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MESSAGE IN
A
BOTTLE
SYNOPSIS
Using an alien sensor link Seven is able to locate
a Starfleet Vessel in the Alpha Quadrant, they only have 41 minutes
to transmit a message and when normal messages degenerate Janeway
decides to send the Doctor. However he arrives on the vessel to
discover it has been taken over by the Romulans.
As usual Robert Picardo
gives a superb performance and there are some wondefully funny
moments in his scenes with Andy Dick who plays the mark 2 EMH. Loved
the idea of the Prometheus being able to split into 3 and fire
independently. Voyager could definitely have benefited from this
technology. This was a good episode to show how the Doctors
programme has developed because he had to think on his feet, and it
was nice to see him boasting about his achievements (a very human
quality). And he showed compassion when he relayed Starfleets
message to Janeway at the end of the episode.
Favourite scene
had to be when the two EMHs had taken the ship and were trying to
stop it from being taken by the Romulans it was hilarious seeing
them trying to navigate and fire and almost self destruct the ship.
Best quote had to be Doctor
"Stop breathing down my neck" EMH 2 "My
breathing is merely a simulation" Doctor "So is my neck, stop it anyway."
Other scenes I liked were Janeway lounging on the command
chair and telling Chakotay she had been writing letters to home and
the way he looks at her in the final scene when she says 60,000
light years, seems a little closer today. We don't get that many
good J/C moments anymore so to get two in one episode was
good.
Now on to the nit picks. I'm getting slightly concerned
with the way they're changing Janeway's character. I know she's
desperate to get her crew home but is she that desperate that she
would risk losing the Doctors programme, was it really worth the
possibility of being stuck in the Delta Quadrant
without any
medical back up? We don't even have Kes anymore, I know we've got
Tom but I don't think he would make a very good full time medic.
When Seven created a feedback to give the Hirogen a shock
all Janeway did was sigh give a look and that was it, if it had been
B'Elanna she would probably have had a verbal reprimand.
Also we
have often heard the Doctor say that he has been programmed to cause
no harm yet on the Prometheus bridge when the mark 2 EMH says to
divert power from life support as they don't need it, he didn't even
bat an eyelid, yet they had 27 unconscious Romulans on board. I
could have accepted it if he'd said leave minimal power to life
support.
All in all a good sound episode and I'd give it a
9/10.
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