Flashback

It wasn't 1996, when all series of the Star Trek franchise honoring Star Trek.

Deep Space Nine did a great one with their Trial & Tribulations.

This one is the 'yang' to Deep Space 9's 'yin.'

A thoroughly disjointed story, in which the appearances of Sulu (George Takei) & (now lieutenant) Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) thrown in to a story in which the very disjointedness is part of the plot.

Whereas Deep Space Nine incorporated an original Star Trek story and enhanced it (using both camera trickery and still new CGI effects) to make a true love letter to Star Trek, Voyager takes the story which well it does have a kernel - the Star Trek film, An Undiscovered Country - from which to build on, it wastes this opportunity.

I remember seeing An Undiscovered Country, and while it was one of the better Star Trek films featuring the original series cast, is still not as imbedded in people's memories, as deeply as the many episodes of the original Star Trek series, and does not have the same resonance.

An (admittedly poor) analogy would be for someone to decide to make a tribute to Apple in 20 years, and after all the wonderful devices, which people have memories of, the inept brains make an 'anniversary' device based upon a Newton MessagePad, rather than a Mac, or iPhone - some people would 'get it,' while most wouldn't.

This poorly conceived episode actually angers me - it would've been less obsequious had the producers simply trotted out Mr. Takei & Ms. Whitney & just said 'here are a couple of original cast members' than this extremely jury-rigged plot they foisted.

It's insulting, and I've a long fuse. To irritate me takes a lot, but, this episode is just such a blatant pandering, it should be(come) 'lost' on purpose - and never found again.