Captain’s log: stardate 50518.6

Jeri Taylor pens this episode that first hit screens on 29 January, 1997.

Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and Chakotay (Robert Beltran) are on a relaxing away mission, when something goes wrong, and the captain is killed. Janeway is guided into the afterlife by her father (Len Cariou), and the Starfleet captain is suspicious of what is really going on.

But then again, so are the viewers, because it seems she and Chakotay are actually stuck in some kind of timeloop, and each one ends with Janeway dead. And the timeloops seem to keep happening, no mater what they attempt to do and no one remembers it after they arrive back on the Voyager except for Janeway. Until the loop starts again of course…

But when her father shows up to tell her she’s dead, and wants to welcome her to the afterlife, the story pontificates on the existence of spirits, an what happens when we die. But what if she’s not really dead?

The crew, meanwhile, initially refuse to believe the captain is dead and do their best to recover her, but in the end, most of it will come down to Janeway and what ever she does and believes.

I like when Taylor writes Janeway stories, as they have such a good handle on the character. And this one makes for a really decent episode. Happily Janeway survives (spoiler) and the Voyager continues her homeward journey, even as the captain thinks about what she’s been through.

Captain’s log: stardate 50537.2

Lisa Klink pens this episode, that was directed by Andrew Robinson (Garak on DS9) that sees the payoff of introducing Ensign Vorik (Alexander Enberg) a few episodes ago. It debuted on 5 February, 1997, and sees the vulcan undergoing blood fever, which is brought on by pon farr, the mating drive of the species.

After he attacks Torres (Roxann Dawson) she suffers a chemical imbalance which mimics the behavior of pon farr, and when she and Tom (Robert Duncan McNeill) are trapped in a cave together, he has to ward off her unusual advances.

Imagine a Klingon suffering from a blood fever that drives Vulcans wild… it’s going to be interesting.

Back on the Voyager Vorik is aided and helped through the process by Tuvok (Tim Russ) and the Doctor (Robert Picardo) even as they attempt to find a way to save/cure Torres.

The episode sees some development in the blossoming relation between Tom and Torres. They are a couple I do enjoy.

And there’s some exploration of sexuality, and the inherent respect that is needed in it.

And it also ends with a revelation that we are closing in on Borg space…!!!

The Human Adventure continues next week as I explore the wormhole with Deep Space Nine, and head home with Voyager, with The Complete Series of both Trek series on DVD, available now from Paramount Pictures.

Boldy go…