Star Trek: Voyager Premiered 30 Years Ago With a Great Pilot

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To mark the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Voyager‘s debut on January 16, 1995, I originally planned to delve into the show’s ending, discussing how the characters deserved more development after such a lengthy voyage back home. However, it seems we’re collectively overlooking the first three seasons of the series. It’s a common viewpoint that the show doesn’t truly take off until Seven of Nine is introduced, which feels somewhat unjust. Instead, I want to reminisce about the pilot episode, the series premiere, and the elements from this early setup that I feel were missed opportunities had things taken a different turn.

Voyager aimed to revisit some Star Trek fundamentals while still feeling innovative and fresh, but this journey was never going to be simple.

Ultimately, Paramount decided it was time to launch its own cable channel, UPN (United Paramount Network), and they chose to kick things off with one of their iconic series: Star Trek. The franchise was experiencing a resurgence at the time, with TNG wrapping up, Generations hitting the big screen, and DS9 in its third season. Introducing new stories from this universe on weekly television seemed like a logical progression. Voyager, a ship of the Intrepid class, would be stranded in the Delta Quadrant, and its mixed Starfleet and Maquis crew would collaborate to find their way home. Over the course of their 75-year journey, they would encounter an uncharted and perilous part of space.

The opening episode titled “Caretaker” adhered to the pattern of extended episodes, initially divided for broadcast on different days in syndication, a practice now abandoned on contemporary streaming services. For most viewers, it premiered on a Monday, but some smaller regions showed it at a later time or on another day, while a handful of stations didn’t air it during its initial run. A total of 21.3 million viewers tuned in, marking the start of an exciting seven-season journey, though many fans only experienced this maiden voyage at a later date.

“…at ease before you sprain something.”

In brief, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) is assigned a mission to locate a lost Maquis ship due to its secret passenger, Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ), the Head of Security. With assistance from Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), a former Maquis member, they journey through the treacherous Badlands, only to be caught in a displacement wave that transports them to an uncharted region of the cosmos. Tragically, some crew members don’t survive this encounter, creating opportunities for new characters and intensifying the upcoming storyline. Upon arrival, they come across a powerful entity known as the Caretaker, who captures both crews, tests their DNA, and introduces them to an alien named Neelix (Ethan Phillips). They soon find themselves embroiled in conflicts with the Ocampa and Kazon, placing Janeway in a moral quandary. She ultimately decides to dismantle the device that brought them there to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. This decision establishes their new objective: finding a way back home, as the Maquis crew is assimilated onto the Federation ship, and both factions must collaborate to endure this mysterious new part of space.

Voyager was developed amidst numerous ongoing projects, which put a significant strain on the executive producers as they had to carve out time for its creation during their free hours, often during lunches. Writing the script took considerable effort and more time to get it just right, with that unique quality that made it shine – a touch of emotion. The basic concept appeared sound, but the linking storyline, character development, and most scenes underwent numerous revisions. Backgrounds, motivations, character names, and even various aspects were modified. Initially, Janeway was considered as Elizabeth, Nicole, or Kate; however, her name eventually returned to one of the earliest suggestions, Kathryn. Mulgrew wasn’t the original choice for the captain role; she wasn’t even the first woman cast in that part.

Initially, the position for Janeway was open to both men and women, an in-demand role, however, it narrowed down to several skilled actresses, with Geneviève Bujold (known for Caesar and Cleopatra, Tightrope) initially being chosen as captain. However, due to her struggles with the demanding weekly TV schedule and creative differences with veteran Trek director Winrich Kolbe regarding her portrayal of Janeway, she left the show just two days into filming. This sudden departure caused a panic among the higher-ups, who feared legal action from Bujold and her team due to the costs incurred and production delays. Fortunately, these issues were resolved amicably. Some of Bujold’s scenes made it onto the season one DVD, offering a fascinating glimpse into Star Trek: Voyager’s history. Interestingly, Babylon 5 fans may recognize Tracy Scoggins as another potential candidate for the role, but it ultimately felt like a character tailored for Kate Mulgrew.

One character that long-term viewers found intriguing was Tom Paris, whose past seemed reminiscent of another problematic character, Cadet Nick Locarno from the episode “The First Duty.” Interestingly, both characters were played by McNeill. Whether it was to avoid royalty payments or to introduce a slightly more likable protagonist (the actor’s perspective), changes were made. However, this connection between the two characters was not forgotten by many fans throughout much of the series. Paris plays a significant role in the first episode and his redemption arc spans a considerable portion of the second hour.

During the filming of this initial episode, the cast found themselves under immense pressure due to the significant expectations from the studio and the escalating excitement among fans for another series. The actors barely had any time to familiarize themselves with each other, build chemistry, or rehearse, which was unusual for this production. However, Kolbe seemed to prefer working this way. Since they were expected to compete with several shows, and past interpretations of Star Trek also impacted the show’s tone and narrative, DS9 was internally criticized as a failure at that time because its ratings didn’t meet the later TNG episodes. Unlike DS9, which delved deeply into character psychology, religion, and politics, Voyager would focus on exploring the unknown in an action-packed and thrilling series of adventures. Producer Rick Berman mentioned that they set up a second Caretaker entity, capable of swiftly returning the crew home if necessary, as a sort of emergency exit, to be used if viewers weren’t enjoying the show and quick changes were needed.

This production, it’s said, came with a hefty price tag of approximately $23 million. With an actor needing replacement, a director falling ill, and numerous essential scenes having to be reshot due to Mulgrew’s hairstyle not being favored by the studio, this filming took 31 days and tested our deadline expectations. After all the footage was captured, some scenes were eliminated for time constraints, while others underwent reorganization or swaps in sequence to accommodate the final format. All of this was done with the understanding that the debut would eventually be split into two episodes.

It’s been reported that the hair styling expenses surpassed the visual effects, an unexpected fact given the employment of additional stylists and makeup artists for handling numerous alien extras and reshoots. The production also utilized diverse locations, some of which were rebooked at high costs due to short notice, but my personal favorite was the Ocampa city, initially reminiscent of a food court until I discovered it was actually the Los Angeles Convention Center, a venue well-known for hosting events like E3 and numerous others. Additionally, the opener featured some striking (yet obvious) matte paintings alongside beautiful off-ship scenes presented by Voyager.

Generally, critics were delighted with “Caretaker,” praising its visual appeal as a fresh addition to Star Trek and considering it a successful start for the series. It presented a significant challenge for the crew and established most of the new characters, though some found the blending of Maquis members less than ideal. Many viewers admired the heartfelt exchanges between Janeway and Tuvok regarding Harry Kim’s (Garrett Wang) parents, but felt less enthusiastic about how quickly the captain appeared to move on from losing part of her crew or the swift manner in which Chakotay (Robert Beltran) reaffirmed her authority. This portrayal almost made facial tattoos fashionable, only to disappoint with that choice.

In addition to some peculiarities and unresolved plot threads in the story, there are aspects that leave viewers puzzled. For instance, questions like why the Kazon struggle with water acquisition despite having spaceships, or why the Maquis were so eager to collaborate with a Starfleet crew, remain unanswered. Some fans also express curiosity about how Neelix and Kes (Jennifer Lien) became acquainted. The most overlooked aspect in this narrative, however, appears to be the disease afflicting Kim and B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson). Although it seems inconsequential by the end of the episode, further insights might be provided in the novelization of “Caretaker”.

To start off, there’s plenty to appreciate in this series. I found myself captivated by the concept of a female captain, specifically Janeway, who Mulgrew portrayed under significant pressure given her role model status – she embodied strength, bravery, and compassion towards her crew (thus far). The Emergency Medical Hologram, played by Robert Picardo, and the absence of a traditional doctor on the ship added an intriguing twist. Furthermore, Kes’ species living for only nine years and potentially possessing unique abilities piqued my interest, while the storylines surrounding the Maquis struggling to belong also caught my attention.

Considering each episode individually, it’s clear that many aspects were not fully developed or explored. For instance, the handling of numerous dead bodies remains unclear, resources were initially crucial but less so in later seasons, Chakotay’s Native American heritage wasn’t adequately addressed, characters like Lt. Carey could have provided more depth to the crew, and potential plotlines were often left underdeveloped or ignored altogether. The series seemed to promise a deeper exploration of challenging themes, moral dilemmas, and ethical questions in order to navigate their journey home, but these aspects were not fully realized. Instead, we were left wondering about the consequences of such decisions that were never fully explored.

To clarify, just because Star Trek: Voyager may not be considered the greatest, there’s always a certain qualifier attached. Regarding the pilot “Caretaker,” many fans would argue that it ranks among the franchise’s finest premieres, though it may not claim the top spot, as “Emissary” holds that title. Voyager’s debut episode was Emmy-winning, but unfortunately, it couldn’t sustain those initial viewership numbers throughout its run, making that premiere a strong start indeed.

A fascinating detail about the series that I picked up lately encapsulates the essence of Voyager remarkably. While its credit sequence is undeniably one of the finest in Star Trek, there’s a minor flaw – a rendering error – that occurs in several shots of the opening sequence, where two small black boxes appear on the underside of the ship. Most viewers will likely watch the entire series without realizing this, but it has been an acknowledged glitch since its premiere and remains uncorrected even after 30 years. This goes to show that even exceptional shows can face neglect.

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2025-01-22 01:41