It certainly isn’t unheard of for a Star Trek episode to begin in one genre and conclude in another. Often the episode might leap into the narrative entangling the crew in an intrigue concerning an anomalous energy reading, or perhaps a battle scene the details of which have yet to be revealed. But then the plot will pivot at some point into a more understated narrative, usually involving “character development”.
Synopsis of “Latent Image”
Someone is trying to keep the Doctor from remembering the incidents surrounding a crewmember’s death.
This Voyager episode is no stranger to this method of storytelling. The audience is swept into a mystery concerning the Doctor’s memories and who might be tampering with them. But the mystery is quickly solved via surveillance by the Doctor’s handy scanning device, and the plot then becomes mired in the repetitive psychological looping of the Doctor’s psyche.
Of course, television can be anything one wishes it to be. Cosy mysteries, housewives, sports, science fiction; the world is one’s oyster (whatever that saying means).
But to these podcasters, Star Trek is partly concerned with the exploration of science fiction, and if the writers choose to diverge from that philosophy, it can get a little hairy. Characters are important in any narrative, but that does not mean the character is at any given time the most important aspect of a story.
To make this episode more effective as a genuine Star Trek episode, why not explore the Doctor’s demons via some exploration of science fiction? It’s determined that the Doctor must loop through his psychological break in order to settle into equilibrium.
What if this looping eventually requires a great deal of power, and Janeway being true to her word, orders the ship into a dangerous scenario to power the ship enabling the Doctor’s program to run its course. Maybe Voyager must park itself in the centre of a star, or rest precariously along the event horizon of a black hole. Employ some creative storytelling that raises the stakes and still accomplishes the character study.
This episode monotonously concentrates on the Doctor’s demons and Janeway’s martyrdom of his condition. Star Trek has been and can be more interesting than this. Voyager has shown to be creative and intriguing with its exploration of science fiction. This episode is not indicative of that legacy.
