Conference 7.286::star_trek

Upcoming Episode:

                  Blood Fever
                  Production: 157
                  First Showing: 2/5/97


During their exploration of a decimated colony, the Voyager Away Team is thrown
into turmoil with the sudden onset of the Vulcan mating season. The
ensuing irrational advances of a Vulcan crew member wreak havoc when they
trigger Lieutenant Torres' involuntary Klingon mating instincts. Meanwhile,
Commander Chakotay spots the remains of one of the colony's invaders -- the
Borg.

This episode carries a "TV PG" parental guideline.


Starring:
     Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway
     Robert Beltran as Chakotay
     Roxann Biggs-Dawson as B'Elanna Torres
     Jennifer Lien as Kes
     Robert Duncan McNeill as Lt. Tom Paris
     Robert Picardo as the Doctor
     Ethan Phillips as Neelix
     Tim Russ as Tuvok
     Garrett Wang as Harry Kim

Guest Stars:
     Alexander Enberg as Voric
     Bruce Bohne as Ishan
     Deborah Levin as Ensign Lang

Written by: Lisa Klink

Directed by: Andrew Robinson

Good B'Elanna episode.  I liked the aliens, too.

I still don't care for that new Vulcan guy Voric, but this was some of his
better than some of his previous work.  I'm not sure what it is, but he just
doesn't seem Vulcan; it all seems put on, rather than really a part of him. 
Tuvok is *much* better.  I think it's partly something about the way he speaks;
I noticed Tuvok clearly enunciating, and Voric not speaking as articulately.  I
remember Spock speaking very clearly, in a smooth voice.  Sarek, too.  Voric
seemed better when allowed to be emotional; perhaps Alexander Enberg is not as
comfortable with the reserved and subtle Vulcan persona as Tim Russ is.

Spoilers:


There were just itching to get a big fight scene in, with thumping music.  Nice
ploy that it was co-ed.  Nicer ploy that the woman won.  I would have been
livid if Voric had won.  The whole time I was thinking it looked just like a
scene from TOS, and I was almost disappointed they didn't use the old TOS fight
music.  Whatever that Spock pon-farr episode was (Amok Time?), this was clearly
patterned after it.

Nice awkward scene in the turbolift with Torres and Paris.

The Doctor was great!  I loved how he handled the "personal situation".  Great
line (paraphrased):

	Voric: "But she's just a hologram!"
	Doctor: [sarcastically] "Oh, I can imagine how you feel about me."

I'm a little surprised that Voric appeared cured in sick bay, and then appeared
suddenly on the planet surface still full of the "blood fever," and there was
no explanation or anything afterwards.

Overall, a pretty good episode, I'd say.

						Brian

    
  Yet another great Voyager episode... 

  We got to see a sex'ed up B'Elanna, thought we'd never get to see that side
  of her character.  Paris isn't alone in thinking that she is worth a few chin
  bites here and there, wow.  :-)

  I don't have a problem with Voric, in fact I rather like his character as a
  different view of Vulcans.  I think his role is acted well.  To me, I see the
  differences between him and older Tuvok, older Spock, and much older Sarek as
  being purely an age difference.  Voric is closer to a pure raw form of being
  Vulcan, seen before all those many long years of training and emotional
  suppression are completed.  The other three are masters of self mind and body
  control (Tuvok less so than TOS imo), whereas Voric is depicted as just
  beginning that journey.  Fittingly enough, to me he seems similar to a
  Romulan character.  His acting is, purposely I feel, a cross between a
  Romulan character and a Vulcan character, where 'untrained' Vulcans resemble
  Romulans in their behaviour patterns.  And also speech.  He is also
  reminiscent to me of a childhood Spock seen in the films, as an example of
  another adolescent Vulcan young man. 

  I found it strange that Tuvok, so eager to help others in their mental
  training and growth, would not help a younger Vulcan in other aspects of his
  life.  I'm with the halodoc on that one, Victorian principles indeed.  But
  not a surprising construct for a race seeking to banish all emotions and
  animal instincts from their being, from their sheer disabling discomfort with
  them.

  On Voric's appearance on the planet...  that scene was unexpected and a great
  twist.  To me it was clear at that moment that his 'cure' was purely a ruse
  well performed by Voric who summoned all his mental control for that one
  moment in time.  The halodoc's easily inflated ego helped Voric in his ruse,
  the doc was eager to hear his quick new idea worked (when generations of
  Vulcans looking at their 'how embarrassing' problem could not think of this
  one?).  I was happy for this more realistic outcome.  I'm also glad that the
  characters on the show aren't all Wesley's who always come up with
  universe-shattering answers single-handedly all the time.

  It was a well-done and well written episode...  I'm happily becoming used to
  them on this show.  I consistently enjoy the show week in and week out,
  something I can't have said since TOS.  TNG and especially DS9 has a much
  lower hit to miss ratio for me.

  -Erik

    Meant to mention this earlier - Andrew Robinson (garek) did a nice job
    of direction.

    I agree, good episode.
    However, I've VERY disappointed that the Paramount web site
    gave away the major twist in the last scene (The Borg are back!)
    
    In general, previews to a lot of these episodes give away major
    plot turns.