Episode cast overview: | |||
Kate Mulgrew | ... | Capt. Kathryn Janeway | |
Robert Beltran | ... | Cmdr. Chakotay | |
Roxann Dawson | ... | Lt. B'Elanna Torres | |
Robert Duncan McNeill | ... | Lt. Tom Paris | |
Ethan Phillips | ... | Neelix | |
Robert Picardo | ... | The Doctor | |
Tim Russ | ... | Lt. Tuvok | |
Jeri Ryan | ... | Seven of Nine | |
Garrett Wang | ... | Ensign Harry Kim | |
Claire Rankin | ... | Alice | |
John Fleck | ... | Abaddon |
En route home, Voyager stumbles upon a shabby space age junkyard run by an alien used vehicle salesman eager to trade. After a thorough examination of both starship and junkyard, a list of items develops for trade. Avid pilot Tom Paris notices a "race car" among the assemblage and convinces Chakotay to acquire it for an extra "away" ship. As he cleans and repairs it, Paris slowly becomes possessed by this very unique and needy space vessel. Written by tafkas
One reviewer has described it as Voyager meets Stephen King's Christine. I was thinking more like Top Gear meets Christine with a bit of Fatal Attraction.
Petrol-head Tom Paris has an affair with a with a fast space ship that takes on a seductive female persona intending to stimulate his need for speed and question his devotion to his loved ones.
It starts off strongly with Tom and Harry trying to guess Tuvok's age in an exchange of banter that sets a comical tone and implies there will be more laughs to come.
We witness Tom unravel as Alice gets her claws into him and the consequences this has for his wife and the rest of the Voyager crew. During this we have some fun observations on unfaithfulness, addiction and the male ego. Harry Kim's reference to the Ferengi rules of acquisition was good.
The sight of Tom in a silver spacesuit plugged into a ship's helm with multiple different colour cables sticking out of his torso feels too ridiculous to be anything other than satire, so I can't say I take it so seriously that I had a problem with any perceived silliness. As some moments have a dramatic tone, I can't rule out that some of it is meant to be taken seriously.
It's entertaining if you are looking to pass the time, but if you are not a fan of the Tom Paris character and don't care for B'Elanna Torres, best skip this one.