I remember the excitement I felt when Star Trek: Voyager premiered on the new UPN network back in January of 1999. It was the first Trek show I remember watching right from the beginning. TNG was my favourite but I didn’t find out about it until maybe the 2nd or 3rd season. I remember DS9 but didn’t watch it at first because (it takes place on a space station, that isn’t Trek!). I would later come around to the idea of course.
Like most Star Trek shows and shows in general, the first season can be a bit rough… Voyager was no exception. I can’t remember exactly what my initial thoughts about the first season were but looking back now, it’s a little bit (a lot) painful. Just Neelix’s (unwarranted) jealousy of Tom Paris is almost enough to make me turn it off.
Luckily, like other shows, it eventually found its footing and produced some really fun and compelling Trek. The one thing I love most about Star Trek is that it gets you thinking about some fairly serious issues. Across all the incarnations of Trek, I was drawn to those that were not quite “human”. Spock, Data, Tuvok, The Doctor, 7 of 9. They would often and very successfully point out the wrongs of human nature in their quest to be more like us.
So naturally, many of these episodes (those that I consider the 10 best) will deal with those characters. Also… I love time travel… but no apologies for that.
10. Timeless
After installing a new quantum slipstream drive into Voyager the crew makes a break for the Alpha Quadrant. Harry and Chakotay are plotting the course ahead in the Delta Flyer. Only Ensign Kim makes a mistake and Voyager is sent to an icy and deadly crash landing on a class L planet.
Harry and Chakotay spend the next 15 years trying to send a message back through time to save Voyager. It’s a great episode directed by Levar Burton, who also has a small part in the episode.
9. Latent Image
The Doctor realizes that some of his memories have been erased. This leads him to uncover that they were purposely taken from him when he has trouble accepting the loss of a patient. I really enjoy this episode because it asks the question of whether the Doctor is merely a piece of equipment, like a tricorder.
Or because the crew has let him evolve and change his program, has he become more than that and entitled to more ‘human’ rights.
8. Relativity
7 of 9 is recruited by the Federation Timeship Relativity to stop a saboteur from destroying Voyager in the past. A great episode that involves one of my favourite plot devices, time travel. It’s worth watching just for the look inside the Relativity.
7. Riddles
Tuvok is attacked with a neuroleptic blast from a cloaked alien he encounters while on the Delta Flyer. The doctor is able to revive him but he has lost his memory, and Neelix is charged with his recovery.
I love this episode because it really shows Tim Russ’ range as an actor. And shows that even though Tuvok seems always to be annoyed by Neelix, deep down he considers him a friend.
6. Meld
A murder is committed on Voyager and Tuvok is determined to find out the who and the why. He quickly determines Crewman Sudor is the who, but when Tuvok performs a mind meld on Sudor to determine the why… he becomes affected by the meld and ultimately discovers that Sudor has no real motive.
He just did it because ‘he wanted to’— great performances all around, especially from Brad Dourif, the actor who portrays Crewman Sudor.
5. Live Fast and Prosper
Alien imposters pose as Janeway, Tuvok and Chakotay, stealing from innocent traders and ruining Voyager’s good name in the Delta quadrant.
A fun episode which has some good humour in it. I also enjoyed that they poke fun at the Federation and the final interaction between Tuvok and his imposter is great.
“Your logic is flawed.”
4. Flesh and Blood – Season 07 Episode 09 – First aired November 2000
Answering a distress call from a Hirogen starbase, the crew find that the damage has been caused by the holographic technology that Captain Janeway has given them. Another great episode, which is actually a two-parter (see below).
3. Message in a Bottle
I love this episode for many reasons. One, I love the interactions between the Mark I and Mark II EMHs. And two, I love getting a look at the USS Prometheus.
If you like humour in your Trek episodes this one is a must-watch!
2 . Year of Hell Pt 1 – Season 04 Episode 08 – First aired November 1997
Ahh, good old Annorax, all he wanted to do was restore the Krenim empire to its full glory but in doing so inadvertently erased his wife from existence. The only thing missing from this episode is for Annorax to threaten to put is to ‘put his foot up someone’s ass’. Sorry had to get a That 70s Show reference in there…
1 . Year of Hell Pt 2 – Season 04 Episode 09 – First aired November 1997
The producers of Voyager initially wanted Year of Hell to last for an entire season. But, after working on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rick Berman became ‘allergic’ to serialized storytelling and the idea was dropped. I would have loved to see where they could have taken the story if given an entire season to flesh out the story.
Again my top two favourite episodes involve time travel and the ‘what-if’ scenario. Even if you were never really a fan of Voyager, these two episodes are worth your time…. (no pun intended).
honourable mentions
“Scorpion, Parts I & II” (Seasons 3 & 4) – After finally encountering the Borg, the crew discovers that even the Borg have enemies, with the introduction of species 8472, Star Trek finally gets a glimpse at a foe that nightmares are made of.
Scorpion is a turning point in the show’s history, when the show’s viewers were dwindling, the introduction of the now-iconic Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) the show found a ney wind and went from strength to strength.
“Tinker, Tailor, Doctor, Spy” (Season 6)” – When the Doctor gives himself the ability to daydream, not everything goes to plan and he starts to malfunction with hilarious consequences. Written by writer Joe Menosky this episode is one of the show’s best.
