Extreme Risk

Jason -- 28 Oct 1998, 10:45 PM

This is the episode I waited a year for... toiled through "Waking Moments", "Random Thoughts" and "Demon" hoping to get and it was well worth the wait. This was one of Voyager's best episodes ever. A moving piece in which Roxann Dawson just about erased the name "Jennifer Lien" from my mind. She *needs* more episodes like this.

Terry -- 28 Oct 1998, 9:32 PM

Extremely Rewarding. No question about it, I absolutely loved Extreme Risk. I consider this ep to be the best yet of season five and one of the best ever. I haven't enjoyed a Voyager episode so much since Worst Case Scenario way back in the third season. Also written by Biller. Jason, Ken Biller is back and he's kicking ass!

The story of B'Elanna's depression was extremely well written and portrayed. From personal experience, I understand how she was motivated to cover up her destructive behavior. This bout of depression was much more believable than Janeway's in Night. She's not hiding in her quarters; she has just lost all of her enthusiasm for life: work and love life.

I think that it was believable that her friends' need of her engineering skills helped her break out of her funk. After talking it out with her old friend, Chakotay. And that she is not completely over it: she is still depressed but has confessed her problem and is trying to overcome it instead of repressing.

I will admit that Tom should have been more perceptive about picking up that something was wrong earlier. Still that is common of Trek shows. Her behavior didn't seem as out-of-the-blue as Tom's in Vis À Vis.

I enjoyed the scenes between B'Elanna and Tom, Janeway, and especially Chakotay. I think even P/T-haters will admit that their scene in Tom's quarters was well written and acted and wasn't cliche. (Besides, Ginny, Tom was in a T-shirt.) I loved how Janeway confronted B'Elanna and was met with complete denial. And they finally re-established the Maquis connection and old friendship between B'Elanna and Chakotay in some fine scenes.

Roxann Dawson was just great here. I really loved her quiet despair. Four scenes that hit me: B'Elanna looking at her battered self in the mirror, B'Elanna letting Seven have her way, B'Elanna telling Vorik to get the hell out of her seat (The Bitch is Back!), and her beautiful smile in the final scene. Okay, okay, I don't expect the rest of you to appreciate this stuff. B'Elanna Rulz!

I love the way that each show this season has managed to involve the entire ensemble in the plot of each show. It has been done in an organic way. The writers aren't forcing themselves to write each character into each episode. They are writing the characters doing their assigned roles and being themselves. Seven's integration into the crew has become like her panties, seamless.

Paris worked well with many of the other characters. Tom and Tuvok's interaction during the Delta Flyer design invoked memories of their co-authoring of the holonovel in WCS. Paris and Seven appear to be developing a nice friendship. Much more light and fun than Harry's past scenes with Seven. And he also was quietly good in the more serious scene dealing with B'Elanna. A little lost and concerned with B'Elanna, quiet and unsure with Chakotay and Janeway.

The Malon are rather obnoxious but it worked here. The race to build the shuttles was rather exciting. As unbelievable as building a shuttle during a single show is, they did a pretty decent job. They showed that Paris had already come up with a complete initial design and gave Voyager a good reason to build it. And the part about Borg tech explained why they could design a superior shuttle than Starfleet could.

Once again as in Night, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the writers managed to integrated seemingly disparate A and B stories together. I hate it when the episode views like two separate, unconnected stories. Braga appears to be much more disciplined and consistent than Taylor so far.

I liked the touch about the flight controls from the Captain Proton rocketship. And agree with sentiment about hi-tech interfaces not providing proper feedback. Driving a car wouldn't be the same without being able to feel the engine and the wheel.

Maquis program run for 47 seconds.

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 6:13 AM

Terry wrote: Seven's integration into the crew has become like her panties, seamless.

Um, I don't think she's wearing any, Terry!

D'Alaire -- 28 Oct 1998, 9:46 PM

Extreme Dichotomy. Okay, I would like to begin with a dainty step up upon my soapbox...

THUMP!

I despise AOTW--I hate the Malon for even being created as they were just that much distraction from this otherwise excellent episode!

What is it that compels Voyager's PTB to distract from an emotional, heart rendering episode? TNG used to pull them off beautifully.

This b-plot BS pisses me off to no end. Precious scenes were cut, beautiful moments were shortened, important details about B'Elanna's condition were left out--and we got another artsy-farsty ending, so we could get to know Baron Harkonnen de Scrungeland.

ARRRRRRUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Could this ep have been just as nice if the probe was stuck in the atmosphere for its own troubles and they had just so much time before losing that valuable probe and information? Actually, it would have been much more solid, IMO. Did we need to deal with the Malon again? No, we did not. It could have been its own episode!

This is not jealousy for my favorite...well, not completely. I have always had issue against needless b-plots and AOTW. Yet, for B'Elanna, I could rant for the duration of time itself over this one. But I shall desist. I'm certain the gist is gotten. There are more important issues to address here.

(Stepping down.)

Roxann Dawson, of course, is fantastic. With her expressions alone, she can express lifetimes of experience. She portrayed all the signs and symptoms of depression and her resulting compulsion beautifully, subtly, painfully. Her emptiness, in this ep., was palpable. Having been to the pit (under different circumstances), I could understand it.

The scene with Tom--(Excuse me a moment whilst I DROOL over his off-duty attire!!!!!! EGAD! B'Elanna--I SO feel for you, sweetie, if you can't feel what I did when I saw THAT!! Vis a Vis got turned back on him, alright!!)-- was very interesting, and I loved how he tried to get her to talk, and how she backed off. It was subtle and meaningful. However, I must nit a bit...

Whatever happened to the Tom in DOH who got all over her case about not talking? What happened to the man who compulsively drug his own life into the feeling-less pit of...oh yes, that was Taylor, wasn't it? She, in most cases, would have kept the emotional response. I forgot. Of course, it might well have also gotten soapy. Hmmm. (How I wish she and Braga could find a happy medium. I'd be such a happy bunny.)

But still, in its quietness, it was yet a lovely scene, without all the questions answered, without the therapy speak, as they'd planned. Unfortunately, no answers were provided later. Instead we had the Malon. Grrrr

Extremely Heart-pounding. The scene with Janeway in sickbay was...Wow. When Mama Kate touched B'Elanna's chin and said, "Now I know something's wrong," and then saw B'Elanna's responsive expression, my heart thumped
hard. It actually hurt to watch B'Elanna get called on her sh*t. I know exactly where B'Elanna was on that one (different scenario, but very similar).

I could've had a whole show of that. RD & KM were stunning together. It's a crime they haven't had more scenes with each other.

It was great to see Chakotay doing something as a friend & commander again. That was good to see. It reeked a little of "here's a tough-love therapy session -- face your demon" in the holodeck, but it was powerful and effective nonetheless, and relieving not to see B'Elanna break down too soon--and actually she does still hold it in, but lets off the valve very, very slowly (shall I go on a gushing spree now or later?). Chakotay's frustration contrasted against B'Elanna's spiritlessness was very nice, very effective.

And hmmm, they've set B'Elanna up to be about 22 or 23 at the beginning of the show. That answers that.

I will say this for the better part of the b-plot -- I LOVED B'Elanna McGyver in the shuttle! YES! THAT's our gal! Shadows of 1st Season B'Elanna peeked in on that one, and I loved every moment of it. I want more!

BTW--Neato-shuttle! I LOVE it. (Count me in on the shuttle club, guys--I'm sold.) Orbital skydiving--I wanna try it! (I've been skydiving, it's a rush! But orbital...cool!)

Banana pancakes -- SOB! A touch in the muck of emptiness -- That smile of hers (all .00002 seconds of it) has burned permanently into my memory. That was beautiful. I don't know whether or not to be all that irked that the almighty artsy-fartsy cut it off so d@mn short--again!

I so wanted Tom to come in and get a cup of coffee, sit down, notice she's gobbling her pancakes (with his eyes alone), ask for a bite, and watch her cut her eyes at him, considering it. Then fade out as they start to talk--about anything, even the friggin' pancakes, show a little wit.

Yes, I know, I'm a P/T'er from h*ll, but it would have been a nice little coda to their non-conversation earlier, I think. I like closure, I will keep saying this until I get a well-wrapped ending, too! Not everything has to be said and done, but I like to see more scraps cleaned up.

Even so, that smile of hers...Wow. I wouldn't trade it. Waaah! I just wanted more!

Ah well, such is the realm of fanfic now. ; )

This was a show I was waiting to love -- and I was not let down in the least for B'Elanna's part in it. RD never disappoints.

Heavens! Those expressions of hers! Her looking in the mirror--seeing herself but not knowing exactly what to make of what she saw--was properly rendering. You could tell she wanted to give feeling a try (with the pancakes and talking to Neelix--I was almost waiting for his addiction story), but shied away as soon as she thought it wasn't working. All without useless explanations, which I love. Wow.

Gush, gush, gush! I could go on forever. B'Elanna Torres is the greatest Trek incarnation of all time. There are so many layers to her, so much that RD so masterfully exposes, piece by intriguing piece, I am reminded over and over how much she's worth typing incessantly about.

But this is a show, probably because I cared so much about how it would progress, that I had my usual AOTW nit with. It could have been tighter, more focused, the b-plot less distracting. AOTW do that sometimes.

But I wasn't nearly irked enough to dislike Extreme Risk (just rant a little on an old topic). It was well worth the long, long wait. I'm anxious to see how the upcoming weeks fare for my favorite, our Klingon Princess.

(Gush, gush, gush...&c. [grin])

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 6:33 AM

D'Alaire wrote: I so wanted Tom to come in and get a cup of coffee, sit down, notice she's gobbling her pancakes (with his eyes alone), ask for a bite, and watch her cut her eyes at him, considering it. Then fade out as they start to talk--about anything, even the friggin' pancakes, show a little wit.
--------------------
I thought just the opposite, D'A. The fact that she was enjoying the pancakes but still alone left things unresolved. To have Tom there would indicate a closure to many things at once and leave us with one of those storybook endings. Mac and I have been watching "To Have and To Hold," as well which hasn't been easy considering it's on at the same time as Voyager. One of the things we like about the show (besides the romance between this charismatic, young, married couple) is that things are not necessarily resolved at the end of the show. I get the distinct feeling that B'Elanna isn't all that healed and any issues with Tom are still open.

D'Alaire -- 29 Oct 1998, 6:47 AM

...I couldn't help but think about it, you know? When I'd watched it the first time, I'd thought to myself, I could just see someone walking in--so why not Tom? It was wide open.

But still, I wouldn't trade that smile, all to herself, for anything. It hit me twice as nicely the second time I watched it.

Yes, it's been nice, the little lack of complete resolutions (unlike last season's...vignettes). It does give more to chew on later, keeps the curiosity going. And I love that all of B'Elanna's issues were not answered, left for further episodes (yea for continuity!)--YAATE would have annoyed me much more than the Malon.

But I like hints and closure, too. I can't help it. Seeing it a second time, I got a lot more--as I always do (if not closure). But I can't help but be the gushy, yucky storybook romantic in my own mind. As I said, though, there's always fanfic for that stuff. For the show in itself, it worked.

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 6:57 AM

True, D'A. I actually thought Neelix would pop up somewhere. The fact that *no one* was there made it a bit different.

D'Alaire -- 29 Oct 1998, 7:04 AM

Yep. It was symbolic. Instead of staring in the mirror, not knowing what she saw, having people tell her her mind, or sitting in denial, she had that private moment to realize to herself she could get and was getting better. I love that.

Joyce -- 28 Oct 1998, 10:24 PM

This has been a gripe of mine for a while... And that is that on the Voyager side of the house, the only thing these guys think is interesting is mortal peril. Notice -- in every episode, at least one regular is in danger of losing his or her life. There are *other* losses that can be dramatic, loss of job, loss of love, loss of innocence, loss of face...

But no, they've got to endanger the regulars, who we *know* they're not going to kill, to get a little phony adrenaline pumping.

By contrast, I actually watched DS9 last week -- which is something I hardly ever do. That episode was about a baseball game, and nothing *but* a baseball game. And I found that quite an enjoyable contrast, and an interesting story. Guys, you don't *always* have to blow things up to keep our attention.

D'Alaire -- 28 Oct 1998, 10:32 PM

Oh, thank you! Thank you! Precisely. We don't have to have all this AOTW and toxic venting and gunfights. There's a time and place for everything, IMO.

I like a good fight, but I like it to fit into the plot. This week, it was annoying and unnecessary--filler without the need of it. We had enough to get to know in B'Elanna's disorder and its effects -- not to mention our new baby shuttle -- without Sir Scrungy.

I've got to catch that DS9 ep. Sounds like a hoot. (I keep missing DS9, when I've meant to keep up with it this season!)

Carol -- 29 Oct 1998, 1:47 AM

Well I enjoyed this episode extremely. Kate Mulgrew said this episode brought tears to her eyes and I can see why. It brought a tear to mine during the scene in Sickbay between Janeway and B'Elanna and another lump in my throat during the end. The Ken Biller of Before and After and Worst Case Scenario is back!

Cheers

This episode dealt with depression much better than Night did, thank goodness. Roxann Dawson was just splendid here. I have a confession to make. I've never been a big fan of the Torres character. I didn't dislike her, she just never did anything for me. But after reading her back story in Pathways and her portrayal here, she has really shot up my list of characters I most like on the show (and Chakotay. Tom and Seven have all fallen a little lower, but it's only the beginning of the season :-).

I liked how Kate was the first to really notice that something seemed to be wrong with B'Elanna during the briefing room scene and the confrontation in Sickbay was wonderful -- one of the eps highlights. When Kathryn said she was taking her of the shuttle project and B'Elanna commented that she didn't care and Kathryn told her that now she knew something was wrong was very perceptive.

And boy are they giving Chakotay more to do now this season or what (after being woefully under used last year). They could have done that confrontation scene on the holodeck 100 different ways, but Chakotay dragging her in and making her face it I think was the rawest and most emotional way to do it -- and was one of the most emotional things I've ever seen Voyager do.

The A and B plots were both very seamlessly woven together -- I didn't feel that the B story took anything away from the A story in the slightest. The Malon were back and continuity between this episode and Night was greatly appreciated. Kate (and Chakotay for that matter) handled this situation with them very well and teamly (for them).

Was it me or was The Dynamic Duo (Tom and Tuvok) finally back together after a year long drought? Harry seemed a little off in some scenes, like we were getting "Harry's lame comment of the week" or something, but everyone else seemed very natural.

When Janeway told Chakotay to go with the others on the shuttle was I the only one who thought "Oh no!"? I knew it wasn't going to crash but I couldn't help it -- it was a gut reaction. :-)

Using Roxann's pregnancy by saying B'Elanna destructive tendencies is why we didn't see her for a while was also a nice touch.

Jeers

No too much I didn't like. Two weeks ago Seven disengaged the safety protocols without much trouble. This week, B'Elanna disengages them and every time she does she gets a message about "Extreme Risk". What's the deal?

Well, P/T's chemistry was back to zero-norm for me. Namely, none. Oh, I liked the scene between them in Tom's quarters, but I just didn't get the feeling that this was two people who are in love with each other. They just seemed to me like two good friends talking, nothing more.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. All in all, well done Ken Biller and Cliff Bole. Extreme Risk is ahead of Night (and way ahead of Drone) as my favorite for the season so far.

ande -- 29 Oct 1998, 2:06 AM

Extreme Risk paid off. Finally, a Wednesday night off so that I could see the show sans VCR and respond to the topic discussion before it is buried three days back. I found ER to be a little slow in the beginning, but man did it pick up. RD, as usual, was wonderful. When I first saw the spoilers for this episode I was a little worried that TPTB would not handle the topic well, but they did a pretty good job, except for the too quick and neat ending. So far TPTB are doing a pretty good job of using the whole cast in each episode in believable ways and still spotlighting certain characters each week. So far we've had 7 and B'Elanna. I am seeing a rather depressing trend, if you will excuse the pun, I hope the mental health of the ship improves. Was I the only one that noticed Janeway's hair while she was talking to B'Elanna in sickbay? They had the same doo.

I guess there has been trouble in P/T land for awhile now, hmm wish they would have told us. Tom seems to be spending time with 7 and Chuckles and B seem to be good friends too. Next week: As if everyone isn't still trying to catch their breaths after Janeway ordered Chuck to go help Our Darling Tom fly in a SHUTTLE, next week Chuck gets duped by another AOTW girlfriend (and you thought the man had learned something this season).

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 7:30 AM

I only have a few minutes to get some random thoughts down. Terry pretty much sums up my thoughts on this episode. Definitely the best of the season and the best in a long time.

Random Likes

1) Roxann Dawson. As usual, a wonderfully acted feature episode for her. She doesn't let us down.

2) The scene with Chakotay and Torres in the cavern was THE BEST I've seen between these two. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that Beltran was very, very good. Perhaps one of his best scenes.

3) Seven and Paris do get along very well and look good together.

4) The Torres/Janeway confrontation. *See below for more.

5) Like Terry said, Torres telling Vorik to take a hike. Loved it.

6) The Neelix/Torres pancake scene. Wow. They were both great.

Random Dislikes

1) The bright lights on Torres during close-up scenes while skydiving. A dull light closeup doesn't reveal the makeup. However, when you do a bright light closeup, it's like a microscope. Every blemish, every sign of aging, and every makeup artist brushstroke is revealed. You shouldn't do this with a character that needs the heavy blending makeup for the headpiece. [Note: I said the same thing about the bright lights they put on Ryan's face. Not pretty, even on a pretty face. Mac.]

2) *I really liked the Janeway/Torres sickbay scene but I'm not stupid. I could tell something was wrong with B'Elanna with her first response to Janeway. I also thought that B'Elanna was a little too smug with this confrontation. I don't think this is in keeping with her usual relationship with Janeway. Perhaps there should have been a bit of smugness mixed in with that tiny bit of fear and respect that Torres has for Janeway. I didn't see much of that.

3) I really didn't care for the Malons. Also, when they said they could build the DF in 2 weeks my mouth dropped. I guess Voyager hit the jackpot on Planet Unknown. They apparently now have unlimited resources and replicator rations are no longer an issue.

That's about it for now. Say, Tom in a tight T-shirt - does he have uneven nipples or is it my imagination. Inquiring minds want to know. Rewind, D'A. Let me know.

Eeek! Did anyone catch Janeway's hair in the promo?

D'Alaire -- 29 Oct 1998, 9:15 AM

Pec alignment is off-line ma'am! We're losing......nippular attitude control! Brace for impact!!!

Yep, he's tilted. The left side of Tommy dearest's chest is higher than the right. Is RDM left-handed? It could be compensation. Or it could have been the way he was standing.

Guess I'll have to watch it over, just to make sure. ; )

I saw B'Elanna's smile--again--when I forwarded back to the end. My little heart's a-thumpin'! SOB! I love this ep!

PegN -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:29 AM

Say what, D'A?
What gorgeous arms he has!

Um, oh, his chest....what? I really don't think the one piece outfits are flattering; however comma I didn't catch the asymmetrical alignment of his chest. I hate to say this but had he lost those 30 lbs before this episode? Not that it matters, I love Tommy extra lbs or no.

Ginny -- 29 Oct 1998, 7:34 AM

From one EXTREME to the other. Uh oh, that different drummer that I heard last week is back again. This was two-thirds of a great episode. Someone else above objected to the AOTW subplot, but I didn't really have a problem with that, compared with the huge problem that I had with Chakotay's little "intervention" scenario!

Let's do it by the numbers.

GRIPES

--Halfway through this episode, I'm thinking, "Gosh, I love Ken Biller. He writes such excellent dialogue." Two thirds of the way through this episode, I'm thinking, "Gosh, I hate Robert Beltran. The man has all the acting aplomb of a Pop-tart." Sorry all you Chakoholics, but he just crawls all over me. And I can't begin to tell you how bugged I was by the Torres Zeta One holodeck program scene. The idea of the program was very intriguing, but I was more than a little uncomfortable with the way Chakotay manhandles B'Elanna into the holodeck (and disappointed that she didn't coldcock him for putting his hands on her like that). And I'm still not sure I get the psycho babble connection between that holodeck program and B'Elanna repeatedly setting herself up to get the snot beat out of her. I think I know what Biller was trying to say, but I don't like it much, and I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense.

And quite frankly, someone as disturbed as B'Elanna would have had to have been to do the things she did wouldn't get over it so quickly. Being a Jill of All Trades is fine, but it's an unlikely substitute for real therapy.

Humph. I feel much better now.

GRATIFYING BITS

There was, as I said, two-thirds of a good episode here. Here are the things I liked.

--The effect in ending the orbital skydiving program was cool, although I have my doubts about the physics involved in such a recreational activity.

--Tom and Tuvok, together again. I love these guys! And there was really good ensemble work throughout the episode.

--Good dialogue in myriad conversations:

Neelix and B'Elanna. The "scathing, but affectionate insults" comment made me smile.
Tom and B'Elanna. Really well-played by RDM--one of his best scenes in a long time. Although I must agree with Carol--this wasn't a conversation between lovers.
Kathryn and B'Elanna. Just excellent from the word "go". And I also noticed that they had the same hair.

--Interesting looks:

Tom at Harry in the staff briefing. Ouch!
Seven at Tom after "Nice shooting, Seven." Yowza!
Tom, Chakotay, and Kathryn in her ready room. I can already hear the Jupiter Station fans warming up their monitors.

--And the 47 count:

Heard--Chakotay saying Torres ran the Zeta One program for 47 seconds.
Seen--I noticed the lights in Sick Bay this time--4 panels with 7 bands of light in each panel.

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 7:38 AM

Ginny, that laughter you hear coming from the Manhattan skyline is me. For ONCE I liked Beltran. I patted myself on the back. I said, "Ginny is going to be so pleased with me." And what do you do? Trash him!

LOL! Oh, honey, we could never have been roomies in college.

Terry -- 29 Oct 1998, 7:52 AM

Do I a catch a subtle hint that Ginny dislikes Chakky? I'm with the others here. I thought that Beltran did a fine job here in a unusually well-written role for him. He actually seems interested in his acting this season. He doesn't get much better than this. Beltran is a good actor when he's given interesting material.

Question, Ginny. In which episodes of Voyager do you think Chakotay was well portrayed?

PegN -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:22 AM

How about that, I actually disagree with you, Ginny. B'Elanna bugged the h^ll out of me the first half of the show (and during the first two episodes of the season), but then I remember reading why she was acting this way, I felt more sympathy and agree, that this is the way she'd probably handle things.

I do agree with you and Carol, the conversation between Tom and B'Elanna in his quarters wasn't a conversation between lovers. (Tom in a tee shirt-whoooooooooeeeeeeeeeee! Although I must say those one piece outfits are not the most figure flattering for males or females. And while I'm at it, why are the men in tee's and the women in tank tops?) And here's a perfect example of why Tom and B'Elanna are not a match made in heaven. She wouldn't talk to him and apparently, they'd not been close for a couple of months, he was completely unaware of the holodeck programs she was running and must've believed her every explanation for bruises she was sustaining. This tells me he really doesn't know her. And he's the same way only he uses jokes to push her away.

And I loved Chuck in this episode. Ooooh, Chuck, be forceful, hurt me, go medieval on me. I love that Chuck is being active again. And, at this point in B'Elanna's depression and with her personality, she wasn't responding to gentle probing Tom's or Kate's), she needed to be shaken up a little bit, just enough to get her talking Her old friend and mentor, Chuck, knowing her perhaps better than anyone did what he felt best to force her to talk to him.

And it was very noticeable to me at the end, that she still hadn't allowed Tom back in as she had Chakotay.

That's what I think anyway.
Next week: Boy can Chuck pick 'em or what?

D'Alaire -- 29 Oct 1998, 8:01 AM

It is nice to see Tom and Tuvok bantering again. I'd missed that a lot, too. They work so well off each other. If I wasn't so addicted to my season three tapes, I've have forgotten that. I so hope they keep putting the two together.

Vickie T. -- 29 Oct 1998, 8:38 AM

Voyager 1 Dinner 0. Wednesdays are high in after school activity so I've not been getting home in time to catch the 6:30 satellite showing of Voyager. But, last night we got home a little after 6 so I thought well, I'll put Voyager on, watch what I can while I'm fixing dinner and then get what I missed at 9. HA! The potatoes boiled over, I mis-measured the rice and ended up with rice soup, burned the chicken and when everything else was done, realized that the broccoli was still in the freezer. Oh, and I used pretty much every word from my embarrassingly large vocabulary of profanity.

Extreme Risk was, IMO, the best show yet this season. Not perfect, mind you, but I believe I'll go Ginny a little better and say that it was maybe 3/4ths of a great show. I have just one gripe, really, but it is a huge one. But, before I get started on that, here are a few of the many things I liked about the show:

Likes

Tom Paris in a tight T-shirt. Hubba hubba, indeed! I am thrilled to see our crew wearing something besides their full regulation uniforms.

The scene in Tom's quarters with Tom and B'Elanna was wonderful. RDM and RD both did a spectacular job. However, I agree completely with whoever it was that said that was not a conversation between lovers. (More on this later.)

The fact that TPTB are managing to consistently (if 3 shows can demonstrate consistency!) pull off good ensemble episodes. All of our major players got a piece of this episode.

All the scenes between Chakotay and B'Elanna were good. I have long complained that the friendship between these two was abandoned by TPTB. It was nice to see some evidence that it still exists. (More on this later.)

Dislikes

As I said, just one, but it's a biggie. I find the idea that B'Elanna could have been spiraling down this emotional black hole for months without anyone noticing to be absolutely inconceivable. She had sustained life-threatening injuries and provided her own "first-year nursing student" level first aid and nobody noticed? She's involved in a mad, passionate affair with Tom Paris and he doesn't notice that there's something wrong with her? She lives on this little (relatively speaking) ship with 130+ other people and nobody notices her highly unusual behavior? Nope. Sorry. I can suspend my disbelief with the best of 'em, but this one I just can't do. I also believe they tied this one up just a little too quickly and neatly. Yes, I know that B'Elanna wasn't completely back to normal, but she did begin to snap out of it waaay to quickly, IMO. Of course, since the patented Abrupt Ending is a Trek trademark, it's probably not really fair to complain about them wrapping things up too quickly.

Little bitty minor complaints - Have I ever mentioned that I hate Harry? Have I ever suggested that someone push him out an airlock? Well, if I haven't, I should have. Also, IMHO, either the writer or the director didn't quite get Janeway's character right this week.

Relationships

Yes, I believe that this topic deserves its own category for this episode.

Tom and B'Elanna: This is just not happenin' for me. The scene in Tom's quarters - no chemistry, no passion, just warmth, caring and concern from Tom, like one would expect between from someone who cared deeply about the woman, but was not in love with her. Then, look at Tom's reactions when Janeway, Chakotay and he were talking about B'Elanna. Again, no passion there, just friendly concern.

Tom and Seven: Oh yeah. I like this relationship. This one has definite potential. We could go places with this one.

Chakotay and B'Elanna: These two have history. They have friendship. They are a good match. I can see passion here. This could work. This could work way better than J/C or P/T ever could. And they were even alone in a cave! (Well, OK, there were a bunch of dying Maquis there, too, but they were just holographic projections, so technically don't count!)

Tracy -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:04 AM

EXTREME IRKS. I have to admit, this was one of Voyager's Best. B'Elanna's struggle with her depression, and her way of dealing with it hit very close to home for me. RD was in top form; her performance reminded me alot of "Faces". Even RB acted believably; especially in the holodeck/cave scene. But, unlike others, I cannot see them together romantically. I see no chemistry between them romantically.

But, I have to agree (as much as it pains me to say this) that Tom and B'Elanna's scene together in his quarters did not at all resemble a conversation between two people who love each other. (gag; I said it) It was undoubtedly well-acted, and unclichéd, but from Tom, I felt no love for B'Elanna, only mild concern. What a bummer. I have to say, the writers sure have screwed things up in that relationship. I only can hope that they are able to salvage it. If not, then Tom and Seven might be a possibility. Although I'd rather see Tuvok and Seven, but that'll never happen.

Sigh.

Anyhow, on a lighter note, The Delta Flyer is ONE COOL SHUTTLE. I, too, thought the manual controls were a nice design touch, very Tom. The group that went into the gas giant to retrieve the probe (did I miss what the probe was intended for in the first place?) looked great together, a real team. And I'd like to see more of B'Elanna and Seven interaction.

Just my short take on EXTREME RISK. Excellent episode, on-target cast, interesting B-Story, and consistency!

Next week: Chak makes a BAAAAAD choice in girlfriends -- again. And BOB IS BACK!

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:31 AM

Tracy Wrote: But, I have to agree (as much as it pains me to say this) that Tom and B'Elanna's scene together in his quarters did not at all resemble a conversation between two people who love each other. (gag; I said it)It was undoubtedly well-acted, and unclichéd, but from Tom, I felt no love for B'Elanna, only mild concern. What a bummer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmm. I think I disagree. I think, because I can't really explain it. I know I have gone through one or times in my life (but briefly) when I just didn't want to deal with anything, including the people I loved and the things I usually loved doing. No one could have a conversation with me. It doesn't necessarily mean that a relationship was over or a marriage was in trouble. In fact, it could have NOTHING whatsoever to do with the relationship. Although it may look like two people in trouble, it could merely mean that someone is usually depressed, in a funk, or preoccupied by something else. In my opinion, the absolute WORST thing Tom could have done, as the closest person to her, was to pressure her. She would have pushed back. Then you have a relationship problem. In my opinion, being his usual biting self with her would have been a mistake. On the other hand, having Chakotay approach her was a good move. He is the father figure.

What possibly bothered me, as you mentioned, was the Janeway/Chuck/Tom scene. It seemed too clinical in that Tom's concern was a little too light for my taste. However, I can explain it away. Clearly by the conversation, there had been ongoing discussions concerning B'Elanna's behavior so perhaps they were beyond the "fretting Tom and concerned Janeway heart-to-heart" phase and into the "let's get down to the root" problem phase.

So in summary, there can be explanations for the officer's attitude, and no reason to believe that P/T is kaput. I can't think of any relationship that I have had that didn't have some strain at one point or another.

Tracy -- 29 Oct 1998, 11:07 AM

You're right, Mrs. Mac. I guess I'm chewing the cud of not having seen them together, doing things like a normal couple would be, and then having that conversation. Then again, I could just be reading waaayyyy too much into the
scene.

Too much pressure from Tom would have pushed her away, I agree. It wasn't necessarily the content of the conversation, but the lack of perceivable urgency on Tom's part to get to the heart of the matter. And that, coupled with the Tom/Janeway/Chakotay conference, gave me a bad taste in my mouth regarding his feelings for her. Maybe I'll watch it again, as the first time around I was tired and already cranky.

Ruth -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:23 AM

Well, I also liked this episode, and I don't really have much to say other than what everyone else has said. So far, Season Five has done a much better job than Season Four in presenting the emotional/personal side of the crew, as well as recognizing back stories, and I think it has made it a much richer show.

1) I also thought Chakotay was well used in this episode. I was pleased that it was Chakotay, rather than Tom (and more on this later), who caused B'Elanna to face her demons. Although I agree that she seemed to get on the road to recovery a little faster than is perhaps realistic, it would have been even easier to have a mushy P/T scene. Chakotay and B'Elanna have a past, and since what happened to the Maquis was so integral to her problem, it made since that he would help her. I agree with Vickie that they would make a good couple. If J/C and P/T were as well written as they were in "Resolutions" and "Blood Fever," I'd say, hey go for it. But for the most part the two couples tend to bring out the worst traits in the men. Chakotay seems passive and wimpy around Kathryn and Paris seems whiny and immature (in an unattractive way; he can also be immature in an attractive way, see point 2). Any relationship B'Elanna is in would have to have a certain amount of friction, and I think it would be more interesting to watch her and Chak.

2) I also loved the Tom and Tuvy scene, and Tom does interact well with Seven. Tom is such a YAM, in a loveable way. I liked his comment (can't remember the exact words) about making the Delta Flyer tough looking so the other guys wouldn't mess with them.

3) I also didn't mind the B plot about the AOTW. As Flite and others pointed out when we were discussing "Night," the writers had less than an hour to resolve the issue. I agree that it was too quick, and I was pleased that in the last scene that despite her smile, it was fairly clear that B'Elanna wasn't all of a sudden 100% better. But, they had to find a way to break her out of her funk, and having her face a crisis was, drama wise, an okay way to have her get on the road to recovery. Janeway acted much the same way when the lights went out in "Night," and I also thought it was effective there. However, I would assume that adrenaline would only be a temporary panacea, and that both women would need more help. But I'm willing to assume that's happening off camera.

4) Despite the fact that the first three shows have focused on Janeway, Seven, and B'Elanna, respectively, as others have noticed they have had much more of an ensemble feel. It was nice to see Seven as part of the team, but letting B'Elanna provide the big "saving the day" moment.

5) Did the people who programmed the Doc leave out the chapter on detecting the signs of clinical depression? I agree with others who have said, this is a fairly small community of people who see each other day after day. No one noticed B'Elanna had a serious problem until she got hurt and they found physical evidence of her recklessness?

6) Finally, Tom didn't seem overly concerned, did he? Part of this can be explained by the fact that he was trying to build the shuttle and save the probe, he didn't show near the concern he showed in YOH, pt. 1 when she was physically injured.

7) Harry. Sigh. I'd like to be able to like him, and he wasn't overly annoying after that first scene, but during the staff meeting I just wanted to sock him. TPTB have to stop having him attempt those lame pokes at Tom. Picardo has the timing and presence to get away with that kind of thing, and although they sometimes seem tiresome, they don't seem lame. Wang seems to be best when he is either scared or angry, but the attempts at light humor just fall flat, at least to me.

Anyhow, a very good episode, IMHO. Season five seems to be on a roll.

Mrs. Mac -- 29 Oct 1998, 11:36 AM

Ruth wrote: Although I agree that she seemed to get on the road to recovery a little faster than is perhaps realistic, it would have been even easier to have a mushy P/T scene.
--------------------------------------------------------
More on that. What we *saw* near the end on the Delta Flyer was B'Elanna doing precisely what she has been guilty of doing for (insert time period here). We saw B'Elanna in a life-threatening situation with, for all intents and purposes, the safeties disengaged. This was not a cure but an *allowable* continuation of the dangerous behavior she has been feeding on. Yes, it woke her up but it was the same adrenaline, the same "drug" that has been making her feel *good*. The one saving grace was her attitude toward cooperating with her fellow crewmembers, which reflected the *old* B'Elanna. So what a saw at the ending was an almost *old* B'Elanna in attitude with the possibility that she could
continue her tendencies to seek danger with the safeties off.

Like you, I believe it would have been very wrong to have a mushy P/T scene in the end.

O. Bleek -- 29 Oct 1998, 11:42 AM

Extremely Unhappy. I hated this episode. I'm sorry, but the Captain's depressed behavior in Night, then B'Elanna's "depression" here - what are the writers trying to do? Is this going to be like a Movie of the Week, where we see a disease of the week or "woman in trouble" scenario?

This is not what I signed up for. For years the writers make little effort to expand the characters personally. And now all of the sudden, they are over-compensating by showing crew members in full-blown depressions and such. Bleah. I'm busy and gotta go, but, no, I'm not a happy camper.

Fliteman -- 29 Oct 1998, 11:54 AM

This musta been a chick-flick ep... After it was over, I felt (almost) like I sat through a show that Monica really wanted to watch, that I had no interest in... B'Elanna doing her crazy things wasn't all that appealing to me. Maybe it's just that I'm a YAM, and I want action... ALTHOUGH... I did like her going to Neelix. I just wish Neelix didn't do his buffoon throughout the whole thing. I was hoping he'd be a buffoon until... he saw how seriously weird she was being, then he'd cut through the crap to try to find out what was going on. It never happened, and I was disappointed with that.

The B-story with the Malons didn't really quite ring true with me either. Their presence was treated almost off-handedly by Janeway; the release of the theta radiation ON PURPOSE would be considered an act of war, I would think. I was also wondering how they knew the fate of the first Malon vessel.

The building of the Delta Flyer was interesting; I liked the interaction of the members, and they should've left Paris' fins on it. I had a 1960 Cadillac in high school, and it added character.

I wasn't turned off from this show, but it struck me more as belonging to Season 3... Just my opinion.

The POOL:
1 Shuttle Damaged
1 47 Heard (something something something 47 seconds)
1 Ginny-derived 47 (As defined by the rules.)

Janeway is apparently on a caffeine-free kick.
Next week - I think there'll be quite a few 47's....

Andy -- 29 Oct 1998, 12:27 PM

A depressing season. I generally liked this one, O'Bleek--but I have to concur with you. The three episodes aired so far this year have been very unhappy!

First, Kate is in a funk. Then, Seven's "child" croaks. Last night, Torres tries to kill herself and practices up on self-mutilation. Wow--uplifting stuff!

Whatever the case, I thought this was a fairly enjoyable show. Self-destructive or not, Dawson looks much better this year than last. I think they have toned down the forehead makeup. She still doesn't hold a candle to JLR, but she isn't bad. And even though she was depressed, I actually preferred her more subdued personality.

I do have to take issue with the whole idea that one little success at the end of the show would be enough to drag her out of a condition that had her abusing her body, among other things.

And all you P/Ter's--how much more do you need to see before you believe that this thing is dead and decaying? Tom's conversation with her hardly reflected the feelings of a man in love. There is no tenderness between these two. They fight and they bicker. How romantic.

But bottom line, a thumbs-up episode.

PegN -- 29 Oct 1998, 1:02 PM

No, it wasn't just you, Tracy....

Tracy wrote:
Too much pressure from Tom would have pushed her away, I agree. It wasn't necessarily the content of the conversation, but the lack of perceivable urgency on Tom's part to get to the heart of the matter. And that, coupled with the Tom/Janeway/Chakotay conference, gave me a bad taste in my mouth regarding his feelings for her.

I felt the same way about both scenes. Although maybe (in the now famous off-camera scenes) he had been trying and got frustrated with her constant blowing him off. Factor into that, his feelings may have been hurt from her constant rejection, he felt he was just spinning his wheels and that there was nothing more he could do for her anyway, or he was probably angry with her (just not outwardly showing it). Tom's not the most mature or secure person either (it's why I love him so).

AC -- 29 Oct 1998, 1:12 PM

Beware the anti-P/T brigade!
Ouch! Get that sign out of my eye!

I'm looking forward to this episode (never can resist spoilers) and I'm sure I'll like it since Torres is my favorite character. But the Nebulite's reactions are becoming just as entertaining to predict.

One faction will love it because it's a B'Elanna episode. Another will moan about Seven not being the featured character. Another will rave about Chakotay, while others claim that Beltran can't act his way out of a paper bag. And always, there will be the group that claim any emotional resonance is false and cloying and the episode was a waste of time, since Tom and B'Elanna are still being portrayed as dating, and Tom is clearly destined to be soulmates with any other member of the senior staff besides Torres. Heck, they'd rather see him with Neelix (that's what fanfic is for!).

*AC steps onto her soapbox and prepares to do the relationship rant*

Maybe I'm wrong about this, and no skin off my back if I am, but I suspect that the main reason some people hate the P/T pairing so much is that they'd rather Darling Tom stayed single so they can fantasize about being discovered by a Hollywood agent to play the AOTW-babe that becomes Tommy's always and forever true love. My guess is that if he paired off with Seven or Janeway, they'd be griping just as loud and long. Seven is a child emotionally, nowhere near being ready for romance. Janeway won't step off her pedestal of purity for Chakotay, so why would she want Tom? Maybe she's waiting for Harry to hit puberty, I don't know.

Meanwhile, whenever Tom even has a conversation with another woman, a clamor arises predicting the end of P/T. I don't see it. TPTB have worked on this relationship, well, they've tried, anyway. It's a sci-fi show, not a soap opera, so they mess up sometimes. For goodness sakes, the most stable Trek relationship is Miles and Keiko O'Brien, and aren't *they* exciting.

I like P/T, and I'll probably like the episode. I wish TPTB would write them better, and I wish that the actors involved had constant chemistry, rather than chemistry that comes and goes, but for goodness sakes, (repeat after me, folks!) it's just a television show!

AC, stepping down from the soapbox and going to take her antibiotics.

Jason -- 29 Oct 1998, 2:44 PM

Alexander Enberg must have been desperate for rent money. Boy, Vorik had less to do than usual this time around. I'm not even sure if we saw his face. Hopefully he will be given something relevant to do in "Refugee".

Also, I noticed that Janeway had both hands on her hips for the first time in what seems like a long time. (Or have I just not been noticing?)

Joyce -- 29 Oct 1998, 3:13 PM

My guess is set-up. I haven't been reading spoilers, so I don't know what's coming down the pike, but my guess is that Vorick's appearance in this episode is to remind us that he's on board, and that they're planning a more central role for him in a later episode. Remember, he has a real bit-part in the episode or two before Blood Fever, just to show us that the character existed. I think this was a 'yes, he's still around' sort of thing.

Carol -- 29 Oct 1998, 3:47 PM

Brannon Braga always said that Voyager should be darker and edgier -- more like The X-Files. And so far, she seems to be doing just that.

Next week doesn't look like a uplifter either -- Species 8472 plans to pull a Nazi holocaust in the galaxy and Chako has a disastrous ABOTW romance. Again. The DQ is looking to be a rather dark place of late.

ande -- 29 Oct 1998, 4:31 PM

Well, as one of the other well known P/Ters on this board, I guess I should pipe in by saying I was disappointed with Tom's reaction to B'Elanna's depression. I thought the scene in his quarters worked and I didn't have a problem with it. I agree with you guys about the scene in Janeway's ready room. I thought Tom didn't show a lot of concern. On the bright side, though, Janeway did include him in the conversation which says to me that they are still more than friends (after all Harry wasn't there). One thing that did bother me was that in neither Janeway's depression nor Torres's was the doctor much involved. Now I know he is a medical doctor and not a counselor, but I would have expected him to be a little more involved in both situations. Lord knows McCoy, Crusher and Bashir would have been right in there. I am also not the only one that has noticed the trend TPTB are taking this year in putting Tom and 7 together. I haven't decided if this is a good thing or not. We'll have to see how TPTB handle the P/T side of things before I potentially jump on a P/7 band wagon.

Mr. Mac. -- 29 Oct 1998, 5:00 PM

WHY I THOUGHT THIS EPISODE WAS TERRIFIC (at least the "A" story).

I have mixed emotions on this episode. Roxann was, of course, terrific. I managed, T'Racy, to ignore my wife's breasts poking into my back as we watched the episode together in the bedroom. [Those of you familiar with the Season V MacSaga would know that the den TV is occupied by the tape machine recording "To Have and To Hold," leaving only the bedroom for Voyager watching]. I believe that the main issue we will hear about this episode is if the character situation Dawson was asked to create was true to the character we have come to know. The writers did make an attempt to hide this apparent abrupt behavior by indicating that it has been an ongoing backburner thing. What may not have been startling to the crew was shocking to us because we have not been privy to B'Elanna's underlying emotional state.

It was a well performed episode and we learned some things about B'Elanna that were insightful, but I am not sure I wanted to be in the doctor's office when the patient's condition was diagnosed. It was depressing. However, there was a lot more going on in this episode than met the eye and that's why I loved it. Here are my four favorite scenes, in order, that made this episode so good:

1) Kudos to Ethan Phillips. My favorite scene was the pancake scene. After the mirror scene when B'Elanna realizes that she has a problem, there seemed to me to be an attempt on her part to deal with her problem in a rational way. First she sought something physical (the pancakes) that has made her smile in the past, and then she sought the one person on Voyager who presented no threat to her and was helpful in the past (Day of Honor - blood pie scene). Even though she could not muster the courage to tell Neelix that she had a problem, the very fact that B'Elanna desired to seek solace from Neelix, of all people, was poignant. Her entire tough persona teetered on the edge of her tongue like a tightrope walk. The half-Klingon was humbled even in Neelix's presence. It was done exceptionally well by both actors. Phillips is very underrated and only because he is stuck behind a somewhat goofy facade. It was reported that Kate Mulgrew "cried" when she saw this episode. If so, I'm willing to wager that this scene did it to her.

2) Like my wife, I thought Robert Beltran was right on the mark. Maybe he's inspired by the Season V possibilities for his character. In any case, the Maquis scene was terrific. Who was it that said that they were uncomfortable when Chakotay manhandled B'Elanna because given her strength (fight scene with Vorick), she ordinarily would have coldcocked him for that? By this time, based on her apparent desire to want help (Neelix scene), I got the impression that part of her wanted to fight Chakotay (I don't want to face my problems) and part of her was reaching for help (I have a problem, please help me). That inner dichotomy kept her from truly wanting to escape from Chakotay's grasp. It was a half-hearted fight for a Klingon. This scene accomplished what the Neelix scene left unfulfilled. Both scenes showed B'Elanna desiring help (seeking Neelix, a half-hearted fight with Chakotay) but the strength of Chakotay's persistence wormed out of her what she failed to release with Neelix. It was, after all, Chakotay who accepted and helped her the first time she ran away from her problems (Starfleet, home front) and he was the right guy for the job this time too.

3) What was wrong with the Torres/Paris scene? Nothing. Neither Paris nor Janeway failed to get to the root of Torres' problem for good and dramatic reasons. Allowing Paris to be the healer would be too pact, too convenient. Too fanfic. We were permitted to see that even though Paris and Torres are having a relationship it's not necessarily on steady ground. I may be in favor of P/T but it doesn't mean that I want them to walk down the aisle. A relationship has ups and downs and by the definition of these characters this one shouldn't be a walk in the park. There is something fundamentally missing in Paris' make-up that is not missing in Chakotay. We know ("Message in a Bottle") that Paris has difficulty facing his own feelings and problems. He's an emotional cripple too. If that's so, what is it that should make him so good at helping Torres (a more difficult challenge) face her own problems? Nothing. This scene was true to form. It was meant to be uncomfortable and unfulfilling and it was. Given that these two characters carry the most emotional baggage, I am not at all surprised if they have more clouds than sunshine during Season V. That to me has a much truer ring to what this relationship should be. If anyone was looking for Paris to solve Torres' problems, forget it. However, he is probably quite good at aggravating them like salt in a wound. Was this P/T? YES! But it may not be the kind of P/T some people were expecting. Great scene.

4) The Torres and Janeway sickbay scene was perplexing to me - for a minute. Torres was a brat. Ahhh, light bulb. She was like a child sitting in front of mommy Janeway. Defiant, stubborn, arrogant. She did everything but pout. She had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and yet she tried every (bad) trick in the book to hide it. She ultimately failed to pull the wool over Janeway's eyes. There were times when I tried these (poor) tactics on my own mother. She was wise to me, and no matter how boldly "GUILT" was written all over my face, for whatever reason I refused to give in to her. Did your mother ever say to you, "Look at me when I'm talking to you?" That's essentially what Janeway was saying to Torres when she grabbed her chin. In my mind it was in stark contrast to the way Janeway touched Kes's chin in "The Gift." Janeway's children. Mac.

Mrs. Mac -- 30 Oct 1998, 7:02 AM

Mac said: "T'Racy, to ignore my wife's breasts poking into my back..."

(snort) That's a first! Just teasing!

Mac said: "I believe that the main issue we will hear about this episode is if the character situation Dawson was asked to create was true to the character we have come to know."

Another big question might be the appearance of a "cure" in the end. I stand on the "no cure" side. As I mentioned in an earlier post, allowing B'Elanna to do what she did on the Delta Flyer flight was feeding her the same kind of "high" she was looking for in the holodeck. That's something like bringing an alcoholic to a party and letting him drink the spiked punch. It just masks the same behavior.

I don't think we saw good ol' B'Elanna in the end. Yes, she smiled for D'Alaire in the end but afterall, they're only pancakes. She may smile over the pleasant association they bring her but she still has to get up the next morning and face reality and the same demons.

Vickie T. -- 29 Oct 1998, 6:11 PM

Stepping up on AC's soapbox. Wrong, AC. I'm not opposed to P/T because I want that handsome hunk of man for myself. That's why I'm opposed to J/C - I want that handsome hunk of man for myself! :-)

I'm actually not really opposed to P/T, just opposed to the way it's being done. I find it perfectly believable that Paris and Torres would be wildly attracted to one another. I think they are the type of couple that fall madly, passionately in lust, make wild monkey love for some finite period of time, and then spontaneously self-combust in a screaming, dish-throwing, 50 megaton explosion that, despite their best efforts, they just can't keep from igniting. Tom and B'Elanna both have serious "relationship issues." They cannot have a stable relationship unless they resolve their personal emotional problems. Besides, their current constant bickering drives me absolutely insane.

To be perfectly honest, when it comes to Voyager I'm not much of a relationshipper at all. Yes, I think there should be relationships on the show - they are, after all, stuck out in the DQ for most of a lifetime. But, I would like it to be, in general, a background thing. You know, we see a couple holding hands in the mess hall, or leaving the holodeck carrying a picnic basket and gazing lovingly into one another's eyes as we follow some other character down the corridor. We even hear our major characters joke around with one another - "Hey, I hear you had a date last night. How was it? You know a gentleman never kisses and tells!" What I really want to see are more non-romantic social interactions among our crew. I want to see genuine friendships and comraderie. I don't really need to see Paris and Torres (or anyone else) lock lips.

And, before I step off this relationship soapbox - I am totally bummed out by the teasers that Chak will, once again, fall in love with some woman who is not what she seems to be and who will end up "doing him wrong," so to speak. I hope it doesn't really work out quite like we've been led to believe.

Jules -- 31 Oct 1998, 6:47 PM

Thanks, Vickie! I'm avoiding "Extreme Risk" spoilers on the whole, but I had to sneak a peek at this particular subthread once I saw its heading. You've said pretty much exactly what I wanted to say on this particular subject. (Well, apart from the Chakotay aspect, that is. I'll let you have him if you want him. Aren't I generous?)

Of course, I do have a few additional things to say...

As far as the Paris/Torres relationship is concerned, I think I can best describe my attitude towards it as neutral. I can see the possibilities and the potential for the relationship. That much has been there since season one, and "Faces". And even before that episode, methinks the lady had a tendency to protest a little too much about Paris's piggish tendencies? Trying to deny a weakness for bad boys, was she?

But... on the other hand, I also have reservations about it, and those reservations are precisely because it's only a television programme. The logistics of the medium mean that in a show with a large ensemble cast which doesn't have time to concentrate in great detail on one or two cast members, and particularly in a science fiction show where the special effects and the hardware are at least as much of a star as the actors themselves, there's very little room for the exploration of a relationship as deep and as tangled as the one between two people as emotionally defensive as Tom and B'Elanna ought to be. There ought to be a moth-to-the-flame aspect to it - and maybe there will be, this season (remember that I've only seen "Night" and have been avoiding "Extreme Risk" spoilers). But last season they settled down to the kind of cosy bland established relationship that killed such series as Moonlighting and Lois & Clark stone dead. The only bump in the road was Tom's inexplicable withdrawal into the holodeck for the purposes of "Vis A Vis", and that came completely out of nowhere. It was jarring, and it didn't sit well with the characters as previously established.

And basically, that's my major gripe with the Paris/Torres relationship to date. I have no problem with it intrinsically, but if it can't be done without the viewer having to make great intuitive leaps to fill in the gaps, because it doesn't get picked up for several months and all the important stuff has gone on offscreen, then I'd rather it wasn't done at all. If it's done at all, it needs some serious time invested in it. And, considering how little development some of the characters have got in four years of trying, how much chance is there of that time being found?

Of course, if Brannon Braga can wave his magic wand and bump characterisation higher up the list of priorities for the series, then I have no problem with it whatsoever. Just make it convincing, okay?

But, playing devil's advocate, would I put either one of them with any other partner? Well, I've never been able to see B'Elanna and Harry as anything other than a brother/sister kind of partnership, and that's truer than ever since he became smitten with Seven. She teases him in a very sisterly way.

Tuvok's Vulcan control and her Klingon half are basically incompatible. Neelix likes her, but is a little scared of her too. The Doctor... no, can't see it. Chakotay is a possibility, but I guess that his propensity for falling for aliens of the week would put a bit of a dampener on any such relationship.

As for Tom, well I guess it's no secret that I'm one of the stubborn types who's quite amused by the idea of the Janeway/Paris pairing. Mostly that was out of devilry, and a gleeful refusal to endorse the predictable. I would, however, say that that is a ship which sailed several years ago. I have great difficulty in even remembering a private moment between the two of them since the rather touching goodbye they had on the bridge during "Prototype" - which was, of course, supposed to be the clue that the Paris-as-rebel theme was as bogus as they come, rather than anything romantic. I don't think they've ever had an overtly romantic scene, but they do have a lot in common in terms of background and upbringing, and during the first couple of years of the series they were close enough in terms of their Captain/reclamation project relationship that the right (or possibly wrong) circumstances could have easily sparked that into something more. Nowadays however, they barely speak to each other outside the briefing room or the bridge. Cynical little me sometimes wonders if "Resolutions" wasn't done as much to hammer a nail into the coffin of J/P as it was to throw a bone to the champions of J/C. And I wouldn't care, except that I do miss the interaction of the two characters, under any circumstances. Romantic, platonic, whatever; I'd just like to see them get a couple of scenes together where she wasn't just bawling him out for being juvenile.

So, what about the "big romance" with Seven? Well, it's hardly that. But Paris does seem to bring out a softer, more mellow side of Seven, perhaps because he's the one person on the ship who accepted her for what she was and didn't try to mould her into something different. He might suggest that she employ a different approach to playing holoprograms than her strictly literal one, but it is a suggestion, not an order or a lecture.

I think I agree that Seven's not yet ready for romance. She may, however, be ready to have her first crush on someone, and I'd say that Paris might well be a good choice for that role. Half of his reputation as a womaniser comes about because he likes women and gets on well with them. That can make him a sucker and easy prey as often as he's the hunter himself. He's courteous by nature and by upbringing, and if you can get beneath the joky and defensive exterior, he can be sympathetic and understanding - as he was to B'Elanna in "Faces". He could let down Seven gently, and still remain friends with her, whereas poor Harry would just blunder about making a fearful mess of things.

P/T'ers please note: the above idea isn't even incompatible with an ongoing relationship with B'Elanna.

Mind you, the most suitable relationship for Paris, in terms of what he needs to sort himself out emotionally rather than because it would make good drama, would probably be Kes. Unfortunately, once Neelix's jealousy was out of the way and they'd got together it'd be dull as ditchwater to watch. Also it'd be a bit much to expect the poor girl to go from one relationship with someone with severe confidence problems - Neelix - to another with someone who also needed a shoulder to cry on.

Just for the record, my favourite relationships on Voyager are probably... Janeway and Tuvok. Paris and Tuvok. Chakotay and Tuvok - especially that last one, as I love the way they manoeuvre for position around each other, hackles up, only just polite. No, they're not romantic relationships. But some of the friendships - or antipathies - are complex and fascinating without needing much screentime to establish and explore their depths, and from that point of view they probably work more effectively in the format of the series.

Carol -- 29 Oct 1998, 8:39 PM

The Problem With Paris/Torres.
::on soapbox::

I wish to state for the record that I started out as a big fan of the Paris/Torres relationship. At least before TPTB went and actually did it on the show. But I'll get to that in a minute. :-)

Back during season one and two, I began to think that Tom and B'Elanna would make a fine pair. Their similar temperament, both rebels, outcasts of sorts. I always though there could be real passion there. And I must say this was during a time when P/T'ers were a decisive minority -- the pairing of choice back in the early days of Voyager was Kim/Torres. Just read any fan fics dated from four and 1/2 years ago and you'll see what I mean. But frankly I could never see the K/T thing beyond a brother/sister thing.

Anyway, around came season three when the P/T thing started for real. But from The Swarm up until before Blood Fever the chemistry between them just left me completely cold. Tom asking her out in The Swarm, the "banter" between them in episodes like Alter Ego seemed phony and forced IMNSHO. Janeway and Chakotay had more chemistry between them just glancing at each other than I thought Tom and B'Elanna had together in a whole scene. (It was KM and RB chemistry together that gave J/C'ers the idea of J/C in the first place. Go re-watch The Cloud if you can -- they've got it and they're not even trying :-).

There were a few good chemistry moments between them -- Before and After, Displaced. The inter Blood Fever episode. But for the most part I've never been able to believe -- truly believe -- that these two characters are in love with each other. I didn't even really believe it in Day of Honor when B'Elanna confessed she was in love with Tom.

Now Extreme Risk -- again, I liked the scene between them in Tom's quarters. It was nicely done. But I just didn't see any real love between them in it. Tom seemed more like he was trying to reach out to a good friend, not a lover. I'm not saying I wanted to see them having a lovers spat (again) or Tom and/or B'Elanna going into histrionics or whatever. But when Tom admitted that B'Elanna was hardly talking to him all I could think was that he didn't seemed to be too concerned about that fact. Tom seemed more passionate about the Delta Flyer than he did about why B'Elanna was becoming so withdrawn. For the most part, this relationship has had all the passion and chemistry of a wet mop.

And alot of the writing has been rather, juvenile, between them too. High schoolish even (see Scientific Method).

I don't know if this is all the fault of the writers, TPTB or the actors or what. I want to like P/T -- I really do. I love RDM and RD has really grown on me. But I just don't feel anything romantic between them nine times out of ten. No AC, I'm not against P/T because I want Tom for myself -- heck I'd love to have Chakotay for myself but I'd be content to live vicariously through Kate; and I could live vicariously through B'Elanna where Tom is concerned. If I just could believe that they were in love with each other. But I don't. Not really.

But you know what? I guess I'll put up with P/T if it means I don't have to watch Tom womanizing and/or running around the Delta Quadrant with one ABOTW after another -- but that's a rant for next week. :-)

::off soapbox::

D'Alaire -- 29 Oct 1998, 9:39 PM

Chemistry's a personal thing. I've already had my relationshipper rant (see Night discussion), but I will continue just a bit -- not ranting, though, just touching on a few thoughts I've seen.

Interpretations differ always, of course, and especially with something like chemistry. Some people see it, while others wonder how the other can. I happen to see it in T&B, in good and bad times, and even in ER -- though that briefing room scene did bother me, too. (Stupid PTB.)

I loved Scientific Methods --it was fun and different--and all the banter of S3. DOH, don't get me gushing. I don't like much soap at all, but I never mind a little romance now and again. I agree with Mr. Mac in that the P/T is going to be different this season, more realistic to their darker sides, more rocky road, and that's true to them. But I also agree with Jim Wright that it'd be nice to see some of that sunshine, as well.

The reason, IMO, that the Seven interaction has been so noticed, is because it hasn't been dark. It's been in ordinary situations, no angst included. TPTB are avoiding soap, but they've been on a dark spree, too. B'Elanna's development into ER had made the P/T --all two scenes of it sofar this season, may I add-- seem very grim. This certainly does not doom a relationship. It makes it all the more real. (Heaven knows I've had those grim, platonic times, too, and came out okay.)

What will irk me the most if it doesn't come by mid-season would be TPTB's sheer cowardice to take these personal developments somewhere, and/or to write a few more more ups to go with those downs. Now, I realise that this is a sci-fi show, and I certainly watch it for more than the P/T elements, adore Tom and B'Elanna individually, and don't need to check in on T&B's relationship every week (though, I admit, I wouldn't mind at least a passing glimpse).

But if they shy away from this relationship for fear of whatever, one this established and appealing, with such good actors playing them, I'll be wondering what in the world is wrong with them all over again. (TPTB on acid and quaaludes.)

Fanfic, very true, belongs in fandom, and we shouldn't confuse it with canon (which I believe Terry's discussed recently). But I'll also admit I've seen some very excellent dialogue and ideas in it, too (not the mushy or silly stuff--I'm talking about the good stuff, the byplay and the action and angst, and, yes, the sex).

TPTB have little excuse, or if they come to admit they're complete idiots, they should adjust their writing staff one more time to include someone whose can write those interpersonal/intimate relationships with more enthusiasm--like spice in the soup. It is possible to do this. They've done it many times before, and can again.

Even so, I do taste the spice, even subtle as it is, right now, and right likely always will. I've loved watching Tom and B'Elanna, separately and together, develop over the past four years, and I really want this relationship to continue and grow, in good times and bad, like life.

I sincerely hope TPTB have the balls to do so, too, in the seasons to come. They certainly have the balls to blow everything else to bits, make Kate throw the Prime Directive to the wind, & the other many things we rant and ramble about. Certainly they can handle this one committed, intimate and interesting/complex relationship. IMO, P/T's much worth the effort.

Roxanne -- 29 Oct 1998, 9:51 PM

I guess I missed the chick part then, Flite. I didn't care much for this show. It had many redeeming parts to it, mostly (Hang on to your hats, Macs) Roxann Dawson. She took a poorly written story and made it work, somewhat.

I am getting a little tired of TPTB taking the current Psychobabble problem and making it into an episode tho. Now there's the story of self-mutilation to know you can feel something, or to hide what you are really feeling.

At the risk of bringing up previous arguments, both sides of depression are very real, Terry. The side that Janeway portrayed is one not seen too often by people, because they are hiding out. Then B'Elanna's depression is also very real. That is a big reason why depression is misdiagnosed: because the symptoms vary from one person to the other.

Did anyone wonder why they didn't just let the Malon's have the probe? Why was it so important? Afterall, just 2 weeks ago, they were going to give them technology for their waste disposal.

Loved the Delta Flyer. Loved the interaction between the people in the flying area of the Delta Flyer. (Would have called it the correct name, but didn't think it would get past the censors.)

Loved the off duty t-shirts. As to why the guys are T's and the girl's are tanks, Janeway's was a t-shirt. Tom did look nice (Gulp, did I say that).

Terry -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:49 PM:

The probe had Borg shielding.

Tracy -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:29 PM

Amen, sister. I agree 100%, D'A. I have read fan fic (the good stuff, not the fluff), I know what P/T's potential is. I'm just not sure I trust TPTB to not completely flub it up. Mrs. Mac and others have made good points that have caused me to rethink some of the gripes I made in my review. I guess I've been going through a touch of depression myself, and shared in B'Elanna's pain a wee bit too much. I still want to watch the episode again, to get a fresh perspective.

I'm still a P/T'er, but can acknowledge that P/7 have chemistry, but then so do Tu/7, D/7, D/N (for you Ruthie ;o]), C/P, J/C/P, etc ad nauseum...

Harry has chemistry with no one. (Well, maybe Paris or Neelix, but I won't go there...) Good Lord, especially not Torres! The first time I saw a K/T (or more acurately, T/K) webpage, I thought to myself, *K/T? That's almost like incest! They're like a brother and sister!*. No offense intended towards the K/T fans out there; it's just my own opinion.

Spice! I want spice, too! Voyager needs some real zest. Like I always say, complication is good.

T'Racy (who's doing, guess what?, baking cookies at the very last possible moment for Ehlana's preschool Halloween party)

Andy -- 29 Oct 1998, 10:29 PM

Granted D'Alaire, relationships are more than just fun and games. But it seems to me that the P/T relationship is all work and no play. The bad moments have far outweighed the good ones (have there been any good ones?) If I could sum up what Tom seems to be saying to B'Elanna all the time it would be, "What the hell is wrong with you?" and her response would be, "None of your damn business!"

Maybe this reflect the reality of a lot of relationships, but it is no fun to watch.

Frankly, I find it difficult to believe that it would take Tom so long to notice that she had fallen into so deep a depression---especially one that involved self-mutilation. Thinking about my relationships over the years, I've been able to tell almost instantly when something was bothering the woman I was involved with. I'll bet this is true for almost everyone else out there as well. Pretty tough to believe they are so close but Tom was so imperceptive.

If you guys need a "relationship" on this show, and for the life of me I don't know why you would, I'd look elsewhere. This one was stillborn.

Review Boy (JW) -- 30 Oct 1998, 1:59 AM

EXTREME reactions. Oh, man. This is going to be one of those episodes, I think. :)

I enjoyed all the comments. I'm still not sure what I think about "Extreme Risk," though I found myself agreeing, in whole or in part, with pretty much everyone. :) It may all come down to my mood on Saturday; I'll try to lay off the halloween candy beforehand.

I can give one spoiler, though: there will be song lyrics. Not blues, but good old fashioned toe-tappin' rock 'n' roll.

This is the first anniversary of Day of Honor (not chronologically, but as the third episode of this season, it matches the third episode of last season).

In fact, that may be a pattern.

Year one: episode 3 (counting "Caretaker" as two parts) is "Parallax" in which Torres gets busted for cracking Joe Carey's nose, then gets promoted, when she opens up a bit to captain Janeway about her past. although it ends well, she has a really, really bad day.

year two, episode 3: Projections. Doc undergoes a major identity crisis and although it ends well, he basically has a very, very bad day.

year three, episode 3: The Chute. Harry undergoes a major philosophical crisis while stuck in an intergalactic Attica. Brain gets clamped, he almost kills Tom with something long and hard (it is a prison film, after all), and he has to choose whether to accept an alien manifesto and succumb to madness, or plant his feet and kick hiney for the sake of Paris, to death do they part. It all ends well, but he basically has a very, very bad day.

Year four, episode 3: Day of Honor. Torres has a very, very bad day that ends well.

Year five, episode 3: Extreme Risk. Torres has a very, very bad day that ends on a hopeful note, but she's not quite out of the woods yet. (Banana pancakes can only go so far.)

I sense a pattern. And I also notice that in three out of the five years, it's Torres who wins the Day of Hell prize for episode three.

PegN -- 30 Oct 1998, 6:56 AM

Vickie wrote: And, before I step off this relationship soapbox - I am totally bummed out by the teasers that Chak will, once again, fall in love with some woman who is not what she seems to be and who will end up "doing him wrong," so to speak. I hope it doesn't really work out quite like we've been led to believe.

He probably won't remember it anyway.

And btw, I totally agree with the rest of your post. My feelings exactly.

D'Alaire -- 30 Oct 1998, 7:40 AM

I agree with you, Mrs. Mac. You right, and I've said it earlier -- it's only a start, a beginning. Her smile in the end was a ray of light in the darkness [apathy] of the episode that was thrilling to see. But it was in no way a "cure." Such a thing doesn't exist for her disorders. Recovery, yes; cure, no way.

The pancackes are a pleasant association, that she felt -- and she knew it. That's the signifigance of it. What she must now learn [allow herself] to do is feel the bad as well, to mourn, as it was said. One step at a time.

I'm still in court about the shuttle, leaning heavily to agreeing. I can easily see your point.

But there were shades of the "old" B'Elanna peeking through -- just not entirely there yet, either. She needs a good deal more time for that, if she ever could realistically return to exactly what she was. She has a lifetime of behavior and experience contributing to what she now has to deal with.

She's still B'Elanna Torres, but if continuity continues as it has, she'll have changed and, hopefully, grown in her recovery. Still, it would be gradual, and she would always have to work on it.

Ginny -- 30 Oct 1998, 7:51 AM

I rewatched ER, and I was wrong. Beltran isn't a Pop-tart. He's a toaster streudal.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. After a third viewing, I must concede that Beltran is much better in EXTREME RISK than the impression I took away on my first and second viewings--except for that bizarre breath control thing he was doing in the holodeck scene. And the fact that he still can't deliver the simplist line, like "Why?" or "I don't understand." and make it sound like normal conversation.

Diane -- 30 Oct 1998, 12:10 PM

EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED that it wasn't Paris who got B'Elanna out of her funk. That's what I get for reading spoilers and letting my mind run amok.

But, I felt this episode was a pretty good one, especially for Dawson. Once again, she struts her stuff excellently. I will make a bold statement here. I think she is the best actor on the series. [It's great to see that someone else agrees with me! Mac] She always comes through, never falters, even with the bad stuff that TPTB have written. BTW, was I the only one who thought Dawson looked like Natalie Wood (actress from 50s, 60s, & 70s) when she looked into the mirror?

Now, my Random Thoughts.

Why did Braga permit two shows out of the first three to deal with depression, isn't this overkill? Maybe not. Because of Janeway's recent spell, she would be the first to really recognize that B'Elanna was going through some type of depression, recognizes the symptoms. The scene in Sickbay was wonderfully acted. I was glad to see these two sharing the camera together. It reminded me of a mother figuring out what's wrong and not overreacting so the child isn't turned off. Of course Mamma Janeway figures out that Dad Chakoaty is the only one to administer the Tough Love cure.

And, Beltran's portrayal was right on the money. I am extremely happy that TPTB are writing him as a breathing person with cares and passions this year. You can tell that he is more interested in his character, he plays it with depth, finally. His scene with Dawson really showed the tough love that a parent or care giver must use to attempt to bring a person out of their funk. After digesting this scene, I don't think any other crew member, including Paris, would have been able to shock her out of her funk. This depression resulted from her realization that, like Neelix, everything she believed in (as far a family goes) would leave her, that she is alone in her "void," that there may be nothing. Now remember, Chakoaty was the one to pull Neelix out his funk, so I guess, he has become Voyager's Shamin. Perfect! I guess Braga is reading the Neb, because, didn't we discuss this in our reclamation projects for Voyager's characters?

Like I mentioned earlier, my first reaction to this episode was disappointment because I thought Paris was the logical choice to get B'Elanna out of her funk. I had grand visions of Paris being the one to drag her into her quarters or to walk into one of her holodeck programs, physically fight, restrain her, relating his own wandering experiences after being kicked out of Starfleet (we would then learn a little more about his past), then having B'Elanna breakdown, and the scene ending with Paris holding her and telling her that the two of them would get through this together. That was my fantasy. But, the more I think about how Biller handled this episode, the more I like that it was Chakoaty, because Paris is too close to her as a lover. Sometimes those closest become frozen (I know, how modern, for those literary persons, it's a Carver thing). This is what has happened to Paris. He probably has taken so much from B'Elanna, being shut out from her, that he turned to his DeltaFlyer project for his jollys. It even showed in that wonderfully acted scene where he does reach out to her. The expression on his face after she leaves tells it all. Believe me, I have seen that expression on my hubby's face after he tries to cool me down and I don't want him digging deeper into my problem. Sometimes I get like B'Elanna and just want to be left alone. He has learned that sometimes this is the best approach, but I still see that helpless look on his face.

Like I mentioned earlier, my first reaction to this episode was disappointment because I thought Paris was the logical choice to get B'Elanna out of her funk. I had grand visions of Paris being the one to drag her into her quarters or to walk into one of her holodeck programs, physically fight, restrain her, relating his own wandering experiences I think someone mentioned how focused McNeill is this year. I agree. That actors workshop in New York with William Hunt (see McNeill webpage discussion) this past spring helped refocus his talents, not to mention better written scripts for his character. Last year he seemed lost, maybe that added to his weight problem. And speaking of losing those extra pounds, wasn't this such a yummy scene. Really like those T-Shirts. And, no D'Alaire, I don't agree with the uneven breasts. I think the problem was a combination of the smoothness of what ever he was wearing under the shirt and the camera angles. BTW, is it my imagination or has Paris developed and "edge" in his attitude?

Last comments:

The DeltaFlyer, a intergalatic hot rod with the sun roof option.

Anyone notice the Space Race comment was made on the eve of John Glenn's SHUTTLE launch? Thought this episode was pretty appropriate and a tribute to NASA's Shuttle Program (Did I tell you folks I now work around the corner from NASA headquarters?)

Isn't it funny that Paris gets to be Captain with the shuttle (along with putting 20th Century controls in the Flyer) while he is acting as Captain Proton in the holodeck? BTW, anyone else get those double meaning of his comment "something he could feel" when talking about the control knobs? Like I mentioned earlier, he couldn't get anything out of B'Elanna, so he resorted to his Flyer Project where he could get something that responded.

Ok, we all noticed that "nice shooting" comment Paris made to Seven. What bothered me was not the comment, but the tone, a little too sexual. And, why wasn't he, and not Harry, the one to say good going to B'Elanna. I think it would have added more closure to what was going on. Maybe Paris' comments ended on the editing room floor. Too Bad.

And, finally, the banana pancake grandmother reference. Did this strike anyone else odd? I though (from Pathways) that B'Elanna got to see her Klingon Grandmother only once? Does this mean that her mother stayed in tough with her father's mother?

Well, Braga is three for three.

Shawnster -- 30 Oct 1998, 11:16 PM

Extreme Risk Extremely delightful. I was quite pleased with "Extreme Risk." My only real complaint being the speed in which they built the Delta Flyer. I guess I'm still a 23rd century guy where it would take months in a shipyard designing and building a shuttle that size.

Still, with that out of the way, the Delta Flyer is an impressive shuttle.

B'Elanna's depressed, clinically depressed. Why? Who knows. Who really knows why anyone developes clinical depression? It's nice to see Voyager deal with such a timely topic that touches so many people. I hope they don't just brush this under the rug now, falsely beliving the last scene revealed B'Elanna is all better.

A little bit about B'Elanna. She must have created the Maqui holoprogram sometime after the letters from home episode last season. That's the only time she would have found out about the massacre.

Next week, the return of Species 8472 (the audible 47's should go up tremendously next week). According to TV Guide, Specise 8472 has constructed a duplicate of Starfleet Command in order to practice being human in prelude to invasion. What? Just where did they learn about Earth and Starfleet Command? Not only that, but why does it appear the Voyager crew and Chakotay in particular are accepting this illusion? I don't know, guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Mike -- 1 Nov 1998, 8:08 AM

Egads!!! Flite, I'm not alone after all...I wasn't too crazy about this episode either.... I agree with a lot of what Flite Magoo said (believe it or not ;^), much of what O.Bleek said and most of what Ginny had to say (except, unlike Ginny, I thought Chuck was good in this one). Oh, and, Flite, I don't think this was a "Chick episode" cause my wife disliked it as much as I did.

I wasn't even going to bother writing a review on 'Extreme Risk' cause I didn't feel motivated enough and I didn't want to be a party pooper, raining on everyone else's parade :^). Frankly, I was a little surprised that more people didn't react to this episode in a similar way to the way they reacted to 'Night'. TPTB treated deep depression *for the second time in just three episodes* like it could be put under control at the drop of a hat. What got Janeway out of her depression? A call to action. What gets B'Elanna out of her *suicidal* depression, another miraculous wake up call to action. It may be true that people can snap out of deep depressions for short periods, but on Voyager the inflicted are "cured" simply by threats to the ship or their friends. No wonder Voyager doesn't need a ship counselor. I wouldn't complain if future episodes continued to show them climbing out of this state, but you just know it won't be mentioned again.

And another thing (while I'm bit_hing ;^), why was this probe more important than the lives of four crew members? If Janeway didn't want it to fall in the hands of the AOTW, why didn't she just destroy the probe? If they have enough spare parts and know how to build a new "larger" more powerful shuttle in record time, they certainly must have enough resources to build another probe. Maybe I missed something. Was the technology used on the probe irreplaceable or one of a kind? And, another thing that bothers me is how easily they can override the safeties on the holodeck. I mean, when someone does this shouldn't the Captain, First officer or at least the security officer be notified by some kind of log or warning alert(without doing research)? All it takes is saying a simple sentence to override the safety mechanisms on something as potentially dangerous as a holodeck.

Sorry, gang, I thought that 'Extreme Risk' was a disappointment.

Jules -- 17 Nov 1998, 7:39 AM

Risking a few more thoughts on "Extreme Risk"... Well I finally got around to watching it again yesterday. And enjoyed it so much that I watched it twice. :-)

First of all, let's start with the important stuff.

Ayala speaks! Why didn't anybody tell me?

Well... I guess I could be wrong. After all, he's not in shot at the time so we don't actually get to see his lips move. But the circumstantial evidence is suggestive. It's at the point where Vrelk shows up and starts showing interest in claiming the probe as compensation for his late lamented thieving colleagues. B'Elanna's busy on the holodeck fighting Cardassians. Most of the rest of the senior staff are busy putting in those round the clock shifts building the Delta Flyer, so Tuvok, Tom and Harry are absent from their usual posts, and the only regulars on the bridge are Janeway and Chakotay. There's a female ensign at the helm, and another female at Harry's station. Ayala is standing in for Tuvok. And we definitely hear a male voice - who isn't Chakotay - respond when Janeway gives the order to open a channel.

So, I think it very likely that the silent one has spoken once more.

The only snag is... you know what he said? "Aye, sir." Whoops... Ayala, sweetie, perhaps you should keep your mouth shut. If you don't, and you persist in calling her "sir", Captain Kate's either going to come after you with Betsy, or hand you a one way ticket on a shuttle ride with Chakotay in the pilot's seat...

I loved the Delta Flyer. (Big surprise that, right?) I don't really have a problem with the "here we go again" stuff coming out of the blue, from the viewer's perspective, even in conjunction with Seven's put-the-idea-into-his-head comment about designing new shuttles in "Drone" the previous week. We, the nitpicking viewing public, have been talking about shuttle building for years, so there's no reason whatsoever why Tom couldn't have brought the subject up at just about every staff meeting we haven't seen or came in halfway through, to the point where it became a standing joke.

The significant difference this time, of course, is that [a] he's found a specific task for the new supershuttle to undertake which he can use to sell the idea, and [b] he's come armed with some killer ammunition, in the form of the design specs. Maybe what Seven's comments in "Drone" did was to motivate him to stop thinking and wishing for it, and actually put some effort into making it happen. Could be that he had the shuttlecraft design in his head, but she motivated him to finally put it down on paper PADD.

And I like all the "cosmetic" detail that Tuvok sniffs at so much. (As well as the fact that he sniffs at all - the Tom'n'Tuvok double act is back!) I can see that Tom, as an outstanding pilot, might hanker to be more one with his ship, particularly since he also plays with antique on the holodeck and therefore has more experience of what it actually means to have a steering wheel and engine vibrations to give a clue to the responsiveness of your vehicle. I confess that I'm a little surprised that it apparently stopped at knobs and dials and analogue indicator needles... I'd have thought he'd have held out for an aircraft-style joystick at the very least.

Best laugh of the entire show:

Paris - "Computer. Add dynametric tail fins to the nacelles."
Tuvok - "Computer. Delete dynametric tail fins."

It's the Dictates of Poetics argument all over again...

Jules -- 2 Dec 1998, 8:15 AM

Some more risky thoughts.

"Warning. Disengaging safety protocols presents extreme risk of injury"

I'm not going to worry about the fact that the computer has a screaming fit every time that B'Elanna overrides the safeties, when Seven didn't get so much as a peep out of it when she did the same in "Night". I figure that the computer had crashed or frozen along with everything else in that episode, and the safety protocols had already dropped. Seven wouldn't necessarily have known that though, so you can't fault her for erring on the side of caution!

I must confess though that I'm a little surprised that something doesn't get flagged in one of Tuvok's security logs if someone disengages the safety protocols, since it's an activity which gets taken seriously enough to prompt an investigation and/or suspension from duty. Although... B'Elanna is Chief Engineer, isn't she? Perhaps she has an engineering override for the holodeck safeties, for the purpose of debugging problems with it that arise in the course of her normal duties? The argument that she might have hacked into the logs and deleted them won't wash, since Chakotay found the evidence easily enough once he started looking for it. But it could be that, as a trusted member of the senior staff and the person who would have to test whether those safety protocols were in working order, her overrides may be on a privilege list that doesn't automatically get routed to whoever should be informed of such things.

Or then again, since it's hardware and software that we're talking about here, maybe it's B'Elanna herself that the computer notifies in such situations...

But, her activities on the holodeck aside, why didn't someone notice that she was having a problem?

Well, the impression I get is that they had seen some warning signs, and that this episode was the waking up to the realisation that they meant something more than that she was having [a] a bad hair day, [b] a several month long Day of Honor, or [c] a sticky patch in her relationship with Tom. In fact, since whenever she said or did something out of the norm the general crew reaction was to steal a glance in Tom's direction, I'm guessing that they'd all noticed that the two of them had been... somewhat distant lately, and had chalked up all of her off-key behaviour to that. It explains why most people didn't look too hard - they thought they knew what the reason was already.

And Tom? Tom probably blamed himself too, at least in part. He did have his own attack of cold feet, about getting into deeper relationship waters than he was ready for, which led to his own holodeck hideout in "Vis À Vis". But, we could easily play chicken-and-egg here. Who's to say that it wasn't B'Elanna's own withdrawal into depression - which was supposed to date from "Hunters", after all - which either caused him to have those doubts, or at least blew them up out of proportion? But "Vis À Vis" was his crisis of faith. At the end of that episode it's implied that he's taken a good hard look at his life and discovered that it was actually pretty good, too good to throw away on a sudden bout of the fidgets. He's apologised to B'Elanna for shutting her out, is doing his best to make amends, and even acknowledges that he's got to work at it, to regain the ground that was lost in their relationship.

I suspect that that ground never did get regained though, due to the fact that B'Elanna's depressed condition meant that she was shutting him out. So obviously Tom - whose life experiences have made him grow accustomed to being the scapegoat and the party at fault - would look first to what he might have done/be doing wrong, and only as an afterthought to B'Elanna's own behaviour. I think he got there though. There was that reference to the Klingon painstiks in "Night", and his behaviour throughout "Extreme Risk" reeks of cover-up. Considering that he had already pointed out to B'Elanna that he could see that there was something wrong, and had mentioned aspects of her holodeck programming that he thought questionable, it seems a little odd that he should then tell Janeway and Chakotay that he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. And he was doing the nervous, edgy, shuffle-footed thing that people do when they have a guilty conscience. I think he was trying to cover up for her, to protect her from people poking around in her life, because he knows she would hate it quite as much as he would. I have one minor quibble - I'd like to have seen the transition from playing dumb to approving Janeway and Chakotay's decision to investigate her holodeck logs show a little more obvious reluctance. It seemed to me that Tom abandoned his defensive position without quite enough heart searching. It was, however, pretty obvious that the two senior officers had a pretty good grasp of the situation and that further prevarication would have been a complete waste of time.

Mike raised the question of whether or not Tom loves B'Elanna. I think he does. Whether or not the two of them are right for each other is, of course, an entirely different question. (Had to say that. I am, after all, a card carrying member of the stubbornly unrepentant J/P contingent. :-) ) But, perhaps more importantly, does B'Elanna still love Tom? Because "Extreme Risk" leaves B'Elanna very far from recovered from her emotional deadness, that question is left hanging, and there's nothing in either "In The Flesh" or "Once Upon A Time" to indicate one way or the other how things are between them. (And, though I'll be seeing "Timeless" tonight - yippee! - I doubt that answers any questions either.) There is Tom's farewell message to B'Elanna, which shows him in his typically tongue tied "I can show these things but I can't quite find the words to say them, and especially when I've got an audience" mode. I'm inclined to take it as an indication that yes, he probably is still in love with her but that things aren't really comfortable or resolved enough between them for even his last words to be enough of a prompt for him to say it.

I'd say... hazarding a guess... that he's giving her space and giving her time, trying not to crowd someone who's been hurt. Offering her a shoulder to cry on is not what she needs right now. It might make him feel better, but it could do her far more harm than good. So, he chooses to root for her silently. Look at his actions and behaviour on the Delta Flyer, after she wheedled Chakotay into letting her take the mission after all. He looked pleased and a little relieved to see her, but other than saying "Welcome aboard" he left the gushing effusions of pleasure to Harry. If she wants to reach out, he'll be there. But what B'Elanna needs at the moment is a friend rather than a lover. It doesn't mean that that friend doesn't have the desire to be more than that.

So, P/Ters, I'd say that the ball is firmly in B'Elanna's court. Right now that relationship is entirely what she wishes to make of it.