Customer Reviews

Star Trek Voyager, Episode 43: Sacred Ground [VHS]

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"Sacred Ground" (Story by Geo Cameron, Script by Lisa Klink, First Aired October 30, 1996) is really Episode 49 of "Star Trek: Voyager," but is on Tape 43 because things are really messed up in this video collection once you get to the start of Season Three. This should come between Episode 48 "Remember" and Episode 50 "Future's End," and that is where you should watch it, especially since Episode 42 was the cliffhanger from the end of Season Two, "The Basics, Part 1," and the last we say Captain Janeway and company, they were stuck on a primitive planet while "Voyager" was in the hands of the Kazon. Anyhow, now on to our episode:

On a visit to the Nechani homeworld Kes (Jennifer Lien) is visiting a shrine when she is struck by a mysterious energey burst that renders her unconscious. The Doctor can do nothing and Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) is told by the Magistrate (Henry Groener, a.k.a. the Mayor on "BtVS") that Kes violated a holy place that only monks can enter after having undergone a purification ritual that protects them from the energy field. A desperate Neelix (Ethan Phillips) discovers a ancient Nechani legend of a king who underwent the ritual to save the life of his unconscious son and Janeway gets permission to make a similar attempt. However, this proves easier said than done and the chief attraction of this episode is the process by which Janeway comes to the realization that even a Starship captain has to take some things on faith.

"Sacred Ground" is a nice little off-track episode, having nothing to do with the quest to get back to the Alpha Quadrant or the various entanglements that have plagued the "Voyager" crew. It also has a nice trio of guest stars in Keene Curtis, Estelle Harris, and Parley Baer as the three old people Janeway meets during the ritual.

If you knew nothing about Star Trek's Voyager - and wanted to learn more - you could not pick a better episode than "Sacred Ground!" This is science fiction at its absolute best!

I'm not ashamed to admit it - I burst out sobbing after watching this magnificent work of genius! It is one of the most profoundly spiritual programs in the history of television! If you have both a passion for both science and the sacred - make sure you take the time to watch this gem! The insights gained could change your life!

This is what great storytelling is all about - reflecting one's society back to the listener in a new and profound way!

The spiritual (not religious) theme may be foreign to most sci-fi fans; the canned storyline and action sequences found in so much of sci-fi is missing here. "Sacred Ground" is my favorite Voyager episode, and the only one I plan to purchase.