Star Trek:Voyager

Star Trek: Voyager
a kate west favorite




(Jeri Ryan as Borg refugee Seven of Nine)

The Star Trek phenomenon is like no other. Before I started reading Issac Asimov, my introduction to science fiction consisted of me being mesmerized by reruns of the original and retro-heroic 1960's "Star Trek". I had a crush on Spock (Leonard Nimoy), my first cold intellectual. And then William Shatner was a nicely virile and quite hammy Captain Kirk, of course. I loved that show so much. James Doohan and his dire technological predictions as Scotty. George Takei as Sulu and Walter Koenig as Chekov and DeForest Kelley as "He's dead, Jim" Bones. And Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura - a woman on the bridge of a starship! (Ask me if I know someone who looks like her). I saw every episode a hundred times and wished there were more. Wouldn't it be great to attend Starfleet Academy? I just couldn't get into "Next Generation" really. It didn't speak to me. I discovered "Deep Space Nine" well after it aired, but before that:

Came "Star Trek: Voyager". With a woman captain! And a female head engineer! And a converted Borg drone who becomes an essential member of the crew. Plus heartfelt story lines, emotional character development and lots of action. The Borg, introduced in "Next Generation" are featured prominently, once again threatening to assimilate inferior species ("Resistance is futile"). Lots of characters and lots of aliens, even a surprise visit from the annoying Q (John de Lancie).

Captain Janeway (the Katherine Hepburnesque Kate Mulgrew) has to lead her crew back to Earth in the Alpha Quadrant after getting lost in the Delta Quadrant, which is so far away, I can't even show you the map. Everyone is likeable and interesting, like Ethan Phillips as the Talaxian Neelix and Robert Picardo as the holographic doctor who learns what it means to be human. Roxann Dawson is the hot-blooded, half-Klingon, afore-mentioned Engineer B'Elanna Torres. She butts heads with anyone and everyone, until she learns to control that temper (sort of). They even have a Native American, First Officer Chakotay (Robert Beltran), complete with facial tattoos. Head of the rebel Maquis, he has to make some compromises in order to work with the Federation. Robert Duncan McNeill is the cavalier Tom Paris, best pilot in the quadrant and his buddy Harry Kim (Garrett Wong) helps him create black and white holonovels. And yes, they have their own Vulcan too, Tuvok (Tim Russ).

There's lots more and it's all fascinating. Totally fun in reruns. Look it up. Or rent it. It wasn't as popular as the other new Star Treks unfortunately (and I never could get into "Battlestar Galactica", sorry). But it did run for seven seasons. And I loved it. I know. I'm a dork. Live long and prosper.

Series Directed by:
David Livingston (29 episodes, 1995-2001)
Winrich Kolbe (19 episodes, 1995-2000)
Allan Kroeker (14 episodes, 1997-2001)
Michael Vejar (13 episodes, 1997-2001)
Terry Windell (11 episodes, 1999-2001)
Cliff Bole (10 episodes, 1995-1999)
Alexander Singer (10 episodes, 1995-1998)
Les Landau (9 episodes, 1995-2000)
LeVar Burton (8 episodes, 1995-2001)
JesúsSalvadorTreviño(5 episodes, 1997-1998)
James L. Conway (4 episodes, 1995-1996)
Kim Friedman (4 episodes, 1995)
RobertDuncanMcNeill(4 episodes, 1996-2000)
Anson Williams (4 episodes, 1997-1999)
Jonathan Frakes (3 episodes, 1995-1996)
Robert Scheerer (2 episodes, 1995-1997)
Marvin V. Rush (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Robert Picardo (2 episodes, 1997-1999)
Kenneth Biller (2 episodes, 1997-1998)
Nancy Malone (2 episodes, 1997-1998)
Andrew Robinson (2 episodes, 1997-1998)
Allan Eastman (2 episodes, 1998-1999)
John T. Kretchmer (2 episodes, 1998-1999)
Victor Lobl (2 episodes, 1998)
Roxann Dawson (2 episodes, 1999-2001)
John Bruno (2 episodes, 1999-2000)

Series Writing Credits:
Brannon Braga (50 episodes, 1995-2001)
Joe Menosky (37 episodes, 1995-2000)
Kenneth Biller (35 episodes, 1995-2001)
Bryan Fuller (21 episodes, 1997-2001)
Michael Taylor (20 episodes, 1998-2001)
Jeri Taylor (19 episodes, 1995-1998)
Michael Piller (14 episodes, 1995-1998)
Robert Doherty (14 episodes, 1998-2001)
Rick Berman (13 episodes, 1995-2001)
Lisa Klink (13 episodes, 1995-1998)
Mike Sussman (11 episodes, 1996-2001)
Raf Green (8 episodes, 2000-2001)
André Bormanis (7 episodes, 1997-2001)
Jimmy Diggs (6 episodes, 1995-1999)
Gene Roddenberry (5 episodes, 1995-1998)
Mark Gaberman (5 episodes, 1996-2001)
Andrew Price (5 episodes, 1996-2001)
Nick Sagan (5 episodes, 1998-1999)
Harry 'Doc' Kloor (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
James Kahn (4 episodes, 2000-2001)
Phyllis Strong (4 episodes, 2000-2001)
Ronald Wilkerson (3 episodes, 1995-2000)
Robin Bernheim (3 episodes, 2000)
Greg Elliot (2 episodes, 1995-1998)
Steve J. Kay (2 episodes, 1995-1998)
Michael Perricone (2 episodes, 1995-1998)
Jean Louise Matthias (2 episodes, 1995-1997)
Anthony Williams (2 episodes, 1995-1996)
Thomas E. Szollosi (2 episodes, 1995)
Shawn Piller (2 episodes, 1996)
James Swallow (2 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ronald D. Moore (2 episodes, 1999)


Series Cast:
Kate Mulgrew ... Captain Kathryn Janeway / ... (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Robert Beltran ... Chakotay / ... (172 episodes, 1995-2001
Roxann Dawson ... B'Elanna Torres / ... (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Robert Duncan McNeill ... Tom Paris / ... (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Ethan Phillips ... Neelix (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Robert Picardo ... The Doctor (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Tim Russ ... Tuvok / ... (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Garrett Wang ... Harry Kim / ... (172 episodes, 1995-2001)
Tarik Ergin ... Lieutenant Ayala / ... (116 episodes, 1995-2001)
Jeri Ryan ... Seven of Nine (104 episodes, 1997-2001)
Jennifer Lien ... Kes (71 episodes, 1995-2000)
Majel Barrett ... Computer Voice / ... (70 episodes, 1995-2001)
Stephen Pisani ... Starfleet Crew Member / ... (21 episodes, 2000-2001)
Scarlett Pomers ... Naomi Wildman (17 episodes, 1998-2001)

Old School:
(and my first love)


Starting Out New:
Star Trek Voyager - The Complete First Season