6x11 Fair Haven

Somebody got paid to write this episode.

Voyager, what are you doing to me? It may not seem like it, but I try to give you the benefit of the doubt. I look for hidden nuances in your cardboard characters and try to get myself invested. I accept that you have zero interest in continuity and want each episode to speak for itself.

So, why do you make it so much harder by throwing episodes like this at me? I'm not at all sure what the point of it was. Some kind of character study of Captain Janeway by throwing her into an awkward romance? An exploration of her need to assert control over every situation until it fits her vision? Another look at her clear discrimination and dismissal of holograms as sentient beings? (By my count, this is the third time. The whole thing is muddied by the question of just how sentient and independent holgrams actually are, but this show has the Doctor so I don't know what further proof she needs.)

I don't begrudge this for being a romance episode. Star Trek has done them before and they are important for character development, even though they almost always end up being pretty crap. I do take issue with it for being trite, lacking creativity, incredibly clichéd and turning almost every main character into a cheesy joke parody of who they are.

And by all means, let's leave two holodecks running this ridiculous program 24 hours a day. It's not like you're stranded in unknown hostile territory, low on power or need the energy. Oh, that's right: holodecks have their own magic independent power source. Please.

The quality of Voyager's holo deck stories is inconsistent. I liked Proton's memorable extravaganza and bold visual execution. I liked Leonardo because his nerdiness was a good match for Janeway and, well, he's Leonardo! But most other holo episodes (which also includes that Hawaiian beach resort setting) are outright silly. Well, I like some aspects, like the chance they offer Janeway to show her romantic side (like the time when she spend time in that Jane Austen holo novel) but I only welcome this fact because the Captain's personality was always underdeveloped in "real life". What the heck is she doing off-duty? Who des she hang with? Is she running science experiments in her quarters to satisfy her nerdy alter ego? What is she reading? That's all not told very well. But this episode is particularly silly. Janeway acting like a teenager in an Irish stereotype. Gosh - no. Can't she bond with a real person aboard Voyager? I don't understand why they always need holo stories in a historic setting to sharpen her non-professional personality. I don't agree to the Doctor's assertion that she's only allowed to "love" a holo character cause her subordinates aboard Voyager are out of bounds. This is maybe true for a regular ship, but Voyager is not exactly on a regular mission.

There's only one funny scene: Shmullus takes a walk with the Captain. He tries to talk sense into her and wants a confession. All while he's sporting a cassock. Fits his pontificating personality like a glove.