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OpticalData's guide to Star Trek: Voyager
(startrek.website)
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OpticalData's Guide to Voyager
Season 1
Episode | Title | Why should I watch it? | Is it optional? |
---|---|---|---|
1 & 2 | Caretaker | Included for obvious reasons. This sets up the entire premise of the show. | No |
3 | Parallax | This is an important episode as it establishes the Starfleet/Maquis command structure that remains for the rest of the series, also good character development for Janeway/Chakotay/Torres. | No |
4 | Time and Again | If you can get past the ridiculous costumes, it has good character development for Janeway/Paris and introduces Kes' telepathic abilities. | No |
5 | Phage | Introduces the Vidiians. | No |
6 | The Cloud | "There's Coffee in that nebula!" and beginning of the deeper Janeway/Chakotay relationship | Yes |
7 | Eye Of The Needle | Voyager's first glimpse of home... Except not. (NB: The events of this episode are explored further in the 'Dark Matters' book trilogy) | Yes |
8 | Ex Post Facto | Heavy Paris development, the first time we see him as the 'underdog' in a story | Yes |
9 | Emanations | Harry Kim development and introduction of Seska | No |
10 | Prime Factors | More Starfleet-Maquis clashes. Character development for Tuvok, Torres and Carey. | Yes |
11 | State Of Flux | Beginning of the Seska-Kazon arc and revelation of Seska's past. | No |
12 | Heroes And Demons | The series' first holodeck episode. Janeway sports a new haircut. | Yes |
13 | Cathexis | The crew is possessed by a disembodied Chakotay. | Yes |
14 | Faces | Further development of both the Vidiians and Torres' character. | No |
15 | Jetrel | Development of Neelix's backstory. This episode is referenced multiple times throughout the rest of the series. | No |
16 | Learning Curve | Tuvok character development. Starfleet-Maquis clashes. | Yes |
Season 2
Episode | Title | Why should I watch it? | Is it optional? |
---|---|---|---|
17 | The 37's | The first time we get to see Voyager land. | No |
18 | Initiations | Chakotay gets captured by the Kazon and we see some of their culture. | Yes |
19 | Projections | Doctor-centric episode with good character development. | Yes |
20 | Elogium | Examines details of Kes's Ocampan biology which are referenced throughout the rest of the series | No |
21 | Non Sequitur | Kim gets transported to an alternate reality in which he is home and has everything he wants but decides to return to Voyager. | Yes |
22 | Twisted | General character development. A solid episode. | Yes |
23 | Parturition | Paris and Neelix fight over Kes and end up adopting an alien. Resolves the Tom/Neelix bickering and Neelix's jealousy. | No |
24 | Persistence of Vision | Reveals many characters' backstories, and one of the few times we see the relations of the Voyager crew. | No |
25 | Tattoo | Chakotay development, focussing on his spiritual beliefs. | Yes |
26 | Cold Fire | Wraps up questions from Caretaker. | No |
27 | Maneuvers | Seska outwits the Voyager crew and Chakotay is captured by the Kazon again. Setup for a plot line in Basics. | No |
28 | Resistance | Janeway character development. | Yes |
29 | Prototype | Torres character development, solid episode. | Yes |
30 | Alliances | Gives some back story to the Delta Quadrant. | No |
31 | Threshold | An infamously bad episode, on the order of "Spock's Brain". | Yes |
32 | Meld | Tuvok and Suder character development. Important for season resolution. | No |
33 | Dreadnought | A small insight to Maquis and Cardassian Technology. Janeway nearly sacrifices the ship. | Yes |
34 | Death Wish | The series' first Q episode. Looks into the issues of being a Q. | No |
35 | Lifesigns | Backstory about the phage and Vidiians, Doctor character development. Introduction of side characters. | Yes |
36 | Investigations | Important Paris development. (NB: Features a cameo from King Abdullah II of Jordan) | Yes |
37 | Deadlock | Deals with the Vidiians, the birth of a Naiomi Wildman, and the death of Kim prime. One of the best 'action' episodes of the franchise. Highlight: Kate Mulgrew acting vs herself. | No |
38 | Innocence | Tuvok crashes a shuttle and finds children on a planet, but all is not as it appears. Tuvok development. | Yes |
39 | The Thaw | One of the creepiest episodes of the franchise. | Yes |
40 | Tuvix | Poses some excellent moral dilemmas. What would you have done? | Yes |
41 | Resolutions | Sets up the will-they-won't-they element of the Janeway/Chakotay relationship and a chance to see what Voyager would be like with Tuvok in command. | Yes |
42 & 43 | Basics | Wraps up the Kazon arc. | No |
Season 3
Episode | Title | Why should I watch it? | Is it optional? |
---|---|---|---|
44 | Flashback | Gives Tuvok some back story and develops Tuvok-Janeway relationship. Also features appearances from some TOS cast members. | Yes |
45 | The Chute | Kim and Paris development. Both go temporarily insane. | Yes |
46 | The Swarm | Doctor development. Highlight: Picardo vs Picardo | Yes |
47 | False Profits | Wraps up the TNG episode "The Price". Ferengi. | Yes |
48 | Remember | Torres has dreams about a major event in an alien society. | Yes |
49 | Sacred Ground | Good character development for Janeway. | Yes |
50 & 51 | Future's End | Introduction of The Doctor's mobile emitter that will be used throughout the rest of the series. (NB: Sarah Silverman guest stars) | No |
52 | Warlord | Showcases the acting abilities of Jennifer Lien (Kes). | Yes |
53 | The Q and the Grey | Details about the Q continuum. Introduces the recurring Female Q. | No |
54 | Macrocosm | Voyager is attacked by "macroviruses" in a Die Hard-like premise. | Yes |
55 | Fair Trade | Neelix stops being a guide and receives some backstory development. | No |
56 | Alter Ego | Kim and Tuvok development. | Yes |
57 | Coda | Develops Janeway | No |
58 | Blood Fever | Introduces a number of elements seen in later episodes and examines the Pon Farr | No |
59 | Unity | One of the few episodes that develops Chakotay properly. | No |
60 | Darkling | The Doctor becomes Jekyll & Hyde | Yes |
61 | Rise | Neelix and Tuvok get stuck in a lift | Yes |
62 | Favourite Son | Harry Kim almost starts an interstellar war and begins to turn into an alien. | Yes |
63 | Before and After | Introduces the Krenim. An interesting episode about what could have been. | No |
64 | Real Life | Character development for The Doctor. | No |
65 | Distant Origin | A solid episode, good Chakotay development. | Yes |
66 | Displaced | Development of Torres/Paris relationship. Comedy moments | Yes |
67 | Worst Case Scenario | Wraps up Seska arc and shows 'what could have been' with the Maquis/Starfleet joint crew. | No |
68 & 69 | Scorpion | First proper appearance of the Borg and introduces Species 8472 and Seven of Nine. | No |
Season 4
Episode | Title | Why should I watch it? | Is it optional? |
---|---|---|---|
70 | The Gift | Departure of a series regular, wraps up Scorpion. | No |
71 | Day Of Honour | Important Paris-Torres development. | No |
72 | Nemesis | Chakotay and Beltran at their finest. | Yes |
73 | Revulsion | Tuvok gets promoted. A hologram tries to kill Torres. | Yes |
74 | The Raven | Important Seven backstory, referenced later. | No |
75 | Scientific Method | Quite a creepy episode if you think about it. Worth it to see Janeway go full crazy. | Yes |
76 & 77 | Year Of Hell | The best two parter of the series. What Voyager should have been. | No |
78 | Random Thoughts | Torres gets arrested for thinking a violent thought on a planet where they're a crime. Torres and Tuvok development. | Yes |
79 | Concerning Flight | Janeway development, end of a Holodeck distraction. | Yes |
80 | Mortal Coil | One of the few Neelix episodes where Ethan Phillips really gets to act. | No |
81 | Waking Moments | Chakotay development, excellent episode. | No |
82 | Message In A Bottle | Doctor development, referenced later in series. | No |
83 | Hunters | Introduces the Hirogen. | No |
84 | Prey | Continues Hirogen story, finalizes questions about 8472. | No |
86 & 87 | The Killing Game | Wraps up Hirogen arc. Jeri Ryan sings. | No |
88 | Vis à Vis | Tom Paris becomes a victim of body swapping. | Yes |
89 | The Omega Directive | A solid episode, Seven-Janeway relationship development. | No |
90 | Unforgettable | Chakotay falls in love with a woman he can't remember. Chakotay development. | Yes |
91 | Living Witness | Voyager's idea of a mirror universe episode. | No |
92 | Demon | A good episode, referenced later. | No |
93 | One | Good Seven development. | Yes |
94 | Hope and Fear | More Janeway-Seven development, consequences of Scorpion explored. | No |
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Post-series books
Homecoming
The Farther Shore
Spirit Walk: Old Wounds
Spirit Walk: Enemy Of My Enemy
Full Circle
TNG: Before Dishonor
TNG: Destiny Trilogy
Unworthy
Children Of The Storm
Protectors
Acts of Contrition
Atonement