THE PLOT
Neelix directs Voyager to a planetoid that shows rich dilithium deposits - something which could go a long way toward solving their power problems. Neelix beams over to the planetoid with Chakotay and Kim, but all of them are surprised to find no actual dilithium structures. Neelix wanders away from the others, following a tunnel. The others lose contact with him... and when they find him again, his lungs have been removed!
The doctor is able to stabilize him temporarily, then works on an untested way to keep him alive indefinitely. Meanwhile, Janeway pursues an alien ship that leaves the planetoid. But when the aliens hide inside an asteroid, Janeway finds that Voyager has been led into a sort of hall of mirrors. And with their power being slowly drained within the asteroid, it won't be long before they're all at the aliens' mercy!
CHARACTERS
Capt. Janeway/Chakotay: When Tuvok tells her the effects of firing a phaser in the reflective chamber, Janeway - the trained scientist, remember - has only one reaction: "Let's not do that." It's Chakotay who picks up on the possibility of using that exact effect to identify the real alien ship. So, to reiterate the series thus far: Janeway has gotten the ship lost in space, has abandoned a sure chance at getting them home, has attempted to uphold policies keeping the Maquis crew members as second-class citizens on board, and has upheld the morality of genocide. Meanwhile, Chakotay has quelled rumblings of mutiny among his old crew members while standing up for them, has worked to integrate the two crews, and now has saved Voyager from a terminal power drain while also enabling them to save Neelix's life (OK, that's one strike against him). Um... If I'm stuck on that ship, I'm already thinking the wrong officer is captain here.
The Doctor: Robert Picardo's holographic doctor continues to be the cast standout. Given that he's playing a hologram, it's ironic that he is one of two characters in the series with whom I can actually form any real identification. Here, we see the full range of his medical competence, which could legitimately be termed "brilliance." We have already been told that he is a composite of the greatest medical minds in Starfleet, and we see that in the determination and creativity with which he handles Neelix's emergency.
Kes: Admittedly, I'm getting full seasons ahead of myself here, but still... At this point in the series, Kes is one of two characters who actually works as a character, and Jennifer Lien's performance puts real heart and strength into the character. So when it came time, after Season Three, to drop one of the original regulars, who did the producers choose? Wooden and painfully useless Harry Kim? Cardboard Chakotay, whose characterization begins and ends with a facial tattoo (and who was played by an actor who actually wanted out of the series!)? No. The producers chose... Kes. Perhaps she was too human and lifelike to fit in with the cast of walking mannequins.
Lien's Kes has impressed me in almost every episode so far, and that remains the case in Phage. Kes refuses to allow the doctor to shut her out while treating Neelix, confronting his gruff demeanor and pushing him to make time to explain what he's doing at each turn. When she grants consent for the procedure on Neelix, she does so thoughtfully, admitting to Tom that she doesn't really know what Neelix would want in this situation. She is then more supportive of Neelix than he probably deserves, but even while supporting him she refuses to indulge his self-pity.
Neelix: Speaking of Neelix, it's in this episode that I finally start to see why everyone finds him so irritating. He worked as a character in Caretaker, because he was an integral part of the story and was serving his own agenda. He was a nonentity in the two following episodes... making this the first "normal" Voyager episode in which he has an actual part. And he's very irritating. The first ten minutes sees him turning the captain's private dining area into a galley without permission, then whining at her when she objects. Then he imposes himself on the mission and ignores Chakotay's orders. It's as if the writers deliberately spent the first ten minutes trying to make us glad when he gets his lungs removed! None of this should be taken as criticism of Ethan Phillips, by the way. Phillips does a terrific job with his material in this episode, particularly when he breaks down at the thought of spending the rest of his life unable to move, staring at the sickbay ceiling. The actor is good - Unfortunately, the character is infuriating.
THOUGHTS
Phage is a good episode. The basic premise is interesting and the explanation for the aliens' actions fits with the actions themselves. It advances the characterizations of Neelix, Kes, and the doctor. It also advances the basic setup of the show, by following up on some of the decisions made in Parallax. Tom is now actually training with the doctor, much to the doctor's annoyance. Kes' hydroponics experiment is beginning to yield results. Kes' interactions with the doctor are starting to push the doctor, at least, to realizing that he may be more than just a computer program, while at the same time their interplay opens up a new character path for Kes. The main characters continue to be less flesh than cardboard, but the side characters continue to emerge nicely, making this probably the show's best character episode to date.
It's also a particularly well-made episode. Winrich Kolbe's direction draws a lot of atmosphere out of the scenes on the planetoid, with the moodily-lit tunnels and corridors making a perfect setting for an episode with stronger horror content than is usual. The aliens themselves are well-designed, with their blackened, peeling flesh making them grotesque and pitiful - though they're noticeably less effective when seen in the well-lit sickbay set, as opposed to the more dimly lit tunnels.
It's all quite well-paced, with effective emotional scenes in sickbay contrasting with the sharp action of Voyager's pursuit of the aliens. Though it all ends in a talky climax, it all holds together quite strongly, making this the best Voyager episode to date. The series actually has a better hit rate so far than I'd recalled - I've liked three of four installments so far. If only the main characters were a bit more lifelike, I'd be hopeful of this series actually developing some real potential. As it stands, it's at least encouraging to know that this series can deliver some good, atmospheric episodes.
Overall Rating: 8/10.
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