With the release of the DVD set for the 7th Season of “Star Trek Voyager”, Paramount brings to a close its run of sets for the first four “Trek” series. All that is left is the current “Enterprise”, and I understand they are slated to begin hitting store shelves in 2005. So far, all of these sets have been extremely impressive, not only in their packaging and design but in the speed of their release. Being that “Star Trek” started off with a little three season run back in the 1960’s, it’s almost hard to fathom how it built such a strong following as to become the mega-franchise that it is today. Ahh…witness the power of fandom. Of course, the fact that this original series later launched an animated version, a popular motion picture series, and three additional spin-off series (each lasting 7 seasons) cannot only be credited to the fans, but must also say something about the level of quality viewing that is being offered.

This is evident by the newer fourth spin-off series that appeared to lose steam in its first season and is trying to win back audiences as it chugs ahead into its fourth. But, I’m not here to talk about that particular series. I’m going to focus this time around on the new “Star Trek: Voyager”, and specifically season 6.

“Star Trek: Voyager” was the third spin-off series. It aired from 1994 – 2001 and proved once again that Trek was a force to be reckoned with. Like most of the series that came before, it wasn’t an immediate hit, but grew on the fans over a period of time. I am only a casual fan of the Trek universe, interested enough to watch, but not so much has to go to conventions dressed as my favorite Klingon or Borg. Admittedly, this was the series I most wanted to see on DVD, as I missed most of it when it originally aired. I was still going through a phase where I was trying to wean myself from TV, and though I taped the series, rarely watched it.

Now that I’ve had the opportunity to really sit down and spend some time with it thanks to the release of the entire series, I can see that it still kept a lot of the qualities that make for great Trek. It harkened a bit back to the old days of Trek by putting the main characters in a position where they could travel great distances and explore areas never seen in Trek before. Of course, this wasn’t by choice. At the very beginning of the series, the crew was sent out on a mission to deal with the Maquis (Federation Rebels). When a spatial disturbance threw both ships light years away, they were faced with the seemingly impossible task of returning home, and had to learn to work together to do so. With the realization that they may never make it home, they continued to ‘explore strange new worlds and seek out new civilizations, boldly going where no man had really ever been before.’

“Star Trek Voyager” had the distinction of being the first series to feature a woman as the captain of the ship, much to the delight of women’s groups everywhere. As Captain Katherine Janeway, Kate Mulgrew seemed a bit stiff through the first season, but over the course of the series seemed to warm up quite a bit. It was actually quite understandable that she would have appeared this way as it was her first foray into the world of Trek, much as it was Janeway’s first command of a starship. In spite of her abrupt manner, I also understand she was much better than the first actress chosen to fill the role. In the interest of fairness, and the need for the two factions to work together, Janeway took on a Maquis as her 1st Officer. Commander Chakotay, a Native American character whose role was quite ably filled by Robert Beltran. I met Beltran briefly on the set of the Chuck Norris film, “Lone Wolf McQuade” and found him to be quite friendly and was glad to see him in a role that was liable to give him a tremendous amount of exposure.

As is the formula for any Trek series, you must have an interesting array of crew members. Since they had to throw to disparate crews together it gave the writers an opportunity to not only create colorful characters, but build an interesting dynamic by having them forced to learn to work together. On the Federation side we had Lt. Commander Tuvok (Tim Russ), who was the Vulcan security officer, Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeil), who has it in for the Federation for imprisoning him, and Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) the fresh faced and eager newbie. Chiming in for the Maquis there is B’ellana Torres (Roxanna Dawson), a Starfleet Academy dropout who happens to have temper issues due to her half-Human / half-Klingon heritage.

Also joining the crew after being shot across the galaxy is Neelix (Ethan Phillips), who offers to serve as a guide to the ship’s new stomping grounds, and his mysterious companion Kes Jenifer Lien). I was curious to see what the seven year series would bring for this character as her race only has an eight year life span. As it turned out, she ended up leaving the series within the first two episodes of the fourth season (more on that later).

Probably the most interesting character for me was the ship’s doctor. Even when he was there, he wasn’t really there. This is because the good doctor was a ship’s hologram. A hologram so sophisticated that he could actually perform whatever treatments were necessary. This idea had been visited by earlier Trek series with the thought that the holographic images did indeed exist as a form of matter. I’d try to get into all the appropriate techno-babble that would explain it, but I haven’t a clue what it is and doubt I’d understand it anyway. He just IS. I was intrigued by this character more for the actor that played him. I’ve long been a fan of Robert Picardo, who has been in numerous movies, though rarely recognized. Picardo is also a skilled effects artist who has been in heavy costumes for films like “Legend” (Meg Mucklebones) and ”Explorers” (Wak Wak’s Father, and out of makeup as Starkiller).

In the fourth season, it was decided that the series needed a little more sex appeal. I’m really not sure what is sadder, that the creators of the show thought that bringing in a ‘hot chick’ would boost ratings, or fact that they were right. Actress Jeri Ryan was brought in as Seven of Nine, a member of the Borg collective that is ‘rescued’ by the crew of Voyager. Her character soon becomes the strong focal point of the series and worked as a ratings booster, due to her continued efforts to regain her individuality and humanity. (Actually the tight catsuit didn’t hurt much either!!) I really can’t say what happened between the studio and Jennifer Lien. I understand she was initially signed for all seven seasons, but when it was decided that she wasn’t drawing in the demographic that the studio wanted, she was let go and replaced. I personally found her character to be quite intriguing, and she was a darn sight better looking than Ryan. But, C’est la vie. I did find it interesting that Ryan wasn’t interested in taking the role at first, and the part almost went to Hudson Leick (Yowza!!) or Claudia Christian (Yowza!! – Part 2), either of which would have been a great addition to the cast.

Aside from the major casting change, the fourth season also brought the series into a new direction in many ways. Kes’s departure was written to be one of sacrifice, which at least gave her character a dignified exit. The crew dynamic changed as new friendships and alliances were formed, the relationship between Paris and Torres became a more permanent affair, and Janeway had the opportunity to become somewhat of a mother figure for Seven of Nine.

The fifth season brought with it an evolution in many of the main characters. There was a strong focus on Seven of Nine as she tried to assimilate herself into a useful and productive member of the crew, but fortunately the focus did not end there. Other characters started to come to the forefront more so than they had in the past. The most noticeable was Harry Kim. When the series began, he was the young and innocent newbie. But his time onboard Voyager and the grim situation they have been in caused him to grow up, figuratively speaking.

The sixth season of “Star Trek Voyager”, in retrospect was probably one of the weaker overall of the entire run. In part, I feel this was due to the show’s imminent demise as it was coming up on its seventh and final season. The writer’s had the unenviable task of continuing the crew’s saga in such a way as to drive it closer to its ultimate conclusion. This is not to say it was without its strong points, most notably in the progression of Seven if Nine. Where her character was only of moderate interest previously, this season allowed her to grow midway through with the introduction of some Borg children. Seven was allowed to become a surrogate mother, much as Janeway was for her, as she helped them in their struggle to regain the humanity that was lost.

The seventh season was the home stretch for the series, and while there again were some standout episodes, there were a few clunkers. But these were few, to be sure. Most served the purpose of winding up storylines and bring the crewmembers home. Not just in the real sense of the ship’s final return to Earth, but a also metaphorically speaking. If there was one bit of a disappointment, it was only in the fact that the homecoming, while joyous, was rather abrupt. After seven years of trying to get home, when they finally arrive, we see so little of it. But this is a minor nit in what would otherwise be an ocean of praise for what might be the last, great Trek series.

The thing that has always struck me about these ‘Trek’ sets is the amazing amount of extra features that are packed into each one. The seventh season set of “Star Trek Voyager” is no different. The seventh disc of the set continues with the “Braving the Unknown” series, which is full of interview snippets from most of the cast and crew as they reminisce about the series. They also continue the “Time Capsule” series, which features interviews specifically focusing particular crew members in each set. This time around they take a look at actor Robert Picardo’s holographic Doctor. You’ll also find a featurette called “Coming Home: The Final Episode” which takes a look at the series’ finale, while “Real Science with Andre Bormanis” which compares the fantasy science of the series with real life science. Fans are also given a bit of a look behind the scenes of the creation of the Las Vegas theme attraction, “Borg Invasion 4-D.” Add in some photo galleries and storyboards and you have one very worthwhile DVD set.

So far, all of the packaging for the Star Trek series sets has been impressive. The sets for “Star Trek Voyager” look a little bit plainer than the previous sets, but are still pretty cool. The discs themselves are still housed in a book-like holder, but this time the clear slipcover comes apart in the middle, with a top and bottom. The disc holder itself is also clear, but tinted light purple. Each season is a different color, making the whole set really stand out on the shelf.

Once again my hat’s off to Paramount for delivering yet another Trek series to the fans on DVD. It still amazes me that they can release a full season in a year’s time, especially considering the amount of work that goes into each set. Not to mention they also released all three seasons of the Original Series this year (in some of the coolest designed cases), to boot.

Episodes:
Unimatrix Zero Part 2
Imperfection
Drive
Repression
Critical Care
Inside Man
Body and Soul
Nightingale
Flesh And Blood
Shattered
Lineage
Repentance
Prophecy
The Void
Workforce Part 1
Workforce Part 2
Human Error
Q2
Author, Author
Friendship One
Natural Law
Homestead
Renaissance Man
Endgame

Starring: Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeil, Garrett Wang, Roxann Dawson, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips
Extras: Braving the Unknown: Season Seven”, “Time Capsule: “Doctor”, “Coming Home: The Final Episode”, “Real Science with Andre Bormanis”, Behind the Scenes of Borg Invasion 4-D”, “Photo Galleries, Storyboards, Easter Eggs
Specifications: Full Frame, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 12/21/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Star Trek Voyager: Season 7 an A.