Plot Advancing Episodes

[TribbleFeeder]

So I’ve watched season 1 & 2 of Voyager and a handful of other episodes throughout the series but not in any particular order.

Would anyone be able to list some of the more plot advancing episodes of Voyager? I want to get a grasp on how the ship arrives home without watching every single episode since I’m too eager to watch all 7 seasons right now. I kind of want to do a three day binge on the overarching plot this weekend.

I just finished Message in a Bottle and Hunters, Fyi

I tried to find a pre-existing thread on this because it’s probably a common question among the different series, but nothing came up. Sorry if this is a duplicate!

Thanks guys!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Caretaker, Scorpion and Endgame are really the only episodes that advance the plot.

I guess you can include certain Seska episodes, Dark Frontier and episodes people leave.

 

[StarMan]

Unfortunately, Voyager doesn't have what you've asked for in terms of a cohesive, overarching plot. These are my picks to watch from where you're up to at the moment given your request:

• Living Witness
• Hope and Fear
• Timeless
• Dark Frontier
• Relativity
• Equinox pt I & II
• Pathfinder
• Dark Frontier
• Inside Man
• Friendship One
• Endgame

Some of these entries are a bit iffy. Given the episodic nature of the finale, you could get away with just watching Pathfinder and Dark Frontier, as they are the only episodes of note that contain elements connected with the finale.

 

[cosmic mouse]

There is advancement of sorts in the series (and definitely links between different eps), but a straight linear advancement through space isn't part of that.
These are some eps with longer leaps in the journey, or eps where the amount of time or distance closer to Earth is stated. There are prob more than these but it's a hard thing to search for. I'm rewatching the series and just started s4 so I'll keep my eyes open.

Caretaker
The Gift
Night
Timeless
Dark Frontier
Dragon's Teeth
Voyager Conspiracy
Endgame

 

[TribbleFeeder]

Awesome thanks guys!! I’ll check out some of these when I get home tonight.

 

[Sophie74656]

others have pointed out the important episodes but I would STRONGLY recommend not skipping. Just watch the whole show. It's so worth it.

 

[cosmic mouse]

others have pointed out the important episodes but I would STRONGLY recommend not skipping. Just watch the whole show. It's so worth it.

Agreed, particularly seasons 3-5 which are my personal favorites.

@TribbleFeeder let us know what you think when you finish (even if you skip eps). If you really want to pare things down then maybe combine the lists that @StarMan and I gave you and add Scorpion 1 & 2 (if you are a Borg fan then watch Unity before Scorpion). Maybe also Future's End 1 & 2. It doesn't advance the plot but it's a lot of fun and you get to see where the EMH got the mobile emitter.

 

[TribbleFeeder]

I like all these ideas. Maybe I won’t do a binge and just continue watching. I thought there would be “vital plot” episodes but I guess not. I’ll still probably watch the last two episodes first. I’m just dying to see how they get home.

 

[StarMan]

Agreed, particularly seasons 3-5 which are my personal favorites.

@TribbleFeeder let us know what you think when you finish (even if you skip eps). If you really want to pare things down then maybe combine the lists that @StarMan and I gave you and add Scorpion 1 & 2 (if you are a Borg fan then watch Unity before Scorpion). Maybe also Future's End 1 & 2. It doesn't advance the plot but it's a lot of fun and you get to see where the EMH got the mobile emitter.

I'd add in those episodes too. There were a few I had on the list but cut - like S5's 'Drone'. Great episode, but not related to the "getting home" plot.

An easier list to write would be which episodes to skip. Although, 'Spirit Folk' is a must watch as my personal pick for worst episode of the lot.

 

[TommyR01D]

Caretaker: Well, it's the series premiere
Parallax: The new crew are settled into their posts
State of Flux: Seska defects to the Kazon
Elogium: Wildman pregnancy announced
Maneuvers: Chakotay's baby is concieved
Alliances: Start of the Michael Jonas arc
Meld: Introduction of Suder
Investigations: End of the Michael Jonas arc
Deadlock: Naomi Wildman born
Basics: Seska gives birth, Seska dies, end of Kazon arc, Suder dies
Future's End: Introduction of the mobile emitter
Warlord: Kes breaks up with Neelix
Unity: First Borg episode
Scorpion: Introduction of Seven of Nine and Species 8472
The Gift: Departure of Kes, 10000 light years crossed
The Raven: Fleshing out Seven's backstory
Message in a Bottle: Contact with the Alpha Quadrant, introduction of the Hirogen
Hunters: Crew updated on situation at home
Hope and Fear: Some more distance skipped
Night: Introduction of the Malon
Extreme Risk: Introduction of the first Delta Flyer
Timeless: Another 10000 light years
Thirty Days: Paris demoted to Ensign
Dark Frontier: Major Borg episode
Equinox: Discovery of another Starfleet crew, Voyager assimilates new members
Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy: Establishing the ECH concept
Pathfinder: Reintroduction of Barclay, more contact with the Alpha Quadrant
Collective: Borg children taken aboard
Fury: Brief return of Kes
Unimatrix Zero: Paris promoted to Lt JG, more Borg stuff, first Delta Flyer destroyed
Imperfection: Borg children evicted
Drive: Second Delta Flyer formally introduced, Paris & Torres wed
Inside Man: More of Barclay and Alpha Quadrant
Lineage: Torres is pregnant
Author, Author: Real time communication with Earth
Friendship One: First formal mission from Starfleet
Homestead: Departure of Neelix
Endgame: Well, it's the series finale.

 

[Sophie74656]

I like all these ideas. Maybe I won’t do a binge and just continue watching. I thought there would be “vital plot” episodes but I guess not. I’ll still probably watch the last two episodes first. I’m just dying to see how they get home.

I understand the desire to see how they get home but i think you would be doing yourself a disservice if you do this

 

[Thomas Eugene]

Caretaker: Well, it's the series premiere
Parallax: The new crew are settled into their posts
State of Flux: Seska defects to the Kazon
Elogium: Wildman pregnancy announced
Maneuvers: Chakotay's baby is concieved
Alliances: Start of the Michael Jonas arc
Meld: Introduction of Suder
Investigations: End of the Michael Jonas arc
Deadlock: Naomi Wildman born
Basics: Seska gives birth, Seska dies, end of Kazon arc, Suder dies
Future's End: Introduction of the mobile emitter
Warlord: Kes breaks up with Neelix
Unity: First Borg episode
Scorpion: Introduction of Seven of Nine and Species 8472
The Gift: Departure of Kes, 10000 light years crossed
The Raven: Fleshing out Seven's backstory
Message in a Bottle: Contact with the Alpha Quadrant, introduction of the Hirogen
Hunters: Crew updated on situation at home
Hope and Fear: Some more distance skipped
Night: Introduction of the Malon
Extreme Risk: Introduction of the first Delta Flyer
Timeless: Another 10000 light years
Thirty Days: Paris demoted to Ensign
Dark Frontier: Major Borg episode
Equinox: Discovery of another Starfleet crew, Voyager assimilates new members
Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy: Establishing the ECH concept
Pathfinder: Reintroduction of Barclay, more contact with the Alpha Quadrant
Collective: Borg children taken aboard
Fury: Brief return of Kes
Unimatrix Zero: Paris promoted to Lt JG, more Borg stuff, first Delta Flyer destroyed
Imperfection: Borg children evicted
Drive: Second Delta Flyer formally introduced, Paris & Torres wed
Inside Man: More of Barclay and Alpha Quadrant
Lineage: Torres is pregnant
Author, Author: Real time communication with Earth
Friendship One: First formal mission from Starfleet
Homestead: Departure of Neelix
Endgame: Well, it's the series finale.

Excellent list.

Not that the idea of skipping any episodes at all would enter my mind, especially when watching a show for the first time. But I'm watching Voyager for the 37th time now and I have never skipped an ep. In fact, there are episodes I love (like SCORPION, DEADLOCK and BLOOD FEVER) which I also watch as stand-alones.

But altogether a good choice of eps, I think, esp. for the impatient viewer …

 

[jaime]

Caretaker: Well, it's the series premiere
Parallax: The new crew are settled into their posts
State of Flux: Seska defects to the Kazon
Elogium: Wildman pregnancy announced
Maneuvers: Chakotay's baby is concieved
Alliances: Start of the Michael Jonas arc
Meld: Introduction of Suder
Investigations: End of the Michael Jonas arc
Deadlock: Naomi Wildman born
Basics: Seska gives birth, Seska dies, end of Kazon arc, Suder dies
Future's End: Introduction of the mobile emitter
Warlord: Kes breaks up with Neelix
Unity: First Borg episode
Scorpion: Introduction of Seven of Nine and Species 8472
The Gift: Departure of Kes, 10000 light years crossed
The Raven: Fleshing out Seven's backstory
Message in a Bottle: Contact with the Alpha Quadrant, introduction of the Hirogen
Hunters: Crew updated on situation at home
Hope and Fear: Some more distance skipped
Night: Introduction of the Malon
Extreme Risk: Introduction of the first Delta Flyer
Timeless: Another 10000 light years
Thirty Days: Paris demoted to Ensign
Dark Frontier: Major Borg episode
Equinox: Discovery of another Starfleet crew, Voyager assimilates new members
Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy: Establishing the ECH concept
Pathfinder: Reintroduction of Barclay, more contact with the Alpha Quadrant
Collective: Borg children taken aboard
Fury: Brief return of Kes
Unimatrix Zero: Paris promoted to Lt JG, more Borg stuff, first Delta Flyer destroyed
Imperfection: Borg children evicted
Drive: Second Delta Flyer formally introduced, Paris & Torres wed
Inside Man: More of Barclay and Alpha Quadrant
Lineage: Torres is pregnant
Author, Author: Real time communication with Earth
Friendship One: First formal mission from Starfleet
Homestead: Departure of Neelix
Endgame: Well, it's the series finale.

I’d through in Blood Fever as a relatively concrete start to Tom/Bellz. It’s also got some great performances, even given its subject matter. I personally think Russ acting a Tuvok that is barely restraining himself from slapping Vorik into the middle of next Tuesday really makes the episode. On the subject of which, a couple of Neelix/Tuvok episodes, and stuff dealing with his medical condition would add to the overall picture. Maybe some for vidiians and hirogen too, as well as one or two wrapping up the kazon.