Living Witness

Episode aired Apr 29, 1998
TV-PG
46m

IMDb RATING

8.7/10

2.7K

YOUR RATING

Henry Woronicz in Star Trek: Voyager (1995)

Action Adventure Drama Sci-Fi Thriller

The Doctor awakens in the museum of an alien culture seven hundred years in the future, where Voyager is thought to have been a passing warship full of cold-blooded killers.The Doctor awakens in the museum of an alien culture seven hundred years in the future, where Voyager is thought to have been a passing warship full of cold-blooded killers.The Doctor awakens in the museum of an alien culture seven hundred years in the future, where Voyager is thought to have been a passing warship full of cold-blooded killers.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.7/10

2.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Directorial debut of Tim Russ, a.k.a. Tuvok, and the only Voyager episode directed by him.

Goofs
Since when does Voyager have a backup of the Doctor's program?

Ever since the Doctor received his mobile holo-emitter in Future's End: Part II (1996) the Voyager crew has worried about losing him entirely, because he is downloaded into the device and its damage or loss would mean the program's loss. In other words, nothing remained of the Doctor in the computer or as a backup when he was using the emitter.

This lack of a backup was never directly explained, but it made sense. The Doctor's program was large, so much so that in The Swarm (1996) Voyager has to sacrifice its Jupiter Station diagnostic program in order to allow the Doctor to expand into the diagnostic's storage capacity and thus continue running every day and expanding his personality.

The size of the program means it could perhaps not be backed up (the fact it can still be downloaded into the tiny mobile emitter can be explained by the fact this device is from the 29th century).

Quotes
[in the Doctor's simulation]
The Doctor: I'll go first, Captain, and draw any fire if need be.
Vaskan Ambassador Daleth: Your crew is heroic, Captain.
The Doctor: I just happen to be invulnerable to phaser fire, but I appreciate the compliment.

Connections
Referenced in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Soundtracks
Star Trek: Voyager - Main Title
(uncredited)
Written by Jerry Goldsmith
Performed by Jay Chattaway

User reviews19

Review

Featured review

10/10

Black gloves Janeway is angry

This episode is one of the best Voyager episodes. Strong story, great alternate appearance of an evil Voyager crew and an interesting way of storytelling by simulating past events as they could have happened.

The Voyager bridge in a darker lighting, the ship equipped with big guns and the crew dressed with black gloves and black turtlenecks is an awesome contrast to the happy and optimistic crew we normally see. Janeway is tough and acts as many viewers wanted her to act if you read through reviews of past episodes. She is ruthless and doesn't care about other species as long as she gets home faster. Not only has she built a crew of soldiers including Kazon, she even commands a small Borg squad led by Seven.

The lesson of this episode is really strong and makes you think. About the history of your people, about which historical events and interpretations are real and which are just glorified myths on which your society has built on. How many heroes and martyrs of a civilization were indeed as heroic and righteous as stories and history describes them.

I wonder though: The doctor is projected with a backup copy. In episodes before he only could be in one system at a time. With a backup, lots of episodes and events would have made less sense, e.g. When he was sent to the Starfleet vessel in the alpha quadrant. With a backup, Voyager still would have another doctor ready to activate. And he would not have to worry about his mobile emitter. If it would fail, they could restore him from backup anytime.

The end of this episode is typical Star Trek optimism. Instead of riot, chaos and more wars after the truth has been revealed, the two species have learned their lesson and are living in peace and harmony now.