they'd have been much better off making her a more tragic character, as rumored early in the season. She was far more interesting that way, when she wasn't playing a Harlequin heroine. I can't blame Jeri Ryan, really – I think she did the best she could with what she was given. She really is a pretty good actress. Although I thought she went a little overboard as the Doctor in 'Body and Soul,' I'll at least give her credit for going out on a limb with it.
Tuvok: Alas, poor Tuvok. What was his big episode this season? 'Repression.' They even turned his pon farr ('Body and Soul') into a light-hearted B-story! The show's writers just couldn't deal with Tuvok unless he was losing control in some way. In addition to the two episodes I've mentioned, that was also the case in 'Workforce 1' and 'Endgame.' Don't get me wrong, it's always interesting to see Tuvok lose control, and Russ does well with those situations, but I wish they'd given Tuvok more of a chance to shine as a Vulcan in full control. That can be – if you'll pardon the expression – fascinating, too! Just look at his wonderful scenes with Neelix in 'Homestead!' Still, I'll leave this season and this series with some fond memories of Tuvok. I think his 'dance' for Neelix in 'Homestead' will forever be one of my all-time favorite Trek scenes, and I was deeply moved by the Tuvok in 'Endgame's future timeline.
Neelix: Neelix never got more than an episode or two per season, and that was the case here, too. One thing I have to say, though, is that he got decent minor scenes frequently as the ship's informal moral officer. And Ethan Phillips, bless his heart, always went all out to make those scenes appealing, and he usually succeeded. This year, of course, his big episode was 'Homestead.' And what an episode it was! It actually brought Neelix full circle, and gave him a happy ending as well. In fact, Neelix ended up getting the only truly satisfying resolution in the bunch, since we'll never really know what happens to the others. I also loved Neelix's pursuit of the hot Klingon babe in 'Prophecy' – it was wonderful to see that side of him!
Harry Kim: Harry was LUCKY to get one episode per season, and this year it was 'Nightingale.' It was an adequate episode, but that's about the best that can be said for it. Fortunately, we also saw a great deal of Harry in 'Endgame.' It was nice to see that, in the future timeline, at least, he didn't remain an Ensign forever, and grew to argue with Admiral Janeway as almost an equal. I also liked him in the present timeline, as he finally realized that the journey is more important than the destination (and wasn't it about time that someone said it?)
Barclay, and the Pathfinder team: I like Barclay, and have since he was introduced in TNG, and I'm pleased that he became an honorary Voyager character. Having him, and the rest of the Pathfinder team, appear in several episodes this season ('Inside Man,' 'Author, Author', and 'Endgame') at least gave us a hint of a recurring arc. I wish there had been more of an arc, but at least it was something.
Icheb and Naomi: I disliked the Borg kids, and thought they added very little to the Voyager story, except for Icheb. Manu Intiraymi was such an excellent young actor that I couldn't help but like Icheb. His performance in 'Imperfection' was stunning. And I always liked Naomi. I wish we could have seen more of her, but at least she got a couple of token appearances.
Recurring Villains: I was thrilled to pieces to see Seska, Chaotica and Satan's Robot in 'Shattered.' You just can't have too much of any of them, in my opinion!
Who had the best season? Actually, it's difficult to say this year, and that's good. They did a better job of keeping it an ensemble show in this the final season. Janeway, Chakotay, and Paris/Torres (as a couple) each had several good episodes. So did the Doctor and Seven, although that goes without saying – they always do. Tuvok, Neelix and Harry didn't get as much screen time, but they all fared well enough for us to remember them fondly.
J/C: This has been a regular section of my season reviews since I started doing this. I see no reason to stop now. What a difference a year makes, huh? A year ago, 'Unimatrix Zero: Part One' had just aired, and we were all still floating from the J/C hand-holding scene on the bridge. If someone had told me then that Chakotay and Seven would fall in love in the series finale, I would have laughed my head off! I remained optimistic right through 'Shattered,' which showed me that we *hadn't* been imagining the chemistry all along – Janeway noticed it, too, after only a few hours with Chakotay! I was so sure that when they got home, and the constraints were gone...but alas. I can honestly say that the C/7 nonsense ruined the last half of the season for me, because that's when the spoilers started coming out. It nearly ruined 'Endgame' for me, too, and I SO wanted to love and savor every last minute of the finale. Sigh. When I did my review of 'Shattered,' I said that if that episode was the last word on J/C, it would almost be enough for me. Well, I lied. It would have been enough, if they had just ended the series on an ambiguous J and C note. But they didn't. They paired Chakotay off with SEVEN, of all people. Seven's gotten everything – all the best episodes, all the attention, and now they went and gave her the happy ending I wanted for Janeway, too. ARGH! It was all so wrong; even people who weren't J/C ers were left scratching their heads. BAD decision, and that's all I'm going to say on the subject. To read my complete C/7 rant, see the first part of my Endgame Review, Top Five Reasons Why C/7 was a Bad Idea.
This, Voyager's Final Season: So, what's the verdict? If this were any other season, I'd say they did quite well, but it wasn't any other season. It was the FINAL season, and as such, it needed to be exceptional, and it needed to tie up a lot of different elements – the characters, the Maquis, and the basic premise of the ship being stranded. They had a whole year! What happened? I know Voyager doesn't do story arcs. They never have. I used to complain about that, but lately I've been thinking it was probably a good idea. It really *is* difficult to figure out what's going on during DS9 repeats, especially if you didn't see all the episodes the first time around. It isn't necessary to do story arcs, however, to carry a theme over the course of a season, or to do character arcs. Voyager did some of this, but not nearly enough. Something similar to the ongoing Paris/Torres story should have been happening with ALL of the characters in the seventh season. Is Neelix starting to feel homesick for his people? SHOW us that. Are Chakotay and (God forbid) Seven going to fall in love in the finale? Give us some reason to believe in the pairing beforehand. Nothing was ever resolved with the Maquis. This was a major element in the show, for crying out loud! If they didn't want to address it in the finale, no problem. They were able to communicate with Starfleet throughout the entire season – they could have done a Janeway-fights-for-the-Maquis episode at any time! And speaking of that ability to communicate with home...they should have been using that a whole lot more. We got to see a few short conversations between crewmembers and their families in 'Author, Author,' but we needed MORE. I would love to have seen Naomi's father. Or a conversation between Tom Paris and his father. I was dying to meet Janeway's mother. Janeway has few people to confide in; a mother-daughter conversation would have been so interesting. There were three major complaints about 'Endgame' in the reviews: Janeway's selfish motivation for tampering with the timeline, the out of nowhere C/7 romance, and the lack of any meaningful reunions! They could have SHOWN us those 'reunions' all season long!
Still, the season was far from awful and forgettable. Here are some of my favorite memories of season seven – a few scattered images that will stick in my mind:
Janeway, Tuvok and Torres as Borg drones.
Icheb's passionate plea for Seven to accept his cortical node.
The Delta Flyer, with 'Just Married' spray-painted on it.
Barclay frightening schoolchildren with "The Borg! The Borg! The Borg have assimilated my hologram!"
The Doctor/Seven tasting NY cheesecake for the first time.
Chakotay holding a hypo to Janeway's neck, and backing her through a temporal barrier.
Seven in full Borg regalia, choking a wide-eyed Seska.
Janeway arguing with Satan's Robot.
A holographic image of a beautiful part-Klingon baby.
Neelix, growling at a lusty Klingon woman.
Fantome and his friends having a tonal conversation.
An open, happy and relaxed Kathryn Janeway in a blue jumpsuit.
Chakotay, Seven and a grand piano.
Q telling his son, "If the continuum has told you once, it's told you a thousand times, DON'T PROVOKE THE BORG!"
Joe Carey, standing tall and meeting his death with his eyes open.
Tuvok dancing, to say goodbye to a friend.
Voyager flying past the Golden Gate Bridge with fireworks exploding all around.
Ensign Miral Paris shouting at a Klingon twice her size.
An elderly Tuvok, surrounded by candles, scribbling on crumpled sheets of paper.
Janeway arguing vehemently with her future self.
The Borg Queen falling apart, limb by limb.
Voyager sailing triumphantly through the wreckage of a Borg sphere.
Voyager being escorted with honor towards a beautiful blue planet.
Wow! See? Now I've almost convinced even myself that season seven was nothing short of brilliant! Almost. Well, no, actually. They still missed the boat on a lot of things. But for better or worse, it's done. I'm going to miss it very much, indeed. I thought Voyager had the most intriguing premise, and the most appealing cast of characters. It never did live up to its potential, but there were a lot of bright spots over the years. That's what I'll try to take away from the series.
I hope to do a Voyager Retrospective article sometime this summer. Please stay tuned...
monkee
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