thirty days voyager cast

Thirty Days (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production
• 4.2 Continuity
• 4.3 Reception
• 4.4 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Guest stars
• 5.4 Co-stars
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.6 Stand-ins
• 5.7 References
• 5.8 External links

Summary [ ]

Captain Kathryn Janeway stands in her ready room aboard Voyager , face to face with her chief conn officer , Lieutenant Tom Paris . Two security officers are present at the door.

Lieutenant (jg) Paris is demoted

Janeway regards Paris sternly. She states his full name and her punishment against him: demotion to the rank of ensign and incarceration, in solitary confinement, for the next thirty days in the brig . Paris stands at attention, staring straight ahead. She reaches for the two pips on his collar, one black and one gold, indicating his lieutenant junior grade rank, and plucks the black pip away, leaving only the gold one, the insignia of an ensign. She then orders the security officers to escort him to the brig, referring to him by his new, lower rank.

The officers advance, but Paris shrugs them off, telling them that he knows the way. He turns briskly and leaves, the officers behind him. Janeway stares silently at him as the door closes behind them. He marches along the corridors, the officers behind him. He looks neither right nor left, as passing crewmates pause and stare, some with great concern, particularly his girlfriend B'Elanna Torres . He enters the turbolift with the officers.

Arriving alone at the brig, they enter. They stop at the "turnkey station," where Paris removes his combadge and surrenders it to the officer on duty. He enters a cell. The officer activates the cell entrance's force field , sealing him inside. He lies down on the bunk at the back, and does not move again, breathing slowly, preparing to accept his confinement.

Act One [ ]

Paris has removed his uniform jacket and undershirt, leaving only his T-shirt during his first day of being in solitary. A security officer is on duty, monitoring him as Paris begins to do some push-ups. Neelix enters with a tray of food consisting of only basic nutrition. Paris complains, but Neelix responds that the captain has ordered he receive only basic nutrition for the duration of his incarceration. Paris then asks him about his request to the captain for time on the holodeck , but he is again disappointed; she has denied it.

Neelix then turns to leave. Paris asks him to stay and talk, but he replies that the captain's instruction is: " No nonessential conversation with the prisoner. " Paris muses whether the words "cruel and unusual " mean anything to Janeway. Neelix sadly leaves him alone. But Paris has been provided with a PADD for him to 'write' with. He picks it up from the food tray and sits down.

Paris begins to dictate on it a letter to his father, Admiral Owen Paris , although he has no idea if he will ever receive it. He also knows his father, who he believes never thought much of him, will probably not be surprised to hear that he is again in jail. So he begins to describe the circumstances that led him to the brig in detail, so that his father will know that this time the reasons for his incarceration are different. ( VOY : " Caretaker ")

It started, he begins, on a morning that found him doing something he knows, he dictates, " you would find a complete waste of time. " He is seen playing Captain Proton on the holodeck. In this adventure, he is joined by his usual partner, Operations officer Ensign Harry Kim , playing Proton's sidekick, Buster Kincaid . Also joining them, playing the part of the villains Proton must defeat, The Twin Mistresses of Evil , are Jenny and Megan Delaney .

They are interrupted by a hail from Commander Chakotay , ordering all senior staff to the bridge . They leave and Paris and Kim quickly obey, not bothering to change out of their costumes. On the USS Voyager bridge, Captain Janeway informs them that a very strange reading has been picked up on sensors : a celestial object that is not a planet , but teems with life. Paris and Kim go to their stations.

The Monean "world ocean"

The ship comes within the sensors' visual range of the heavenly body. Janeway orders an on-screen view. It is a planet-sized globe made entirely of water; literally, a "world ocean." There is no land at all anywhere in its composition, only water. Kim scans it and reports that a containment field is holding it together. Paris gazes at it wondrously.

Suddenly three small ships burst forth from the surface and rush up toward them. Janeway orders an attempted hail , but they do not respond, instead, firing on Voyager . Their weapons do no damage. She calls a red alert and again orders an attempted hail. But again the only answer is weapons fire. She orders Tuvok , the Vulcan chief tactical officer , to return fire, targeting the lead ship's weapons. He does so, disabling them. She again orders an attempted hail. This time, they respond.

On the viewscreen appears an alien wearing a jacket and a hooded undercoat. He identifies himself as Deputy Consul Burkus of the Monean Maritime Sovereignty . He orders Janeway to withdraw. She responds that she and her crew mean them no harm, explaining that they are explorers and are simply fascinated by their "world ocean," and would like to learn more about it and them. She points out that Voyager could have easily destroyed them all, but has not. Burkus accepts this, noting the impressiveness of Voyager . Janeway smiles and offers him a tour.

Janeway, Tuvok, and Neelix take Burkus and a party of his people, called Moneans , around the ship, ending in a visit to the bridge. Here Neelix asks them if the Moneans have always lived in this "world ocean," which the Moneans call The Waters . Burkus responds that their ancestors found it three hundred years prior, and decided to settle there, farming aquatic vegetation and extracting oxygen for their ships and undersea settlements. The group leaves, but before it does, Janeway invites Paris to join them, which he is more than happy to do.

Voyager over The Waters

Voyager orbits The Waters. In the briefing room , the Moneans explain further about The Waters. Riga , another of the party, tells them they have no idea how The Waters were formed, but he theorizes that they formed in the way a gas giant does.

But, he explains further, their lack of knowledge about its formation has led to problems: it has begun to shrink, as the water has recently begun to dissipate through the containment field. They believe the answer to stopping the loss is to be found at the center, six hundred kilometers down, but their ships are unable to go down that deep. Paris enthusiastically (and inappropriately, earning him a surprised and somewhat irritated look from Captain Janeway), tells them that Voyager can help them do so.

Later, in her ready room, Janeway sits informally with Paris, having tea . She asks him about his enthusiasm in assisting the Moneans save their "world ocean." He replies that he has always had a keen interest in the sea as a child, back on Earth , even wanting to join the Federation Naval Patrol . But his father was adamant that he be a Starfleet officer. He suggests a few adjustments to the Delta Flyer which will make it capable of submarine operation. Janeway approves, putting Paris in charge of the mission.

The Flyer is made ready. Paris and Ensign Kim make ready to depart, along with a third crew member, Seven of Nine . Also accompanying them is Riga, one of the Monean party. The Flyer leaves the shuttlebay and, after a quick final systems check, Paris, the pilot, puts it into a controlled nosedive. It plunges into The Waters, disappearing beneath the surface.

Act Two [ ]

The Flyer passes a Monean oxygen refinery

The Flyer descends into The Waters. It passes a large, active industrial structure, which Riga identifies as one of their oxygen refineries . The Voyager crew members find it most impressive. Paris gazes at it in wonder.

Captain Janeway is in her ready room, looking out her windows at the surface of The Waters. First Officer Chakotay and Deputy Consul Burkus enter. Chakotay reports to her, in Burkus' presence, that the rate of water loss is worse than previously thought: the entire "world ocean" will dissipate in less than five years. They may have to consider evacuating if a stop is not put to the loss. Burkus doubts the accuracy of the data, and having to report this projection to the members of the government, the 47 regional sovereigns. He believes they'll pass a resolution demanding his political head. Janeway insists that telling them is the right thing to do. Burkus responds that he will wait and see what the Flyer finds first.

The Flyer is five hundred kilometers down and still descending. The hull creaks a bit, to the consternation of Riga, the first Monean to be at these depths. Kim assures him all is well, and makes a few adjustments to the controls. The creaking stops.

The containment field generator

Then Seven detects a structure twelve kilometers away. This shocks Riga; what structure could there be at this depth? None of his people have ever been so far down, so it cannot be theirs. Paris heads for it, turning on powerful external headlamps so they can see it out the windows. Kim scans it and surmises that it is a field generator; this may be what is generating the containment field that is keeping The Waters together. Even more shockingly, its age appears to be over 100,000 years. Kim finds that the thing has a computer system , and begins downloading its database.

A creature attacks the Flyer

But then a shadow passes. An immense aquatic creature, eel-like, and much larger than the Flyer , appears. It is a predator by the look of its mouth, which is rimmed with dagger-like teeth. Like the Earth fish known as the electric eel , it discharges large amounts of electricity that begin shorting out systems on the Flyer . Riga has no idea what it is; not having been at these depths before, his people have no idea what lurks down here. Seven, however, uses a few shots from the shuttle's phasers to convince the creature to find easier prey.

However, the damage has been done: they have lost propulsion and shields and are leaking.

Paris sits in his cell, recounting the incident, as the PADD records it. Suddenly, Voyager is shaken. Janeway's voice comes over the com, sternly calling red alert and ordering all hands to battle stations . The officer on duty quickly departs. Paris calls after him; if the ship is under attack, he, Paris, the conn officer , should be on the bridge at the conn station. But the officer does not respond, and a second jolt throws him into a wall, almost knocking him unconscious.

Act Three [ ]

Paris comes to and finds The Doctor over him, ministering to his injuries. They are not serious, no more than a bump on the head. Paris gets up, sits on the bunk and asks him about what happened.

The Doctor informs him that they were attacked by five ships. He then takes the opportunity to frighten Paris, for all the times Paris has annoyed and exasperated him, by telling him about the sterling performance at the helm of Ensign Culhane , who has temporarily replaced him as conn officer. He twists the knife even further by suggesting that Captain Janeway may be considering making the appointment permanent, from what he has heard.

Finishing his ministrations, The Doctor packs up his medkit and turns to leave. Paris pleads with him for a neurological scan or something, to get him a medical reprieve and an early release; the confinement and isolation are getting to him now; he has been here for ten days and has twenty more to go. But The Doctor refuses and tells Paris that he will see him in twenty days.

After he has gone, Paris sighs, returns to the bunk and resumes dictating his letter to his father. He is seen in the Flyer fixing leaks. He is soaked. The leaks are plugged, but without thrusters, the only way they can surface is to jettison what they can to achieve positive buoyancy and float up. However, Paris insists on staying; this may be their only chance to study and fix the containment field generator. Kim strongly disagrees, given the state of the Flyer . But Seven also decides that they should stay, and so Kim goes along.

Water escapes from The Waters

Aboard Voyager , on the bridge's viewscreen, a disturbance appears on the surface of The Waters. A huge column of vapor extends from the center of the disturbance, into space. Tuvok reports to Janeway that it is a containment field breach. She orders measures taken to stop it.

Burkus asks her about the Flyer . She has no ready answer, as they have been out of contact for a while, but not long enough to be alarming. Burkus becomes flustered, wondering aloud what he is going to tell the council. Janeway asks him which he cares about more: his political career or the lives of the people on the shuttle trying to help his people. He does not answer.

On the Flyer , Kim, who along with Seven, has detected the breach on the sensors, finds, however, that it was not a malfunction, but done "deliberately" by the field generator. He finds that the density of the water has been increasing over the past few years, and the generator is periodically creating breaches in the containment field to release the building pressure on itself, to keep itself from being crushed. Paris surmises that they can boost its power using the Flyer 's power cells, thus enabling it to handle the increasing pressure without releasing water. Seven agrees, but cautions that the effect will be only temporary. They carry out the procedure, and then begin floating to the surface.

In the Delta Flyer 's aft section, Riga finds Paris working at a computer console. He has found information that shows that The Waters used to be part of a land mass; they were the oceans of a planet that was home to a very advanced civilization. It is unknown what happened to them, but they were the ones who created the generator. They launched it into space and it kinetically drew all oceans unto itself, along with all life in them.

Riga is stunned and asks Paris why this civilization would have done such a thing. Paris can only guess it may have been due to an impending disaster or possibly an experiment. Paris also tells him the generator's periodic dropping of the containment field is not what has been causing the water loss. It is the Moneans' oxygen-mining operations.

Paris lies in his cell, having an unpleasant dream about his father scolding him and sending him to his room for playing with ancient sailing-ship models, instead of doing his homework. His father's voice morphs into Janeway's voice, speaking her punishment against him, but she says thirty years not thirty days in jail. The unpleasant dream fades away, however, as Ensign Kim, who has come to see him, wakes him up.

Paris is looking haggard His face is covered with stubble, and he is disheveled. Captain Janeway has finally relented a bit on allowing him visitors, but has ordered Kim to keep it to a few minutes.

He asks Kim about Torres. Kim responds that she misses him. He asks Paris what he has been doing to pass the time. Paris tells him of the letter he is writing, but he is unsure if he going to finish it, or wants to. Kim suggests that Paris should finish it. But Paris does not want another lecture, and asks him to leave. Kim does so as he tells Paris that he will see him in fourteen days, with the parting comment about him proving his father right: he never finishes what he starts.

Act Four [ ]

Paris continues his letter, recounting the presentation of his findings to Deputy Consul Burkus. He, Janeway, and Torres are in the briefing room discussing them with Burkus and Riga. The Starfleet officers offer to provide alternative oxygen production technology to the Monean government, but stress that the oxygen mining must be cut back or cease, to stop the water loss and save their world.

Burkus diplomatically promises to take the findings under advisement, although displaying no real intention of doing anything about it. His only concern is the political backlash against him for recommending that the mining operations be stopped. Paris sees this, and begins to angrily remonstrate with him. Burkus leaves in a huff. Riga follows sadly. Not being a senior official, his hands are tied.

After they have gone, Janeway angrily rebukes Paris. She stresses that, according to the Prime Directive , they can do nothing else to help. Paris' response borders on insubordination. At this, Janeway dismisses Paris and very angrily warns him to "check the attitude". She stresses that she agrees with him, but they can do no more; they cannot force the Moneans to accept their recommendation. She tells him they will soon be departing. He acknowledges but remains upset.

Paris gets advice from Torres

He goes to the holodeck and has the computer activate the "Captain Proton" environment, but without the characters. He sits glumly in the simulated bridge of Proton's ship. Torres enters and sits with him. He resignedly tells her that he had thought that this would be the chance to revisit his childhood love of the ocean on a scale he could not ever have imagined as a child, but finds himself unable to save this world ocean. Torres tells her that no matter what, she's proud of him for finding something he cares so passionately about, and asks if Tom Paris can take action where Captain Proton cannot.

Paris goes to one of the transporter rooms and finds Riga preparing to return to The Waters. Paris dismisses the crewman at the controls and asks Riga what would happen if the oxygen refineries were damaged. Riga states they would be rebuilt, but Paris guesses that if they were then they would likely be redesigned to cause less damage to the ocean. Riga realizes that Paris is more than willing to take this action, and is ready to help.

Captain Janeway arrives on the bridge in response to an urgent call from Tuvok. He informs her that the Delta Flyer has left the shuttlebay, without authorization. She immediately knows who has taken it. Aboard, Paris and Riga are grim-faced as Paris takes the craft down and nosedives it into the water.

Act Five [ ]

On the bridge, a hail comes in from Deputy Consul Burkus who tells Janeway Monean sensors have detected the Flyer . Janeway informs him who the occupants are, and tells him her assumption that they are planning " to take some sort of... radical action to protect the ocean. " Burkus agitatedly voices his hope that she is planning to stop them. Her angry glare is confirmation that she intends to do just that, and she ends the communication.

" Return immediately! "

Beneath the surface of The Waters, three Monean ships fire on the Flyer , but Paris' expert piloting skills makes the Flyer easily escape them. A hail comes through from Janeway who orders him to return immediately. He refuses, his voice sad. Janeway informs Paris that he is disobeying a direct order.

On Voyager 's bridge, Chakotay reports with disbelief that Paris has cut the communication. Kim reports that they seem to be heading for one of the oxygen refineries. Paris intends to damage the facility to force it off-line.

Janeway asks about the possibility of using phasers to stop him. Tuvok advises against it; it would create a hydrodynamic shock wave throughout The Waters, causing massive damage to the Monean infrastructure and civilian populations. Chakotay suggests using a photon torpedo as a depth charge . Tuvok agrees that this will work. Janeway agrees.

As the Flyer approaches the complex, Tuvok reports the torpedo is ready, but also reports that the Flyer is too far down for it to get close to the craft. Burkus hails again, accusing Janeway of authorizing Paris' action to force the shutdown of the refinery. Janeway responds that an evacuation is advisable, but she intends to protect the facility. Burkus begins to protest further, but she orders the transmission cut.

Tuvok informs her that Paris would need to come up closer to the surface, away from the blast range, if he intends to fire on the complex. This would put the Flyer within range of the torpedo. Janeway orders Tuvok to fire when this happens. Kim, horrified, asks her if she really intends to fire on Paris. Janeway coldly responds that Paris forfeited his status as a protected member of the crew the second he began this action.

The Flyer begins to rise. Janeway hails it and issues another warning to Paris to stand down. He does not respond. He asks Riga if he is really ready to go through with it. Riga hesitates then nods. Paris arms the torpedo he intends to use.

Janeway issues one final warning to Paris. He does not respond. Tuvok begins counting down the seconds until the Flyer is within range, as Paris counts down the seconds until he launches the torpedo. At the last second, Janeway orders Tuvok to fire. The Flyer fires at the same time as Voyager . Its torpedo streaks toward the complex at the same time Voyager 's torpedo races down into the water, toward the Flyer .

The Flyer 's torpedo meets Voyager 's

But instead of targeting the Flyer , the torpedo targets its counterpart from the Flyer '. The two missiles meet and explode, knocking the Flyer away and disabling it. Inside, Paris and Riga go flying amidst a shower of sparks. Tuvok reports that the Flyer is disabled, but not destroyed. Janeway's is relieved but resolved to deal with Paris for his actions.

Paris is about to be demoted and incarcerated

Janeway stands in her ready room face to face with Paris. Two security officers are present at the door. Janeway regards Paris sternly. She lists his offenses: insubordination, unauthorized use of a spacecraft, reckless endangerment and conduct unbecoming an officer. She demands to know what he has to say for himself. He resolutely responds that he did what was necessary to save this world; Burkus and the government would never have done what they needed to do.

Janeway responds to Paris that he has disobeyed her direct orders, violated the protocols that govern the crew and almost caused an armed conflict with the Moneans, while understanding his passion and reasoning. But he had no right to take matters into his own hands. She expresses disappointment over his conduct, and that she thought Paris was past this sort of thing after releasing him from prison and giving him a fresh start four years ago. He responds quietly that this time he broke the rules for a good cause. She responds that she admires his principles, but she cannot ignore his actions.

She pronounces his full name and her punishment against him: demotion to the rank of ensign and incarceration for the next thirty days in the brig. Paris stands at full attention, staring straight ahead. Janeway reaches for the two pips on his collar, one black and one gold, indicating his Lieutenant (jg) rank. She plucks the black pip away, leaving only the gold one, the insignia of an ensign. She then orders the security officers to escort the now-ensign Paris to the brig. The officers advance, but Paris shrugs them off, telling him he knows the way. He turns briskly and leaves, the officers behind him. Janeway stares silently at him as the door closes behind them.

Paris finishes his letter

Tuvok enters the brig and goes to Paris' cell, rousing and releasing him as his thirty days have been served. Paris steps out, and Tuvok orders him to clean up and report for duty. Paris leaves, the PADD with the letter in his hand.

In his quarters, Paris emerges from his bathroom, shined and shaved, his solitary gold pip on his collar. Lieutenant Torres greets him and invites him for dinner at 0700 (7 in the morning) after his duty shift. She jocularly makes it an order, eliciting a smile from him.

He sits down with the PADD and ends the dictation with a notice that he is out and has returned to duty, and the voicing of a hope that it will allow the elder Paris to better understand him. He then orders the computer to file it and transmit it when Voyager is within range of Earth.

Log entries [ ]

• " Captain's log , stardate 52179.4. After salvaging the Delta Flyer , we've resumed our course toward the Alpha Quadrant . I now have to turn my attention to a matter of discipline. "

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris, I hereby reduce you to the rank of ensign. And I sentence you to thirty days solitary confinement. "

" One, two, three… " (Tom sees Neelix walking in) " … Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, One hundred. "

" Can't you just replicate me a pizza? "

" Do the words 'cruel and unusual' mean anything to her? I'm telling you, Neelix, the inmates are getting restless. She's going to have a full-blown prison riot on her hands. "

" It is in my nature to comply with the collective. "

" Captain, I am reading an unauthorized launch in the shuttle bay – the Delta Flyer." " Tom. "

" Lieutenant, you are disobeying a direct order. " " I know. "

" Computer, file letter in my personal database… and transmit when we're within range of Earth. "

Background information [ ]

Production [ ].

A still from the deleted scene of the Delaney sisters

• The working titles for this episode include "Still Waters" and "Down Deep", with the first completed version drafted 7 August 1998 .
• The episode's development had a watery starting point. During the fifth season of Star Trek: Voyager or in the hiatus shortly thereafter, script writer and producer Kenneth Biller explained, " Scott Miller brought us this idea a couple of years ago of an ocean in space. Brannon [Braga] and Joe [Menosky] and I fell in love with the image. " The writers then attempted to come up with a workable story to feature their oceanic muse. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 31, No. 11, p. 38)
• As the installment's duration at first underran by ten minutes, more plot content was needed for the episode. This turned out to be the subplot that involves Paris enduring confinement and narrating the story. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 31, No. 11, pp. 38 & 52) According to the unauthorized reference book Delta Quadrant (p. 273), this subplot was suggested by Paris actor Robert Duncan McNeill , who believed that some of Paris' earlier, rebellious edge needed to be returned to the character.
• A scene which involved the Delaney sisters at what looks like a formal reception for the Moneans in the Mess Hall appears to have been filmed and deleted from the final episode. A publicity still of the twins, notably dressed in their blue sciences division uniforms, was distributed to the media, and was printed in a feature in Star Trek Magazine .
• Whether or not Robert Duncan McNeill was personally involved in the development of the episode's subplot, he approved of its addition. He remarked, " The first version of that episode I didn't like […] [We had] an opportunity to look […] at it and say, 'How can we improve it?' The whole concept of Paris being in the brig from the beginning, and telling this as a flashback in a letter to his father, brought in a whole other element that was much darker and much more interesting. This was more complex; it had a lot of character stuff to play with. All those scenes with Paris in the brig gave it a framework that was much more interesting, and had much more mystery to it. I was very happy with it by the end. I thought it turned into a really good show. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 31, No. 11, p. 52)
• The scenes in which the imprisoned Paris recounts the story for his father were shot after the filming of the episode's other scenes. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 31, No. 11, p. 38)
• For this episode, a shot of the Delta Flyer launching from Voyager 's shuttlebay and approaching the water world, while banking to starboard, was reused from the earlier Season 5 outing " Extreme Risk ", simply with a different planet composited into the shot. ( Delta Quadrant , p. 273)
• Benjamin Livingston 's costume was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1]

Continuity [ ]

• The set representing the inside of Captain Proton's rocket ship, as seen here, reused a set of water bubble tubes from the fourth season finale " Hope and Fear ". ( Delta Quadrant , p. 274)
• After five years of references, the infamous Delaney sisters appear for the first and only time. They are only seen in holodeck-attire, however a reception scene where both are dressed in sciences division uniforms was filmed and deleted from the episode. Publicity stills for the episode were distributed of both actresses from this scene.
• Because of his actions in this episode, Tom Paris is reduced in rank to ensign. This is the second time in the Star Trek franchise that a main character is demoted in rank; the first occurs in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , when James T. Kirk is demoted from admiral to captain . Paris later regains his rank of lieutenant junior grade in the sixth season finale " Unimatrix Zero ".
• One of the pieces of equipment Riga brings with him was also seen in VOY : " Dark Frontier " as the "auto regeneration unit" Kim warns Janeway off of.
• Reference to 47 : the Monean Maritime Sovereignty is made up of 47 regional sovereigns .
• This is the final appearance of Warren Munson as Owen Paris although only his voice was heard during the episode. Richard Herd took over the role, beginning with " Pathfinder ".

Reception [ ]

• Ken Biller was ultimately dissatisfied with all the efforts the writers made to develop a plot conceptually centered around "an ocean in space." He complained, " Unfortunately, we never quite figured out the best way to tell a story about it. " However, Biller thought some of the other aspects of this episode were successful, including the subplot involving Paris' imprisonment. " That ended up being the most interesting thing, " he remarked. " I thought the special effects were great and the ocean was intriguing. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 31, No. 11, p. 38)
• This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. Star Trek nearly swept the category that year. Also nominated were VOY : " Dark Frontier ", " Timeless " and DS9 : " What You Leave Behind ". "Dark Frontier" won.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 5.5, 7 June 1999
• As part of the VOY Season 5 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway

Also starring [ ]

• Robert Beltran as Chakotay
• Roxann Dawson as B'Elanna Torres
• Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris
• Ethan Phillips as Neelix
• Robert Picardo as The Doctor
• Tim Russ as Tuvok
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine
• Garrett Wang as Harry Kim

Guest stars [ ]

• Willie Garson as Riga
• Benjamin Livingston as Burkus
• Alissa Kramer as Jenny Delaney
• Heidi Kramer as Megan Delaney

Co-stars [ ]

• Warren Munson as Admiral Paris
• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• David Keith Anderson as Ashmore
• Les Costanza as Monean male
• Sylvester Foster as Timothy Lang
• Roger Garcia as Voyager operations officer
• Joyce Lasley as Lydia Anderson
• Wanda Roth as Monean female
• Randy Riener as young Tom Paris

Stand-ins [ ]

• Brita Nowak – stand-in for Jeri Ryan
• Stuart Wong – stand-in for Garrett Wang

References [ ]

19th century ; 21st century ; 2380 ; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ; 100,000 years ago ; agriculture ; alloy ; Alpha Quadrant ; ancestor ; " anchor's aweigh "; animal ; appetite ; artificial gravity ; artistic ; Atlantic Ocean ; ballast ; basic nutrition ; battle stations ; bearing ; bureaucracy ; biothermic discharge ; boatswain ; Bon voyage ; " boo-boo "; Borg ; brain probe ; breach ; bread and water ; briefing room ; brig ; " brine in the veins " ( brine ); bucking ; Captain Proton ; Captain Courageous ; Captain's orders ; career ; chair ; " check that attitude at the door "; cheek ; chief conn officer ; " clear as a bell " ( bell ); cleric ; " cold shower "; Collective ; command center ; communications ; computer simulation ; " conduct unbecoming an officer "; containment field ; containment field generator ; contraction ; core computer ; corrosion ; council chamber ; creator ; crewman ; " cruel and unusual punishment ;"; Culhane ; current ; database ; day off ; deflector ; deflector beam ; Delta Flyer ; demotion ; density ; depth ; depth charge ; deputy consul ( consul ); desalination plant ; dimple ; diplomat ; divine ; Doctor Chaotica ; Earth ; electric eel ; Ensign ; evasive maneuvers ; environmental suit ; exercise ; explorer ; expression ; farm ; father ; Federation Naval Patrol ; field reactor ; first mate ; gas giant ; gear ; generation ; generator's database ; gift ; goggles ; Goodheart, Constance ; gravimetric discharge ; gravitation current ; Headquarters ; helm ; high school ; history ; hold ; holodeck ; hologram ; holoprogram ; hydrogen ; hydro-volume ; industrial infrastructure ; illumination ; immersion shielding ; inmate ; insubordination ; internal affairs ; " is that clear? "; jail ; kilometer ; Kincaid, Buster ; kinetic transfer system ; land mass ; lead ship ; leola root stew ; letter ; life support ; long range sensors ; M-class ; madder ; marine life ; meal ; medical reprieve ; metaphasic energy ; meter ; mind control machine ; mining ; mister ; mistress ; Moby Dick ; Monean ; Monean Council ; Monean Maritime Sovereignty ; Monean regional sovereigns ; Monean research vessel ; month ; multiphasic energy ; neurological scan ; nomadic ; observation ; ocean ; " old salt "; oxygen ; oxygen refinery ; oxygen replication system ; Pacific Ocean ; PADD ; Paris, Owen ; phenomenon ; photon torpedo ; pilot ; pizza ; plant ; plasma ; political career ; population ; pressure ; Prime Directive ; prison ; probe ; Proton's rocket ship ; psychiatric evaluation ; punishment ; puppet ; push-up ; reckless endangerment ; red alert ; resolution ; riot ; sailing ship ; sailor talk ; sea vegetation ; seaworthy ; senior officer ; sensor array ; sentence ; shave ; schematics ; ship's counselor ; shore leave ; shock wave ; " shove off "; sidekick ; " sidestep the issue "; skipper ; slave ; solitary confinement ; sovereign ; " sprung a leak "; star chart ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet insignia ; starship ; structural integrity ; structural integrity field ; subcommittee ; submarine ; swim ; thruster ; " token changes "; " toots "; torture ; tour ; " travel light "; Twin Mistresses of Evil, The ; twin ; " unauthorized use of a spacecraft "; undersea dwelling ; upload ; veins ; Verne, Jules ; volt ; volume ; Vulcan neck pinch ; warden ; water ; Waters, The ; Waters marine lifeform, The ; Wildman, Naomi ; " you're dismissed "

External links [ ]

• "Thirty Days" at StarTrek.com
• " Thirty Days " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Thirty Days " at Wikipedia
• " Thirty Days " at the Internet Movie Database
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Thirty Days (Star Trek: Voyager)

" Thirty Days " is the 103rd episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager , the ninth episode of the fifth season . The series, set in the late 24th century, follows a Federation starship crewed by both Starfleet officers and rebellious members of the Maquis stuck on the other side of the Galaxy.

Development

External links.

In this episode, Voyager ' s pilot Tom Paris is confined to the ship's brig for thirty days and uses his time to record the story of how he ended up there.

Lieutenant Tom Paris is demoted to Ensign and placed in Voyager ' s brig for thirty days for disobeying orders. Paris relates the events to his personal log as a message to his father.

In flashback, Voyager meets with the non-native delegates of an ocean planet . The delegates, including Riga and Burkus, explain that the planet is losing water mass at an alarming rate, threatening to destroy the planet in 5 years if it is not stopped. Though they have some submarine vehicles, they are unable to reach the center of the planet where they believe the source of their problems can be found. The Voyager crew offers the use of the Delta Flyer , capable of withstanding the pressures at the planet's center. Paris, piloting the excursion with some of the planet's scientists including Riga, discover that the planet's core is a massive reactor, drawing the surface water of a nearby planet to it for unknown reasons. Further exploration reveals that oxygen-mining reactors used by the current population are the cause of the water loss.

The Voyager crew offer several technological options to minimize the water loss, but Burkus seems impassive about them. Even when Riga suggests turning off several of the oxygen-mining units, significantly prolonging the planet's existence but potentially decreasing the quality of life for the inhabitants, Burkus simply offers to pass these ideas to their government. The crew is eventually told that the government will not turn off the oxygen-mining facilities but politely thanks them for their assistance.

Urged on by Riga, Paris attempts to convince Captain Janeway to change the minds of the inhabitants, but Janeway refuses, citing that Voyager cannot get involved due to the Prime Directive . Furious at the decision, Paris and Riga steal the Delta Flyer , and attempt to use a photon torpedo to destroy one of the oxygen-mining facilities, but Voyager destroys the torpedo at the last minute with a depth charge and recovers the Delta Flyer . On return to Voyager , Janeway demotes Paris to the rank of ensign for disobeying orders and orders him to the brig for thirty days.

After the flashback ends, Tuvok goes to the brig, tells Paris that his thirty days have been served, and orders him to clean up and report for duty. In his quarters, Paris ends the message and sends it to his father.

The episode's original title was "Down Deep". [ citation needed ]

The original shoot of this episode was wholly the scenes of Tom Paris' adventure on the planet. When test screened the episode lacked the mandatory time length and so the brig scenes of the episode were formulated by Robert Beltran ( Commander Chakotay ) and added. [1]

On November 9, 2004, this episode was released as part of the season 5 DVD box set of Star Trek: Voyager . [2] The box set includes 7 DVD optical discs with all the episodes in season 5 with some extra features, and episodes have a Dolby 5.1 Digital Audio track. [2]

On April 25, 2001, this episode was released on LaserDisc in Japan, as part of the half-season collection, 5th Season vol.1 . [3] This included episodes from "Night" to "Bliss" on seven double sided 12 inch optical discs, with English and Japanese audio tracks for the episodes. [3]

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" Friendship One " is the 167th episode of the science fiction television series, Star Trek: Voyager , the 21st episode of the seventh season. A 24th century spacecraft and its crew encounter a planet enduring a nuclear winter. The episode was written by Michael Taylor and Bryan Fuller and directed by Mike Vejar.

" Live Fast and Prosper " is the 141st episode of Star Trek: Voyager , the 21st episode of the sixth season. In the 24th-century science fiction universe of Star Trek , the crew of the USS  Voyager must contend with identity thieves in the Delta Quadrant.

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" Gravity " is the 107th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager originally airing on the UPN network, the 13th episode of the fifth season. Lori Petty guest stars as the alien Noss. Joseph Ruskin, who played Galt in the original Star Trek episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion", is the Vulcan Master in this episode of Voyager .

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• ↑ Star Trek: Voyager Season 5 DVD Set, Disc 7: "Special Features"
• 1 2 "LaserDisc Database - Star Trek Voyager: 5th Season vol.1 [ PILF-2458 ] " . www.lddb.com . Retrieved 2021-02-23 .
• Thirty Days at Memory Alpha
• Thirty Days at Wayback Machine (archived from the original at StarTrek.com)

• Web Channels
• Star Trek: Voyager

Thirty Days

The crew of  Voyager  discovers a strange ocean world in space and offers to help the inhabitants find out why the ocean is losing water to space. They find the forcefield maintaining the planet's integrity is breaking down. Tom Paris directly disobeys orders in an attempt to save the planet, which results in his demotion to Ensign and being placed in the brig for thirty days. Paris tells the story of this episode in a letter for his father to pass the time in the ship's brig. When first encountering the world, Paris interrupts Kim in the middle of his Chaotica holodeck adventure.

Warren Munson

Willie Garson

Benjamin Livingston

Alissa Kramer

Heidi kramer, cast appearances.

Kate Mulgrew

Robert Beltran

Roxann Dawson

Robert Duncan McNeill

Ethan Phillips

Robert Picardo

Garrett Wang

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Season 5 – Star Trek: Voyager

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E9ThirtyDays

Recap / Star Trek: Voyager: S5E9: "Thirty Days"

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"Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris, I hereby reduce you to the rank of ensign. And I sentence you to thirty days solitary confinement."

This episode has the following tropes:

• Alien Non-Interference Clause : Janeway tells Tom that having given the Moneans what they needed to fix their problem, it's up to them now. Starfleet can't impose its solutions by force.
• Applied Phlebotinum : 'Immersion shielding' is used to turn the Delta Flyer into a deep-sea submersible.
• Artistic License – Physics : Zigzagged Trope ; the water planetoid is only about 1200 km in diameter (about a third of the Moon, for comparison), and is composed entirely of water (meaning that's only got a density of 1 g/cubic center, less than a third that of the moon), so its gravity will be correspondingly less (hence the need for a containment field, as the math comes out to about 2% of Earth's gravity), and the water pressure will be massively reduced compared to Earth as a result.
• Ascended Fanboy : Tom Paris gets to indulge his passion for the ocean, denied when his Fantasy-Forbidding Father insisted he join Starfleet instead of the Federation Naval Patrol. Paris: Ah, bosun. note  (Boatswain, a deckhand in charge of various tasks not assigned to a specialist role) . Ready to shove off? Seven: What are you talking about, Lieutenant? Paris: Call me Skipper. Kim: Sailor talk. You'll get used to it. Seven: I think not .
• Attack Hello : The first thing the Moneans do is fire upon Voyager , which doesn't work and makes Voyager knock out their weapon systems easily , causing them to try communication instead.
• Axis Mundi : Paris is incarcerated in Voyager 's brig for an unknown crime that isn't revealed until the end of the episode. As we see in flashback, Voyager visited a planet, known as "the Waters", that, as one can tell by the name, is completely water; no landmasses or atmosphere. It's being held together by a containment energy field. Unfortunately, the humanoid beings who live there, the Moneans, are in danger of losing their home, because of an unknown crisis that releases water from the planet. When they collaborate on a mission to figure out what is causing the loss, they find a 100,000-year-old computer-driven structure in the center of the water mass that seems to be generating the containment field. Furthermore, the structure is delibrately releasing water to ease pressure, caused by the Monean's oxygen refineries extracting the gas from the water. When the Moneans refuse to do anything to fix their problem, Paris, along with one of the Moneans, attempts to destroy a refinery in violation of the Prime Directive , only to by stopped by Voyager , whereby Janeway demotes him and sentences him to thirty days of solitary confinement in the brig.
• Batman Can Breathe in Space : Captain Proton is introduced flying through outer space with his Jet Pack , protected only by a leather jacket and flying goggles .
• Beware the Nice Ones : Captain Janeway drops the Team Mom act the moment Tom disobeys orders. She makes it clear that she would have destroyed his shuttle if required .
• Cabin Fever : Tom is going stir-crazy locked up in the brig. Even though he's had a similar experience being driven stir-crazy (due to a cranial implant) while imprisoned in the earlier episode, "The Chute".
• Call-Back : The scene of Paris being given the leola root stew is a callback to "The Chute" where in one scene, he mentions that he would go for leola root stew. Given that both episodes were essentially written by the same person, it seems to be less of a coincidence.
• Comm Links : Proton has a wrist radio.
• Continuity Nod : Megan mentions working on some star charts for Seven of Nine, a reference to the twins working in Stellar Cartography.
• Denied Food as Punishment : Tom is restricted to a leola root stew diet. The horror...
• Description Cut : Tom says that it all began with something his Fantasy-Forbidding Father would consider a complete waste of time. Cut to Tom as Captain Proton!
• Distressed Dude : Proton's trusty Side Kick Buster (Harry) has been captured by the Twin Mistresses of Evil (Megan and Jenny Delaney).
• Does This Remind You of Anything? : Mining operations are destroying an ecosystem. Efforts to introduce recycling are hampered by pride and politics.
• Downer Ending : Unless the Moneans make radical changes to their technology in the next few months, their planet and entire way of life is doomed within the next five years. To say nothing of Tom, who gets the harsher end of Janeway's discipline.
• Femme Fatale : Demonica and Malicia, the Twin Mistresses of Evil, are the Delaney sisters' attempt at this. Harry can't help enthusing, "Great, you're doing great!" while the Delaney sisters are caressing his chest and purring how they're going to turn him into their groveling slave.
• Framing Device : Tom narrating a letter to Admiral Paris, from his cell.
• Go to Your Room! : In a dream sequence, we hear a voice over from Admiral Paris, obviously being the typical 'Great Santini' style bully he was. An unusual way of imparting teachings, albeit in a militant way, but that's Owen Paris, much akin to his talking down to his son in Persistance of Vision. Admiral Paris: Go to your room, young man. That's an order. Stay there and think about what I've said.
• How We Got Here : The episode starts on Tom being stripped of his rank, then shows via flashbacks why.
• If I Wanted You Dead... : The Moneans greet Voyager with phaser fire, but even three-to-one they're no match for the starship. Once Janeway loses her patience, she has Tuvok disable one of them to get their attention, then points out how she could have blown up the ship if she wanted to. This gets them talking.
• Improbable Aiming Skills : Tuvok bull's-eyes a missile fired from underwater by the Delta Flyer with a photon torpedo launched from orbit .
• In Medias Res : A non-action variety: the episode starts us off with the hook, as demotions are rare in the franchise. About five minutes in is where the story chronologically begins.
• Insignia Rip-Off Ritual : The episode opens on Janeway removing one of Tom's pips, demoting him to Ensign. The commbadge he removes himself, as he enters the brig.
• Ironic Echo Kim: What are you going to do — delete the letter? That would be pointless. Paris: At least I'm consistent.
• List of Transgressions : Janeway: Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris, you are guilty of insubordination, unauthorized use of a spacecraft, reckless endangerment, and conduct unbecoming an officer.
• Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places : Lampshaded by Tom re Harry, who's attracted to Megan (who is pointedly not interested in him ) while rejecting the advances of the equally-attractive (literally) Jenny (who is interested, but Harry's not). Paris: Well, you've done it again, Harry. Fallen for the unattainable woman. First it was a hologram , then a Borg , and now the wrong twin. Kim: At least I'm consistent .
• Lost Technology : The Delta Flyer discovers a 100,000 year old machine in the centre of the planet, that was used by Precursors to transfer the entire ocean of a planet into space for unknown reasons.
• The Main Characters Do Everything : Averted; after the ship is attacked by unknown hostile aliens, the Doctor enjoys informing Paris that he's not indispensable at the helm.
• Chakotay gives a WTF? look when Captain Janeway offers to give a tour of Voyager to the aliens who've just fired on them. Fortunately they're not a Villain of the Week .
• Tom and B'Elanna share a look after she points out that Captain Proton might not be able to save the day, but what about Tom Paris?
• Mildly Military : The writers screwed up B'Elanna inviting Tom to dinner (an evening meal) at "0700". Like all Starfleet vessels, Voyager operates on a 24-hour clock, meaning 7 o'clock in the evening would be 1900 hours.
• Military Mashup Machine : Three Monean vessels fly out of the ocean to attack Voyager in orbit. Paris: Are those starships or submarines?
• Military Maverick : Harshly deconstructed . Janeway nearly kills Tom to stop his one-man crusade, then demotes and imprisons him once he's back onboard.
• Mind Probe : The Brain Probe, though it's more of a Mind-Control Device given the description.
• Minor Injury Overreaction : Tom gets what the Doctor snarks even Naomi Wildman would only call a "boo-boo", but begs to be taken to Sickbay for a full medical examination. This is mostly because of his growing case of Cabin Fever .
• Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering : Captain Janeway provides the technology enabling the Moneans to solve their problem, but whether they're going to use it is something else. Burkus: I'm supposed to go back and explain this to forty-seven regional sovereigns? They'll pass their first unanimous resolution, calling for my head!
• Obstructive Bureaucrat : Even after Voyager gathers conclusive evidence that the oxygen refineries are going to destroy the ocean, Burkus says that the results are going to be sent to sub-committees for review, all but guaranteeing that any action to be taken will be too late.
• One, Two, Skip a Few : Tom starts doing push-ups in his cell. He's only got to three when Neelix enters, whereupon he immediately jumps to 98...99...100.

• Parental Substitute : Tom dreams of himself as a boy, being scolded by both his father and Captain Janeway .
• Permission to Speak Freely : Janeway tells off Tom for his outspokenness, so he makes a point of asking her permission before defending his actions to her later.
• Polar Opposite Twins / Red Oni, Blue Oni : Tom is bemused that Harry cares which Delaney sister takes a fancy to him. Kim: They're nothing alike! Jenny's aggressive, and sometimes annoying, but Megan — she's quiet, artistic, and she's got that cute little dimple in her right cheek .
• Proscenium Reveal : Our first sign that Demonica and Malicia aren't holodeck characters is when Megan says, "Sorry, Harry!" after missing her cue.
• Protagonist-Centered Morality : Justified; Captain Janeway might violate the Prime Directive on occasion, but that's her prerogative as The Captain , not Tom's.
• Protector Behind Bars : Subverted when Voyager is attacked while Paris is in solitary. Though he begs to be let out, he isn't; and it turns out one of the extras was able to pilot the ship just fine.
• Ragnarök Proofing : Averted; the machine at the core of the planet has been there for millennia, but oxygen-mining is increasing the density of the water, forcing it to divert power to prevent it from being crushed. This means the ocean will eventually dissipate into space if the Moneans keep doing what they're doing.
• Rule of Symbolism : Tom Paris saving the day in the Black-and-White Morality world of Captain Proton , versus the complications of planetary politics that Starfleet has to deal with.
• Rule of Three : Tom tries three times before getting the introduction to his letter right.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! : Tom Paris screws the Prime Directive to try to save an ocean planet that was slowly being destroyed by an oxygen-mining operation. He gets a demotion and thirty days in the brig for his effort. And he didn't even save the planet.
• Sea Monster : A giant electric eel with teeth attacks the Delta Flyer .
• Shoot the Bullet : Tuvok hits the missile fired from the Delta Flyer with a photon torpedo fired from orbit.
• 'Buster', the part Harry Kim plays on the holodeck, is a Shout-Out to actor Buster Crabbe who played Flash Gordon in the 1930's film serial , of which The Adventures of Captain Proton is an Affectionate Parody .
• Sci-fi pioneer Jules Verne is also homaged, as Tom tells Captain Janeway his enthusiasm for the ocean began with reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea .
• Show Within a Show : Yet another exciting chapter of... The Adventures of Captain Proton .
• Single-Biome Planet : Voyager comes across an ocean world with no landmass whatsoever. note  No Kevin Costner either. In its center is a machine created by Precursors , that stops the water from dissipating out into space.
• Single-Minded Twins : Demonica and Malicia pout in unison .
• Slouch of Villainy : Demonica is introduced reclining at the control console of Proton's rocketship.
• Space Clothes : The Twin Mistresses of Evil both wear flowing metallic robes and high-heeled boots.
• Submersible Spaceship : A small refit is enough to modify the Delta Flyer for submarine work.
• Sub Story : More literal than usual for Star Trek , as they convert the Delta Flyer into a makeshift submarine. This also gives Tom a chance to use sailor lingo.
• Team Mom : Captain Janeway indulges Tom's passion for the ocean planet by putting him in charge of the mission to explore its depths. This makes his betrayal all the more difficult for her.
• The Tape Knew You Would Say That : Tom anticipates his father's reaction to him starting the letter by saying he's been demoted and put in the brig. "Wait! Just listen; don't turn this off..."
• Captain Janeway gives a direct order to Tom to turn back before firing on him.
• Title Drop : In the very first sentence of the episode, Janeway reduces Tom Paris' rank and sentences him to thirty days of solitary.
• Toasted Buns : Captain Proton flies through space with a huge sparkler scorching his trousers. According to actor Robert Duncan McNeill , his rear caught fire and the on-site nurse had him drop his pants right there to make sure everything was all right. He claims Tim Russ has photos.
• Too Kinky to Torture : Harry Kim greatly enjoys being chained up by the Delaney Sisters and threatened with mental enslavement via their evil Brain Probe , so much so that he insists Captain Proton not be hasty in his rescue .
• Two Scenes, One Dialogue : Both Tom and Tuvok complete a single countdown before firing their respective torpedos, Tom to disable the refinery and Tuvok to disable the Delta Flyer .
• Underwater City : The entire Monean civilization lives underwater.
• Voiceover Letter : Tom is dictating the letter to his PADD, producing the same effect.
• Violence is the Only Option : Tom and Riga try to destroy an oxygen refinery so the Monean bureaucracy will be forced to make changes. Janeway stops them with a well-placed photon torpedo.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy : Tom still feels the need to connect to his estranged father. "I honestly don't know if I'll ever understand you, or what went wrong between us, but I hope this letter helps you understand me a little better. Computer, file letter in my personal database, and transmit when we're within range of Earth."
• Well-Intentioned Extremist : Tom. Janeway isn't impressed.
• With All Due Respect : Done without respect, as per usual. Burkus: With all due respect, who are you to tell us what to do with our ocean? Paris: With all due respect, it's not your ocean .
• Tough Leader Façade : After Tom is hauled off to the brig by Security, Captain Janeway visibly struggles to maintain her composure.
• You Are Grounded! : Tom Paris is essentially this as a result of the events of the episode.
• Star Trek Voyager S 5 E 8 Nothing Human
• Recap/Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek Voyager S 5 E 10 Counterpoint

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Best Star Trek: Voyager Episode Of Each Main Character

• Each main character on Star Trek: Voyager had standout episodes that showcased their individual strengths and storylines.
• Episodes like "Before and After" (Kes), "Mortal Coil" (Neelix), "Latent Image" (The Doctor), and "One" (Seven of Nine) brought depth and development to these characters.
• Captain Janeway's standout episode was "Year of Hell," which demonstrated her heroism, loyalty, vulnerability, and complexity.

Each main character on Star Trek: Voyager got a chance to shine during the show's run, and all of them have an episode that stands out as their best . Voyager was the fourth series in the Star Trek timeline and featured a cast of diverse characters, including Star Trek 's first female Captain, Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). During Voyager 's run, Janeway led her crew on a journey through the Delta Quadrant after the USS Voyager became stranded on the other side of the galaxy in the show's pilot episode, "Caretaker, Parts I&II."

Like many Star Trek series, Voyager 's cast of characters acted as an ensemble, with no single character standing out as the "lead." Although Janeway was technically the show's main character, every member of the core cast had episodes that focused on them, delving more into each character's backstory and enriching them so that episodes where everyone worked together were made that much more enjoyable . All of Voyager 's main characters had multiple episodes centered on them, but certain episodes undeniably stand out as each character's best of the series.

Every Voyager Character Who Has Returned In Star Trek (& How)

Kes (jennifer lien), "before and after" - voyager season 3, episode 21.

"Before and After" was a tour de force for Kes, who up until that point had been underutilized . The episode focused on Kes traveling back in time from the moment of her death, showcasing an alternate future as she attempted to determine what was happening to her. Although some of the storytelling choices were surprising, such as Kes's future self being married to Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), the character got to shine in a way that most other episodes didn't allow her to. "Before and After" also foreshadowed an important Voyager season 4 storyline, the "Year of Hell."

Honorable Mention: "Warlord" (Voyager season 3, episode 10)

Neelix (Ethan Phillips)

"mortal coil - voyager season 4, episode 12.

Neelix-focused episodes of Voyager were often hit or miss, but "Mortal Coil" stands above the rest as the character's best story. The episode explored questions of spirituality, existential issues, and psychological trauma when Neelix was brought back to life after being killed in a shuttle accident. "Mortal Coil" is a beautiful exploration of Neelix's past, culture, and trauma , and grapples with very real questions of life and death. The episode was also the first time Neelix was shown in the role of Naomi Wildman's (Brooke Stephens) godfather, kicking off one of the show's sweetest and most genuine father-daughter relationships.

Honorable Mention: "Homestead" (Voyager season 7, episode 23)

The Doctor (Robert Picardo)

"latent image" - voyager season 5, episode 11.

The Doctor was lucky enough to have several stellar episodes throughout Voyager 's run, but "Latent Image" was the character at his finest. The episode dealt with questions about the Doctor's humanity, which came into conflict with his original programming when he saved the life of Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) while allowing another Ensign who he did not know well to die. The Doctor's right to autonomy was also explored as the crew grappled with whether to erase his memories to keep his program from degrading.

The Doctor was always at his best when the question of his sentience was explored , and "Latent Image" was a wonderful example of this. The episode allowed Robert Picardo to stretch his acting talents and provided a gripping storyline that hooked audiences from the start with a mysterious twist. "Latent Image" also marked a real step forward in the Doctor’s journey to becoming more human and a shift in how the crew treated him, as an equal rather than a tool.

Honorable Mention: "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy" (Voyager season 6, episode 4)

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

"one" - voyager season 5, episode 25.

Seven of Nine was another character with many exceptional episodes during Voyager 's run, but "One" combined the best aspects of several of them to make a winner. Watching the character grapple with being alone as she was forced to pilot the USS Voyager across a dangerous nebula by herself while the crew is in stasis truly drove home Seven's Borg nature coming into conflict with her reemerging humanity . "One" was hilarious and terrifying by turns, and explored an emotional side of Seven that not many other episodes did, showcasing the duality of her strength and vulnerability perfectly.

Honorable Mention: "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Voyager season 5, episode 22)

Jeri Ryan, Voyagers Seven Of Nine & Star Trek Future Explained

Ensign harry kim (garrett wang), "timeless" - voyager season 5, episode 6.

"Timeless" showed a completely different side of Harry Kim after a miscalculation during an attempt to return home caused Voyager to crash into an ice planet, killing the whole crew except for Harry and Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran). The bitter, jaded, future version of Harry Kim in "Timeless" was such a departure from the character's usual personality and allowed Garrett Wang to show a different side of his acting talents, which was a big part of what made the episode so compelling . "Timeless" was also a classic Star Trek time-travel episode with a truly engaging storyline from start to finish.

Honorable Mention: "Emanations" (Voyager season 1, episode 9)

Lt. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson)

"barge of the dead" - voyager season 6, episode 3.

Voyager episodes didn't often feature B'Elanna Torres, but the ones that did were always guaranteed to be great stories. "Barge of the Dead" was no exception, tapping back into what made B'Elanna such an interesting character: her half-Klingon heritage. The episode grappled with questions of life, death, and spirituality while thoroughly exploring B'Elanna's relationship with her Klingon mother, something that had only been hinted at before. The mother-daughter relationships in B'Elanna's life, including her relationship with Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) acted as the episode's emotional core , and the expansion of Klingon lore was a welcome addition.

Honorable Mention: "Faces" (Voyager season 1, episode 14)

Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill)

"thirty days" - voyager season 5, episode 9.

Tom Paris is arguably the character with the most dramatic arc during Voyager 's run, and "Thirty Days" demonstrated just how far he had come. "Thirty Days" was a fascinating character study of Tom's psyche and motivations as he dictated a letter to his father while stuck in the brig after violating the Prime Directive. The episode showcased how forceful Tom's convictions could be for things he cared about, a far cry from the apathetic, jade man he had been in Voyager 's pilot . "Thirty Days" was also a wonderful exploration of Tom's most important relationships, including Captain Janeway and B'Elanna Torres.

Honorable Mention: "Bride of Chaotica!" (Voyager season 5, episode 12)

Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ)

"riddles" - voyager season 6, episode 6.

Some of Star Trek 's most interesting episodes involve a Vulcan losing control of his logic. "Riddles" was one of these episodes for Tuvok, showing the character's emotional side after an alien attack caused Tuvok to suffer brain damage. Seeing a vulnerable, childlike Tuvok was hilarious and heartwarming by turns, but the deeper emotional power of "Riddles" came through the bittersweet exploration of Tuvok's complicated relationship with Neelix . Tuvok and Neelix had always been portrayed as hilariously antagonistic, but watching Neelix's dedication to helping Tuvok navigate his new personality and the true friendship that blossomed between the two packed a punch.

Honorable Mention: "Innocence" (Voyager season 2, episode 22)

All 5 Star Trek Characters Played By Tuvok Actor Tim Russ

Commander chakotay (robert beltran), "shattered" - voyager season 7, episode 11.

Most Chakotay-centric episodes were in Voyager 's early seasons, but "Shattered" was a rare late-season treat that followed the character navigating through different time periods after Voyager became temporally split. Besides being a wonderful retrospective of Voyager in its final season, having Chakotay be the episode's point-of-view character was perfect . As the ship's First Officer and former Captain of Voyager 's Maquis crew, Chakotay was the ideal person to rally everyone to bring the ship back into temporal sync. Additionally, "Shattered" offered a great take on Chakotay and Captain Janeway, and brought back characters like Seska (Martha Hackett) for one more outing.

Honorable Mention: "Tattoo" (Voyager season 2, episode 9)

Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)

"year of hell, parts i&ii" - voyager season 4, episodes 8&9.

As Voyager 's Captain, Kathryn Janeway was at the center of almost every episode, but "Year of Hell, Parts I&II" was Janeway at her absolute best. The episodes demonstrated Janeway's greatest strengths and greatest flaws as she and Voyager's crew weathered a brutal year-long attack by the Krenim Imperium. "Year of Hell" pushed Janeway to her limit, portraying her as a true hero and demonstrating her unwavering loyalty to her crew while also beautifully capturing her vulnerability and complexity . "Year of Hell" is one of Star Trek: Voyager 's best episodes , and this is largely thanks to Captain Janeway's performance.

Honorable Mention: "Counterpoint" (Voyager season 5, episode 10)

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager

Release Date 1995-05-23

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Rating TV-PG

Writers Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Star Trek: Why Was Tom Paris Demoted On Voyager?

While Voyager was lost in the Delta Quadrant, pilot Tom Paris was demoted from Lieutenant to Ensign. Here's what led to his drop in rank.

Star Trek: Voyager , like so many Star Trek series, follows the crew of a Starfleet vessel as they explore uncharted space. When the starship Voyager is stranded in the Delta quadrant, she and her crew have a long journey home. Fortunately, the ship's crew is comprised, as usual, of a stellar cast of characters , making for a series of fascinating adventures.

One of those crewmembers is Lieutenant Tom Paris, the ship's pilot and navigator. His hotheaded personality has gotten him into trouble plenty of times during his life — he was expelled from Starfleet in his youth, and later arrested for his activities with the Maquis. Janeway gave him a second chance, offering him the opportunity to serve on Voyager. Janeway herself calls him an exemplary officer — but in Season 5 , Tom shows that his renegade nature has not entirely left him. Despite his noble intentions, his actions almost cause disaster, and result in his demotion in rank.

RELATED: Star Trek: Is Voyager More Advanced Than The Enterprise?

What Happens In The Episode "Thirty Days?"

Season 5, episode 9, "Thirty Days," opens with Paris standing before Captain Janeway , as she reduces him to the rank of Ensign and sentences him to thirty days in the ship's brig. Once there, Paris pens a letter to his father. As he describes how he ended up in jail, the events leading to his demotion unfold onscreen.

On their journey through the Delta Quadrant, Voyager has stumbled across a planet that appears to be one giant ocean. Upon approach, ships rise out of the water, firing weapons. Once Captain Janeway manages to open a channel, she is able to convince the ocean's inhabitants that they mean no harm and are simply curious about the strange phenomenon. Despite the rocky start, the man on the other end of the call — Consul Burkus of the Monean Sovereignty — expresses curiosity of his own and accepts Janeway's invitation to tour Voyager.

A team of Moneans tour the ship, including Consul Burkus and a science officer named Riga. Tom, upon meeting them, is immediately intrigued, bursting with questions about the ocean, its origins, and how it formed. As a boy, Tom grew up on stories of ocean exploration, and dreamed of reliving Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea . Now, he is just as fascinated with this unfamiliar ocean and its inhabitants. Burkus and Riga explain that the Moneans were once a nomadic people, and discovered the ocean some 300 years ago. Over time, they built underwater structures and factories to extract oxygen from the water, and came to live in harmony with the ocean's native life.

However, the Moneans are facing some difficulties. The containment that holds their ocean in place is starting to falter, and the waters that make up their home are dissipating. Riga speculates that visiting the ocean's core might yield answers, but Monean ships are not capable of withstanding those depths. Tom immediately jumps in with an idea: one of Voyager's shuttles could easily be modified to make the journey. Janeway agrees to his plan, and giddy with childlike excitement, Tom assembles his crew: Harry Kim, Seven of Nine , and Riga.

The mission reveals a massive, elaborate structure at the core of the ocean, keeping it intact. Tom deduces that it was built by an advanced civilization, and removed the ocean and all of its contents from another planet several hundred years ago. They have no way of finding out why — Tom speculates that it may have been a means to avoid disaster, or simply an experiment.

Regardless of their reasons, Tom tells Riga that the Moneans have bigger concerns. Their oxygen mining has been increasing the pressure on the machine, which has been rerouting power to protect itself. This has caused the containment field surrounding the planet to weaken, resulting in the water loss.

Why Did Tom Paris Disobey Orders?

Back on Voyager, Tom and Riga present their findings to Consul Burkus, stressing the need to cut back on oxygen mining. Tom offers up Starfleet technology that will provide an alternative oxygen source, ensuring that the Moneans will continue to flourish. Burkus, however is concerned only with the political ramifications. Knowing he will face backlash for suggesting that the mining operations cease, he simply says that he will "take it under advisement."

It's a moment that resonates with audiences, even today. Burkus' attitudes reflect those of many modern-day politicians who remain noncommittal in the face of climate change and its increasingly dire consequences. When confronted with the reality that their home may be gone in five years or less, Burkus simply shrugs and suggests the calculations might be wrong. He refuses to listen to Riga, a scientist of his own people, and it's clear that he doesn't plan to listen to Riga's urging.

Angered by Burkus' attitude, Tom rebukes him, trying to get him to see sense. Burkus is insulted and leaves the room, Riga following in defeat. Janeway lectures Tom, stressing that even though she agrees with him, it's up to the Moneans what they choose to do now. Starfleet has given them information and offered solutions, but they cannot tell the Moneans what to do with their own home. Despite Janeway's orders, though, Tom is determined not to give up.

Why Did Janeway Demote Tom Paris?

Tom approaches Riga with an idea: using one of Voyager's shuttles, take out the oxygen refineries with a missile. Destroying them will halt the mining operations, and the drastic action may force the council to take notice and implement redesign features when rebuilding the refinery. Despite the danger, Riga agrees.

Tom and Riga take the shuttle down to the planet and prepare to fire the missile, but Janeway and Burkus are both waiting for them. Despite Janeway's warnings that she won't hesitate to fire on the shuttle, Tom refuses to back down. He and Riga fire their missile, but Voyager deflects it with a torpedo of their own, preventing the refinery from harm. Voyager locks onto the shuttle, pulling them back onboard. The Moneans depart, the future of their planet (and Riga's potential consequences) still unclear.

Tom, meanwhile, must face up to his actions. Janeway charges him with insubordination and unauthorized use of a spacecraft, reminding him that his actions nearly caused armed conflict with the Moneans. Tom defends himself, standing by what he said earlier in the episode. His goal was to help save the ocean that so many called home. He wanted to help Riga, whose voice would have gone unheeded by his people's bureaucracy.

Janeway acknowledges his principles, and by the look on her face, it's clear that she agrees with him to an extent. She knows that the Monean council might not listen. She knows that the ocean might still be at risk long after they leave. But she also can't deny that Paris' choices put people in danger. His actions showed her that his reckless nature has not entirely left him. There has been a loss of trust between them, and that's what leads Janeway to demote Tom Paris to Ensign — she no longer has faith in his judgment as a Lieutenant.

MORE: Star Trek: Why Voyager Deserves More Credit Than It Gets

Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series)

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Star trek: voyager’s paris & torres relationship almost didn’t happen says robert duncan mcneill.

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Every Voyager Character Who Has Returned In Star Trek (& How)

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• Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres might not have become a couple if a Star Trek: Voyager season 3 episode had turned out differently.
• "Blood Fever" was originally meant to feature Tuvok more heavily but was changed to Tom at the last minute.
• The episode accelerated Tom and B'Elanna's romance and solidified their relationship, leading to their love confession in season 4.

Tom Paris actor Robert Duncan McNeill revealed that Star Trek: Voyager almost didn't make his character and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) a couple in season 3. After their official get-together at the beginning of season 4, Tom and B'Elanna became the only stable couple among Voyager 's cast of characters for the rest of the show's seven seasons. Their relationship ended up going further than most Star Trek couples , culminating in their marriage and the birth of their daughter in season 7.

While the seeds of Tom and B'Elanna's future romance were planted as far back as season 1, any explicit hint of their relationship wasn't cemented until Voyager season 3, episode 16, "Blood Fever." During the episode, Ensign Vorik (Alexander Enberg) infected B'Elanna with his Vulcan Pon Farr, causing her to choose Tom as he mate while the two were trapped in a system of caves on an alien planet. However, "Blood Fever" almost forwent setting up Tom and B'Elanna as a couple in favor of a different storyline.

Star Trek: Voyager's beloved characters have returned in Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and especially Star Trek: Prodigy.

Robert Duncan McNeill Explains Why “Blood Fever” Wasn’t Supposed To Start Tom And B’Elanna’s Relationship

Another character was supposed to feature more heavily in "blood fever".

In an interview with Star Trek Monthly , issue 28 around the time of the episode's airing, Robert Duncan McNeill revealed that "Blood Fever" was originally supposed to star Tuvok (Tim Russ) and B'Elanna as the episode's duo , but that it was changed to Tom at the last minute. According to McNeill, Voyager 's creative team decided to replace Tuvok with Tom almost on a whim, but the decision ultimately had huge implications for Voyager 's storyline due to it fully cementing Tom and B'Elanna's future relationship. Read McNeill's full quote below:

"Originally that episode was written for B'Elanna to go into Pon Farr and to be trapped in the caves with Tuvok, who would help her go through this and deal with it because he's Vulcan and he's been through it. At the very last minute, literally like the day before we started shooting that episode, they thought, 'Why don't we make it Tom Paris and B'Elanna trapped, and let's see what happens with that.' So they made this change."

Logically, having Tuvok be the one to help B'Elanna in "Blood Fever" would have made sense. As McNeill pointed out, Tuvok had experienced the Pon Farr and was equipped to help B'Elanna manage her symptoms if not alleviate them. Tuvok was still a big presence in "Blood Fever," and was the first person to realize what was wrong with B'Elanna as well as Voyager 's source for Vulcan knowledge about Pon Farr. However, the decision to jump-start Tom and B'Elanna's relationship was a good one, as the romance might have never come to fruition otherwise.

Would Paris And Torres Still Have Become A Couple Without “Blood Fever”?

Tom and b'elanna's future as a couple might have been more rocky.

Although it's possible Tom and B'Elanna would still have gotten together had "Blood Fever" played out differently, the chances would have been much slimmer. The Paris/Torres relationship had been teased subtly in earlier seasons, but "Blood Fever" brought their feelings out in the open and was arguably the catalyst for the two finally admitting their love for each other at the beginning of Star Trek: Voyager season 4 . Tom and B'Elanna's love confession coming so quickly on "Blood Fever's" heels seems like no coincidence when looked at in hindsight.

Ultimately, Star Trek: Voyager made the right decision to feature Tom more heavily in "Blood Fever" and the episode was the perfect beginning to Tom and B'Elanna's love story.

It's impossible to say exactly how Tom and B'Elanna's relationship would have evolved without "Blood Fever." However, the development of their romance would likely have taken much longer , which may have cheated audiences out of seeing nearly as much of their relationship progression or resulted in the creative team getting bored and dropping the storyline entirely, leaving a lot of unresolved potential. Ultimately, Star Trek: Voyager made the right decision to feature Tom more heavily in "Blood Fever" and the episode was the perfect beginning to Tom and B'Elanna's love story.

Source: Star Trek Monthly , issue 28

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager

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The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before.