Captain’s log: stardate 53447.2

Ganton Kenney came up with the story for this episode that was adapted to a teleplay by Robert J. Doherty, and it saw it’s debut on 9 Fenruary, 2000.

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Tuvok (Tim Russ) are kidnapped during an away mission. With Tuvok injured and in need of medical care, Seven is blackmailed and coerced into fighting in a futuristic gladiatorial ring to earn the medical attention the Security Chief requires.

The episode features a couple of exceptional guest stars including Trek regulars Jeffrey Combs and J.G. Hertzler, and also… The Rock, before he chose to go by Dawyne Johnson. He plays one of Seven’s nemesis in the ring.

The Voyager crew are on shore leave, and are stunned to see their shipmate trapped in the ring. But a rescue attempt reveals that planets are enjoying hologram projections of the fight, and Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and the rest of the crew try to find the source of Seven’s captivity while Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) races back to join the starship, having gone off on her own for a little shore leave of her own.

Happily the recent spate of Seven of Nine episodes have been solidly written and performed well. It’s a good episode, and Jeri Ryan has settled nicely into her role.

There is a bit of a training montage and a reveal for the final fight, nothing surprising, but good fun nonetheless, and Combs is wonderful, and restrains himself from twirling his moustache with evilness, but he could have!

Captain’s log: stardate unknown

Micheal Taylor pens the teleplay for this episode from a story by Andrew Shepard Price and Mark Gaberman. It had an original airdate of 16 February, 2000.

It should come as no surprise that this episode is about the Borg, with a title like Collective, how could it not be?

The Voyager comes across a Borg cube that is under the control of assimilated children, but who no longer have a connection with the Borg Collective. Seven of Nine obviously comes into play in this story, but Chakotay, Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) are being held prisoner by the dangerous youngsters and Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) is missing somewhere inside the Borg cube.

As Janeway and Seven attempt to deal with the children, resolve a peace and recover their crew, we see that even as children the Borg can be dangerous. But without the connection to the Collective they are just a group of children, and there are power struggles and emotions happening that may lead the Voyager crew to destruction, or to stop these child drones.

Of course, the Starfleet crew is able to save the day, and even bring the children aboard (how long is that gonna last?!) as the ship continues its trek to the Alpha Quadrant.

The Human Adventure continues Thursday as I journey homeward with Star Trek: Voyager – The Complete Series on DVD from Paramount Canada.

Boldly go…