This Week's Episode: "One Small Step"
Summary: Voyager encounters a Graviton Elipse, the same phenomena that enveloped the Ares IV, the first vessel to Mars. While exploring the interior of the Elipse, the crew finds the Ares IV intact. However, when the Elipse becomes attracted to a dark matter asteroid, the lives of the away team are placed in jeopardy. Janeway orders the team to leave the elipse immediately, however, the explorer in Chakotay interjects, and orders Tom to lock onto the Ares IV with a tractor beam. Due to his actions, the Flyer becomes trapped in the Elipse with no engines, and no hope for escape. The only way to leave the elipse is to use technology on board the Ares IV.
Rating: 10
Best Scene: Pretty much all the scenes on board the Ares IV were fantastic...especially in the last 10 minutes of the show. Wow! One scene that I believe was somewhat overlooked is the expression on Tom's face when Lieutenant Kelly is talking about "pilot error".
Worst Scene: Not in this episode!
Best acting award goes to: Phil Morris as Lieutenant John Kelly, Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine and Robert Beltran as Chakotay (too hard to narrow down to just one person).
Best Line: "The Yankee's....in six games.." -- Seven of Nine, hoping to change one of Kelly's last regrets of not knowing who won the World Series.
Impressions: Wow, wow, wow! I have to say, I've watched this episode at least half a dozen times since it aired originally. I know, I know...time to get a life ;) But this has to be one of the finest episodes of not only Voyager, but Star Trek as a whole. I just can't say enough about this incredible hour of television!
One of the first things that drew me to Star Trek as a child (which really wasn't that long ago ;) was the whole sense of exploration, seeking out new life, and boldly going... on top of that, there was always a vision of a hopeful future that I would never personally witness myself, but this future was where humanity had managed to overcome the struggles that plague our societies to this very day. This was Gene Roddenberry's vision, and to this day, it still attracts me to Star Trek. "One Small Step" manages to embody what Star Trek is all about, and reminds us why we enjoy it so. The episode shows the desire for exploration of humanity, and in reality, this "exploration" could occur in my lifetime, and that is very exciting!
I'm going to go off on somewhat of a tangent here, but I know of one particular reviewer, Michelle Erica Green, who really couldn't seem to enjoy this episode, since it was a "Seven episode". For those who don't know, Green has what seems like an eternal hate for Seven, calling her the "Borg Barbie". I think she missed the point. This wasn't a Seven episode at all. It was more than that. But in order for the episode to be effective as it was, the writers needed to use a character who didn't share the sense and need to explore, like the entire Voyager crew. I mean, the entire crew signed up to Starfleet (with the exception of some of the Maquis I suppose), so they must have had the desire to explore. So, the episode wouldn't have worked say if Tom had been the one to beam over to the Ares IV. Seven works particularly well since on many occasions she has questioned the crews need to explore, and often critisized it. This episode needed someone who didn't share Kelly's or the crews need for exploration and discovery, so that that person wouldn't appreciate the Ares IV. That person would be none other than Seven of Nine.
The episode isn't fast paced by any means, (although it does get a little rushed in the end), but it wasn't too slow either. We have a great teaser of the Ares IV mission, followed by a humourous scene with Chakotay and a possessed door. From this point on, it takes a while for the show to get back specifically back on board the Ares IV. But when it does, which is the last fifteen-twenty mintues of the show, this episode absolutely shines! The flashbacks sequence to Kelly are seamlessly edited to the 24th century scenes. The set of the Ares IV was fantastic by the way. Phil Morris, an actor who isn't a stranger to Star Trek, portrays Kelly with great humanity and compassion. Although we only have several minutes to get to know the character, Morris is able to effectively allow the audience to feel for Kelly. The dedication to exploration of Kelly truly shows when he shuts off life support and all vital systems, just so the camera can keep recording. Now that's dedication. During his final speech, which is very emotional, there is a fabulous shot of Paris when Kelly says that he couldn't blame the mission on pilot error. This line resonates in Tom as it was pilot error that resulted in Paris being kicked out of Starfleet. I found that scene particularly powerful for some reason. Of course, the shots of Seven losing her composure when Kelly's logs abruptly end. She then risks her life and the lives of the away team, much like Chakotay did when he ordered to lock onto the Ares IV with a tractor beam, when she spends several extra seconds fulfilling one of Kelly's last wishes: the use of the data he collected while inside the Graviton Elipse. The most powerful scenes however were the ones on the Bridge during the memorial (that Yankees line really got to me), as Seven is able to understand the need to explore, and she takes one big step on her journey to humanity.
Robert Picardo did an amazing job directing this episode. He is really able to effectively tell the story, and I was particularly impressed with how he blended the flashback sequences to the future sequences. The music was also very good. Not often do I ever find that the musical score ever breaks away from the typical episode background score. However in "One Small Step", the music is rich and eccentuates the story. The acting was superb, not only my Morris, but by the entire Voyager cast. Robert Beltran, who never seems to be able to shine, really does in this episode as he explains his desire to be an archaeologist. Robert McNeill also does well, and Jeri Ryan really shows why she was just nominated for best drama actress in the TV Guide awards (yes, they aren't the Emmy's, but so what!). The effects were fantastic, and the set of the Ares IV was amazingly detailed. This episode is definately a keeper, and I can't award it anything less than a 10 out of 10. It was perfect! If I had to choose a handful of Star Trek episodes that epitomized what Star Trek meant to me, "One Small Step" would definately be one of them. Fabulous work on all fronts: writing, directing, acting, music, sets, etc, etc, etc...
