Star Trek: Voyager
"Homestead"
Air date: 5/9/2001
Written by Raf Green
Directed by LeVar Burton
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
"I've never seen First Contact Day celebrated quite like this. When I was your age, all it meant was a day off from school." — Janeway to Naomi
In brief: Not groundbreaking, but nice.
Neelix is a supporting character for whom the writers have never found an adequate purpose. For seven seasons he has floated here and there with a myriad of alleged duties but no real direction or strong motivations. Ethan Phillips has essentially been assigned the role of "miscellaneous character." So it's fitting, I guess, that the episode that bids Neelix adieu is one that makes the effort to show him as a Voyager crew member facing a crisis of purpose. The fact that there's a scene where Naomi Wildman tells Neelix she's too old to be tucked into bed only reinforces the issue.
The prospect of uselessness is a frightening thing, something demonstrated several years ago in a previous Neelix story, "Fair Trade." It's trite but true that most of us need to feel needed. Many who ponder the value of their lives probably hope that they have made or will make a difference to others — the greater the better.
"Homestead" takes that notion to write the final chapter for Neelix, one that is not hugely original or groundbreaking, but is pleasant and sincere nonetheless. The plot is more or less routine, but the characters are here, and the writers and actors do well for making us care about Neelix's struggles and choices.
As another example in a long history of spatial geography tricks with little regard for logic, the Voyager crew happens upon a colony of Talaxian refugees living inside an asteroid in an asteroid belt. How did they get here from their homeworld, roughly 40,000 light-years across the Delta Quadrant, in apparently only a decade or two? I don't know, and asking such a question is simply a hollow, obligatory gesture at this point. Perhaps they were as lucky as Voyager has been in finding shortcuts. Luckier still that Voyager happened upon them.
Neelix finds that being around his people rekindles feelings of home. One could argue that over the years Neelix would've come to think of Voyager as his home, but perhaps it's not that simple. Maybe he sees himself more as a traveler with a still-unknown destination. With the ostensive destination being Earth — a planet he's never seen — his own people can certainly be a strong reminder of his previous home.
The overriding plot is a relatively hoary exercise in which one group of people are threatened by another, more unreasonable group. In this case the asteroid belt is going to be mined by the aliens who own it. They don't intend to let something silly like a Talaxian homestead stand in the way of profits and efficiency schedules. The Talaxian asteroid is the proverbial house that needs to be razed in order for the proverbial new highway to go through — although not really, since it stands to reason that the miners could simply move on and skip this one measly asteroid. Honestly, the miners might as well be wearing horns and carrying pitchforks; they growl and intimidate, even going so far as to threaten a little boy. Even their makeup design is sinister. Subtlety is not a virtue to be found here.
What works is the gradual way Neelix realizes that he must help the Talaxians protect their home. These Talaxians are primarily pacifists, but Neelix argues that their home is something worth taking a stand for, and tries to convince the passive leader, Oxilon (Rob Labelle), that running to find a new home isn't plausible forever; they've already been pushed off at least one world entirely.
Neelix's choices are in no small part affected by his emerging feelings for a widow named Dexa (Julianne Christie) and her young son, Brax (Ian Meltzer). Their scenes are handled with a quiet sincerity that works. But what I found more interesting were some of Neelix's interactions with the Voyager crew in the midst of the unfolding dilemma. There's a scene where Neelix tells Brax that his duties aren't of huge importance (and I'm inclined to agree based on evidence the series has provided), but Chakotay and Kim come to the rescue and explain Neelix's various titles and cite him as a valuable crew member.
Better still are the Tuvok/Neelix scenes. Tuvok/Neelix sequences have often been utter failures; even this year we had a stupid roommate-quarrel plot in "Prophecy," while other relatively recent episodes like "Riddles" have shown Tuvok begrudging every possible warm feeling about Neelix that might rear its head in the depths of his Vulcan heart. But here we have what should've happened a long time ago — a vocal acknowledgement from Tuvok about Neelix's strengths and resourcefulness as a potential leader, even though they might exist alongside other annoying qualities. It's perfectly worded from Tuvok, and I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see him be believably civil toward Neelix instead of needlessly cold as forced upon him by a script. Similarly, it's also nice to see Neelix acting like a real person instead of a comic annoyance who, for example, trashes Tuvok's quarters while in the throes of Klingon passion.
There's a sequence where Neelix uses his cargo ship to help install shield generators to protect the Talaxian asteroid from the alien miners. This is serviceable action storytelling, though I think the way the episode invokes the Prime Directive is erroneous: If a warp-capable group of people asks for help in defending themselves, I don't see how that's a Prime Directive issue saying Janeway can't be involved. Yes, she may be taking sides in an interstellar conflict, but that happens every day.
Ultimately, Neelix decides to stay behind with the Talaxians and start a new home when Janeway submits that perhaps this opportunity for him will also allow him to remain as an official Delta Quadrant-based ambassador for Starfleet. This is neat and tidy, perhaps, but it's certainly reasonable and allows a good send-off.
"Homestead" is not a great or inspired episode of Voyager, but it is a dignified and heartfelt one. I must admit: By the end, when Tuvok's goodbye consisted of a restrained, Tuvokian concession to dance with the heel of one foot, I was touched. The scene keeps dialog to a minimum and relies on nods and glances, providing a great example of less-is-more mentality. It's one moment that almost makes up for years of redundant banter. If dignity has been a lost virtue for Neelix as the writers have previously written him, they managed to find it here.
In brief: Doc engages in a serious role-playing game.
Previous episode: Natural Law
Next episode: Renaissance Man
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101 comments on this post
Tue, Apr 8, 2008, 4:11pm (UTC -6)
Mon, May 5, 2008, 8:49am (UTC -6)
Sat, Sep 5, 2009, 8:31am (UTC -6)
Fri, Mar 19, 2010, 11:09am (UTC -6)
Tue, Jun 29, 2010, 10:10pm (UTC -6)
Wed, Jul 21, 2010, 10:33am (UTC -6)
Another thing that, stunningly, only just struck me: How subpar Voyager's (and Star Trek's) technology is. I mean, there's Paris piloting the shuttle to the asteroid, there's a minor explosion nearby and the shuttle loses its shields and is forced to crash-land. Add to that the incessant instances of critical systems malfunctioning and it's as if Windows 98 was the epitome of stability and reliability compared to the 24th-century stuff. How did Voyager and the other starships pass Q.A., I'll never know. Why would you send a starship on intergalactic odysseys when any minor spatial or temporal fluctuation (or, keyword: Anomaly) can wreak havoc with pretty much every one of its mainframe systems!?! It's like Boeing manufacturing an airplane that has to be crash-landed every third flight it makes!!
Be that as it may, for someone without "an adequate purpose," Neelix sure emanaged to annoy the living hell out of me. His incessant joviality, which he insists on foisting on everyone else, whether they feel like partaking or not is infuriating enough. But he also has the deep, caring, sensitive emotional side *puke* which means that, whenever there's anyone with even a hint of a personal problem, there he is ready to analyze it and talk about it for at least ten minutes, in the most boring Dr.-Phil-style manner conceivable. Even if it's not a problem, there's inevitable a scene of him in every third episode giving Seven or Naomi or The Doc or Icheb or whoever a pep-talk, encouraging them to be more human, find themselves and all that. ARGH!!! The one time I remember not minding him was when he boned that Klingon woman a few episodes back. I find it impossible to believe he did that but it was so out of his usual boring/annoying character that I quite liked it, especially because he's the antithesis of an alpha-male. (Then again, there is NO alpha-male on Voyager - except Acoushla Moya during his "native" moments -, but plenty of alpha-females: How "enlightened" and "progressive"!)
Having said that, I liked him in this episode, particularly in the second half. He transformed into someone of substance, rather than being just an irritating-as-a-fly clown. He even called Tuvok "Mr. Tuvok," as opposed to that derisive "Mr. Vulcan." It was quite touching and I particularly appreciated there not having been long and emotional goodbyes. Despite my distaste for Neelix, the end of the show was quite stirring.
Thu, Sep 9, 2010, 12:20pm (UTC -6)
About this episode, it was a nice send off. Though I had no attachment to Neelix whatsoever. The only sympathy I felt was for the crew because I knew they would be sad at seeing him go.
Mon, Apr 11, 2011, 2:33pm (UTC -6)
It was kind of sad that Naomi's last words to him were that she doesn't need him - it was the trigger he needed to move on, but how about some kind words after she finds out he's leaving? He's practically her dad. But never mind.
Touching final scenes - how fitting that the most poignant part should be Tuvok's perfectly Vulcan goodbye: he's as careful as ever to supposedly not express emotion, yet anyone can tell just how heartfelt it really was. A much more sincere ending to that kind of friendship (the very well hidden one that makes them seem pretty much like enemies to an unknowing observer) than what they did with Odo and Quark in DS9.
3-3.5. Downhill we go to the finish line..
Thu, Jun 2, 2011, 8:19am (UTC -6)
Sat, Sep 24, 2011, 10:07pm (UTC -6)
Sat, Sep 24, 2011, 10:42pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Jan 3, 2012, 10:08am (UTC -6)
Tue, Jun 12, 2012, 10:34pm (UTC -6)
I just wanted to add that it was good to see Naomi Wildman back in this episode. Not sure how long it had been since we'd seen her, but it seemed like a very long time. And she looked noticeably older here.
Fri, Jun 22, 2012, 1:36pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Nov 22, 2012, 6:33am (UTC -6)
Fri, May 3, 2013, 3:30pm (UTC -6)
Sat, May 18, 2013, 9:20pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Jul 2, 2013, 7:31am (UTC -6)
In this round, however, things were different for some reason. Perhaps it's simply that I've softened with age. I really don't know. At some point during my current Voyager review, I realized that Neelix's most irritating qualities were to be found mostly in the first three seasons or so. After that, he became very much a background character and his scenes were usually of comedic intent and I must admit they were, more often than not, successful in that intent. Interspersed throughout were some genuinely poignant moments (but never anything too profound or moving). I can't really account for it, but somewhere along the way in this third round I began to like Neelix. IT'S CRAZY, I KNOW! And in fact, I didn't even realize the extent of it myself until this episode. The scene where Neelix walks along the corridor lined with Voyager crew members assembled to bid him final farewell reduced me to a hot, sobbing mess, and I simply cannot explain why. I think it comes down to Ethan Phillips. As poorly written a character as Neelix was, Mr. Phillips brought a sincerity to the part that I, eventually, just couldn't resist. I was sad to see him go.
Mon, Jul 22, 2013, 11:02pm (UTC -6)
Now, I loved Kes and was sorry to see her go, but it did wonders for Neelix's character. He actually developed...well, as much as Voyager would allow. I grew to care about him and like him, with the occasional annoyance still seeping in from time to time.
Anyway, this episode was heartfelt and touching. I, too, was moved at his farewell on the ship, but I was also very moved when he walked in and embraced Dexa and Brax. The look on his face said everything. It was so sweet.
It just goes to show you that Ethan Phillips was quite capable of conveying great depth of feeling. He just didn't often get a chance to because the writers couldn't decide if they wanted him to be a cartoon character, the comic relief, or an actual character with real feelings and depth.
Oh, I wanted to mention, I really liked the voice of the actress playing Dexa. It had a really nice dulcet quality, and being under all of that make-up, having a pleasant voice can only help.
Tue, Sep 3, 2013, 11:09am (UTC -6)
he was much better in seasons 4-7.
as was the Voyager Show.
I enjoyed this episode. and unlike most 1 episode romances, i believed in this one. maybe because they were from the same species.
in any case, i loved the final scene and how there was little words. i agree...less was more.
tuvoks dance was great. although... a smile would have been good too..as he had been dared by neelix in the past too.
great ending.
3.5 stars.
Sun, Oct 20, 2013, 10:02am (UTC -6)
Little did I realise I'd grow to like him inspite or because of what a big goofy teddy bear he is and underneath all his earnest smiles was a wonderfully kind soul. He has his troubles and there's such sadness lingering deep within him, which is what drives him to surround himself and everyone in his life with happiness. He bounces off and needs everyone, just as much as they bounce off and need him.
I think that's why he craves attention from Tuvok and to melt that icey Vulcan exterior; it's what keeps him going and we've seen just how hard it hits whenever his bubble gets burst and when no one wants to be a part of his useless, fuzzy, comfort blanketed world.
Of course he's annoying and doesn't know when to stop; but that's part of his loving, wounded nature.
And I'm very sad he had to see him go but happy he found his true home.
Sun, Oct 20, 2013, 10:10am (UTC -6)
Mon, Jan 27, 2014, 8:26am (UTC -6)
Of course there were plot holes, which have already been mentioned (how did the Talaxians get so far from home? They never mention a wormhole, or anything of the sort), but I can forgive that. Typical Star Trek.
Thu, Feb 6, 2014, 3:56pm (UTC -6)
In my imagination, Neelix packed his cargo hull to the brim with replicators, raw materials, and instructions on how to construct holo emitters. That gloomy asteroid will get a hell of a re-fit. :)
4/5
Mon, Feb 24, 2014, 11:33pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Feb 25, 2014, 4:59pm (UTC -6)
Sat, Mar 1, 2014, 10:59pm (UTC -6)
Mon, Mar 3, 2014, 9:50pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Apr 4, 2014, 8:25pm (UTC -6)
I would have been more excited and gung-ho about Neelix staying with those people (and fighting with them for their home) if the asteroid hadn't been such a depressing place to live. It's a rock, people :(
But anyway, I did like the episode very much overall—a "Neelix farewell" episode just sounds like a bad idea, but it came off well. I especially liked the Tuvok/Neelix scenes and how Neelix genuinely felt useful through their conversations, something his character had struggled with pretty much the whole series; and the way that Tuvok empowered Neelix to be more than he was. Although, I found the Tuvok-dance moment at the end rather cheesy, it was a nice touch and a great sendoff for a character.
Wasn't it odd though when they (Neelix and the other two Talaxians) were looking at the picture of Talax in astrometrics and no one mentioned that it had been destroyed?? (Hadn't it?!) That was awkward and a pretty glaring continuity issue since that was one of the only aspects of Neelix's character that wasn't happy-smiley—he had that awful part of his past, that came up many times throughout the series.
I also really liked Janeway's scene with Neelix, when she appealed to his sense of duty—presenting the idea of ambassador in the Delta quadrant to him. It gave him a pass to leave while still honoring his sense of pride.
I would definitely say, the best Neelix episode of the series!
Fri, Apr 4, 2014, 9:08pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Apr 11, 2014, 9:10pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Aug 14, 2014, 4:03pm (UTC -6)
No, what got me here was the miners. I know the "hard headed, illogical, stubborn, xenophobic, uncooperative aliens of the week" plot device was by now a Voyager cliche, but this is supposed to be a send off for one of your main characters. Not a routine action plot. I don't buy for a second that miners would be as unreasonable as to destroy 500 people and their home. What kind of state do they live in? Fascist? Well we kill hundreds of people but at least the trains run ono time.
Sun, Aug 24, 2014, 6:04pm (UTC -6)
However, it is (as others pointed out) extremely odd that Talaxians (a group that was not as advanced as others) were found so far from where Neelix originally was. This is a great plot hole.
Overall solid episode.
Sun, Nov 23, 2014, 1:19pm (UTC -6)
Anyway, no one has mentioned a brief moment in this episode that really seemed like a subtle nod to his bravery and loyalty. When the miners were dropping charges on the asteroid, and Neelix was chasing them and detonating the charges with his ship's weapons, something or other knocks out his weapons. There's another charge heading for the surface, and he turns his ship toward it. Dexa freaks out and asks what he's doing, but at that moment, Voyager shows up to blast the charge and save the day.
What he was doing was aiming his ship on a suicide collision course to detonate the charge before it hit the surface. The scene goes pretty fast, so I wonder how many people caught the intensity of that moment, and understood the decision he had made.
Thu, Jun 4, 2015, 7:17pm (UTC -6)
Mon, Mar 21, 2016, 9:01am (UTC -6)
If someone bet me that Tuvok moving his foot would make me choke up, I would have lost the bet. I gave this episode an extra half star just for that scene. Best Farewell Ever.
As stated by others above, it is very unplausable that they would have encountered Talaxians this far out. It wasn't even a rogue group that decided to explore the galaxy and new civilizations. Nope, just a small group on an asteroid that they call home. After travelling over 40,000 light years, I'd think they would have settled on a nice class M world. Instead, we are to believe after 40,000 years, the captain said - "Hey, this rock is perfect, exactly what we've been searching for our whole lives." Derp.
Fri, Mar 25, 2016, 9:11am (UTC -6)
But that conclusion is just beautifully played from the scene with Naomi Wildman onwards. It gives Neelix a fitting end to his story, and for him to find a ready made family seems a fairly organic wrap up and certainly more sensible that him being the only Talaxian on Earth. It's been noticeable over the latter series how much Neelix got toned down and tuned out from the early years, to the point where I was finding more in the character than the merely tolerable.
3 stars, and pretty much just the ending rather than anything else.
Sat, May 14, 2016, 5:16pm (UTC -6)
Sat, May 21, 2016, 2:55am (UTC -6)
Thu, Jul 7, 2016, 11:37am (UTC -6)
I'll tell you what, Lavar can sure as hell direct himself some trek. I don't EVER think I've been disappointed with his work, even when the script was crap.
Yanks going soft here.... :-)
2 times I lose it.
Janeway is so damn good here... I'm surprised that others didn't take notice. How she gives Neelix exactly what he wants without making him chose against his Voyager family and duties is PERFECT:
"NEELIX: I've been thinking about something. It's a little hard to put into words, and I haven't really made a decision yet. And of course I would never ignore my responsibilities on Voyager.
JANEWAY: Of course not.
NEELIX: I take them very seriously.
JANEWAY: I know you do. I've been thinking about something, too. Maybe you could help me.
NEELIX: I'd be happy to.
JANEWAY: It's an idea I'd need to talk to Starfleet Command about.
NEELIX: It must be important.
JANEWAY: It is. Now that we've established two way communication with Earth, it seems to me Starfleet could use a permanent ambassador in the Delta Quadrant. This ambassador would have to stay in frequent contact with Voyager.
NEELIX: Certainly.
JANEWAY: It would be difficult for me to run this ship without you, Neelix. But that might be a sacrifice I'd be willing to make for the greater good of Starfleet. Of course, the assignment would be entirely voluntary. You wouldn't be interested, would you? "
The way Janeway delivers this is epic. Well done writers and Kate!!
Also, of course, the memorable march through the crew. The lack of any conversation was perfect. This was very much a send-off for Ethan as well. He was as beloved on the set as he was by the crew on Voyager. Again, perfectly executed.
3.5 stars from me.
Thu, Aug 25, 2016, 6:48pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Aug 25, 2016, 11:58pm (UTC -6)
They did the same thing with Lt carey they thought they killed him in season 1 and when they learned there mistake they brought him back in friendship one.
Mon, Sep 26, 2016, 5:26am (UTC -6)
Tue, Nov 22, 2016, 6:43am (UTC -6)
3.5 stars
Thu, Jan 19, 2017, 5:42pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Jan 20, 2017, 5:33pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Feb 5, 2017, 4:10am (UTC -6)
Mon, Feb 6, 2017, 7:39am (UTC -6)
Fri, Feb 24, 2017, 10:34am (UTC -6)
However, even I felt the emotional power at the end of this episode. Tuvok specifically elevated this send off to 3 star level for me. I love when a person can say volumes without speaking a word. Tuvok 1st gave Neelix incredible words of encouragement and then in the final farewell says everything that needed to be said with that wag of his foot and the standard Vulcan homage.
It reminds me of a time when I was visiting a friend and an ice cream truck came down his street. I was long passed my ice cream craze days, but I smiled as I saw the kids congregating on the curb, absolutely losing their minds with anticipation. There were like 15 kids of various ages screaming at the truck to stop, as if the driver had planned to keep going. Not a chance. He was already slowing down.
But there was this one kid who hadn't said a word. Couldn't have been more than 5 years old. At the front of the pack, he just bent down and slowly patted the ground at his feet with one hand, smiling a devilish smile. I laughed out loud. Without even a word he'd said all that needed to be said.
Sun, Mar 19, 2017, 11:57pm (UTC -6)
A Talaxian colony that far away is plausible if they only added a couple of lines about it being generational and 40 years with a couple of failed planetary settlements in between. Neelix's love interest could have just said she was born during the journey and only saw Talax from the database.
Average episode... however, Neelix's sendoff was well done.. very well done.. Tuvok's foot dance was very cool in light of their 7 year history antagonizing one another and Neelix always trying to convince Tuvok to lighten up.
Sun, May 21, 2017, 6:56am (UTC -6)
This is not the only time this happens in the show. Basically every time the writers want an excuse for Janeway to want to stay uninvolved, they trot out the Prime Directive, and everyone nods their head, even though a significant majority of the species they encounter are warp capable. What's worse, there's an episode where they were discussing this and Tuvok makes the point about the Directive not applying because the aliens of the week... are warp capable. It's just another example of sloppy storytelling that persistently made this show infuriating to watch.
Fri, Aug 25, 2017, 1:13am (UTC -6)
I never had one ounce of feeling for him after that, and not much before, so his leaving, for me, means absolutely nothing.
The totally contrived reason didn't help. Talaxians that should never have been there in the first place.
And as someone mentioned earlier, and the only person to even notice it it seems, besides me, is why in the hell would they fight to live on an asteroid? They will all be dead as soon as their supplies run out. There isn't any food or water on an asteroid.
Voyager basically gave all of the Talaxians, including Neelix, a death sentence. Nice.
Goodbye Neelix, our shipmate for 7 years. Have a fun time starving to death.
The ending wasn't bad, but sort of generic.
1 star. Mostly for the ending.
Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 10:29pm (UTC -6)
Sat, Sep 9, 2017, 1:30pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 29, 2017, 5:37pm (UTC -6)
Mon, Oct 16, 2017, 6:29pm (UTC -6)
Naomi Wildman-"and once there was a transporter accident. Neelix and Commander Tuvok got combined to make a completely different person...and then Captain Janeway killed him."
Brax-"...REALLY?"
Naomi Wildman-"You don't think I could make up a story like that do ya?" *smirk
Wed, Jan 10, 2018, 3:27pm (UTC -6)
The plot is pretty much boilerplate (stock villains, relocating a colony...) and so too is the farewell part but since those happen so rarely, it was one of the more watchable parts of the episode. I found it a major stretch that Talaxians could have made it out this far from where Voyager first found Neelix. So they are warp capable and I don't see a PD issue here. It's like the writers were contriving a suitable departure episode for Neelix where he would not need to go to Earth so they came up with this scenario.
Also good to see the crew sticking up for Neelix -- especially Tuvok who had some good advice after 7 years of being standoffish. Neelix is a good character - sympathetic, caring etc. I liked the episode "Mortal Coil" but otherwise, he's mostly been a cheerleader. Naomi Wildman no longer needing him was also well written / acted as was Neelix sort of resisting getting intimate with the Talaxian widow on Voyager.
He meets Janeway late at night for coffee -- wonder what he was going to ask Janeway before the captain proposes he stay behind as an ambassador?
Barely 2.5 stars for "Homestead" -- the end is near for Voyager so this episode works in the grand scheme of things although it was nothing new and somewhat predictable. Not a bad hour of Trek, but once through it is definitely enough.
Wed, Jan 10, 2018, 3:32pm (UTC -6)
Wed, Jan 10, 2018, 8:59pm (UTC -6)
I guess I have been posting a lot on VOY the past couple of days -- must look weird the order that I'm reviewing the series -- it all depends on what order the Space Channel shows them!
Sun, Jan 28, 2018, 10:21pm (UTC -6)
Correct a throwaway line about a wormhole or a sub space corridor would have been nice but alas . . .perhaps it was left on the cutting room floor.
Given what I know now about the behind the scenes challenges and ALL that executive meddling, it’s amazing that the show maintained any continuity at all.
The modern advent of streaming which has enabled binge watching has allowed for catching the subtleties often missed on a single viewing. I have a greater appreciation for the series. And I already like all the trek series’ any how. But even 17 years after the final episode, I still find scenes that I have missed or forgotten and e be certain episodes.
Nuff said
Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 1:24pm (UTC -6)
I'm glad Neelix gets a dignified send off. He's so often the goof or the comic relief, a sort of static character, I sometimes wondered how he survived on his own. This episode (and, others of course) show him as having unequivocally grown, as dynamic, at the end of a long journey and as fully realized that he must move forward with his life.
His time on Voyager has run its course, and yet, he will be sorely missed during the rest of their journey. Whatever this episode does, it resonates with me and I find myself melancholy afterward. Pretty awesome.
Wed, Feb 28, 2018, 3:00am (UTC -6)
It was kind of touching watching Neelix leave, and it gave me a melancholic vibe as well.
All these chowderheads blathering on and on about “Neelix was annoying, or Neelix was jealous, or Neelix wasn’t on par with the great literary characters of fiction” have a point.
But they’re still chowderheads because they go ON AND ON ABOUT IT, even at his touching and well-done departure episode. I mean seriously, we get it... would someone please give them a tasty Hot Pocket with a $10 gift card for Candy Crush Saga already to shut them up?!?
And for all the “Why are there Talaxians way out here” crowd... give me a break!!! Every time Voyager turns, they show it leaning over to do so (Watch the opening credits). That’s an aerodynamic maneuver for a craft with wings, certainly not useful in space where there’s no air! Seriously, this show could be ripped apart by a 5 year old if they wanted to.
Fortunately, they don’t want to. They want to be entertained. You could learn a lot from a 5 year old. haha
Tue, Apr 3, 2018, 7:00pm (UTC -6)
What? He didn't die in a pool of his own vomit and blood?
Subtract 2 stars ...
Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 2:54pm (UTC -6)
ENDGAME SPOILERS: Dropping Neelix off also avoids having to deal with the obvious questions of what kind of life he would make for himself in the Alpha Quadrant. We already know that Icheb wants to go to the Academy, so his story is more or less sorted, but for Neelix we know what his life is like *on Voyager* but not what would really happen to him when he got back to Earth. If Voyager spent another thirty years travelling, it might not be so important, but we know with the benefit of hindsight (and could maybe figure out) that Voyager is about to get home, so....
And I do think that having Neelix join other Talaxians attempting to make a life for themselves makes some sense; these are other people who were hurt by the Haakonians (sp? -- can't be bothered to look it up), and while other people on Voyager have suffered a great deal of loss, I think that he can relate to the other Talaxians on this level better than to the Voyager crew. In retrospect the lost opportunities are clear -- imagine Neelix talking with Chakotay and B'Elanna about the death of the Maquis, for example! -- but still, it makes some general sense. The species-essentialist view that he should be with His Own People goes a little under-commented on, but I think the basic idea that they are people who have more need of him and that's where he goes, as well as being able to relate to them because of shared history and genetics, makes this a relatively fine place for the character to end up. We get a reminder of both his feelings of usefulness and his jack-of-all-trades resourcefulness, as well as his longing for culture -- his throwing himself into his adoptive culture with First Contact Day celebrations is taken, to some degree, as someone who really longs to return a shared culture he recognizes as truly his own, rather than a benevolent adopted one.
(What isn't stated, but I think is also a factor, is that in addition to Naomi growing up -- though for heaven's sake, she's *five*, no matter how fast half-Katarians apparently age, and her mother is still apparently nowhere to be found -- and Kes being gone, Neelix's self-appointed role as morale officer is less important now that the crew has permanent contact with Earth, and so the crew is less alone and in better spirits generally.)
Where the episode fails is in the actual details of the Talaxian colony and whatnot -- it's not just that it's very generic goodies vs. baddies stuff, but also that the ending, as some have pointed out, seems really unbelievable. So, uh, this one asteroid has a shield around it, so now the people who were willing to beat up children and shoot them all are going to leave them alone? What happens when they run out of food? What happens if the baddies just come back with bigger weapons? It's not that these things all have to be resolved, but that they aren't even mentioned is strange and off-putting. Here I just have to look past what the episode actually presents to the idea behind it, which is all right.
I'll say 2.5 stars, overall.
Thu, Apr 19, 2018, 5:57pm (UTC -6)
Mortal Coil
Tuvix ("related")
Fair Trade
Jetrel
Repentance subplot
Phage
Homestead
Once Upon a Time
Riddles
The Haunting of Deck Twelve
Live Fast and Prosper
Rise
False Profits
Parturition
Elogium
Investigations
IMO, part of the reason Neelix's reputation is so bad is that the worst Neelix eps were so early in the series -- season two and three -- and by that point it was hard for the writers to fully rehabilitate the character. That said, they managed to tone him down and give him a few decent stories. I actually like Neelix, honestly, outside season two, though I'd say his potential was generally somewhat squandered.
Wed, Apr 25, 2018, 1:35pm (UTC -6)
As a team they do good. Chatting with Neelix when you do not find anyone else, getting some interesting to eat. He would never be y close friend but a respectable friend.
Quark in DS9n was annoying to 80 - 90 %. Neelix only disturbing to 70 %.
Wed, May 9, 2018, 5:05am (UTC -6)
My biggest complaint is the crappy asteroid they chose to settle on. Surely a better plan everyone would've preferred would be to take them to an M class planet and establish their defenses there. It annoyed me how obstinate they were about staying on a piece of rock when it wasn't their original home (or even their second one) and when it differed so dramatically from their homeworld. Seems like way too drab and depressing a place for the colorful Talaxians and, honestly, I'm sad Neelix ended up living in such a place for good.
Tue, Sep 11, 2018, 3:50am (UTC -6)
Regarding the mom MIA, Samantha Wildman, someone wrote something funny (but definitely non-canon) about how Vorik, Samantha, Lt. Carey, and a bunch of other recurring characters got reassigned to Deck 15 to do some important work, and the Borg Baby eventually joined them. Ha ha!
Fri, Nov 16, 2018, 12:04am (UTC -6)
Overall, an interesting and satisfying way to resolve things for Neelix. He isn't going to have to make a life for himself far, far from home inn the Alpha quadrant, with little likelihood of ever seeing a Talaxian again. Instead, looks like he'll find love, family, friendship, and fulfilling work in his new environment.
This is nice for Neelix, who's been nomadic and without family for so, so long.
I liked it.
Arrivederci, Neelix!
Thu, Jan 17, 2019, 10:18am (UTC -6)
Sun, Feb 10, 2019, 10:08pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Feb 24, 2019, 11:18pm (UTC -6)
could have
should have
Wed, Apr 3, 2019, 12:45pm (UTC -6)
Along with others, I'd hated Neelix at the start. He looked like a Farscape character and definitely seemed to be the Jar Jar Binks of Trek. He came a long way, though; however, it should be said that part of the reason he stood out is because most of the other characters stepped backward (i.e. fell totally flat). But he wound up being a really likable character, and he deserved to see Earth more than most.
Wed, Apr 3, 2019, 4:32pm (UTC -6)
I wanted Neelix to reach earth, like everybody else
Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 5:31pm (UTC -6)
Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 2:20am (UTC -6)
"Not groundbreaking, but..." How much series television in or out of Trek really qualifies as groundbreaking?
"Not a great or inspired episode of Voyager, but..." Oh, for heaven's sake. Yes, this was a great and inspired episode of Voyager, not to mention the show's last outstanding moment before they failed to stick the landing.
Wed, Nov 6, 2019, 9:31am (UTC -6)
Fri, Feb 7, 2020, 4:30am (UTC -6)
This is one of those episodes.
Live long and prosper, Mr Neelix.
Sun, Jul 19, 2020, 8:23am (UTC -6)
Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 4:56pm (UTC -6)
Otherwise, what a wonderful send-off. Visually, this episode is stunning, as all of Season 7 has been. For visuals, this is peak Trek right here (I don't like the stuff they're doing in the 21st century. It's too much. Voyager is just spot-on for me).
And I'm not sure living in the asteroid is any worse than living on DS9, for instance. It's just a different kind of space station.
It's not quite a 4-star true Trek classic, but nonetheless a touching and enjoyable send-off episode.
Thu, Dec 31, 2020, 2:30am (UTC -6)
I know some will say "but B'Elanna is Klingon, and she married Tom" - but in that case she was half human already, hated her Klingon side, and Klingons are practically human; they've been around so long. Lets review some others...
Neelix/Kes - didn't work out
Janeway/Jaffen - didn't work out
Seven/Doctor - didn't work out
Doctor/Danara - didn't work out
Chakotay/Kellin - didn't work out
Harry/Derran - didn't work out (which I didn't get, she literally was able to leave and would have a much better time exploring on voyager, and was bonded with Harry, so at the end she goes wondering in a space pod?! What the heck was that about?!)
Chakotay/Seska - didn't work out
Seven/Axum - didn't work out
Tom/Kes - didn't work out (it did in the alternate timeline, but that was a 'what if' timeline that didn't actually happen)
Harry/Linnis - didn't work out (same alternate timeline)
Tuvok/Noss - didn't work out (okay, he was married, but even better for the producers as it was doomed from the beginning)
Tuvok/Marayna - didn't work out (same reason as above)
What did work out?
B'Elanna/Tom - human/half-human discussed above
Seven/Chakotay - human/human
Tuvok/T'Pel - vulcan/vulcan
Neelix/Dexa - Talaxian/Talaxian
Janeway/Chakotay - human/human (they didn't end up together, but they almost did in Resolutions)
Samantha/Greskrendtregk - human/K'tarian - the only real interracial, but he was never seen, so essentially out of sight, out of mind.
Sure, I know, random characters couldn't become permanent, but Neelix was right there - why couldn't he in all that time fall for someone already on Voyager (statically he should have considering his personality)? Neelix/Seven would have been shocking, but they were both there, and would probably have been pretty interesting - people mad because she chose him, his style versus hers, etc)! Yeah, Naomi was the product of Human/Ktarian, but he wasn't around, and other than the facial things, Naomi was basically human.
Maybe I'm reading more in to it, but Hollywood has on countless occasions avoided interracial pairings so that they could sell their shows to conservative red states without controversy. At the very least they could have made the colony some other race, maybe even Haakonian which would have been an interesting path! But no, lets keep the offensive interracial stuff to a minimum...
Fri, Jan 29, 2021, 11:52am (UTC -6)
I respect your point of view, and you do an interesting analysis, but to answer your own question, I think yes, you may be reading a bit more into it. But who can really say for sure?
Fri, Jan 29, 2021, 3:41pm (UTC -6)
The characterizations made allllllll the difference - the camaraderie of the Crew to justify Neelix's role, the rising to the occassion of Neelix to defend a child and lead a race, the acknowledgement of Neelix's worth (and annoyance) by Tuvok, the Neelix/Janeway conversation in the dark mess-hall, and most of all, the entire last scen with the lining of the corridor by the crew with shake-a-leg dance from Tuvok and the wordless exit of Neelix.
I finally found some sympathy for this maligned character
Tue, Feb 2, 2021, 2:42am (UTC -6)
The "real" Earth's Los Angeles, albeit 375 years earlier, in "Future's End", and a Species 8472 created facsimile of "contemporary" Earth's San Francisco in "In The Flesh".
Tue, Sep 7, 2021, 3:11pm (UTC -6)
Neelix was an absolute waste of a character. The comic relief was unwanted and annoying, and Trek cannot devote an entire character to that purpose. Trek humor is best when stiff characters like Picard lighten up such as his scene on Risa where he buys the sex statue, or when he tells Data jokingly to put Riker in the brig and he takes it seriously. Beyond the court jester role and cook, the writers tried to shoehorn Neelix into random roles like holding a tricorder on an away mission or giving unwanted advice. Trying to turn him into Guinan was a failure, as he lacked the wisdom and credibility to do so.
Neelix would have been much better as a Garak-like character. He could have been crafty, clever, and shady with a questionable past and tons of connections. He could have outsmarted Voyager's foes with his guile. It would have made better entertainment than 7 years of Bozo the Clown.
Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 4:43am (UTC -6)
'Homestead was retread' in many ways, but it worked for me. Tuvok's move with the foot was fantastic. The deep emotion on set was palpable. It was great to see this as a first-time viewer.
Sun, Dec 12, 2021, 5:22pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Dec 12, 2021, 6:29pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Dec 12, 2021, 6:42pm (UTC -6)
Not to nitpick — OK, to nitpick — but wouldn’t it be the Federation, not Starfleet, that could use an ambassador? Isn’t that like saying the U.S. Army could use an ambassador?
Mon, Dec 27, 2021, 4:48pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 12:58pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Jul 31, 2022, 7:53pm (UTC -6)
I wasn't surprised to learn that LeVar Burton directed it; his episodes always seem to be just a little bit visually superior to everything else.
Everyone's praised the last act of the episode, which is sweet, sad and touching - particularly Tuvok's gesture and Janeway's conversations with Neelix - but I thought the production design in the first half was excellent as well. The way LeVar photographs the hollow asteroid is quite clever, and he achieves a real sense of space and place on a limited budget.
Many comments above are dissing Neelix as a character, but IMO he still had more more great episodes dedicated to him than either Paris or Kim. Neelix had this, Mortal Coil and Tuvix. Kim had what? Emanations and Timeless? And does Paris have anything other than The Chute?
Sun, Jul 31, 2022, 8:02pm (UTC -6)
As bad of a character as Neelix is, imo, he's still played by a much better actor than McNeil and Wong. Better actors don't always get better scripts, but they can make scripts look better than they really are.
Sun, Jul 31, 2022, 8:15pm (UTC -6)
- "Ex Post Facto"
- "Non Sequitur"
- "Parturition"
- "Threshold" - a true "Paris episode"
- "The Chute"
- "Vis a Vis" - another true "Paris episode"
- "Thirty Days" - a true "Paris episode"
- "Alice" - a true "Paris episode"
- "Drive"
Mon, Aug 1, 2022, 12:09am (UTC -6)
I rank "Fair Trade" alongside stuff like "Jetrel". It's good and has some meaty ideas, but I've never thought of it as a "great episode".
Rahul said: "Some of the many "Paris episodes" ..."
There are lots more, but they're mostly all bad.
I think "The Chute" is his strongest one (in hindsight, it's a good Kim episode too).
Then "Lineage", which I'd class as an all-time great episode, but he heavily shares it with Torres, so it's probably not a "true Paris episode".
I saw "Live Fast and Prosper" and "Prophecy" recently, which I thought were decent Paris-heavy episodes. Not great, but not as bad as his episodes usually are.
Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:07pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Feb 28, 2023, 6:12am (UTC -6)
Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 3:39am (UTC -6)
I think it would have been better if he’d have helped the Talaxians and then stayed onboard with „his people“ and return to earth with them.
I struggled watching his appearances over the course of Seven seasons. Either get rid of the annoying character quickly but don’t „torture“ me and then get rid of him just before the finale 😂
Thu, May 11, 2023, 1:09pm (UTC -6)
It might also be worth while for the current crop of Star Trek shows(looking at you Discovery) to take note of the role that dignity and composure play in establishing characters. Rather than watching people burst into tears or bicker constantly, I’d argue audiences tend to respond more positively to excellence, perseverance, confidence, and remaining true to oneself despite one’s outsider status. Take a sampling of the most popular characters across the trek franchise: Spock, Data, Seven. There’s a pattern that emerges, and blubbery emotional displays ain’t part of it. Just sayin’…
Tue, Jun 13, 2023, 3:34pm (UTC -6)
How can there be an ambassador for an entire quadrant? What is he the ambassador to?
He got a better send off than Kes at least.
The distance the Talaxians traveled and whether it made sense... yada yada... obviously the show runners stopped caring about stuff like that. I mean, besides the distance, the Talaxians also got through Borg space and probably innumerable other dangers. They also settled more than once previous to the asteroid field. That's a LOT of ground to cover yet Dexa is still so young. Do Talaxians secretly have transwarp?
I didn't hate Neelix or Ethan Phillips. I was annoyed that the writers didn't put his dialogue moments to better use. We only got to see mature dialog between him and the crew on the very episode his character was being retired. That was irritating.
Wed, Jun 28, 2023, 3:53pm (UTC -6)
These colonists have done it before - they settled on someone else's planet, then were mad that they didn't have freedom over the entire planet. Helping people is one thing, but allowing an entirely different species to settle on your planet and give them unrestricted access, and who no doubt will start to want political power eventually too, seems a bit unreasonable.
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