Task Force: Gamma

kantubyron · Task Force Crewman Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 76

Yesterday I started watching Voyager again, from the beginning.

I'm surprised at how much my wife reminds me of B'Elanna Torres from the early episodes. Just slightly less breaking peoples noses in three places. Lol.

Tom, don't tell her, she wouldn't take nicely if she ever watched it with me. lol.

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:27 pm Post subject:

Yes, that's right... give me blackmail fuel!

Voyager was a good show, not my favorite but not the worst. I enjoyed most of the characters and I love Kate Mulgrew's passion for her character and her fans... even if her character annoyed me from time to time (not to mention her voice). All in all it was a great addition to the franchise and it has helped inspire me when it comes to this particular game.
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uvek · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:21 am Post subject:

as a typical TOG/TNG fan, the only thing I remember about Voyager was 7 of 9. Please, if she wan't such an unemotional tool, she would have been the character to beat.

I watched more of it after they got into the borg, but even then I just couldn't see it the way that they intended.

Anyway, enjoy the series.

Reahil'ea_Zeara · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:06 am Post subject:

Yeah I gotta agree there... 7 of 9 IS the only character I remember from Voyager... I just watch to much TNG and original....

kantubyron · Task Force Crewman Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 76

I'm gonna try to get through Voyager first, then work back. DS9 then TNG. That should keep me busy for quite a while.

uvek · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:09 pm Post subject:

I understand the interest in those, and truthfully, our simm is based on the latter (DS9), but Gene Roddenberry is the reason for the series themselves. I know that Roddenberry died before seeing the completion of TNG and it was shortly after that they introduced the Borg in an effort to save it (which worked, frankly), but the spirit of roddenberry and his TOG influence is felt in Picard and his crew. The hope and possibility that unity and truth and integrity could see you through is a universal foundation. I just don't see it in Voyager as much. It was darker, and more like an imaginary SURVIVOR, if you will. (Yes, I know that the premise was a stranded ship trying to return home, but..).

After a while it got so convoluted that I couldn't even keep the storyline clear. They tried a soap opera-ish train with new characters. Then, they make a deal with the borg, while having the technology to rid the universe of them! Please. I'm sorry but I will always be biased against them. Not that it matters, each to his own. I hope that I will be able to keep up with whatever new tech or ideas were introduced through the series by reading my companion's reactions and online study.

Just an opinion. Mark

kantubyron · Task Force Crewman Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 76

Honestly, a big part of why I'm watching again (and working my way back) is because I'm 23. I was a kid when TNG was airing, and too immature to be interested in the "slow and boring" DS9. But when Voyager was on the air, I was ripe. I watched it most of the way through from the Pilot episode on.
So I really want to go back and see them all again, as an "adult". With a greater respect and understanding of te series and the franchise as a whole. I'm curious to see what impression I walk away from these series with now.

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:40 am Post subject:

I think it's a little much to say that Gene didn't see the success of TNG. He died in October of 1991, about two months before the premiere of Star Trek VI (Which he famously did not like) and about a quarter of the way into Season Five of TNG (Just after "Disaster", one of my favorite episodes of the series, aired). The Borg were introduced in Season two and didn't get their big story in TNG until "The Best of Both Worlds" in which Gene was not only alive and well but enjoyed the hell out of.

After his death it was clearly said by his wife that she believed he would have disapproved of DS9, but she continued to be a part of the show going so far as to co-write an episode.

I think that Voyager tries to recapture what was done in TNG. With DS9 the producers had to go in a completely different direction with the show, with the themes and mood. It was darker where TNG was light, it dealt with more hands on with the social issues that are a hallmark of Star Trek (though TNG did it very well too, look at "Chain of Command"). Voyager took the things that worked from both other "modern" series and tried to combine them. The complex social network and interpersonal relations of DS9 (the almost Sci-Fi Soap feel if you will) and the "feel" of Star Trek that being on a ship out in space exploring gave you.

Voyager very rarely tried to touch on the social aspects of Star Trek. It didn't make as much commentary as the other two modern shows. The Producers of Star Trek always strive to say SOMETHING with their work, be it commentary on racism or the disparity between the wealthy and the poor or homophobia, but seldom did you see those kinds of discussion in Voyager.

My wife had a hard time getting into Voyager. This may shock you but our First Officer did not consider herself a Trekkie for a very long time (GASP). I introduced her to DS9 first, which she fell in love with for the characters. Quark and Odo, Worf and Dax, The Sisko Family. We can still watch them and get the warm fuzzies seeing Jake and Captain Sisko hug. I tried next to get her to watch some TNG... my goodness it took her YEARS to warm up to it, but she eventually did and I think a big part of her acceptance was an understanding that the character relations in TNG were also important, if not as evident as in DS9. Riker and Troi (though he sure does play her like a yo-yo for most of the series...), Data and Geordi, Data and Picard. These relationships are the key I think to the success of TNG, the humanizing influence that people all over the world could latch onto.

I think that is what is missing in Voyager.

We sat down to watch that show and some of those kinds of relationships are there... but they seem forced to me. They don't feel real. It's not the acting because the actors in that show do a very good job (for the most part). I'll agree with Mark, Voyager feels more like a Soap to me with the shifting... eye I guess you could say, of the crewmen. The show was well done in every technical aspect. They even took Technobabble to a new height... but all of that rings hollow if you don't have the impact in the writing or in the delivery or in the continuity of character.

I think it is for these reasons that DS9 remains my favorite. It has all of these very deep social interactions that feel real to me. It has just the right amount of Science Fiction to suit me just fine as a Trekkie and it deals with complex, difficult to talk about social issues. TNG had all of this in spades and I grew up watching it. I even remember watching "All Good Things..." first run... but I was 10 in 1994 when TNG ended and while I enjoyed it, I don't think I was old enough to really grasp much of it. Deep Space Nine was MY Star Trek, just like Voyager was Chris'.

Sorry about that guys, this one turned out a little longer than I had intended...
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Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

Im Old. Not so old that I saw the first run on the original series, but i grew up on it none the less. The episodes that spring readily to mind are:

"The Devil in the Dark" (Im a Doctor, not a Brick Layer),
"Operation: Annihilate!" (Spock gots 2 eyelids!!)
"Mirror, Mirror" (Ah yes evil Spock with a beard)
"The Trouble With Tribbles" (where the Klingon-human fusion race is touched on. I have always preferd the Fasa Star Trek game explanation to the virus later on)
"Arena" (Gorn are cool)

The First Movie will always have a soft spot in my heart. Decker's sacrifice to join with V'ger and complete the down load of all of Voyagers information.
The space battle between Kirk and Khan (Reliant has always been my favorite ship class since (even if its called Miranda Class)) and the sacrifice of Spock (The needs of the many outway the needs of the few...or the one. (and yes i get misty eyed over the scene everytime))
After the Search for Spock the movies slowly went down hill imho.

The premier of TNG I watched and loved despite being very ready to dislike, wanting to remain loyal to the original. But a Captain that was Captain and stayed aboard the ship and a 1st officer that took care of leading the away team struck a cord that kept me coming back. Plus a Klingon, a Blind Guy, and an Android where nice additions. I was never really a Tasha Yar fan. Something about her to me was just off.

DS9 came out and I watched the premier and enjoyed it, but I always felt Cisko was holding something back. Around the 3rd or 4th season Cisko unleashed what was missing. Hawk was back! If you dont know who Hawk is, then find Spencer for Hire or the short lived series Hawk that sprang from it on Netflix.

I tried to get into Voyager but I just couldnt get passed Janeway. Something about her voice and character left me feeling flat. and most of the bridge crew was just as bad. None of the crew had that spark, at least to me. To me Voyager was just a crappy version of lost in space and I never watched long enough to change my mind about it. I should get the dvd's from NetFlix and watch all the way through to give it an honest chance I just havent yet.

Enterprise I had high hopes for. I really like Scott Backula. And thought he made a good Captain. My only issue was how much they monkeyed with the timeline I knew so well. And well T'pol, what can be said for T'pol other than hottest character to date lol

IAmTedSmith · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:48 am Post subject:

kantubyron · Task Force Crewman Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 76

Wow, I guess this was a pretty good post. I wasn't expecting to spark this kind of conversation but I'm glad to see it.

Liam (sorry i don't know your real name) views voyager basically the same way I viewed DS9. I didn't give it a chance, similarly to what you said. And I also have been planning on going back and watching it, but similarly to you haven't gotten around to it yet.

Thanks for all the cool responses and insight.