Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) Rise (1997) User Reviews

An elevator into space

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 27 August 2010]

As this episode opens the crew of Voyager are trying to help the Nezu destroy asteroids before they can hit their planet. The asteroid they shoot at disintegrates and some fragments slam into the surface; luckily in a lightly habited area. Soon after a Nezu geologist who claims that he has evidence that the asteroids are not natural contacts them but the signal fails before he can give his evidence. Tuvok, Neelix and one of the Nezu representatives take a shuttle to the surface but crash after passing through turbulence. They survive the crash and are met by the geologist; he will only give the evidence to the Nezu ambassador though. The shuttle can't fly but nearby there is an orbital tether, basically an elevator from the surface to an orbital station. It needs some repairs but they manage to get it working. Unfortunately one of the oxygen tanks is not working so they have to hope there is enough in the other. If that wasn't enough to worry about one of their number dies and Tuvok believes he was murdered meaning there is a killer on board. Before dying the man said he had to get something from the roof. Tuvok believes he was just delusional but Neelix refuses to go any further till somebody goes out and sees what is there. While outside Tuvok is attacked and his assailant thinks he has thrown him off the craft but in fact he is clinging on, Neelix manages to left Tuvok back in and in the ensuing fight the murderer is thrown out and falls to his death. It is good that Tuvok did examine the roof as he finds data on a ship that is attacking Voyager; they get back just in time to defeat the attacking ship.

This was a pretty good episode; the relationship between Neelix and Tuvok is interesting as they are quite antagonistic although when it comes to the crunch they work well together to overcome their dilemmas. Some of the action seemed like something out of an old Saturday morning serial, such as where we see Tuvok thrown off the elevator only to discover he managed to grab onto the side, but that just added to the charm of the episode.

A very good episode...with an odd mistake near the end.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 19 February 2015]

Voyager has once again abandoned its mission of getting back to Federation space and is helping a planet being bombarded by meteors. Normally, the ship could just destroy them before they strike--but there's something odd about their composition and several make it through the atmosphere and strike the colonies. Tuvok and Neelix go to the planet's surface to investigate, as a scientist on the surface thinks that something is afoot. Unfortunately, the shuttle is damaged on the way down and it crashes. With more meteorites on the way, they need to get off the surface. Their escape might be possible through the use of an odd elevator to the sky--but naturally there's much more to it and it's going to be a very dangerous means of escape.

I appreciated that the show finally addresses Tuvok's obvious hatred of Neelix. While I could certainly understand Tuvok's irritation with Neelix (who wouldn't be?!), Tuvok's often dismissive attitude shows that he's indeed a lot more emotional than he lets on to others. This makes for an interesting confrontation. Fortunately, in addition to this, the show has LOTS of innovative plot elements-- more than you'd usually expect on a Trek show--making it well worth seeing. My only complaint is near the end, Voyager is under attack and they beam Neelix and Tuvok aboard--but how can they do this with their shields up?! This violates what other episodes tell us about future warfare. On the other hand, only a moment later, I loved Neelix's comment that "Mr. Sklar returned to the surface". What that is so funny you'll have to see for yourself.

Take That, Mr. Vulcan!

[Bolesroor · 6/10 · 2 February 2011]

Neelix and Tuvok are stranded and must reach the top of a space needle- and overcome their conflicting personalities- to reach safety.

Translation: Neelix finally stands up to Tuvok. Clearly this was the point of this episode, and although Neelix's confrontation was satisfying and well-written, it is a sign of the Trek franchise becoming more dramatic and character-based as opposed to its early focus on story, human-nature, and science-fiction.

Neelix lets the Vulcan have it, criticizing him for the smug and dismissive behavior with which Tuvok treats him, and hopefully the playing ground will be leveled for future episodes.

One question arises: When did Neelix become our go-to guy for Away Missions? Rotund, talkative, and untrained by either Starfleet or the Maquis, I'd say he's probably best utilized as Cook and Morale Officer. Let's leave the adventures to the adventurers and we'll never have to deal with problems like this in the first place.

GRADE: C

Neelix Knows an Awful Lot

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 27 August 2018]

It's interesting that the insufferable Neelix is the only officer on board a shuttle in a critical situation. He proves to be a masterful addition although Tuvok does everything he can to be dismissive of him. An alien planet has been targeted by asteroid which Voyager attempts to squelch with only modest success. It becomes evident that there is more to these space rocks than meets the eye. Meanwhile, during a life and death situation, unexpected forces become involved. I thought this was a pretty good episode. I'm wondering if Neelix will change a bit. If Tuvok has trouble with him, it is not hard to figure out why. One thing that bothered me is that Neelix has such a wide range of technical knowledge. Fast learner?

The courageous space cheetah.

[thevacinstaller · 7/10 · 25 July 2021]

I enjoy the opposites attract plot device and I always enjoyed the cheeky relationship that Tuvok and Neelix have had up to this point. It is actually logical that Tuvok would have an antagonistic relationship with a humanoid that embraces his emotions.

I enjoyed the character scene of Neelix discussing his favorite sister and how he honors the memory of his dead family buy including them in a nightly journal of the days events. We get glimpses of why Neelix is so outrageous ---- Perhaps being around so much death has inspired him to embrace life and not be limited by restraint and apprehension about how he would be perceived?

A solid character based episode with a plot that was essentially background noise to develop a mutual respect between Tuvok and Neelix.

Neelix should just stay in his kitchen

[tomsly-40015 · 7/10 · 23 December 2023]

I wonder how many shuttles Voyager carries. Another one crash lands on a planet after they already lost one on that Borg drone planet like several others before in other accidents. This thing must be loaded with shuttles. Obviously one shuttle per crew member. Just in case the escape pods run low - although, they seem to replenish, too. After that episode where Voyager was boarded by the Kazon, they escaped with the pods. Yet, in another episode after that one Janeway orders her crew into escape pods to abandon the ship. A miracle.

And why does Voyager stop at every planet to help some colonists? What is with Prime Directive by the way? If a meteor shower is about to destroy a planet and the population is unable to defend itself, Voyager should not intervene. This goes against the Prime Directive which they have proven many times before in similar situations.

While the episode over all is not bad and it has something of a survival mission in a confined space, Neelix still annoys me. By now he should have realized that Tuvok does not act on instinct and emotion and is not interested in the emotional hysteria of his crew mates. He solves problems logically and stays calm. When he orders Neelix around then he does this for three simple reasons:

1. He is a lieutenant and Neelix is a "morale officer" and a cook. He is not even an enlisted Starfleet crewman. He is a passenger and a counsel. And now, that they are beyond regions he knows, he cannot even counsel them anymore. So Tuvok has all the rights to command Neelix on away missions. He should have thrown him in the brig after the mission for insubordination.

2. Tuvok has way more experience in such away missions and with Starfleet protocol. He not only is over 100 years old but he also is a trained Starfleet officer with experience on other ships and with life threathing situations. Neelix on the other hand is a former smuggler that deserted from military duty and instead muddled himself through life with some shady business.

3. Tuvok is a Vulcan, he focuses on the mission with logic and clear sight. He also has a strengthened physiology that helps him cope with dangerous situations. While others (as seen in the elevator) start to panic and lose their control, he stays determined and ready to act.

Neelix' crying about Tuvok not appreciating him as an equal crew member is pathetic. Even Kes grew tired of him and dumped him! Maybe Neelix should consider that! The others should have thrown him our of the elevator to end this farce once and for all.

Saved by the lead performances

[snoozejonc · 6/10 · 27 January 2023]

Neelix is the only one who can work an elevator.

This is an okay episode that has some good moments, but I struggled with the plot and characterisations.

The writers come up with a contrived backstory for with Neelix that fits perfectly into the current dilemma and it makes for a dramatic away mission. For me the best moments involve the action sequences and Tuvok. The less said about how the main plots come together so conveniently towards the end the better.

In certain episodes the writers try to make you side with Neelix against Tuvok in silly arguments about the merits of logic and feelings, but they never work. Tuvok embodies the same cool Vulcan persona as Spock and there is no amount of contrived storytelling or dialogues with Neelix that would make me look negatively upon the character. Neelix on the other hand is written as needy and annoying as ever. Plus his sudden influx of technical knowledge is a bit of a stretch.

Tim Russ and Ethan Phillips carry the episode with committed performances, which is admirable considering the material.

I think production values are solid, including the special effects (for the time), art design, and fight scenes.

5.5/10 for me but I round upwards.

Just a technicality

[moakin2005 · 5/10 · 6 January 2019]

I have lost count on the number of lost personnel and shuttles up to this point, but one would think that by now, the attrition would be apparent. But hocus pocus, the ship's compliment does not suffer.

Insufferable Neelix at his "insufferablest"

[txriverotter · 3/10 · 25 April 2023]

I like Neelix, even tho some episodes he annoys the heck out of me, I still like him. This episode is no different in that respect, except by the end we're supposed to believe Neelix has properly chastened Tuvok.

Neelix knows Tuvok is Vulcan, and by now he knows why he is the way he is. However, that never stops Neelix from haranguing Tuvok to no end over various stupidities: his morning juice, Vulcan holidays Neelix tries to celebrate in all the wrong ways, attempting to engage Tuvok to sing Vulcan funeral dirges as tho they're cheery folk songs, etc. The ever-constant "Mr Vulcan" is enough to make one want to give Neelix the ol' nerve pinch.

It's not bad enough Neelix is forever partaking some new and totally different job that he does for one or two episodes then we never hear about it again. He goes from guide to cook to morale booster to ambassador to journalist/gossip vlogger to security/engineering student. With the exception of cook, all his other "duties" never seem to amount to steady work, but they never explain why.

In this episode Neelix has asked to be a part of an away team mission to help the Nezu, whose planet is being bombarded with asteroids that aren't quite regular asteroids. And Captain Janeway has placed Neelix on Lt. Tuvok's team, proving she does have a sadistic sense of humor.

When the shuttle they're in is damaged beyond repair en route to the Nezu planet, only Neelix can get this mission back on track and get them back aboard Voyager. Because Neelix has been studying Starfleet's Security and Engineering texts, and thanks to his eidetic memory we've henceforth never heard of, coupled with past experiences we just now learn of, make him "the expert" for this episode.

When Tuvok sends Neelix out to check the communications equipment, Neelix is sidetracked by an Orbital Tether, and rushes back in to tell Tuvok about it. This is where we learn the OT is damaged, but Neelix's new knowledge and past experience are just what's needed to get them up out of the ionosphere so Voyager can beam them all aboard.

Tuvok reluctantly agrees to this new plan and they all get to work. Except Neelix constantly stops working to tell a story or relay an anecdote to one person or another. At some point Tuvok pulls him aside and tells him to do his job. Which is quite right. I would think any supervisor who sees an employee consistently not doing their assigned work, would get a "talking to." After all, they're in a pretty dire situation. More asteroids are headed for the planet and they need to get gone.

Without giving away too much more of the plot, they get the OT moving, but it's not quite up to specs and the oxygen level is a problem. But they decide it's their only option and set off. Along the way things go wrong, Tuvok gets more annoyed with Neelix, Neelix pitches a hissy fit and everyone on the OT sides with Neelix and gives Tuvok the stink eye because he's been so mean to Neelix the whole mission. In so many words, anyway.

Someone is murdered, someone tries to murder someone else, the bad guy takes a flying leap and the rest make it to Voyager with the data needed to help the Nezu get rid of the asteroids forever.

Then we have the end scene, where Tuvok comes in to tell Neelix he has put him up for special commendation for his work on the away mission. Because Tuvok doesn't hold grudges, he doesn't get angry or resentful, or at least not to the point it affects his judgment or rational.

And yet, even tho Neelix thanks him for this, he still acts like a bit of a jerk. He accuses Tuvok of having to have the last word, etc etc, and doesn't accept Tuvok's explanations for why he does what he does. But then, that's been the whole issue all along. Neelix does not accept Tuvok for who he is and thinks he needs to "fix" him. Because Tuvok doesn't dance and sing and join in merry meal times, there's something wrong with him and he's missing out, so Neelix thinks.

That's bad judgment on Neelix's part. Just because someone doesn't live their life the way you expect, that does not mean they're unhappy or missing something. They may be quite content with the way they've chosen. And it's not anyone's place to tell them they need to change in order to be happy.

Which is what Neelix does to Tuvok, throughout the entire series.