Star Trek: Voyager
"Bliss"
Air date: 2/10/1999
Teleplay by Robert J. Doherty
Story by Bill Prady
Directed by Cliff Bole
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
"I'm something of a renaissance EMH." — Doc, on his multi-skills
Nutshell: Three words: Archetypes done entertainingly.
"Bliss" probably shouldn't be half as good as it is. Here's a story involving a lifetime's worth of clichés borrowed from Voyager standbys, cinema archetypes, and general derivatives of derivatives. How many different standbys can we work into a single episode? Let me count the ways.
1. Voyager finds an anomaly that appears to be a wormhole offering A Way Home™. Naturally, this supposed way home is not at all what it appears to be.
2. The ship is Threatened With Destruction™ by said anomaly.
3. A lone crewman, in this case Seven of Nine, our former-Borg heroine, finds herself The Only Hope™ for preventing said ship's destruction.
4. The Kid™, Naomi Wildman (note how Seven will never use her first name without the last name or vice versa; it's a noun whose existence requires both words), is one of the few left who is useful to Seven, and provides the heroine with assistance.
5. We have The Beast™, a monster that will eat you, or in this case your entire starship, a basic standby for science fiction from here to eons before I can remember, I'm sure.
6. We have The Alien Helper of the Week™, who also serves as the Cinema Archetype of the Week™—a character inspired by Quint from Jaws, and cheerfully plugged into the story as an expert on said monster. He even gets A Sobering Monologue About the Past™ that, although nowhere near as good as Quint's USS Indianapolis monologue, is meant to provide the character with a depth explaining his obsession.
7. Lastly, in a sentiment that almost pokes fun at the series itself, we have nearly every character in the episode existing as a shallower version of themselves, which is explained by the Weird Unexplainable Properties™ emanating from The Beast, which affects the crew's judgment and, with bait that looks like A Way Home, lures them into entering the belly of The Beast.
Now before anyone accuses me of being harsh and cruel and cynical and unfair toward this cheerful assemblage of reliably derivative puzzle pieces, let me hasten to add that I liked this episode. I really did. It's "comfort" entertainment done well. Given the extent of the recyclical nature of the storyline, common sense predicts I would resist this episode. But given the execution, resistance was futile. (I know, I know—that was obvious. But it was too hard to pass up. If the episode can use clichés, why can't I?)
And before anyone accuses me of being too generous and forgiving and shallow and blind to criticize an episode that's hollow and pointless, let me say that some stories need not necessarily be original or thoughtful or dramatically important to be worthwhile. It simply needs to know what it is and do what it does well. Ultimately, either it works for you or it doesn't.
Somehow, "Bliss" knows exactly what it is, and although it doesn't begin to challenge any of its clichés (because it needs them for the story to work), it does have the sense to embrace the lunacy (and sometimes the banality) of its plot pieces rather than succumbing to them. It's weirdly clever about how it does what it does. It's just manipulative enough to explain away the usual criticisms I would have with such a plot, yet not too manipulative as to feel like an audience insulter.
A big reason for this is because it tips off the audience in advance that it knows where it's going. For example, The Way Home—which we know from the first scene (because the story shows us) is actually a trap—is greeted not with the credulity on the part of the Voyager crew, but with instant skepticism. ("What's wrong with this picture?" Janeway says immediately.) But then, a few scenes later, Janeway's attitude pulls a 180, and the whole crew is acting strange. This set off alarms in my on-board mental plot analyzer, but because it also set off alarms for Seven—who sees the entire crew falling for what is obviously a deception—it's perfectly all right.
In a way, the story resembles a sort of conspiracy against Seven, who, as the only member of the crew thinking objectively, finds herself sabotaged at every turn by the other crew members, who attempt to undermine her efforts to approach the situation with caution.
I liked the way the episode approached this idea. We can see the progress Seven attempts to make, but we also see the mindset of the rest of the crew, which is under some weird spell projected by The Beast.
Letters from Starfleet apparently come trickling through the wormhole, and everything is too perfect: The Maquis Voyager crew members are offered a full pardon. Chakotay and Paris are offered great opportunities. Janeway's old fiance may have become available again. Torres believes the Maquis are still alive. Yet no one can see through the trap; it has all become a weird sort of intoxication that can't be denied. And as the crew is certain they're headed straight for Earth, we see goofily exaggerated grins on the faces of Janeway, Paris, Kim—which is done in a strangely surreal way that borders on mild self-referential mockery. ("We're getting home! Again!" Well, no, of course you aren't.)
The way Janeway, Chakotay, and Tuvok constantly undermine Seven's attempts to stop the ship from heading into this "wormhole" is interesting, with a subtle underlying sense of humor. They do so with tricks that have the pretense of having "good reason"—and we can also see that they believe everything they're telling Seven, even though Seven can see every one of their actions threatens to shut down her solo resistance operation.
Along the way, Seven recruits The Kid, which is good for some lighthearted fun, including a scene where Seven explains to Naomi how to sustain a force field by blocking commands coming through from the bridge. The way Naomi looks to Seven as a role model is one of those weird, quirky sitcom clichés—yet still believable. The Kid befriending the former-Borg is an idea that has always existed at least partially for the "cute" motive, but works fairly well here as a vessel for the plot.
With the whole crew unconscious and only Seven and Doc left to save the ship, the rest of "Bliss" is primarily plot tactics and style. Mission: Escape The Beast before it digests the ship, avoiding its illusionary abilities in the process.
The creature of "Bliss" is a life form inspired by the huge "ameba" in TOS's "The Immunity Syndrome," except that the goal of evolved sensibility here is to give it an upset stomach rather than destroying it. Okay by me.
The alien who offers assistance, with his 39-year vendetta against The Beast, is named Qatai, and is performed by W. Morgan Sheppard in one of those gruff-voiced, scenery-chewing performances that simply is what it is—a cheerful homage to every other character that he resembles. This guy, whose ship is a battered piece of garbage that can barely stay together, and who refuses to say die, is a likably obsessive fellow. So who cares if he's recycled? He's recycled with conviction.
Of course, "Bliss" also has its share of implausible silliness. For one, I find it a little tough to swallow the notion that this creature operates merely on "evolved instinct" yet has the ability to manipulate the thoughts of the crew to such an extent and, further, create environs that set off the ship's computers to alert the crew of such realistic-seeming illusions. It seems a bit magical.
And then, of course, is the usual convenience of one person being able to sustain the entire ship from one station. It makes me wonder if a crew of 100-plus is really even necessary. What do they all do? Never mind; I care not. Any episode where Seven saves the ship, and then afterward tells the captain, "I will file a complete report in the morning, after I have regenerated," is a show that knows where it stands in terms of its pitch. If for no other reason, "Bliss" succeeds simply because it knows what it is and knows better than to take itself too seriously, and plunges ahead with lighthearted whimsy.
Other than that, what is there to say? It's not deep or meaningful, it doesn't have that much to say about the characters, and in the end it really isn't all that plausible. But nor does it intend to be scrutinized. It exists to be simple, straightforward, and pleasantly entertaining. On those levels, it delivers, and does so skillfully.
Next week: Double your Borg quota, double your fun.
Previous episode: Gravity
Next episode: Dark Frontier
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75 comments on this post
Sat, Jul 26, 2008, 2:57am (UTC -5)
As always good review and I liked this episode too. It was fun, and the stuff between Naomi and Seven was cute. However, there was one thing that made me chuckle. Seven of Nine lives in a cargo bay with phasers and other weapons. Now given past history, one would think that her accessability to weapons would be limited, but there was a phaser for her to use. I guess the crew finally did earn her trust in that short time.
Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 11:57am (UTC -5)
Wed, May 6, 2009, 1:19pm (UTC -5)
Regarding the observation whether a crew of +100 plus is really necessary: it seems to me there isn't any need for a crew at all. The AI obviously exists to commandeer a ship since the Doctor has illustrated on numerous occassions that he's able to be adaptive, think creatively and makes decisions on his own. Naturally, Star Trek wouldn't be as interesting if starships would be run by computers.
Wed, May 6, 2009, 10:52pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Aug 3, 2009, 12:18pm (UTC -5)
It's the same as in TNG's Devils' Due, where at the end they tried to tidily explain away all of the "parlor tricks" as just so many illusions, while they never explained how she was able to defeat security, cut off intraship communications and affect the "tricks" she made in Picard's quarters, which were more than mere illusions.
Thu, Jul 1, 2010, 3:30pm (UTC -5)
The "monster expert": "Your ship is being devoured."
LOL!!
Gotta love the "monster expert's" faux-Australian twang. I guess the Universal Translator does accents now, too.
How come Naomi Wildman, "subunit of Ensign Samantha Wildman" (hehehe), did not get bewitched by the "beast"? (BTW, that kid is becoming quite annoying: One minute she can pilot a shuttle; the next she's scared of the dark. Give me a break.) How did the "monster expert" escape it? Besides, that guy acts like he couldn't steer a fishing trawler, let alone operate a spaceship.
The Doc: "Star Fleet is not in the habit of killing life forms." Oh brother... No, let's join hands with the creature and sing Kumbaya instead. But O.K., they manage to escape the creature without killing it (how New Age enlighteningly progressive!), but leave it there for thousands of others to perish in it? *bangs head against the wall* I'd have torpedoed the mofo to smithereens. But then, I'm just a 21st-century hillbilly.
And finally... - a...MONSTER!?! What next: Narnia?
Still, a decent episode.
Mon, Aug 9, 2010, 7:02pm (UTC -5)
"But O.K., they manage to escape the creature without killing it (how New Age enlighteningly progressive!), but leave it there for thousands of others to perish in it? *bangs head against the wall* I'd have torpedoed the mofo to smithereens. But then, I'm just a 21st-century hillbilly."
Point taken, but the closing voiceover has Janeway saying that they deployed some warning buoys.
Sun, Nov 21, 2010, 4:20pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Dec 11, 2010, 2:03pm (UTC -5)
So the episode... I didn't mind the clichés either. And The Kid (TM) cute factor really works... Naomi was epically cute, as she often is. The miracle growth and ridiculous intelligence thing still needs an explanation, but in any case this is definitely one of the best child actors to grace any Trek. Not that she's been up against much competition with Alexander, Wesley or the vacant staring of Molly "Draw with me daddy" O'Brien!
I'm glad the crew I.e. Janeway was kept unconscious, leaving the decision making to the Doctor. Janeway would probably be like the Monster Expert, all "what do you mean don't kill it, it's eaten us, fire at will" as per her ruthless nature. Instead we got to see the Starfleet ethics being upheld.
I also enjoyed the Monster Exper, nice character, and I hope he features again. He's a named guest star so maybe he does.
Sat, Sep 3, 2011, 6:30pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Sep 3, 2011, 6:31pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Sep 3, 2011, 6:48pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Sep 3, 2011, 6:52pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Dec 31, 2011, 10:59am (UTC -5)
And also a missed opportunity by the writers in having Naomi be allowed to use the astro lab all by herself with no supervision. Had Seven not come in I don't think anyone would have checked on her. It would have been nice to see mother and daughter have this conversation together while watching images of Earth.
Tue, Mar 20, 2012, 10:47pm (UTC -5)
"How come Naomi Wildman, "subunit of Ensign Samantha Wildman" (hehehe), did not get bewitched by the "beast"? How did the "monster expert" escape it?"
As far as Naomi is concerned, I assumed that it was for the same reason that Seven was not: neither one of them was interested in going to earth.
The "monster expert" said at one point that he had developed some immunity to the beast over the years.
I thought this was a very entertaining episode, btw and agree with Jammer's rating.
Wed, May 2, 2012, 4:15pm (UTC -5)
Plus, Naomi is just so darned cute. She reminds me of my oldest daughter at that age - smart, snappy, emotionally manipulative, and always trying to ingratiate herself to all the "cool" adults. And succeeding.
I do find it a little vexing, however, that this episode gets 3 stars for being formulaically competent, yet the ambitious moral dilemma/character study, "Latent Image," gets the same rating and only gets a marginal recommendation.
Mon, Aug 5, 2013, 3:56pm (UTC -5)
also, did it seem to you guys that Janeway had a LOT of makeup on during her scenes? and her smile was utterly creepy.
Thu, Aug 8, 2013, 1:30am (UTC -5)
Wed, Nov 6, 2013, 7:35pm (UTC -5)
With that out of the way, although this episode had good production value and special effects ("I don't think that's Earth"), the plot was a blatant rehash of several previous offerings, most notably Persistence of Vision.
I liked the conspiracy theory angle, and wish the writers had played that up and made it a major theme of the episode instead of one plot point. After all, how many episodes have we had to endure in which 7 of 9 betrays the Voyager crew? Too many to count. It would have been cool to see the contrary.
Likewise, I wish the audience had not been let in on the secret at the beginning of the episode, and instead had only been presented with events from Seven of Nine's POV. (Actually, I missed the first part of the episode the first time around--and seeing Janeway's log where she says the wormhole is an "elaborate deception" was kind of chilling because I didn't know any better. If only the episode had been written that way.)
It's hard to give this episode a high rating when there were so many others like it. 2.5 from me.
Mon, Feb 3, 2014, 8:25pm (UTC -5)
Qatai was a rare treat in a ST:Voy episode with his surly but likable personality. Star Trek is very "open minded" and its protagonists almost always exemplify this trait to an extreme degree so it was fun to have a good guy who was also hateful and bluntly realistic with his answers to Naomi's questions.
Mon, Mar 10, 2014, 8:22pm (UTC -5)
I found it all too convenient for Naomi and the drone not to be seduced. At first, I fell for their reasons, but why couldn't this telepath show them what THEY desired?
You mean to tell me the beast can't handle multiple orders?
example : wouldn't Naomi be under spell too of say, her mom being present in her life(hehe) or being a captain s assistant? No, I guess not. One vast connected dream per bite for the beast.
Wed, Apr 23, 2014, 12:47am (UTC -5)
Maybe it was the grouping of good acting, just as others have said above. Anyway, surprisingly enjoyable. Of course, though, there were other episodes in this very same season that deserved 3 stars more than this and did not get them.
Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 12:45pm (UTC -5)
There are, however, two major plot holes here:
1) Like Jammer, I can't sign on to the notion that this creature isn't sentient. Reading the minds of an entire crew of intelligent life forms and crafting pleasing fantasies based on the information you find there isn't something you can do without complex, reasoned thought. I understand that the writers had to address the issue of the creature's intelligence, and I get that they didn't want it to be smart. It would elevate Qatai's Ahab-style obsession to the more dignified level of a genuine rivalry, and of course it would raise the thorny issue of the creature's moral awareness, rather than keeping it a dumb beast that doesn't even understand that a survivor of one of its feeding attacks harbors personal hatred for it. In short, it would rip the soul out of the show's primary guest character and introduce complications that don't work to the story's benefit. But at least poor Moby Dick was just swimming around randomly, looking to eat; an unintelligent creature's ability to intelligently mess with people's heads severely strains credulity.
2) Ok, so I can accept that Seven of Nine is immune to the creature's influence. She's a former Borg drone who isn't even 100% sure she doesn't want to rejoin the Collective, and while there she literally had no individual wants at all. So it's believable that none of the wants which may have developed since she left are strong enough to fall prey to Moby Mindreader. I like how the beast even gave it the old college try by throwing the letter from her aunt at her, and failed, only then seeking to KO her when it became clear she wasn't going to play ball. The message being that even if you had the power to root around inside Seven's head and read her emotions directly, the one thing you'd find that she longs for more than any other is to have a family, and even that ranks under "meh" for her. But none of this should apply to the little subunit. Naomi is a child, and children are both gullible and possessed of intense, simplistic desires. The creature probably could have gotten her on-board by telling her the alpha quadrant was full of puppies and candy. Instead, so far as we're shown, it didn't even try. And unlike with #1, I'm not sure why. The Seven/Naomi interaction was certainly cute, but hardly essential to the story. Naomi's role could have been entirely filled by the Doctor with no ill effect. Totally glaring and unnecessary plot hole.
But, I don't mean to hate. As I said, it was a good episode, and deserves its 3 stars.
Tue, May 5, 2015, 8:09pm (UTC -5)
-Apparently tying control of helm, ops and tactical into one console is not only possible, but also very easy as Doc who made that happen. Why do they even need several people at several consoles if it's so easily rolled into one?
-I get that the monster/alien couldn't manipulate Seven and Naomi's desire to go to Earth, but couldn't he manipulate them some other way? Show them something they wanted to see and reach more then anything. But I suppose that would have required some creativity on the writer's part, because what exactly do Seven and Naomi want? At least Doc's immunity makes sense.
-Speaking of mind manipulation, why doesn't Doc say anything after Seven believes she's been expelled from the inside of the alien when she hasn't been. The alien can't manipulate Doc. Just looking out the fucking windown should have told him they were still inside. Yet he believes they succeed as well. Make up your mind, Voyager. He's either immune or he's not.
-What exactly did Naomi do again? Which part of her not being manpulated by the alien was usefull? She woke up Seven after Janeway had knocked her out. That's pretty much it. That's the only thing Naomi contributed. Other then that she just dumbed a few technobabble lines down and provided unneeded moral support. This entire episode could have easily done without her. I don't dislike Naomi or anything (I actually rather like her) but that doesn't mean she belongs in episodes where she does not contribute anything meaningfull.
I don't know. I just wasn't feeling this episode. Another anomaly. Another way home. Another Voyager is in danger premise. Another Seven saves the day episode. Another Doc is immune to plot elements of the episode because he's not organic twist.
Just feels like this is a rehash of a rehash. It's quite boring, to be honest. Didn't like it. Even the 'monster slayer' felt kind of flat and unconvincing. Another selfcontainted, easily forgotten episode with no repercussions for future times.
Thu, May 28, 2015, 7:50am (UTC -5)
Mon, Jun 22, 2015, 4:03am (UTC -5)
I still enjoyed the episode though and surprisingly it was one that I have never seen until tonight (despite watching Voyager since the 90s and having Netflix for two years). I'm not sure how I kept missing it.
Mon, Jul 6, 2015, 10:21pm (UTC -5)
That monster be it 200,000 years old. Has devoted billions of people by now. The fact that they did not destroy it being it will defiantly out live them. Is obserd. I'm really upset about that. The monster hunter said let's kill it. That idea lasted 2 seconds like it's not the only option. Omg. These liberal hack jobs really did a number on this episode.
Picard would of killed it. But nooooo. This monster flawed in creation. Be it an ameoba. Whatever. The answer was simple kill the monster not have the ship regurtated. I'm surprised no one's else saw how quickly the monster hunter after that 39 year vindeta let his passion escape him. What a episode
Thu, Mar 3, 2016, 2:05pm (UTC -5)
On the positive side Naomi (who remains impossibly cute) and Seven continue their good rapport. But only 2 stars.
Mon, May 16, 2016, 2:12am (UTC -5)
Thu, May 26, 2016, 11:58am (UTC -5)
Someone above asked why Samantha was not effected by this monster. My answer is she has never been to Earth so Voyager is her home. Where they are going isn't nearly as important to her as the rest of the crew.
Once again we get the 7/Sub-Unit pairing. Very enjoyable once again. This little gal can sell a part.
I always think of Farscape's "escape the belly of the beast" episode 'Green Eyed Monster' when I watch this one. Not the emotional punch though.
I agree with Jammer. This episode does what it does well.
3 stars from me.
Tue, Sep 6, 2016, 9:52am (UTC -5)
The good: The ploy is exposed to the audience early enough.
The bad: It's the old sour the milk routine used on sttng (**)
Fri, Nov 11, 2016, 6:45am (UTC -5)
Whilst I agree with Jammer's rating (and usually do) I think he's being a little harsh in his criticism of voyager writers trotting out the old Trek staples. The reason they are staples is that they usually work, and I don't think voyager is any more prone to using them than any other Trek iteration. I love an original idea as much as the next guy but when you're making 26 episodes for 7 seasons I don't expect constant innovation. I just expect them to execute well... And they did that with this episode.
Voyager's on a bit of a roll here...
Sun, Jan 8, 2017, 1:21pm (UTC -5)
Tue, Jan 10, 2017, 5:03pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 12:13am (UTC -5)
Mon, Mar 13, 2017, 11:32pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Apr 30, 2017, 7:50pm (UTC -5)
I woulkd be of the same opinion, but not after reading "Blindsight", by Petter Watts. He makes a pretty strong characterization of very intelligent creatures but lacking sentience. It's a weird but fascinating notion, and I find it amazing how this episode toyed with it in a single, non-consequential phrase.
Fri, May 19, 2017, 11:20pm (UTC -5)
It's made even better by some witty and well thought-out lines:
"This is a sick bay, not an arsenal."
"I am a doctor, not a dragon slayer."
"Oh, he's intelligent all right. Smart enough to fool your crew into taking YOU offline."
"She doesn't want to. They never want to."
"An Ishmael to your Ahab? No, thank you."
and my personal favourite:
-Please state the nature of the medical emergency.
-Your ship is being devoured; I'd say that's an emergency!
Come on, how many good lines do you want in one episode? Especially considering this is Voyager.
10/10
Fri, May 19, 2017, 11:25pm (UTC -5)
Fri, May 19, 2017, 11:34pm (UTC -5)
1) Like Jammer, I can't sign on to the notion that this creature isn't sentient.
====================
The episode doesn't say it isn't. The doctor says he can't detect it, but the Beast hunter disagrees with the doctor entirely. It's left open-ended.
====================
Naomi is a child, and children are both gullible and possessed of intense, simplistic desires.
====================
That's not the point the episode makes. Again, it leaves the jargon and reasoning to your imagination. Perhaps younger people are more immune? Or different species have different immunity? There's no way you can make that line of reasoning on what we are given. But, from what we do get, it's heavily implied that the creature can only trick based on immediate desires, and those desires have to be great in order to be seducing enough to control a person. Naomi does not have any overwhelming desires - and certainly not the mass hysteria of getting back to Earth, which doomed the crew. The episode cleverly shows that even Seven is succumbing to the control when the desire to leave is great. And that's despite her being Borg.
Whichever way you look at it, the writer(s) of this episode spent time thinking about these things. Usually, especially with Voyager, they clearly did not.
Sun, Aug 6, 2017, 2:44pm (UTC -5)
As far as action adventure outings with a sci fi premise this particular episode doesn't work. It's actually pretty flat.
Wed, Sep 6, 2017, 6:18pm (UTC -5)
Overall, not a huge fan of "Bliss" -- it plays kind of like a fairytale and I just have trouble suspending my disbelief for a creature like TOS's "The Immunity Syndrome" being able to toy so effectively and deceive nearly an entire starship. That's a bit much. This episode is nothing compared to TOS's giant space amoeba episode.
What is good about "Bliss" is it's a 7 of 9 episode and these tend to work pretty well for me. The connection between her and the little girl is cliche but I don't mind it.
As for our friendly alien of the week, yes he is a crusty old solitary dude like so many we've seen before. Not sure why he heads back into the creature at the end of the show...
"Bliss" is pretty basic stuff. I can't really give plaudits for coming up with this alien creature that also reminded me a bit of V-ger from the first Star Trek feature film.
I'd rate "Bliss" 2 stars. Was kind of annoying seeing the crew all giddy about going back to Earth when clearly that's not happening. Even the crew trying to shut down 7 was not as well done as in TNG's "The Game" when Riker/Worf chased Wesley. Too much suspension of disbelief required for this "beast" that devours starships and the simplistic way to exit it. I think this episode might work better for the sci-fi newbies or something...
Sun, Nov 19, 2017, 2:26am (UTC -5)
Thu, Dec 7, 2017, 1:44pm (UTC -5)
Quick thought on that Qatai guy: he repeatedly emphasizes that he's mostly able to see through the Beast and he's psychologically stronger than it, etc., though he's still vulnerable. But of course, he goes right back in, without even bothering to repair the ship, right after emphasizing that Voyager set a course for home. Maybe the point is that the space monster has Qatai either way; Qatai is totally dependent on the monster for his identity, so he will never really escape it, and will presumably eventually be killed (though maybe he can succeed). Linking Qatai's obsession with the crew's desire to go home maybe highlights the foolish side of Janeway et al.'s continuing to pursue the apparently impossible goal. Maybe the episode's end is hopeful though, because Qatai *also* seems to enjoy the never-ending fight with the Beast, so maybe even if it's an illusion and he's never actually going to defeat it, it's good, just as maybe it's helpful for the crew to continue to be "trying to go home" even if getting there seems difficult or impossible. Maybe.
I think it's fun and well-executed enough for what it is, but I'm not really sold on the episode's value considering how much old Trek ground is retreated, both Voyager-specific and other series, and how much of a light, almost indifferent tone is given to the proceedings. I'm tempted to say 2 stars, but maybe I'll be generous and say 2.5.
Fri, Jan 12, 2018, 1:18pm (UTC -5)
I can pretty much buy that the monster can affect peoples minds, but how does it alter sensor readings? How could it possibly do that? Especially considering all the hundreds or thousands of different ships it encounters.
It's all cliches and gimmicks.
2 stars.
Thu, Jun 28, 2018, 5:58am (UTC -5)
I found it as frightening as "Frame of Mind," because when you are surrounded by people all buying in to the same illusion, you start to question your own sanity. That's why this episode worked for me--the team they assembled to fight the dreams was wonderful.
I think I wrote on a recent DS-9 review that the whole point of a disaster episode is to throw together unusual combinations of characters so we can see the odd pairings, and this episode failed on that level--we've seen Seven and Naomi and the Doctor work together before. (Boy, they really loved Jeri, didn't they?) Unfortunately, when you have characters who are not entirely flesh and blood, THEY are going to be the ones who are immune to whatever problem like this arises. On TNG it was Data, here it's Seven and the Doctor. But for this episode it worked. I didn't mind too much. And partly because Naomi was so awesome in this. I love the moment when she looks fearfully at crazy Chakotay and yet carries on with Seven's instructions. And then Seven leaves her there! Alone! Scary!
I agree with the rating though--the episode spent a bit too much time showing us everyone's fantasies and it was much better when the heroes were fighting back. But overall I really liked this one.
Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 5:58am (UTC -5)
I enjoyed our crusty old Captain Ahab, and that little girl who plays Naomi is very good. The interaction of Naomi with Seven is an inspired way of humanizing Seven.
The ep is certainly about reality and how our desires (hungers) can distort our view . . . how important it is not to let that happen (lest you get consumed!).
It was interesting seeing what the crew wanted most, after getting home . . . to see loved ones, to get a dream job . . . and how Moby Dick seemed to perceive a desire to connect with family, inside Seven - though she didn't want it enough to be affected.
I wondered about Neelix, why we saw his being accepted and happy on Earth, instead of seeing his family again. I assume this is because the overall temptation the monster was offering was going to Earth, and we needed a believable reason Neelix would care, any more than Seven or Naomi did. I bought it.
An entertaining ep. I did want to see Janeway and Chakotay's dream versions of going home, but no such luck.
Mon, Nov 26, 2018, 8:55am (UTC -5)
Thu, Jan 3, 2019, 3:01am (UTC -5)
Why is Qatai going back inside the creature?
Fri, Jan 4, 2019, 11:48am (UTC -5)
Mon, Jan 7, 2019, 12:00pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 10:48pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Nov 22, 2019, 6:04pm (UTC -5)
Enjoyed the episode and enjoying these reviews.
Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 7:46am (UTC -5)
Mon, Apr 6, 2020, 5:44am (UTC -5)
Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:33am (UTC -5)
Good episode.
The Prozac-y crew works great here. Too often in this sort of possession type plot, the crew become evil henchmen for the big bad. But here, they are normal, just happily deluded.
Naomi Wildman is surprisingly likable and the Seven/Naomi chemistry is great.
Tue, Jul 28, 2020, 1:23pm (UTC -5)
Count me in the camp of those who like Naomi Wildman. She's a smart and capable kid, but she's also still a child, hiding when she's scared and crying over the unconscious Neelix, needing to be carried and comforted by Seven. The actress does a great job being as young as she is, and I am always happy to see the character in an episode.
This scenario reminds me somewhat of "One" from last season, with only Seven and the Doctor to save the entire crew. The comparison suggests that while the ship can be automated temporarily, one person cannot do the maintenance required to keep Voyager running long term, which is what happened in "One".
Sat, Aug 22, 2020, 8:37am (UTC -5)
The one annoyance, and a big one, is the ultra-pacifism yet again displayed by Lameway and her collective. They should've blown the "creature" out of the water but nooooo-hooooo. They set a series of warning beacons (isn't the "creature" mobile?!), which are bound to fail, be lost, be sabotaged, or be otherwise inadequate. Nuts.
Thu, Dec 10, 2020, 9:57am (UTC -5)
To continue the marine animal theme, a juvenile version of the beast might have been a motile form with different eating habits from the adult sessile form. So the possible nymphal stage of the beast may have swam in space to this one spot, to possibly cocoon and emerge as a 'lie in wait' style predator.
Since these things happen here in reality, I'll give the episode points for a possible biological background. I'll ignore the actual "animal living in vacuum" bit bc it's been done so much on and off trek that I don't want to beat my head against a wall.
Yes, this ep is a lot like many others, like One, Persistence of Vision, The Cloud, Galaxy's Child, and The Immunity Syndrome, but what it feels the MOST like is Farscape's Green Eyed Monster. As someone mentioned above. And Farscape's version is just lovely, one of Farscape's best -- top notch sci fi. Not to mention Stark's great line: "Electromagnetic candy!"
Bliss is still a good romp, and we get some insights into the deepest desires of the crew, and how some of those wishes have changed or grown from what we saw back in season two's Persistence of Vision.
And in particular, we see Janeway is still not over wanting her fiance back. I wonder how much that factored into her depression in Night. She consciously signed on for a grand adventure, back in Caretaker. She never expected years in sensory deprivation. She totally got afflicted with SAD (Space Affective Disorder)! ;-) But my point is that she was indirectly willing to give up Mark for epic quadrant adventures, but not for an endless window into...nothingness. Too much time on her hands to think about her guilt and isolation.
Janeway still missing Mark is good characterization, and also makes Counterpoint more poignant.
Neelix worried over being accepted and happy on Earth also ties in closely with his existential dread and loneliness, and is only resolved at the very end of the series in Homestead.
Tom being accepted and forgiven, with a bright future ahead to make his father proud and feel good about himself -- more good insight. Tom, as a fallen Golden Child, is sensitive to criticism and riddled with poor self esteem, which comes out most clearly in Non Sequitur.
Three stars is about right. It's well written and acted, and offers a lot of insight if you look at the hints that are dropped.
Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:25pm (UTC -5)
You said, "The beast doesn't have to be assumed mobile. Sea sponges are sessile . . . . So the warning beacons would work in this context. "
Except that right after they escape, Qatai says, "The beast is already altering course," so we know it is mobile. Beacons would be utterly useless unless they can be attached to it in some way.
Sat, Dec 19, 2020, 4:33am (UTC -5)
Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 8:58am (UTC -5)
Where's Dr. Marr when you need a large devouring entity to kill?
@Tannhaeuser -- is your name a Blade Runner reference?
Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 10:52pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Feb 19, 2021, 4:30pm (UTC -5)
I don't think having an ambiguous ending works to the advantage of the episode.
Fri, Feb 19, 2021, 4:31pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Mar 6, 2021, 1:29pm (UTC -5)
Who reads those sensor readings?
........
Michael said: "Gotta love the "monster expert's" faux-Australian twang. "
I didn't notice an attempt at an Australian accent. The actor who played the part is British fwiw.
.......
Jay asked: "Isn't the Beast mobile? Can't he move away from the buoys?"
It's either a slipup by the Voyager creators (Impossible!) or a clever bit of writing. The creature has been shown to have an increasing influence over its victims the longer they are in its proximity. "Do not kill me!" seems like a message that it would send constantly. "Yeah, marker buoys are good enough - I'm totally immobile!" would be another useful trick. If intentional, it might also suggest that the creature has tricked Qatai once more in the episode's closing shot. Who knows?
Random bits:
- Why wasn't Qatai's ship digested at some point between the time he dropped his shields to beam aboard Voyager and the time he returned?
- The creature reminded me (a tiny bit) of a an evil version of the creature from the TAS episode "One of Our Planets is Missing."
Wed, May 26, 2021, 4:24am (UTC -5)
Yes, no mention anywhere as far as I can tell and something that confused me. 39 years stuck, gets himself out. Goes right back in. Why? I feel like I'm missing something obvious here...
Apart from that, it was ok.
Wed, May 26, 2021, 5:41am (UTC -5)
He wasn't trapped in the beast for 39 years. He was hunting it for that long. His predicament was presumably more recent.
Sun, Jul 11, 2021, 11:03am (UTC -5)
Thu, Oct 21, 2021, 2:10pm (UTC -5)
"Plus, Naomi is just so darned cute."
I’m not really a "kid" person, but, yeah, she is cute. She was especially cute in the first Equinox episode when she introduced herself to Ensign Marla Gilmore. She was so cute that Chuckles and Harry were smirking at each other about her cuteness.
As another poster said, Naomi — oops, "Naomi Wildman" — wasn’t affected by the creature because she's never been to Earth and doesn’t really care about it. I wonder if she's at all interested in meeting her father.
Sun, Dec 5, 2021, 12:11am (UTC -5)
That guest actor was really good. I wonder if he has played hard-bitten seamen before. I said to my wife after the episode that he seemed like a Shakespeare company level actor, and sure enough per Wiki he was with the Royal Shakespeare Company for 12 years.
@navamske: “Point taken, but the closing voiceover has Janeway saying that they deployed some warning buoys.”
So it’s more ethical to make the beast slowly starve to death? And didn’t our guest character say the beast was on the move?
Mon, Dec 6, 2021, 12:48pm (UTC -5)
'Every now and then, I think it’s worth pointing out that the people who made the opening title sequence did a fantastic job. It still holds up a quarter century later.'
Thanks for pointing this out. Yes, strongly agree with this and feel exactly the same. The opening title sequence (and music) is still as beautiful and wondrous now - all these years later - as it was when I first watched it all those years ago (which don't seem that long ago, but unfortunately were).
And even now it still fills me with the same sense of awe no matter how often I watch it. There's just something truly moving about it.
Wed, May 25, 2022, 11:01pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Dec 8, 2022, 3:12pm (UTC -5)
Other than that, I liked this episode, mostly because of the trio (Seven, the Doctor and Naomi) who saved the ship. It just goes to show that every person on the ship is valuable in some way!
Fri, Dec 9, 2022, 7:29am (UTC -5)
I think it was fooling the minds of the peolle reading the computer display.
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