Monday, June 18, 2012

Star Trek Voyager's Clown



The only thing we have to fear is fear itself! The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!

Your a lost space explorer aboard the starship Voyager. I tuned in each week way back in 1995 and enjoyed Star Trek Voyager's epic sense of solidarity. Heres a crew severed 70,000 light years away from their Starfleet family and friends stuck in Delta Quadrant! Imagine looking out a porthole and seeing the stars whizzing by, wouldn't you feel a weird hungering ache calling you home? Voyagers crew are pitted against several alien races and gain popularity when the Borg arrive on the scene. Heres my five cents.



Nevertheless I'm willing to explore my humanity. Take off your clothes! Don't be alarmed I won't hurt you.

Seven of Nine is the beautiful Borg babe who definitely pushed all the right buttons replacing Kes and sparring occasionally with the EMH played by Robert Picardo. The good doctors sharp bedside tongue is programmed to counter wisecracks easily and deflate egos in a flash, LOL. Picardo confrontational exchanges with the 'Clown' are sweet. (See end)



"How am I supposed to negotiate if I don't know what you're thinking?" CLOWN

"I have a very trustworthy face. EMH

(Someone takes the Clown's hand and lifts it away from Kim.)

EMH: Excuse me, you're not holding that properly. Correct positioning of the index finger is necessary for optimal dexterity.

(The EMH throws the scalpel away.)



Captain Janeway delivers the goods when shes thrown in at the deep end provided squeaky gets her usual high intake of caffeine. She doesn't mind beaming into dangerous away missions either unlike her First Officer. I believe some fans found her nasal voice just a bit too much to handle, LOL but on the whole Janeway is strong willed and sound because the crew believe in her resourcefulness to get them home.

"I don't compromise with Borg."

"Listen to me very carefully because I'm only going to say this once. Coffee. Black."



Chakotay is a great one for the vision quests with the quiet voice. Before serving as Voyager's first officer on her 7 year voyage back to Earth, Chakotay resigned Starfleet after years of service in order to join the Maquis to defend his home colony against the Cardassians. While the First Officer's native american tattoo fits with this tough guy persona, lets face facts. Chakotay is the Maquis middleman who kept the peace aboard Voyager.

Chakotay to Voyager! Emergency Beam out!




The vulcan Mr Tuvoc makes a fair go as Voyager's Tactical and Chief of Security. His predecessors Commander Data (TNG) and Mr Spock (TOS) definitely tower over Voyager's pointy ears. I guess legends are tough to live up to, still it wouldn't have been the same without good ol' Tuvoc played by Tim Russ.

'Structure. Logic. Function. Control. A structure cannot stand without a foundation. Logic is the foundation of function. Function is the essence of control. I am in control. I am in control.'



Jennifer Lien is a really nice, lovely gal. Kes's fascinating Ocampa spirit is historically linked with the Caretaker who felt a duty of obligation to care for her species. It was Kes who freed the EMH from a second rate life of deactivated oblivion. Still I was relieved when she blossomed into a radiant non-corporeal lifeform pushing Voyager 9,500 light years closer to home.

So because he's a hologram, he doesn't have to be treated with respect, or any consideration at all?



Neelix is a good friend to Kes and the ships moral officer. He really looks like an furry oddball but his cheerful character radiates soul that lifts everyones spirits including viewers. His meals weren't half bad either, Hehe.



B'Ellana Torres is the Chief Engineer of the USS Voyager whose happy knack with the hypo spanner saves Voyager from a good few scrapes. Its too bad her Klingon feelings are at odds with her humanity which makes it tough for her to open up about her feelings, like Spock B'Ellana is torn between cultures. Lets just agree that Voyager's Chief is the black sheep of the family. I like her because she has interesting quirks and her fights with Paris are amusing.



Harry Kim teamed up with Tom Paris because together Voyager's duo livened up life aboard the intrepid starship, Voyager. At the best of times Harry could be annoying, hence his nickname 'Starfleet' courtesy - B'llana Torres. Now think back to Wang's stellar performances, Yes I'm trying to be the good guy here, remember that! Lets take Voyagers 23rd episode in season 2 which was a really chilling episode.



Trekkies love Voyagers episode of 'The Thaw' because 'Mr Fear' finally gets his comeuppance. The manic clown's masterful reign of terror is delightfully shellshocking and thrilling. Despite the fear, the Clown character is designed to instill in his victims this is one episode not to miss!



Perhaps the clown played by Michael Mckean just dazzled us all freezing Kim's technical mind in total fear. Don't tell Janeway I was beating up on Harry, she'll never forgive me. Hes like a son to her, LOL.

How many stars are you giving Star Trek Voyager?



Clown Long and Prosper, Trekinators!

14 comments:

L.G. Keltner said...

I've seen every episode of Voyager more times than I'm prepared to admit. I enjoyed the show because being stranded so far from home gave the crew a different dynamic. I love all Star Trek though.

And the CLOWN scares me. As unpredictable as he is, I think I'd still rather run into Q.

Krista McLaughlin said...

I'm with Laura, I'd rather see Q than the creepy clown. I've seen all of Voyager and I love it. It's my favorite of the series. It's pretty awesome. I like that Captain Janeway gets to kick but and she's a girl, so it just isn't male captains. :)

SpacerGuy said...

Voyager's sense of family and loyalty to Starfleet is unique. These guys toughed out several interstellar conflicts on their own and yet, still stuck to the Prime Directive, mostly. Q vs the Clown, hehe. Good one guys.

Tony Laplume said...

You kinda give Chakotay the short end of the stick, but I guess that's his reputation.

James Pailly said...

"The Thaw" was such a pleasant surprise when I got Voyager on DVD. I don't remember seeing it when it originally aired. It's well written, well acted, and the art direction is superb. The guy who played the Clown was great, but don't forget his whole circus of minions. Without them, this episode wouldn't work the way it does.

Voyager wasn't my favorite Star Trek series, but when they did a good episode, they did a REALLY good episode. This was one of those.

I may have to go watch it again now.

Maurice Mitchell said...

Voyager wasn't my favorite when it was on, but it has great characters.
- Maurice Mitchell
The Geek Twins | Film Sketchr
@thegeektwins | @mauricem1972

SpacerGuy said...

Tony I guess you haven't seen Robert Beltran's 'We Hate Star Trek Skitz.' I know hes joking but its pretty obvious the dude isn't a believer!

Spot on James, Voyager has some really cutting edge episodes. I'm kicking myself for forgetting the funny Circus Minions but then I wrote this from memory. Year of Hell is another great epic.

Star Trek continues to live because the characters and stories hooked us good, Maurice.

Misha Gerrick said...

I used to watch a few episodes of this when I was in primary school. I don't remember much of it, though.

:-)

M Pax said...

I used to watch. Harry & Tom were my favorite characters.

Edward Ott said...

Voyager was excellent, course this makes me want another star trek series.

SpacerGuy said...

Misha, its fair to say Star Trek Voyager's human adventure had one distinct advantage over the other series. The ship's crew had to survive. Voyager was lost with no 24hr Federation helpline either, LOL.

It really took us on deep space journeys every week seeking out aliens on strange new worlds. Tom's and Harry's holodeck adventures were fun, M Pax.

Edward, Voyager lived up to trek's exploration premise...'to boldly go where no-one has gone before...'

-Warren Zoell said...

It would have been funny if the clown morphed into David St. Hubbins.

altstartrek said...

I thought Neelix and Kes were lovers?

Chakotay was underwhelming because Voyager never really explored the Maquis vs starfleet angle. Well, maybe they did, I've only seen the first 2 seasons so far, but it seems like Chakotay fell on the Captain's side quite early in season 1. No wonder Seska gave up and ran to the Kazon!

katie eggeman said...

Janeway was really a female Kirk, she was big on the dramatic dialogue tho she followed the Prime Directive a little closer. I thought Chakotay was somewhat of a wimp, because Janeway was so tough. Tuvok was Vulcan through and through, without the half human of Spock he always seemed too rigid second guessing the Captain he seldom agreed with her at most meetings, then ended up being proved wrong and siding with Janeway.

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