Captain’s log: stardate unknown

Written by Kenneth Biller, this Kes (Jennifer Lien) story debuted on 8 April, 1997. We get a temporal tale that is one of Kes’ best stories of the series. We know something is up right from the off, as the Doctor (Robert Picardo) has hair and a name, Van Gogh.

Kes seems to be popping up on various places on her timeline, unaware of what is going on. It gives us a look at possible futures, including one that sees her in a relationship with Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), and Chakotay (Robert Beltran) is now captain.

We slide through the timeline from the end of her nine year lifespan, and all through her life. She has a daughter, and a grandson. It seems it all ties into a bio-temporal container that would help prolong Kes’ lifespan, and now she seems to be moving backwards through time as a result.

We get the first mention (and glimpse) of the Year of Hell, and hear about a dangerous race known as the Krenim.

It’s not as exciting as some time travel tales, but it is fun to think about (traveling backwards through time) and it’s always interesting to see the differences that ‘happen’ in the future timeline. Although something tells me things aren’t going to progress the way Kes has lived them in the future.

Will Kes be able to stop moving back trough time? Will she survive? And will the Voyager suvive the future attacks we know it will encounter?

Captain’s log: stardate 50836.2

Jeri Taylor pens this Doctor-centric episode from a story by Henry Doc Kloor, it first aired on 23 April, 1997.

While the Voyager investigates subspace distortions, the Docto implements a new holodeck program that lets him enjoy a family life, with a wife, Charlene (Wendy Schell) – who calls him Kenneth -, son Jeffrey (Glenn Harris) and Belle (Lindsey Haun).

When Torres (Roxann Dawson) sees it, she scoffs at it it’s a little too neat, and perfect, nothing bad ever happens, and every one gets a long. When she tweaks the program, the Doctor must decide whether to deal with the changes or not.

Charlene disagrees and argues with him, Jeffrey is rebellious, and Belle thinks she knows better than everyone, especially her father. When tragedy strikes the Doctor must decide whether to deal with these harsh life lessons or escape back to life on Voyager, and forget his holo-family.

It’s fun to see the relationship between Tom and Torres developing. They make a great pairing.

The Human Adventure continues next time when I explore more of Star Trek: Voyager – The Complete Series on DVD.

Boldly go…