Caretaker

Being hurled away 75000 light-years from home... I mean, what a great way to start a new show. I grew up with the 90s trek and voyager is still my favorite. This pilot episode is certainly not dull, it sets the tone like no other trek show has done before. The adventure awaits!

As a pilot, Caretaker works reasonably well. Each new character is introduced adequately and also familar settings and characters are thrown in to support the plot.

Introducing the Kazon's was always going to be a bad move. However, the Neelix/Kes relationship was strong from the very start, and Mulgrew convinces as a new captain.

As he does throughout the series, the Doctor provided the humour elements which have become a trademark of ST: Voyager over the years. Its a shame Chakotay had to replace the demised 1st officer as he looked just right for the part.

Caretaker does not however grip you like the pilots for the other three Trek series', and although I think as a whole ST: Voyager outshines the lot of them put together, this TV movie demonstrates how they had to scrape away the mud before reaching the gold.

With Deep Space Nine established. The Next Generation coming to an end and about to hit the big cinema screens.

Star Trek bosses needed another replacement show. This time with a female captain and a ship's crew that were at odds with each other.

Voyager was the answer and it would be set in a different part of the galaxy.

A Maquis ship hits a strange wave and disappears inside a plasma storm in the Badlands. The Starship Voyager led by Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) leads the search. Inside the Maquis ship was a Federation undercover agent.

However they too are whisked away by the strange wave. Stranded in the Delta Quadrant, over 70 light years from home. Captain Janeway has to unite with Maquis captain, Chakotay (Robert Beltran) to find out just who this mysterious caretaker is. Why has he brought them here and can he send them back home?

Although different and for the time with some cutting CGI. The first half of Caretaker is intriguing and involving. The second half is pretty standard fare as the crew have to deal with the Kazon.

There is enough here to make Voyager watchable but also signs that this version of Star Trek is not going to be as radical as promised. There was something bland about it all and this was not a strong pilot episode.

The Maqui are a bit under-explained, but I know from the past that it will happen. This pilot episode sets everything up. We are introduced to all the principle characters (more, of course, will be added later). We see why they are in the predicament they are in. We internal combustion but Janeway is a decent hub in the wheel. I can't believe 23 years have passed since this show first appeared. I'm going to wade my way through it one more time.

January 1995 Star Trek Voyager the first of the series with a Female Captain in the lead role. The anticipation for all Trek fans was incredible and Kate Mulgrew did extremely well and even excelled in the role of Captain Kathryn Janeway.

The first episode Caretaker set the series on it's path of a long, but very exciting Voyage home!