Flashback

This Story: Season 3 Episode 2 (production code 145)
VOY Overall: Episode 44
Trek Overall: Story 474, Episode 500
Airdate: 11 Sep 1996
Written by Brannon Braga
Directed by David Livingston

“You never brought me tea!”

Notes

• Running fired torpedo count: 14 (3 this episode) / Confirmed crew deaths since pilot: 11 (crew of 143).
• This episode was Voyager’s contribution to the overall franchise’s 30th anniversary.  Deep Space Nine’s contribution was “Trials & Tribble-ations“.
• Features the return of three Original Series actors in the characters they’re well known for.  George Takei (Sulu), Grace Lee Whitney (Rand), and Michael Ansara (Kang).
• This is the final appearance in the franchise for both Ansara & Whitney.
• Jeremy Roberts also reprises his role from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as Lt. Voltane.  In the movie, he’s shown to survive, but he dies here.  There is no explanation for this difference.
• Kang was shown to have died in the Deep Space Nine episode “Blood Oath“, but the events of this appearance were set before the events of Blood Oath.
• There was also supposed to be an appearance by Nichelle Nichols as Uhura communicating with Sulu.  She however declined the invitation claiming her role would be too small.
• The original Excelsior bridge set was mostly non existent at this point having been cannibalized for other trek productions.  The set here was rebuilt from scratch, but a few small things (like a wall panel or two) were original from the prior movie appearance.
• This episode was novelized by Diane Carey.  While it is out of print, you can still find used copies fairly easily, or buy a Kindle version online.
• This was one of the four episode held over from Season 2’s production blocks for airing in the third season.  The other three are “Basics, Part II“, “Sacred Ground“, & “False Profits“.

Links

Here’s a screen cap of the censored picture on BlueSky.  :(