VOY: One

[bronnt]

http://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/v893.php

The episode is a very good character episode for Seven. I do like the demonstration that, however awkward Seven is with her socializing with the crew, she takes a good deal of comfort from having them around. I honestly wish that they'd left it more vague as to whether her hallucinations were purely psychological or an effect of the nebula, but they did use them to explore her nature and how she struggles with isolation.

That said, it also demonstrates the weaknesses of Jeri Taylor and most of the Voyager writing staff when it comes to writing actual science fiction-they don't seem to be thinking through how things actually work. Seven shuts off life support with 41 minutes left to the edge of the nebula. Realistically, assuming all the decks still had oxygen on them (and we did see Seven cycling throughout the whole ship), she wouldn't even be gasping for breath when that expires. Instead she passes out moments later. Nevermind that she didn't just shut down life support on every deck except for, say, main engineering or the bridge.

But oh, how dramatically convenient that the Doctor's program, which malfunctioned and was shut down, just automatically rebooted once they left the nebula. Remember that they said the reason his program was shutting down was that EPS conduits overloaded, and he even said that they needed to be fixed before he could come online. She doesn't manage to complete those repairs before leaving the nebula, but his program starts working again anyway, apparently solely because the episode ends.

I honestly think it would have been much better if she'd had to shut off life support with over a day left in the nebula, and then she was actually fighting against hypoxia to nurse the ship over the last little stretch to the end. And then, after they get out, she STILL has to get to work trying to repair systems to make sure the EMH, at least, can come back online and then revive the crew so they can commence repairs to all the damaged systems. Instead it's just another case of a magic plot convenience where everything is all better at the end of the episode.

[Archon_Wing]

The first minutes had me laughing. Poor dumb Harry and the Doctor's rendition of everyone, as well as interacting with Silicon of Nine. Also I will definitely not support organically powered ships again.

It's kinda odd and rare when Voyager drops into a character piece (especially of substance and something that might matter next week, And even rarer to see one with Biller's and Taylor's names on the episode) but here it is, and it's usually when Voyager did its best. Being alone is something that kind of thing that affects the strongest of people but being able to proceed in the face of the fear is what strength is made of.