20 Years of Star Trek: Voyager - S01xE01

Ensign Lestat's TV Log, 04/07/15

Caretaker
First up, I'd like to say I've actually seen 'Caretaker' a million times, so I'm sure parts of it are going to be dull.

Having said that, I can't believe I never remember the action scene the show starts with.

Nice 'Star Wars'-esque intro, introducing the Maquis troubles.

We meet the first of the Maquis, who are being chased by Cardassians.

We already know B'Elanna is a hothead. And Chakotay's a no-holds-barred leader.

It's Gul Evek on the line! I knew who he was. He's Cardassian, so now I don't care about him.

Coherent Tetreon beam scanning the ship? This is the moment life changes forever for this group of Maquis.

Boom! We're into the intro. This theme has a special place in my heart. I still get goosebumps when I hear it and do get a little teary. Best time of my life was when I was with Voyager (that's a sorry state to be in).

This cast is really diverse. Native American/Mexican, Hispanic, Chinese origin, African-American.

Ah, we're back and the most beautiful man in the whole of Star Trek is here.

This is a penal colony in New Zealand.

Captain Janeway's sounding a bit stilted.

Tom Paris is such a rogue. I love how ridiculously melodious their speech patterns are. So typical of the 90s.

Ooh, Cap's asking him to snitch on the Maquis.

Captain Janeway's looking for her Chief of Security, who was undercover with the Maquis! Ah, who was it? Not Chakotay, it seems.

So, Tom and Chakotay didn't get along.

Tom's a mercenary. He's so Han Solo. "Outmate review"? Prison review, basically.

'I'm the best pilot you could have' - man, I love the way he says that.

We're in space! Tom's homing in on the poor Ensign flying him to the ship. She's handling it really well. Both Ensign and Paris seem taken with Voyager. She's a beauty. I love that ship.

Bio-neural circuitry sounds like a good idea. Though, not for long.

Quark! Ugh, I hate that guy. Single-handedly ruined any chance 'Star Trek: Deep Space 9' had of being a good show. I hate Ferengi.

It's Harry Kim. He's so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Quark is such a jerk, trying to sell him fake gem stones.

Tom's here! Tom's been in three scenes back-to-back, someone would think this show was only about him.

Tom to the rescue! Hurry Tom, save Harry from this horrid Ferengi. Go to hell, Quark.

Thanks, indeed. Camaraderie between Tom and Harry established.

Wow, fourth consecutive scene with Tom. The Chief Medical Officer is hostile to him.

Nice subversion of the norm - Mark's home to take care of the puppies, while the Captain's on a mission.

Mark seems like a nice guy. Ideal partner for Captain Janeway.

Tom, you look dapper in uniform.

'At ease, Ensign, before you sprain something!' - I still use that line.

Wow, everyone hates Tom. Seems like Captain Janeway has made this decision about him without other people's approval.

I don't like the First Officer - too officious.

Voyager's just left DS9.

Holy! A scene with Tom in it again. He's having an argument with the replicator.

Hey man, I do not like this crew, way too hostile.

This is the moment I got really confused about who the Tom character was. I was in my early teens when I saw the Locarno episode in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. I did not like Locarno, because his actions led the thoroughly decent Wesley Crusher to behave in a manner unbecoming of his name. Having said all that, I saw Voyager several years after this, and wasn't sure if Locarno and Paris were played by the same actor. In those days the internet was not as helpful, and it took a while to learn that indeed Duncan McNeill did play both characters. In fact, some rumours say that Locarno was supposed to be in the show, but royalty issues put an end to that plan. Hence, Tom's back story has a similar ring to it - his illegal flying manoeuvres at Starfleet led to the death of three people (Locarno's action killed a fellow student).

On his first assignment as a Maquis, he got caught. His dad's a Starfleet Admiral. Sigh, the lad as a proper chip on his shoulder.

Tom is still the lead character in this episode.

That was no plasma storm, Captain. Don't go there, don't!

Oh no, the displacement wave is coming.

Graviton field is not working. And they can't go to warp.

They've been hit! The ship is a mess.

First person up is Tom. I think the writers really wanted to make this show about him.

People are dead!

Even shaken up, Tom looks beautiful.

And there it is, the beginning of the end. 'We're 70,000 light years from where we were.'

Tom's still on screen. Now he's in Sickbay. It's the Tom Paris show here. I think the showrunners knew they were on to something with that guy.

Get used to this face in Engineering, people, it's Lieutenant Carey.

It's the Emergency Medical Hologram! Hi Doc. Haha. Harry gives the Doc the wrong tricorder.

Tom, get used to the Sickbay.

'There's no reason for concern.' The Doc sounds more concerned than Tom and Harry about making his position permanent.

Carey, you should never doubt the Captain.

Hey, everyone's disappearing. Doc's on his own now.

We're on a farm. Pitcher of lemonade and sugar cookies sounds nice.

Tom is sizzling!

This annoying holographic woman is... annoying.

Pretty lady attracts Tom's eye.

This music is not cool. The expressions on the crew's faces are priceless. Especially the one on Tom.

Wait for what? The holographic lady is worrying.

So, why is it that we're concentrating so much on Tom, anyway.

Harry's the pragmatic one. I like how everyone's intent on discovering the truth. Tom could easily have been distracted, but he doesn't care about the pretty lady.

Humanoid life-signs behind a holographic wall.

Whoa, pretty lady got hostile. So did the dog.

Don't hit Paris!

Oo, the locals got hostile.

What is that behind the wall? Looks like a bunch of pods.

Tom looks proper apologetic at the pretty lady.

It's B'Elanna and Chakotay. Oh, and Tuvok. They're in stasis.

Eeeek. A needle! It looked painful.

They're all lying uncomfortably.

Oh dear. Harry seems in a world of pain.

Back on Voyager. Looks like the crew is back.

Oh, Ensign Kim is not onboard. Only Harry is missing.

Chakotay doesn't know how Cap knows his name.

B'Elanna's missing too.

Haha, Chakotay just asked for silent advice from Tuvok. Of course, Tuvok will say yes to an alliance with Voyager.

Ooops! Tuvok is Janeway's spy.

Whoa, Chakotay got proper hostile.

Hostilities continue. Chakotay despises Tom.

The array scanned their computers. Get used to this Voyager, everyone is always scanning your computers.

Tom seems really upset that Kim's not back.

Writers found another way to make sure Tom stays on screen.

Old man on the array seems grumpy.

Do not insult the Captain, she doesn't take it well. Chakotay's more subdued.

Old dude is annoying.

'Time left for what?'

He's talking in riddles. Always thought his cryptic conversation took too long to finish.

Wow, with a wave of his hands he sent the three of them back to the ship.

It's Harry. And, ugh, there's stuff growing on him.

B'Elanna's beating people up and has to be physically restrained.

Who are these weird people?

I think this is essentially the first extended scene since the intro without Tom in it.

The pulses from the array are getting faster. Seems like a nearby planet is a desert.

No nucleogenic particles in the atmosphere of the planet.

Captain's not sleeping. She's wistfully thinking of Kim. My Voyager Fan Source (VFS) told me Kate often got distracted during scenes because she was busy staring at Garrett.

Tim Russ is trying to do his best Vulcan, but there's a smile playing on his face as he jokes about his family's inability to worry.

Hello and welcome to the latest addition to our crew. Everyone hates Neelix on the internet, but trust me, he's not as bad as people say he is.

Tom looks positively orange in this lighting. They did his make-up wrong.

The Caretaker is the bad guy. So those were the Ocampa with Harry and B'Elanna.

The look of easy triumph on Janeway's face is something to get used to. We'll see it a lot.

Haha, love how Neelix is looking up at the sky when he's being beamed up.

Voila, the beginnings of the most acrimonious relationship on the ship. Tuvix will be sometime coming, but they're an incredible pair.

B'Elanna wants to hit everyone. She doesn't even acknowledge Harry's name. Just calls him Starfleet.

Her outfit has a rip because of her aggression.

Touche - 'What's your name, Maquis?'

She blames her aggression on the Klingon half of her. To be honest, it's just her temperament, not her genes.

The planet was affected by 'the warming' - that's a lame name when not attached to 'global'.

Creepy bystanders are looking at B and H.

Food looks hideous. The Caretaker takes care of all the Ocampa's needs.

The younger people crave exotic tastes? But how would young Ocampa even know about exotic tastes?

Other people have shown up with the same symptoms as Harry and B'Elanna. They didn't make it.

Now we're on a Tuvok and Neelix trip. Neelix really went to town with the replicators.

What is that hideous song he's pretending to sing?

Poor Tuvok. Neelix is in the bath.

Haha. Neelix you do not get a uniform like Tuvok's (someday?).

They're on the desert planet. About to meet the worst people in the universe.

Hate the Kazon. This sect is the Ogla (pardon my spellings).

I'm thinking half the viewers were hoping the execution of Neelix had gone through.

Water as an item for barter. Interesting concept - very real-world.

Neelix, you've accidentally given away a Voyager secret - the replicator.

Ah, the Ocampa live below ground on this planet.

Battered woman alert. She's been captured as a slave. Scary.

Neelix is threatening the Kazon now. Whoa, he just shot the water tanks and grabbed the Ocampan girl. What?

Back on the ship. Oh dear, that's Neelix's girlfriend.

B'Elanna is so pessimistic. Poor Harry, he's the polar opposite of her.

A friendly and informative Ocampa. She's relaying what sounds like the cult-ish attitude of the Ocampans.

In Sickbay. That was rude of the Captain. She just switched off the Doctor.

Kes is a very level-headed and fair-minded girl. I always thought that the relationship between her and Neelix should have been as two good friends. Why were they a romantic pairing? Kes is too young to make a romantic decision.

Setting the ground-work for Kes' future telepathic abilities. She's a wonderful and trusting character. Quietly rebellious. They could have really gone places with this character.

Looks like Harry and B'Elanna are in the tunnels connecting the underground city to the surface. They look really worse for wear. A friendship is brewing. She takes a break so Harry can rest.

Harry, you're not going to die.

B'Elanna went to Starfleet. Didn't make it passed the second year. We've got so many interesting characters on our hands.

The array stopped sending the pulses. And it's changing position.

The away team can't find Harry and B'Elanna.

The conduits are being closed.

Tuvok, how did you figure out the Caretaker is dying? But wait, he has a really logical way of spelling it out for us.

Tom's going after our missing crew members.

Oh dear, the away team can't get off the planet. We're all going to be reunited now in the tunnels.

Tom's found Harry and B'Elanna.

How come Tom never met B'Elanna when he was in the Maquis? Oh wait, he didn't last a mission.

They're all squeezing through the remaining open conduit.

Ooof, that surface looks horribly hot. How come Tom's palms aren't getting seared?

Oh no! The planet's been hit. Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok are still down there. Tom and Neelix to the rescue.

Chakotay's leg is broken. Tuvok is concussed. Tom volunteers to get Chakotay.

Holy! The railings are falling apart under them. Tom get out of there. He's still joking, the idiot.

We've established Chakotay is Native American, but they call him Indian, as this was the 90s.

If Tom had asked Chakotay about him being able to turn into a bird in the 21st century, the internet would be full of articles about cultural insensitivity.

Poor Doc. No one turns off his program.

Go away Kazon.

You don't cut off Janeway. I hate the Kazon, and I didn't need more than one episode to realise that.

Love the way Tom's face lights up when Cap tells him to take the Conn. He really loves flying.

We're back on the farm again. Old Macdonald is playing his banjo.

Caretaker has a funny way of repaying his debt. Their technology destroyed the Ocampan planet. Now he's going to die and he's giving them enough resources to last a few years. Once they run out, they can go die. How is that paying off your debt?

The first time I'd heard the word procreate - it comes up a lot in Voyager, for reasons beyond me.

Cap has a good question. The Caretaker never gave the Ocampa a chance to develop and evolve on their own after the planet's atmosphere was destroyed.

The Kazon are attacking.

Still animosity between Tom and Chakotay.

Sheesh, Chakotay, that was close. Him ramming his ship into the Kazon was a brave move. But doesn't comply with the Prime Directive, in my opinion.

The Caretaker has set a self-destruct on the array. The Kazon ship just collided with it and it turned off.

The Caretaker died and became a crystalline rock.

Biggest, most difficult decision Captain Janeway will ever have to make. It breaks my heart. 'What happens to the Ocampa?' Tuvok's using the best logical solution he can to convince the Captain to not destroy the array and to use it instead to let them go home.

Tri-cobalt devices? That's a new one for Starfleet ships. Janeway's asked no one before destroying the array.

I like that B'Elanna is the one arguing with Janeway on the destruction of the array. Captain thinks it's about leaving loved ones behind. B'Elanna has no one like that. She's arguing on the basis of principle.

'She's the Captain', Chakotay solidifies his relationship with the Captain for the rest of the series.

Kazon are now the enemy. I really hate them.

Chakotay and the Maquis are now part of the crew. Yikes, Chakotay is First Officer. But Tom's been made Lieutenant, and he's in charge of Conn.

Nice look Tom gives the Captain before leaving her readyroom.

Neelix and Kes have decided they're part of the crew. He's making a strong case for it.

It'll take 75 years for Voyager to reach the Federation. We're on the hunt for the other Caretaker. Captain makes the argument for using exploration as a means to shorten the journey home.

Still makes me teary, that ending.

To me, that's a pretty strong episode that gives a thorough look at all the main characters. We have an inkling as to what to expect from these guys. It's not the most action-packed. And, perhaps, a little too much time is spent explaining the Ocampa, when we could have dedicated that time to some more action, but the pacing of the episode has always worked for me. It's an hour and a half long pilot and gives you a very good look at this universe and the likely pitfalls that our main crew will face.

Bring on another!

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