Customer Reviews

Star Trek - Voyager, Episodes 1 & 2: Caretaker (Pilot) [VHS]

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Like the pilot episodes for "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine", "Caretaker" was a fascinating mix of familiar concepts and brand new possibilities. Based on this program alone one would think the production team would truly succeed in getting back to the sense of wonder at the unknown that infused Star Trek before it got to the point where the Federation became more thoroughly mapped than some parts of the U.S.

To be sure, the ingredients were there. As portrayed by Kate Mulgrew, Captain Janeway hits the right balance: not quite as thoughtful as Picard but not as prone to "cowboy diplomacy" as Kirk. Add to that an intriguing Vulcan security officer, a testy holographic doctor, a highly vocal group of Federation rebels and a host of other potentially interesting characters and you've got quite a crew. The story (and the series) started with some nice nods to established "Star Trek" lore for the faithful and quickly ditched it all to put the crew 70,000 light years from their Starfleet support systems. This was the show's boldest move and if they'd kept on the path this episode layed out they might have surpassed their predecessors.

Like the premieres of "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine" there's a deeper mystery at work around our heroes and if they don't figure it out quickly, there won't be a next episode. They do figure it, of course, and in the noble Star Trek tradition they sacrifice a quick way home for the sake of others less able to protect themselves. This time, though, the commanding officer's decision does not get a unanimous seal of approval thanks to the presence of the rebel faction who found themsleves dragged across the stars just as Voyager's crew was. This group, called the Maquis, reluctantly join up with Voyager's crew as they set off for what could be a several decade journey home. This forced marriage between the disciplined Federation and the individualistic Maquis offered great potential which was sadly underused in future episodes.

Indeed, despite the unfamiliar surroundings of the Delta Quadrant, many of the subsequent episodes relied on tried and true Star Trek cliches. Aside from some really good character studies and a few intriguing encounters with other races, an unshakeable sense of deja vu quickly overtook the series. For this story, though, it all seemed so fresh and dynamic and exceptionally easy to enjoy.

This was a great start to the series. We are introduced to characters that have a lot of potential for growth, and a setting with possibilities limited only by the writers' imaginations. Unfortunately, their imaginations turned out to be more limited than the series premiere seems to promise. By the end of Season Five, the series had begun to taste rather stale in the mouths of many fans. As we enter Season Seven, we can hope that they will finally "push the envelope" and take some chances with the characters. It is episodes like the pilot that make us wonder just what *Voyager* could have been . . . maybe even *should* have been. All fans should see this one; it's fun to see unfamiliar tension between some of our favorite characters, and the Delta Quadrant has a really "fresh" feel. One wonders if the writers ever watch this episode and think about all the possibilities they neglected in six years . . .

I'd watch an episode of Star Trek if there was nothing else on to watch, but for some reason, something about "Voyager" intrigued me. After watching "Caretaker", I was instantly hooked.

Kate Mulgrew makes a superb showing as Trek's first female captain. "Voyager" has many firsts that have never before been done in Star Trek, such as being so far away from home. Other episodes have lost contact with Starfleet, but they've still be close enough to home. Voyager is out there in the middle of no where.

This first episode reminded me of the Newbury Medal winning book "The Giver". The people were so sheltered in their world. They didn't know what it was like on the outside. Kes' people are kind of like that. The Caretaker provides everything for them, but he is dying and is looking for a replacement.

This was definitely a great beginning to the show. I can't wait to get the first season DVD set!

"Star Trek-Voyager" is the fourth series in the ever-lasting sci-fi franchise, and it's like "Lost In Space", but with a Federation crew, and they have definitely gone where no man has gone before.
As Captain Kathryn Janeway, Kate Mulgrew surely commands respect as she and her crew are blasted 70,000 light years away from home by some array called the 'Caretaker'. The crew itself is quite diverse and interesting, especially Chakotay (Robert Beltran), Tuvok (Tim Russ), Tom Paris (Robert Duncan MacNeill), and B'elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson). I'm not very happy with Neelix (Ethan Phillips). I stick with the Doctor (Robert Picardo) as the most fascinating comic relief in the show.
"Voyager" might have gone through a bumpy start with critics and fans alike, but I believe that this pilot episode delivers the goods, and it's better than the one from "Deep Space Nine".

The four series in the "Star Trek" saga, "Voyager" had the advantage of the best pilot episode in the history of the franchise to date. The reason for this is probably because unlike its predecessors this "Star Trek" ended up taking place in a quadrant far, far away, although the series was set in the same time period as "The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine." Unlike the "Enterprise" of Kirk and Picard, "Voyage" was a smaller Starfleet vessel, with a crew complement of only 150. While chasing a ship of Maquis rebels, "Voyager" is sent by a freak plasma storm to the Delta Quadrant, from which it would take about 75 years to get home to the Alpha Quadrant. "Caretaker" (January 15, 1995) the first two episodes comprising the pilot, establishes not only how the starship ends up in the wrong place, but also how they ended up being trapped there.

Written by Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor, with producer Rick Berman getting an additional story credit, "Caretaker" develops internal conflicts to go along with the main external one. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) is not only trying to get back home but has merged the crew of the Maquis ship with her own and made its captain, Chakotay (Robert Beltran), her First Officer and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson), a half-Klingon half-human, the Chief Engineer. Her Security Chief Tuvok (Tim Russ), is a Vulcan who had been an undercover agent on the Maquis Ship. In terms of the original crew of "Voyager" there is perennial bad boy and hot shot pilot Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), young homesick Ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang), and a holographic doctor (Robert Picardo). Also thrown into the mix was the friendly Neelix (Ethan Phillips), one of the first aliens "Voyager" encountered in the Delta Quadrant, and Kes (Jennifer Lien), his Ocampan companion. The opportunities for interpersonal conflicts (and relationships) were readily apparent. Basically the first half of "Caretaker" gets "Voyager" and the Maquis ship to the Delta Quadrant and the second half establishes why they end up stuck there, which also adds a key element of guilt and responsibility to the character of Captain Janeway. The title character of the pilot is a mysterious and powerful alien whose technologically advanced machine was responsible for the plasma storm, and which is drawing other interested parties to it as well, adding even more complications to the premise of the show.

Having done the "commanded to wander" bit twice with the first two "Star Trek" series, and trying for something different with "Deep Space Nine," which started out as sort of a frontier outpost type show but which eventually returned to form with its own little vessel the "Defiant," those looking after Gene Roddenberry's legacy really went for something different this time. With "Voyager" this "Star Trek" franchise was given something very close to a blank slate. Granted, in time they would manage to work in Q and the Borg into this series as well, but the premise for "Voyager" was just so rich and detailed. With the fifth series "Enterprise" returning to a far simpler premise, "Caretaker" continues to stand as one of the finest science fiction pilots in television history. Even if you are not a Trekkie but are simply interested in how to create a solid television series, this two-part episode provides a nice textbook example of how to do it right.

Exciting, intriguing and featuring the most inventive plot device in any Trek series, 'Caretaker' is a real audience pleaser, grabbing us from the start and keeping things moving along briskly. The teaser features one of the mighty Cardassian ships in hot pursuit of a band of Maquis in a 39 yr. old relic; both of them ending up in The Badlands, an area of space overrun with plasma storms. The Voyager, a Federation ship capable of negotiating the unstable Badlands, is sent after the Maquis who unknown to them has an undercover Federation agent working among them. The two ships become unfortunate victims of an alien entity who whisks them 70,000 light years from known Federation space; eventually the two separate crews are forced to meld together out of the necessity to survive.

Though not as impressive looking as the ST: DS9 pilot 'Emissary', this series opener can stand on it's own successes. The design and look of the Voyager was obviously given some serious thought; the introduction of bio-neural packs seems insignificant when first mentioned but comes into play considerably in future episodes. The addition of the holographic doctor is also another great invention; giving him such a sharp wit and acerbic tongue is also a nice touch, a step away from the normally sensitive portrayals we've been used to. And having gone down this road a couple of times already the production and creative staff demonstrated a sharp intuitiveness to the fashioning of this pilot show. Each character is rightly placed and introduced in turn; we get a chance to get to know a good deal about each of them. There is no fat in this story either, with only essential elements brought into the foreground; what's presented is easy to follow and the crews' dilemma quickly absorbs our interest. The Caretaker itself is a classic science fiction invention - it makes me think of the Philip K. Dick book 'V.A.L.I.S.' that also featured a comparable array like device as well as a few vaguely similar themes. Janeway's difficult final decision in handling The Caretaker would haunt her throughout the continuation of the series providing future interesting stories and subplots.

The mixture of characters is as near perfect as you could get, with the casting of movie and television veterans Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran and Robert Picardo a real coup for the Trek staff. They had long been capable actors and their presence among the relatively unknown group of performers filling out the rest of the cast was a real and necessary punch to the lineup. Robert Duncan McNeill and Tim Russ had played previous roles in Trek shows and movies and so impressed the staff that their parts were created specifically for them. Everyone grew into their roles nicely as the series progressed, paying close attention to their characters' backgrounds and adding the necessary nuance and depth to each one. Though I've read several reviews here knocking the Voyager series I really feel that it's every bit as good as the other previous Trek incarnations. It's best to watch this series from the beginning rather than try to pick it up by watching singular episodes sporadically; the same advice can be applied to watching Deep Space Nine that had a similar variety of main characters with extremely different - and sometimes difficult - backgrounds. Missing an occasional episode can create some confusion but missing several episodes will create an overload of confusion.

A final note: if that doctor present in the Ocampan medical bay looks familiar to you, he should. The actor's name is Bruce French and he was featured in the superior ST: TNG episode 'The Drumhead' as the assistant to the J.A.G. officer.

Well, if you are any kind of Star Trek fan, obviously, this is a "must see" episode. It is key, of course, because it sets up the entire storyline for the seven year Voyager series...and I must say that this pilot seemed very promising indeed!

In this initial episode, we are introduced to the characters that will become central to the Voyager series...and an interesting bunch they are! We have Maquis terrorists, seasoned Starfleet officers, "new kids", and convicted criminals....all with the potential for some VERY interesting and original character development and storylines ahead of them!

And the backdrop of all this couldn't be better...lost in the Delta Quadrant - 70,000 light years from home! With a whole array of new aliens, new situations to encounter, etc.

Voyager, through this episode, promised some new, fresh adventure. Some new kinds of Trek personalities. Some new twists from the Berman Braintrust.

It was a great beginning!

CARETAKER is a marvellous start to an offensively underrated and wonderful show...It's amazing how much this first episode sets in place about the characters...and how consistently the characters have lived up to the expectations set by this premiere.

All the actors are wonderful, but Kate Mulgrew's magnificent Captain Janeway really stands out.

david g

I watched the pilot and for a college woman who could care less about star wars or star trek, I was intrigued by the plot and eventually I came to find Voyager to be one of the best shows on TV simply because of the lessons we mere humans can learn from this utopia imagined by roddenberry.

I grew up on Voyager I watched the crew grow, die, mourn, and go through hell through the past seven years. I like the other Star Trek shows but, this one is my favorite. It mocks the orignal. In a good way. The crew needs to get home in their final episode that is what the crew deserves. The crew really deserves that. This episode is the first of a new era that was spun short of delay. Seven Of Nine does not appear in the sereis until later, at the end of season three when Kes dies. This sereis is the best and it makes the other trek sereis look bad. I recommend this title straight from my little trekkie heart.