The Lynx members review of
the best and worst of Voyager
Now here are the best episodes
1. Cold Fire
This story shows what a fascinating character Kes is and what could have been. Voyager discovers another array like the one where the Caretaker lived which is populated by Ocampa people. But these Ocampa are not so friendly and neither is Suspiria, the Caretakers mate who tries to destroy the ship. In the end it is Kes who saves the ship and the crew. An excellent story!
2. Persistence Of Vision
Another story where Kes is the one who saves the ship. Voyager encounter the Bothans who tries to take over the ship by mental terror. The Voyager crew starts to hallucinate. It is only the Doctor and Kes who are not affected by these hallucinations and in the end it's Kes who defeat the Bothan with her strong mental powers. As in Cold Fire the combination of Kes as a elfin nice girl and a strong-minded powerful person is excellent.
3. Caretaker
This must be the best Star Trek pilot episode ever. Here it's action and excitement from the beginning to the end and the main characters are introduced one by one. After seeing this episode, the writer of this review became a Voyager fan and just couldn't wait for the next episode.
4. Warlord
The evil warlord Tieran dies but places his mind into Kes's body and tries to take over the government of his home planet. After a hard struggle, Kes is able to free her mind from the evil influence. Jennifer Lien is excellent in this episode and it's sort of fascinating to see a mean and evil Kes when she's controlled by the warlord Tieran.
5. Basics, part 1 and 2
The Kazon-Nistrim takes over Voyager and Janeway and the crew are stranded on a primitive planet. The Doctor and the confined murderer Lon Suder are the only crewmembers remaining on board. With some help from Tom Paris, who have escaped to the Talaxians to get reinforcement, they can drive away the Kazons and save their marooned crewmates. The writer of this review had to wait six months for part 2 to be released on video. That was six long months!
and here are the worst episodes
1. Fury
The person who wrote this episode must really have loathed the character Kes and tried the best to make the character as morbid as possible. The "Kes" seen in this episode looks more like Suspiria or some evil being from another dimension. To turn Kes into some sort of maniac and not bring her back as a regular member of the crew was an insult to us fans who wanted Kes back. Not the come-back episode we wanted. Instead it was a spit in the face to the Kes fans who wanted her back, an insult that we will not forget.
2. The Gift
What a disgusting way to treat an actress and what a disgusting way to write off a popular character. The story is thin and only a bad excuse to get rid of Kes. Jennifer Lien's acting is excellent as usual but those who are responsible for this episode and for forcing her to participate in this execution of her character must be true sadists.
3. Mortal Coil
Neelix dies and Seven brings him back to life. Highly unrealistic with a dubious message.
4. Relativity
Forging of history.
5. Endgame
A sad end to a series that started so well.
Star Trek Voyager Books
Here are the best books
1. The Black Shore by Greg Cox
Voyager arrives to Ryolanov, a tropical paradise with friendly inhabitants. But this paradise is not so paradisic after all and the Ryol are not what they are supposed to be. Kes is the one who finally discover the terrifying secret about the black shore.
Well, this is the one! Without doubt the best Star Trek book ever written. Excitement from the beginning to the end. A book that you just can't stop reading until you're finished. If you are going to read only one Star Trek book in your whole life, then this is the one!
2. Marooned by Christie Golden
Kes is kidnapped by a pirate and when the Voyager crew tries to save her, Janeway and her away team are stranded on a hostile planet. The situation is difficult for Kes but with her smartness and a little help from her friends she can escape.
A good and exciting story! Stories like Marooned and The Black Shore clearly shows that it is possible to write good Voyager stories with Kes as the main character and that the mighty producers constant talk about that "It was impossible to write good stories about Kes" is nothing but rubbish!
3. Her Klingon Soul by Michael Jan Friedman
B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim are captured by alien slavers and imprisoned on a planet where they are forced to mine for deadly radioactive ore. After many difficulties they can finally escape. B'Elanna Torres (another of our favorites) is the main character here but Kes plays an important role too.
4. Caretaker by L.A. Graaf
The pilot episode, now as a book. This is indeed an excellent story and the book has details that we can't see in the TV episode.
5. The Garden by Melissa Scott
In their search for food supplies, the Voyager crew visits a planet inhabited by the mysterious Kirse. When the planet is attacked by the Kirse's enemies, the Andirrim, the Voyager crew have to fight together with the Kirse to save the planet. Not so much Kes in this one but an exciting story with a surprising end!
And the worst books ?
Well, none of us involved with this site have read any books written after Kes's departure and it's unlikely that any of us will ever read any Star Trek Voyager book where there is no Kes to be found.