Captain’s log: stardate unknown

Robin Burger pens this holodeck/Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) episode that some will love, some will hate. It’s just different. It first aired on 12 Janyary, 2000.

Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) has given us a couple of relaxing holodeck programs over the course of the Voyager’s journey. There was a French bistro, an oceanside resort, and now, he’s created an Irish pub and village, known as Fair Haven.

And for some reason, despite the fact that she should know better, Janeway falls in love with one of the holographic characters, one that she modifies herself (including deleting the character’s wife).

She falls for a barkeep named Michael Sullivan (Fintan McKeown).

It’s not a horrible episode, just different, and romantic. It looks great, filmed on a studio backlot, and the costumes look wonderful, and the cast no doubt had a fun time getting to play in the period. It also sets up the program to be visited again in the future.

And despite it not being my favorite, Janeway is long overdue for a true romance, there are some nice moments, including a heart to heart with the Doctor (Robert Picardo) while he is in his priest’s garb – as that is the role he plays in Fair Haven.

It’s a commentary on relationships, and what defines them as real, and Mulgrew brings Janeway to life in an emotional way she never has before, and it’s a interesting to see her try to deal with the idea of a relationship, and to love and be loved.

Captain’s log: stardate unknown

Micheal Taylor comes up with the story that was turned into the teleplay for this episode by Joe Menosky and Scott Miller. It first aired on 19 January, 2000.

The Voyager arrives at a planet that is rotating 58 times per minute, allowing for a bit of time dilation on the planet. The Starfleet vessel is pulled into geosynchronous orbit due to the gravity of the area, and the lifeforms below see a new star arrive in the sky.

As time progresses on the planet, and the Voyager struggles to find a way to leave, this eternal star, the ship has become in the planet’s sky has become an important symbol to the developing people on the planet.

For each second that passes on the ship, a day passes on the planet, but there is the threat of a diminishing orbit, and the fear that the Voyager may be trapped, and grow old in the blink of an eye, unless they can find a way to break free of the gravity well.

There’s also a nice sequence about the holographic Doctor beaming down to observe the aliens, and being gone for years.

As the culture grows and advances through they eventually are able to send create the technology that will allow them to send up a ship to explore (piloted by guest star Daniel Dae Kim), and meet those that have been watching over their planet for eons (to them).

The Human Adventure continues Thursday as I explore more of Star Trek: Voyager – The Complete Series on DVD, available now from Paramount Canada.

Boldly go…