Sorry, it's been a while since the first season, but I'm slowly getting through the Borg Cube box set. Here is a look back at Season 2.
There are three notable features of Voyager's second season – stand-out guests, bizarre plots and running plot threads.
The season certainly begins oddly. A truck floating in space, the Doctor "realising" he is real and the rest of the crew are holograms, aliens trying to mate with the ship, Kim back on Earth having never joined Voyager's crew... Their scientific basis rarely stands up to close scrutiny, but taken in the right spirit, they are fun. These episodes would provide a stark contrast to the machinations and intrigue that surrounded the ongoing plot of a traitor on Voyager. The show's co-creator, the late Michael Piller, says the writers were taking "creative risks" and aimed for "distinctive television", and there are certainly several unusual plots.
Of the more regular episodes, "Initiations" gave us our first real insight into Kazon culture. Though the young Kazon is too recognisable as Aaron Eisenberg, with Nog's voice and mannerisms, it fleshes out the season's main villains well. There is a belated and underwhelming follow-up to "Caretaker" with "Cold Fire", "Tattoo" offers some insight into Chakotay and Neelix's jealousy over Kes is finally resolved in "Parturition" - though not before much damage has been done to the character.
Voyager's first big-name guest is Academy Award winner Joel Grey, who plays an aged rebel. His heartbreaking performance lifts the otherwise standard "Resistance" into one of the best episodes to date. Horror star Brad Dourif appears as the murdering Betazoid Lon Suder in "Meld", though he is upstaged by a deranged Tuvok, played brilliantly by Tim Russ. Michael McKean rounds out the star guests, playing the embodiment of Fear in "The Thaw". He holds captive Harry Kim (who is also killed for the second time and sent to an alternate timeline this season) and dominates the scenes in his bizarre realm. Unsurprisingly, this episode is written by Joe Menosky, known for several of TNG's odd episodes.
"Death Wish" is perhaps the best Voyager episode to this point, featuring Q's first appearance in Voyager and the introduction of a suicidal Q. Though Q is not truly at his menacing best, the episode is thought-provoking and well executed. "Tuvix" with Tuvok and Neelix merged into a single distinct person is also a talking point thanks to Janeway’s controversial solution – effectively, a murder.
Less impressive is "Threshold", regularly voted one of the show's worst episodes and described by writer Brannon Braga in an Easter egg interview as a "royal, steaming stinker".
It is the Maquis plots that provide the "meat" of the season. Voyager has transporter technology stolen and a crewman turns traitor, leading to a subtle plot in which Paris gradually seems to abandon his role on board. This baffled and annoyed many reviewers at the time, with the true purpose of the actions – using Paris to expose the traitor – was revealed. Watching Janeway compromise her ideals to try and ally first with the Kazon, then their enemies, results in the terrific episode "Alliances". This all builds to Voyager's first cliffhanger, "Basics", which leaves the crew stranded on a volatile planet, with a cave monster and primitive tribe, Tom's fate unknown after he flees in a shuttle and only the Doctor and Suder left on the ship which has been taken over by the Kazon. The episode left plenty of threads dangling, as a good cliffhanger should do. Piller notes that the title is a message that the series is taking a "back to basics" approach, and notes the fast pace is influenced by shows like "ER".
Extras are fairly limited and unremarkable. "The 37s" features text commentary, curiously in large blue boxes rather than the usual subtitles. Perhaps the best extra, aside from Braga’s aforementioned blunt comments, is a music clip of Tim Russ performing "Kushangaza", the eponymous track from his 2001 album. Russ, like several of his Voyager castmates (Jeri Ryan and Robert Picardo) is a terrific singer. Imagine Star Trek: The Musical, with those three, Brent Spiner and Avery Brooks…
There are three notable features of Voyager's second season – stand-out guests, bizarre plots and running plot threads.
The season certainly begins oddly. A truck floating in space, the Doctor "realising" he is real and the rest of the crew are holograms, aliens trying to mate with the ship, Kim back on Earth having never joined Voyager's crew... Their scientific basis rarely stands up to close scrutiny, but taken in the right spirit, they are fun. These episodes would provide a stark contrast to the machinations and intrigue that surrounded the ongoing plot of a traitor on Voyager. The show's co-creator, the late Michael Piller, says the writers were taking "creative risks" and aimed for "distinctive television", and there are certainly several unusual plots.
Of the more regular episodes, "Initiations" gave us our first real insight into Kazon culture. Though the young Kazon is too recognisable as Aaron Eisenberg, with Nog's voice and mannerisms, it fleshes out the season's main villains well. There is a belated and underwhelming follow-up to "Caretaker" with "Cold Fire", "Tattoo" offers some insight into Chakotay and Neelix's jealousy over Kes is finally resolved in "Parturition" - though not before much damage has been done to the character.
Voyager's first big-name guest is Academy Award winner Joel Grey, who plays an aged rebel. His heartbreaking performance lifts the otherwise standard "Resistance" into one of the best episodes to date. Horror star Brad Dourif appears as the murdering Betazoid Lon Suder in "Meld", though he is upstaged by a deranged Tuvok, played brilliantly by Tim Russ. Michael McKean rounds out the star guests, playing the embodiment of Fear in "The Thaw". He holds captive Harry Kim (who is also killed for the second time and sent to an alternate timeline this season) and dominates the scenes in his bizarre realm. Unsurprisingly, this episode is written by Joe Menosky, known for several of TNG's odd episodes.
"Death Wish" is perhaps the best Voyager episode to this point, featuring Q's first appearance in Voyager and the introduction of a suicidal Q. Though Q is not truly at his menacing best, the episode is thought-provoking and well executed. "Tuvix" with Tuvok and Neelix merged into a single distinct person is also a talking point thanks to Janeway’s controversial solution – effectively, a murder.
Less impressive is "Threshold", regularly voted one of the show's worst episodes and described by writer Brannon Braga in an Easter egg interview as a "royal, steaming stinker".
It is the Maquis plots that provide the "meat" of the season. Voyager has transporter technology stolen and a crewman turns traitor, leading to a subtle plot in which Paris gradually seems to abandon his role on board. This baffled and annoyed many reviewers at the time, with the true purpose of the actions – using Paris to expose the traitor – was revealed. Watching Janeway compromise her ideals to try and ally first with the Kazon, then their enemies, results in the terrific episode "Alliances". This all builds to Voyager's first cliffhanger, "Basics", which leaves the crew stranded on a volatile planet, with a cave monster and primitive tribe, Tom's fate unknown after he flees in a shuttle and only the Doctor and Suder left on the ship which has been taken over by the Kazon. The episode left plenty of threads dangling, as a good cliffhanger should do. Piller notes that the title is a message that the series is taking a "back to basics" approach, and notes the fast pace is influenced by shows like "ER".
Extras are fairly limited and unremarkable. "The 37s" features text commentary, curiously in large blue boxes rather than the usual subtitles. Perhaps the best extra, aside from Braga’s aforementioned blunt comments, is a music clip of Tim Russ performing "Kushangaza", the eponymous track from his 2001 album. Russ, like several of his Voyager castmates (Jeri Ryan and Robert Picardo) is a terrific singer. Imagine Star Trek: The Musical, with those three, Brent Spiner and Avery Brooks…
Just thought I'd point it out.
I actually didn't start getting into the show until around season 4, but whenever I catch earlier seasons on television, I become rather nostalgic. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 
Probably some partial fault on my part there though, I misunderstood. 
