Star Trek: Voyager

I moved to Texas in December of 1992, and at this point in the franchise, this was the first Star Trek series to be conceived fully after I moved here.  DS9 started about three weeks after I moved to Texas, but I knew about it beforehand.  Voyager is something else.  This has no bearing on the drama of the show at all, just a personal memory I wanted to stick in there.

Voyager tried to do a few things different.  After DS9, they were back on a starship as TOS & TNG were, but this time around they were determined to do something different.  Voyager is the first series to have a female captain of the ship.  In no way did that bother me at all, but I did wonder at the time if the audience was ready for something like that.   Star Trek fans are generally more open minded than some fan bases can be – but still.  They’ve never tried a series with a female lead before.  After a brief sidetrack with Geneviève Bujold, they settled on Kate Mulgrew as Capt Kathryn Janeway of the USS Voyager.  Additionally, they were going to remove the crutch of Starflet, by having the ship be marooned 70,000 light years into another sector of space.  Which means there wasn’t always some Admiral to oversee them, or correct their decisions.  From a plot standpoint it was a good idea.  In practice though I ended up feeling I missed the trappings of “Star Trek” more than I thought I would.  It didn’t stop me from liking the show, I quite loved it.  Some of it is stellar Star Trek.  Like most Trek series, it took a little time to find its footing, but once it did, it got quite good.

They had some carry over from existing Trek to start the series – the crew was initially made up of Maquis characters, a concept set up on TNG & DS9.  However, it didn’t last long as the Maquis angle was pretty quickly absorbed into the overall feel of Voyager.   They made a big effort to make this not feel like “just another crew on a Starship”, as that’d been done a few times already to this point.

Voyager was the last of the “big” Star Trek Series.  It ran seven years and 172 episodes from 16 Jan 1995 through 23 May 2001.  Every subsequent Star Trek series that has come after this has lasted at most 5 seasons, and the number of episodes was reduced.  Enterprise had the traditional 26 or so episodes a season, but only lasted four years.  Everything from Discovery forward was anywhere between 10 to 15 episodes a season (mostly just 10 though).

Season 4

Season Four is when Voyager really started to take off big time for me.  Not that it was bad before, this, but they found the right balance.  They started experimenting with different formats.  Was a good year.  Will write more about it when I get closer to finishing the series.

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) is added to the cast here, and we say goodbye to Kes after the second episode.

• Demon (3/31/2026) - (6 May 1998) – Season 4 Episode 24 (Serial 192)
• Living Witness (3/30/2026) - (29 Apr 1998) – Season 4 Episode 23 (Serial 191)
• Unforgettable (3/29/2026) - (22 Apr 1998) – Season 4 Episode 22 (Serial 190)
• The Omega Directive (3/28/2026) - (15 Apr 1998) – Season 4 Episode 21 (Serial 189)
• Vis à Vis (3/27/2026) - (8 Apr 1998) – Season 4 Episode 20 (Serial 188)
• The Killing Game (3/26/2026) - (4 Mar 1998) – Season 4 Episodes 18 & 19 (Serial 186 & 187)
• Retrospect (3/25/2026) - (25 Feb 1998) – Season 4 Episode 17 (Serial 185)
• Prey (3/23/2026) - (18 Feb 1998) – Season 4 Episode 16 (Serial 184)
• Hunters (3/21/2026) - (11 Feb 1998) – Season 4 Episode 15 (Serial 183)
• Message in a Bottle (3/20/2026) - (21 Jan 1998) – Season 4 Episode 14 (Serial 181)
• Waking Moments (3/19/2026) - (14 Jan 1998) – Season 4 Episode 13 (Serial 182)
• Mortal Coil (3/18/2026) - (17 Dec 1997) – Season 4 Episode 12 (Serial 180)
• Concerning Flight (3/17/2026) - (26 Oct 1997) – Season 4 Episode 11 (Serial 179)
• Random Thoughts (3/16/2026) - (19 Oct 1997) – Season 4 Episode 10 (Serial 178)
• Year of Hell (3/15/2026) - (5 - 12 Oct 1997) – Season 4 Episodes 8 & 9 (Serials 176 / 177)
• Scientific Method (3/13/2026) - (29 Oct 1997) – Season 4 Episode 7 (Serial 175)
• The Raven (3/12/2026) - (8 Oct 1997) – Season 4 Episode 6 (Serial 174)
• Revulsion (3/11/2026) - (1 Oct 1997) – Season 4 Episode 5 (Serial 173)
• Nemesis (3/10/2026) - (24 Sep 1997) – Season 4 Episode 4 (Serial 171)
• Day of Honor (3/9/2026) - (17 Sep 1997) – Season 4 Episode 3 (Serial 172)
• The Gift (3/8/2026) - (10 Sep 1997) – Season 4 Episode 2 (Serial 170)
• Scorpion Part II (3/7/2026) - (3 Sep 1997) – Season 4 Episode 1 (Serial 169)

Season 3

Season Three was the last full season with Jennifer Lien’s Kes as a main cast member. Trek legends George Takei & Grace Lee Whitney make guest appearances (together) as their well known characters Sulu & Rand.

The Borg are reintroduced to the series here.  A few dribbles during the season, and then big time in the season finale.    There was a prequel to a two part story next season here.

Overall, it was a solid season without a whole lot of stinkers.   But the best was yet to come.

• Scorpion (3/6/2026) - (21 May 1997) – Season 3 Episode 26 (Serial 168)
• Worst Case Scenario (3/5/2026) - (14 May 1997) – Season 3 Episode 25 (Serial 167)
• Displaced (3/4/2026) - (7 May 1997) – Season 3 Episode 24 (Serial 166)
• Distant Origin (3/3/2026) - (30 Apr 1997) – Season 3 Episode 23 (Serial 165)
• Real Life (3/2/2026) - (23 Apr 1997) – Season 3 Episode 22 (Serial 164)
• Before and After (3/1/2026) - (26 Mar 1997) – Season 3 Episode 21 (Serial 163)
• Favorite Son (2/28/2026) - (19 Mar 1997) – Season 3 Episode 20 (Serial 162)
• Rise (2/27/2026) - (26 Feb 1997) – Season 3 Episode 19 (Serial 160)
• Darkling (2/26/2026) - (19 Feb 1997) – Season 3 Episode 18 (Serial 161)
• Unity (2/25/2026) - (12 Feb 1997) – Season 3 Episode 17 (Serial 159)
• Blood Fever (2/24/2026) - (5 Feb 1997) – Season 3 Episode 16 (Serial 157)
• Coda (2/23/2026) - (29 Jan 1997) – Season 3 Episode 15 (Serial 158)
• Alter Ego (2/22/2026) - (15 Jan 1997) – Season 3 Episode 14 (Serial 155)
• Fair Trade (2/21/2026) - (8 Jan 1997) – Season 3 Episode 13 (Serial 156)
• Macrocosm (2/20/2026) - (11 Dec 1996) – Season 3 Episode 12 (Serial 154)
• The Q and the Grey (2/19/2026) - (27 Nov 1996) – Season 3 Episode 11 (Serial 153)
• Warlord (2/18/2026) - (20 Nov 1996) – Season 3 Episode 10 (Serial 152)
• Future’s End (2/17/2026) - (6 - 13 Nov 1996) – Season 3 Episodes 8 & 9 (Serial 150 & 151)
• Sacred Ground (2/15/2026) - (16 Oct 1996) – Season 3 Episode 7 (Serial 148)
• Remember (2/14/2026) - (9 Oct 1996) – Season 3 Episode 6 (Serial 148)
• False Profits (2/13/2026) - (2 Oct 1996) – Season 3 Episode 5 (Serial 144)
• The Swarm (2/12/2026) - (25 Sep 1996) – Season 3 Episode 4 (Serial 149)
• The Chute (2/11/2026) - (18 Sep 1996) – Season 3 Episode 3 (Serial 147)
• Flashback (2/10/2026) - (11 Sep 1996) – Season 3 Episode 2 (Serial 145)
• Basics, Part II (2/9/2026) - (4 Sep 1996) – Season 3 Episode 1 (Serial 146)

Season 2

Season Two was the first “full” season with 26 episodes.  However, it started off with four that were produced for Season 1, but held over to start off Season 2.  Oddly that same exact thing happened at the back end of the season.  Four of them produced for Season 2 were held back for Season 3, although one of them was the cliffhanger’s resolution.

For the most part it felt like a natural evolution to what came before in Season 1.  This includes some things from Season 1 recurring from various plots of Season 1.  Not a huge leap forward in quality, just more of the same, really.  That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s not like a quantum leap forward like DS9 had at the start of Season 4 – that kind of thing.

Oddly this season had a few more duds than most seasons, including what’s generally considered the single WORST episode of Voyager. We get a fair variety of stories centered around the characters in the main cast.   I’ve found on this rewatch that I’ve enjoyed the Chakotay character fare more than I remembered in the past.  There’s also a few moments where Jennifer Lien shows that she can act better than I recalled.

We also get a few fun appearances this season from Q & William T. Riker – in the same episode no less.

• Basics, Part I (2/8/2026) - (20 May 1996) – Season 2 Episode 26 (Serial 142)
• Resolutions (2/7/2026) - (13 May 1996) – Season 2 Episode 25 (Serial 141)
• Tuvix (2/6/2026) - (6 May 1996) – Season 2 Episode 24 (Serial 140)
• The Thaw (2/5/2026) - (29 Apr 1996) – Season 2 Episode 23 (Serial 139)
• Innocence (2/4/2026) - (8 Apr 1996) – Season 2 Episode 22 (Serial 138)
• Deadlock (2/3/2026) - (20 Mar 1996) – Season 2 Episode 21 (Serial 137)
• Investigations (2/2/2026) - (13 Mar 1996) – Season 2 Episode 20 (Serial 135)
• Lifesigns (2/1/2026) - (26 Feb 1996) – Season 2 Episode 19 (Serial 136)
• Death Wish (1/31/2026) - (19 Feb 1996) – Season 2 Episode 18 (Serial 130)
• Dreadnought (1/30/2026) - (12 Feb 1996) – Season 2 Episode 17 (Serial 134)
• Meld (1/29/2026) - (5 Feb 1996) – Season 2 Episode 16 (Serial 133)
• Threshold (1/28/2026) - (29 Jan 1996) – Season 2 Episode 15 (Serial 132)
• Alliances (1/27/2026) - (22 Jan 1996) – Season 2 Episode 14 (Serial 131)
• Prototype (1/26/2026) - (15 Jan 1996) – Season 2 Episode 13 (Serial 129)
• Resistance (1/25/2026) - (27 Nov 1995) – Season 2 Episode 12 (Serial 128)
• Maneuvers (1/24/2026) - (20 Nov 1995) – Season 2 Episode 11 (Serial 127)
• Cold Fire (1/23/2026) - (13 Nov 1995) – Season 2 Episode 10 (Serial 126)
• Tattoo (1/22/2026) - (6 Nov 1995) – Season 2 Episode 9 (Serial 125)
• Persistence of Vision (1/21/2026) - (30 Oct 1995) – Season 2 Episode 8 (Serial 124)
• Parturition (1/20/2026) - (9 Oct 1995) – Season 2 Episode 7 (Serial 123)
• Twisted (1/19/2026) - (2 Oct 1995) – Season 2 Episode 6 (Serial 119)
• Non Sequitur (1/18/2026) - (25 Sep 1995) – Season 2 Episode 5 (Serial 122)
• Elogium (1/17/2026) - (18 Sep 1995) – Season 2 Episode 4 (Serial 119)
• Projections (1/16/2026) - (11 Sep 1995) – Season 2 Episode 3 (Serial 117)
• Initiations (1/15/2026) - (4 Sep 1995) – Season 2 Episode 2 (Serial 121)
• The 37’s (1/14/2026) - (28 Aug 1995) – Season 2 Episode 1 (Serial 120)

Season 1

Like most Trek series, Voyager’s first series was more of a “getting a feel” for what’s going on.  It’s not bad (like TNG season 1 was), but I felt there was too much time spent on stories that were “meh”.  That’s not say it’s bad, there are some excellent moments, too.

They also set up the Kazon as a big threat in the pilot, but they only re-appeared once in the remainder of season 1.

It’s also the shortest season of Voyager at 16 episodes, vs the 26 the rest of the seasons have.  That’s mostly to do with the show being a mid season launch (it started in January vs Sep or Oct).  Additionally, a couple of episodes produced for Season 1 were held over and shown at the start of Season 2.

One thing I discovered on this rewatch is that I enjoyed Chokotay far more than I remember liking in the past. While I never actively disliked the character, he wasn’t my favorite in the past.  This time around I found the character far more enjoyable.  I wonder if that has anything to do with the character’s reappearance in Star Trek Prodigy a few decades later.

• Learning Curve (1/13/2026) - (22 May 1995) – Season 1 Episode 16 (Serial 116)
• Jetrel (1/12/2026) - (15 May 1995) – Season 1 Episode 15 (Serial 115)
• Faces (1/11/2026) - (8 May 1995) – Season 1 Episode 14 (Serial 114)
• Cathexis (1/10/2026) - (1 May 1995) – Season 1 Episode 13 (Serial 113)
• Heroes and Demons (1/9/2026) - (24 Apr 1995) – Season 1 Episode 12 (Serial 112)
• State of Flux (1/8/2026) - (10 Apr 1995) – Season 1 Episode 11 (Serial 111)
• Prime Factors (1/7/2026) - (20 Mar 1995) – Season 1 Episode 10 (Serial 110)
• Emanations (1/6/2026) - (13 Mar 1995) – Season 1 Episode 9 (Serial 109)
• Ex Post Facto (1/5/2026) - (27 Feb 1995) – Season 1 Episode 8 (Serial 108)
• Eye of the Needle (1/4/2026) - (20 Feb 1995) – Season 1 Episode 7 (Serial 107)
• The Cloud (1/3/2026) - (13 Feb 1995) – Season 1 Episode 6 (Serial 106)
• Phage (1/2/2026) - (6 Feb 1995) – Season 1 Episode 5 (Serial 105)
• Time and Again (1/1/2026) - (30 Jan 1995) – Season 1 Episode 4 (Serial 104)
• Parallax (12/31/2025) - (23 Jan 1995) – Season 1 Episode 3 (Serial 103)
• Caretaker (12/30/2025) - (16 Jan 1995) – Season 1 Episodes 1-2 (Serial 101-102)