[VOY] Basics, Part I

[VOY] Season 2, Episode 26 (Netflix: S2 E26): Basics Part 1

Rating: 4

We get to see the return of Suder, and the culmination of Seska and the Kazon scheming against Voyager. They leave us with a cliff hanger — that we of course don’t believe will last — but they also generate some excitement for seeing the conclusion, even if it is a little predictable. Some people have issues with the decisions that propel the plot of this episode, but for now I’m satisfied with the justifications they give in the episode. I’m not saying the decisions are good ones, but at least the writers show some intuition of what the audience is thinking, and they make attempts to address the issues.
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Notes:

Suder! He’s gotten into orchid breeding and Tuvok helps him with some meditation. It would have been cool to have little scenes like this in several episodes after “Meld” creating more of a build up to this

Seska contacts Voyager saying Cullah is angry about Chakotay’s baby

It was good for them to immediately acknowledge that this is probably a trap. It can get annoying when characters aren’t on the same page as the audience

Chakotay's father appears to him in a dream and tells him about how his people cared for babies as their on even in the case of rape. Yeah this situation isn't really like that, but alright

Chakotay’s father appears to him in a dream and tells him about how his people cared for babies as their own even in the case of rape. Yeah this situation isn’t really like that, but alright

The crew starts working on ways of getting out of the trap they’re going into

They find Seska's aid in a damaged shuttle. He was going to die soon. He says Seska was killed and the baby was going to be raised as a servant

They find Seska’s aid in a damaged shuttle. He was going to die soon, so they consider what he says could be true. He says Seska was killed and the baby was going to be raised as a servant

Finally they stop talking about all this Kazon conflict stuff and go back to Suder growing plants

Finally they stop talking about all this Kazon conflict stuff for a bit and go back to Suder growing plants!

Suder keeps saying that he wants to do something to help the ship. Yeah, we get it, when the Kazon come you're going to do something really cool

Suder keeps saying that he wants to do something to help the ship. Yeah, we get it, when the Kazon come you’re going to do something cool

To get to the baby, Voyager has to travel through space that has Kazon not allied to anyone and who will attack without provocation. But the series of attacks always result in them attacking the same section of the ship

To get to the baby, Voyager has to travel through space that has rogue Kazon who will attack without provocation. But the series of attacks always result in them attacking the same section of the ship