VOY Season 1, Episode 6 (Netflix S1 E5): The Cloud
Rating: 2
The main plot of the episode is not the most interesting and chalked full of techno-babble. They deal with important themes that I many wish Voyager took more seriously. They try to address the problem of the crew’s morale dropping, but we never really see the effects of the bad morale, we just see the solutions. That is actually more than they give us for the apparent energy problem. We don’t see any serious effects of the energy problem (and they even spend an awful lot of time on the holodeck), and we never see the solution. For those expecting some stakes for Voyager’s dispersion to the Delta Quadrant, this may end up just being more frustrating than anything.
Read more at Memory Alpha
Hear a defense of this episode at Trek.fm, who gave it an 8/10
Notes:
The crew becoming distraught is a good theme for this episode. The only real example they give is this guy looking out a window. Other than that Janeway and Chakotay just tell us the crew is depressed. I guess we have to take their word for it.
Another appropriate theme for this episode is that they need energy. They give the example of needing replicator rations and having to eat Neelix’s food to save energy!
It’s established in the beginning of the episode that Janeway is going to try to get closer to the crew. So when Chakotay suggests that Janeway can learn to speak with her “animal guide,” she is pretty much just humoring him right?
Sort of interesting moment with Neelix wondering why Voyager always does dangerous stuff, which is soured by a romantic twist in the scene.
They mention a limited supply of photon torpedoes. It would be interesting if they actually ran out at some point.
Harry Kim wears a sleeping mask because it reminds him of being in the womb. ok dude
Holodeck time seems like one of those luxuries they would have to forgo in the Delta Quadrant, right? It seems like it would use way more power than a replicator. The writers are at least attempting to “show” rather than “tell” when it comes to the crew needing a boost in morale
It seems weird that Chakotay, former captain of the Maquis ship, and Janeway, captain of the Federation ship, are pretty much best pals a couple weeks later. He even shows her his medicine bundle!
Quite the matte painting in Janeway’s dream. wow.
We get some techno babble solutions
“I understand that this nebula is actually some kind of monster?!” heh. Neelix seems to be the only crew member that is really upset on board, which is strange because he is one of the only crew members whose life has just drastically improved
They establish that Neelix is now the morale officer. I’m with Tuvok on this one
So the apparent energy problem is not solved and instead made worse. But don’t worry Janeway tells us that they are going off of a tip from Neelix to get energy
Harry invites Janeway to the holodeck. I bet everybody hates Harry right about now.
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