Star Trek VOY: General Discussion Thread

[shavedape]

Guess I'll ask here but is the way the Voyager really gets back through the companion of the "Caretaker", deus ex machina style? Or is there going to be a journey? Or bunch of stand-alone episodes with occasional recurring enemies and recurring plot elements with the ending being the caretaker's companion giving them a lift home? This show's missing some oomph, some of the characters too. Paris seems like a sleazier Riker, so far. Then again, I've only seen half of season 1 so far. I like Tuvok though, very Vulcan but close to his captain. Seems more number 1 material. Although I do miss the occasional one-liners, lol: "Number 1, you have the bridge" and "Engage".

That's just Tom Paris over-compensating as he tries to keep it secret that he and Harry Kim are homosexual lovers.

 

[Joelist]

Indeed.

BTW, the Galaxy class torpedo launchers per Memory Alpha are all 5 barreled - so it really has 10 torpedo Tubes in effect. I also question their saying Intrepid has 5 - we only ever see three used (two forward and one aft). Plus they do say that only a couple of Intrepid's phaser banks are Type X and the others are smaller - stands to reason actually as how exactly would an Intrepid power all that hardware?

 

[Gatefan1976]

Indeed.

Glad we are on the same level here

BTW, the Galaxy class torpedo launchers per Memory Alpha are all 5 barreled - so it really has 10 torpedo Tubes in effect.

Nope, it states it is capble of launching 5 simultaniously, but I can NEVER recall in TNG seeing a multiple simultanious launch visually, just one fired after the other in rapid succession, same as with any SF ship.

I also question their saying Intrepid has 5 - we only ever see three used (two forward and one aft).

I can only venture that that was due to supply issues, but cannot back that up

Plus they do say that only a couple of Intrepid's phaser banks are Type X and the others are smaller

Did not see that, the only info I could find was on the Galaxy classes Phaser Arrays being either type X or VIII, nothing on the Intrepid's type.

- stands to reason actually as how exactly would an Intrepid power all that hardware?

The Warp Core on the Galaxy class ships has to be modified and calibrated correctly to provide the same levels of power as the Intrepid Warp core does right out of the gate.
--- merged: Feb 27, 2013 at 11:00 PM ---
And JUST because it's somewhat on/off topic...................

 

[Joelist]

Actually they did - they launched at least 5 simultaneously from the rear launcher in the episode with the soliton wave.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Actually they did - they launched at least 5 simultaneously from the rear launcher in the episode with the soliton wave.

Ep is New Ground, but as I only have DS9 and VOY on DVD, I cannot confirm nor deny that.

 

[Bluce Ree]

That's just Tom Paris over-compensating as he tries to keep it secret that he and Harry Kim are homosexual lovers.

It would have been cool if they just kept him as Nick Locarno from that TNG episode with the cadets covering up an accident:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Nicholas_Locarno

 

[Overmind One]

Indeed.

BTW, the Galaxy class torpedo launchers per Memory Alpha are all 5 barreled - so it really has 10 torpedo Tubes in effect. I also question their saying Intrepid has 5 - we only ever see three used (two forward and one aft). Plus they do say that only a couple of Intrepid's phaser banks are Type X and the others are smaller - stands to reason actually as how exactly would an Intrepid power all that hardware?

I always had a huge problem with the new style phasers used in TNG and later (except Enterprise and DS9). It would show two "energy balls" traveling along what looked like a track, then would come to a beam. WTH? Phase cannons made sense, the Defiant class rapid burst phasers even made sense. But on Voyager and TNG Enterprise, we had the track with the balls and beams. How would such a device work even in theory?

 

[Tropicana]

Perhaps the phaser array track requires a build up before the beam can be emitted. With the track, it does allow the multi vector shots, instead of single location shot.

 

[Gatefan1976]

It would have been cool if they just kept him as Nick Locarno from that TNG episode with the cadets covering up an accident:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Nicholas_Locarno

Hell, they even toyed with the idea of Paris *being* Nick after McNeill was cast, but decided against it.
--- merged: Feb 28, 2013 at 1:09 PM ---

I always had a huge problem with the new style phasers used in TNG and later (except Enterprise and DS9). It would show two "energy balls" traveling along what looked like a track, then would come to a beam. WTH? Phase cannons made sense, the Defiant class rapid burst phasers even made sense. But on Voyager and TNG Enterprise, we had the track with the balls and beams. How would such a device work even in theory?

You mean when they are charging?
Perhaps the energy required to produce the columnated beam causes the power conduits to glow untill release at the apropriate phaser array?

 

[Overmind One]

Perhaps the phaser array track requires a build up before the beam can be emitted. With the track, it does allow the multi vector shots, instead of single location shot.

That makes sense, but the energy balls that travel along the track did not, IMHO. Also, the phaser array with track seems to be a strategic weakness. What if one end of the track is damaged and only one of the energy balls can be released? If you are vectoring to port AND to starboard, wouldn't the balls collide before firing? Why can the shuttles and smaller startships like Defiant have the same high power phasers and not need to use the track? Also, in every Trek series, the photon torpedoes always appear as lights when they are fired and as they travel to their targets. Where is the light coming from? The Mark VI and VII torpedoes do not appear to have lights on them.
--- merged: Feb 28, 2013 at 1:19 PM ---

Hell, they even toyed with the idea of Paris *being* Nick after McNeill was cast, but decided against it.
--- merged: Feb 28, 2013 at 1:09 PM ---


You mean when they are charging?
Perhaps the energy required to produce the columnated beam causes the power conduits to glow untill release at the apropriate phaser array?

Thought about that too, sort of like bringing together energy into a critical mass before columnating the beams. But then that makes continuous firing impossible does it not? In TOS, the Enterprise destroyed the Temple of Baal with a continuous phaser beam. I felt that the TNG and later ships using this track effect were taking artistic license on it. Another example of "cool" over "technobabble". Where is Wesley Crusher when you need him? At least in the new Trek, you are seeing phaser cannons like we see on the Defiant.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Thought about that too, sort of like bringing together energy into a critical mass before columnating the beams. But then that makes continuous firing impossible does it not?

I can't see why. You see the Ent D do it in encounter at farpoint when the feed the creature via a modified phaser beam, also when they use the phaser to drill into the ground in "Legacy". I can only assume that once critical mass is achieved to the right emitter you can fire continuously if needed, but perhaps not at full power (hence the burst fire type of shots you see in combat).

In TOS, the Enterprise destroyed the Temple of Baal with a continuous phaser beam. I felt that the TNG and later ships using this track effect were taking artistic license on it. Another example of "cool" over "technobabble". Where is Wesley Crusher when you need him? At least in the new Trek, you are seeing phaser cannons like we see on the Defiant.

They very well may have just been doing it for visuals, but you also hear in the "big shots" the sound of what could be arrays charging (First contact during the attack on the borg cube is good for this)

 

[Overmind One]

I can't see why. You see the Ent D do it in encounter at farpoint when the feed the creature via a modified phaser beam, also when they use the phaser to drill into the ground in "Legacy". I can only assume that once critical mass is achieved to the right emitter you can fire continuously if needed, but perhaps not at full power (hence the burst fire type of shots you see in combat).

They very well may have just been doing it for visuals, but you also hear in the "big shots" the sound of what could be arrays charging (First contact during the attack on the borg cube is good for this)

Quite right...I will watch both those episodes to see how they created that effect. . I also still feel that they did it for visual effect as well.

 

[shavedape]

It would have been cool if they just kept him as Nick Locarno from that TNG episode with the cadets covering up an accident:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Nicholas_Locarno

Even if they kept the character as Locarno I doubt much would have changed, especially in regards to the "buddy" dynamic between Paris/Locarno and Harry Kim. As the "sub" in the sick, twisted relationship Harry would still have been horribly abused and humiliated to the point of attempting suicide (see the episode In Space No One Hears the Cries of a Geisha). Thank God he forgot to override the holodeck safety protocols before he attempted to hang himself with that pair of fishnet stockings Paris made him wear under his uniform. (Yes, the same pair of fishnet stockings that were later used to strangle Neelix and frame Harry Kim in the episode titled: No One Loves an Annoying Clown.)

 

[Bluce Ree]

Even if they kept the character as Locarno I doubt much would have changed, especially in regards to the "buddy" dynamic between Paris/Locarno and Harry Kim. As the "sub" in the sick, twisted relationship Harry would still have been horribly abused and humiliated to the point of attempting suicide (see the episode In Space No One Hears the Cries of a Geisha). Thank God he forgot to override the holodeck safety protocols before he attempted to hang himself with that pair of fishnet stockings Paris made him wear under his uniform. (Yes, the same pair of fishnet stockings that were later used to strangle Neelix and frame Harry Kim in the episode titled: No One Loves an Annoying Clown.)

I dunno if I'll ever be able to see Voyager quite the same way again.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Even if they kept the character as Locarno I doubt much would have changed, especially in regards to the "buddy" dynamic between Paris/Locarno and Harry Kim. As the "sub" in the sick, twisted relationship Harry would still have been horribly abused and humiliated to the point of attempting suicide (see the episode In Space No One Hears the Cries of a Geisha). Thank God he forgot to override the holodeck safety protocols before he attempted to hang himself with that pair of fishnet stockings Paris made him wear under his uniform. (Yes, the same pair of fishnet stockings that were later used to strangle Neelix and frame Harry Kim in the episode titled: No One Loves an Annoying Clown.)

Is this the gay version of men and women can't be friends?

 

[Joelist]

I always liked this snippet of Voyager:

 

[mzzz]

Almost finished watching season 2. I'm not really into it. Janeway does a whole lot of monologue-ing about some big decisions she's about to make, it's kind of pretentious to me. They really sidelined Kes after that telekinetic (whatever) fire episode. She was getting too powerful; she makes a good counselor though, maybe even better than Troi was. Neelix seems like a character that is just there. The love triangle they were developing was extremely annoying to watch. I've noticed that there is almost no humour at all. Maybe that's why I don't seem to be enjoying it as much. The kazaan (spelling?) seem like cheap knock-offs of the Klignons. I've noticed Chicote seems to have his own theme song when he has stories focused around him sort of. There is too much bloated techno-babble. It's kinda boring to watch. Doctor's the only character I sorta like. Eh, I'll keep watching, maybe it'll get better.

One thing that I really liked about TOS (besides the focus on plot, some humour, and nice character interactions) was that they weren't afraid to use non-humanoid type aliens and stuff, even if it looked bad. Almost all of the 'aliens' so far tend to be humanoids with different variations of two characteristics: added forehead and/or extra facial bone protrusions. I really loved Angel for their diverse supernatural stuff that weren't all humanoids. And even when they were humanoids, at least they were diverse and not all just variations of two extra characteristics. I'll keep watching though, I guess.

 

[Overmind One]

Almost finished watching season 2. I'm not really into it. Janeway does a whole lot of monologue-ing about some big decisions she's about to make, it's kind of pretentious to me. They really sidelined Kes after that telekinetic (whatever) fire episode. She was getting too powerful; she makes a good counselor though, maybe even better than Troi was. Neelix seems like a character that is just there. The love triangle they were developing was extremely annoying to watch.

I would use the word CREEPY to describe that! That whole Neelix/Kes thing seemed almost like pedophilia to me. . At first, I thought Kes was his daughter (adopted) or perhaps Neelix was her Guardian, but lovers? Just no. I really did not like the Kes character at all. She was just too creepy, and the whole Ocampa thing got boring to me. It wasnt until Season 4 that things got really interesting with Seven of Nine.

I've noticed that there is almost no humour at all. Maybe that's why I don't seem to be enjoying it as much. The kazaan (spelling?) seem like cheap knock-offs of the Klignons. I've noticed Chicote seems to have his own theme song when he has stories focused around him sort of. There is too much bloated techno-babble. It's kinda boring to watch. Doctor's the only character I sorta like. Eh, I'll keep watching, maybe it'll get better.

In red, I noticed that too! They keep that Chakotay theme for him throughout the entire run of the series. The Kazaan (not sure about spelling here either) were technologically weak, but they had HUGE ships? And that hair thing they had going...weak. They did not last in the series long. About the techno-babble, at least it was logical and was there to explain some things that would not have made any sense without it. I actually prefer "technobabble" to no explanations at all. But they do tone it down later.

One thing that I really liked about TOS (besides the focus on plot, some humour, and nice character interactions) was that they weren't afraid to use non-humanoid type aliens and stuff, even if it looked bad. Almost all of the 'aliens' so far tend to be humanoids with different variations of two characteristics: added forehead and/or extra facial bone protrusions. I really loved Angel for their diverse supernatural stuff that weren't all humanoids. And even when they were humanoids, at least they were diverse and not all just variations of two extra characteristics. I'll keep watching though, I guess.

Season 4....paradigm shift. EVERYTHING changes, the dynamic between the crew, Chakotay, B'Elanna, and Janeway has a great new character to interact with. The entire show changes. Also, we get a LOT more of the Borg, and Borg affected species (their homeworlds were assimilated). We get a lot of new interaction between Seven and the rest of the crew, and between Seven and Tuvok. You will like it!

 

[Joelist]

Remember the Ocampa age far more rapidly. So if Kes is 2-3 (per the show) she is really somewhere around 25 human years of age. It was still kind of silly though.

As to the Kazon, while I wouldn't call them Klingon ripoffs they were unmemorable as alien villains. And the showrunners recognized the error and not only wrote them out at the end of Season 2 but even made fun of themselves early in Season 4 - Seven of Nine references the Kazon as having been encounted by the Borg but rejected as unworthy of assimilation (episode Mortal Coil). They also recognized the Kes error and likewise wrote her out early in Season 4.

 

[Overmind One]

Remember the Ocampa age far more rapidly. So if Kes is 2-3 (per the show) she is really somewhere around 25 human years of age. It was still kind of silly though.

As to the Kazon, while I wouldn't call them Klingon ripoffs they were unmemorable as alien villains. And the showrunners recognized the error and not only wrote them out at the end of Season 2 but even made fun of themselves early in Season 4 - Seven of Nine references the Kazon as having been encounted by the Borg but rejected as unworthy of assimilation (episode Mortal Coil). They also recognized the Kes error and likewise wrote her out early in Season 4.

I remember that. I was so glad to see Kes leave. But why did they bring her back in "Fury"? I thought she was now an energy being. She claimed she went back to Ocampa and "wasnt ready". Then the whole time travel thing with Kes, and the recording . Hated that episode. I thought they created it just to have Kes make a guest appearance.