VOY - Random Thoughts

[MerelyAFan]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/v878.php

Random Thoughts always had the feel of a plot that you could see TOS pulling off better. Probably melodramatic in its execution but even the bog standard Original Series elements that would likely be in it (Spock pointing out the illogic in penalizing that which cannot be controlled, Kirk doing the inspirational speech about man/society's triumph is allowing violent thoughts to happen while still not acting on them), such an episode would do better justice than this one.

Here its just the usual sanding down of an interesting story into the typical beige Voyager outing.

[clearspira]

Speaking of bad props, this episode is infamous for having more re-used props than literally any other. https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inco ... d-mari.htm

The most obvious one for me is the chunky grey communicator with the ''dragon swirl'', which Not!Tuvok got to use in ''Starship Mine''.

The glowing dildo though seems to have been custom built for this episode. Which may explain why its so crappy.

[LordFeagans]

I haven't seen this episode in years, so this was a nice reminder of an episode that I forget even exists. Watching the clips, I get taken out of the idea that this is a planet so far away on the other side of the galaxy that it has zero connection to Earth, but on the shoulder patch of a citizen on this far away planet is clearly the letter A.

Clearly, the costume department didn't give a damn about this episode either.

[pilight]

Imprisonment has four generally accepted major purposes: retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation.

Incapacitation means to stop criminal from committing additional crimes. It assumes a high likelihood of recidivism.

Rehabilitation means to help integrate the convict into law abiding society.

Deterrence comes in two forms: Deterring the offender from committing additional crimes and deterring others from committing similar crimes.

Retribution can be defined in a variety of ways, but it is best understood as that form of justice committed to the following three principles: (1) that those who commit certain kinds of wrongful acts, paradigmatically serious crimes, morally deserve to suffer a proportionate punishment; (2) that it is intrinsically morally good - good without reference to any other goods that might arise - if some legitimate punisher gives them the punishment they deserve; and (3) that it is morally impermissible intentionally to punish the innocent or to inflict disproportionately large punishments on wrongdoers. It's a terrible reason to send someone to prison, but it is the dominant philosophy of the US justice system.

[FaxModem1]

This episode merits so little effort by everyone, that even Chuck is misspelling the title:

Star Trek (Voy): Random Thougths

[DrWheelz]

What is the penal system for? It's so we all have an excuse to giggle every time we say the word "penal."

On a slightly more serious note, the thing that always stood out to me about this episode is how repeatedly dismissive Inspector Whoever is about the idea of jails in general, and how her society is oh-so-enlightened for not having them. So I have to ask, where did they keep Torres while they were taking up to a day to set up the mind-rape machine? Yeah, I know, it's about rehabilitation and all that, but Inspector Whoever seems totally nonplussed at the very idea of even having a holding area. So what, did they book her into a hotel for the night? Did Inspector Whoever let her sleep on her couch? Maybe they actually did let Torres go and told her to report back when it was time, and Janeway still wouldn't let her return to the ship. "Sorry B'Elanna, we can't choose what rules we follow. There must be a bridge somewhere down there you can sleep under. We'll beam down your slippers and your Flotter the Water doll."

[CMWaters]

The review just makes me further want to see him review "Prophecy" (which I thought he did) and his reaction to Neelix's scenes there.

[DanteC]

Two scenes that I'm surprised weren't covered; Tuvok and the cop talking telepathically (which I don't remember Vulcan's ever doing, let alone any other telepaths in Trek), and Tuvok's dark imagery. The first just seems to have been thrown in and later ignored. Telepathy becomes a game-changer if it's used well; Babylon 5 covers it quite substantially as not only a form of communication, but blackmail and even in warfare. Here, a society of telepaths is introduced, and no-body seems to care, or at least the writers don't. I mean, lets say Tuvok has a small team of Vulcan security guards. They don't need to communicate by hand gestures or speaking, but purely by thought if they're close together. They'd instinctively know where any opponent is and be able to coordinate literally by the speed of thought. And that's just for combat situations.

The second is Tuvok's dark imagery. Where did it come from? Do all Vulcans have these thoughts? Is he still haunted by the mind-meld with Sudor? Is he secretly struggling for control over his impulses to turn Voyager into a ship dripping with the blood of his crewmates? Has Neelix slowly driven him mad to the point that Tuvok longs to turn Voyager into the Event Horizon (where a lot of the clips come from) where he can finally return Janeway to her dark master so that she can finally achieve her destiny and rule Hell for all of eternity? I remember reading in the series bible I think that Tuvok and Torres would have become friends with Tuvok helping to teach Torres how to reign in her Klingon nature throughout their journey with Vulcan logic and meditation. That'd would have helped to build this story up. Torres briefly losing control and ashamed at the loss of her progress, and Tuvok discovering that someone deliberately targeted her as she was repressing these violent impulses, and he then discovers that he himself is a target.

[RobbyB1982]

Two scenes that I'm surprised weren't covered; Tuvok and the cop talking telepathically (which I don't remember Vulcan's ever doing, let alone any other telepaths in Trek),

Troi and her mother did it a few times. If that's an all betazoid thing or just mother and child, I dunno.

Also some other species like the Binars that absolutely spoke telepathically but we the audience didn't hear the communication.

[Meushell]

The authorities of this planet don’t make sense. If certain thoughts are illegal, why is anyone allowed on the planet? If people lose control over violent thoughts, there should be crimes sprees every time any alien is allowed on their planet. I seriously doubt Torres and Tuvok are the only ones who have violent thoughts. I doubt that Torres would have to be provoked.