Resistance

Janeway and an away team attemp to obtain tellurium from a planet with a totalitarian regime.

This is a solid episode with some excellent performances.

There are two elements of the plot that work well for me: the dialogue between Janeway and Caylem, and likewise Tuvok and B'Elanna. These are fairly well-written exchanges that are enhanced by the performances of Katie Mulgrew, Joel Gray, Tim Russ, and Roxanne Dawson.

Augris feels like a bit of a one-note baddie but Alan Scarfe does well with the material.

Everything builds up to a simple but effective action sequence that nicely concludes a mini adventure that feels important to the journey home.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.

Of all the episodes prior to this one in the first two seasons, this is the closest to classic Star Wars that Voyager comes in visual style, story elements, and emotional heft. The guest performance by Joel Grey as the broken and deluded Caylem is an unforgettable gem, and Kate rises expertly to the occasion presented by the script and Grey's beautiful work. In fact, the entire cast elevates their game; Tim Russ and Roxann Dawson share an excellent scene as prisoners, and Robert Beltran steps gamely into the captain's chair aboard Voyager. Alan Scarfe is also excellent in his guest role as Augris, the Mokra bossman. (Neelix, the Doctor, and Kes are all gratefully set aside for an episode.) Winriche Kolbe's direction is superbly cinematic. It's a beauty of an episode and for me a perfect 10/10, even though it contains none of the philosophy 101 fun of so many other episodes. It's a simple tale that feels like it takes place a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away.

This episode surprises me with its emotional impact. Joel Grey's performance as Caylem seems very highly underrated. TV is rarely as human as his portrayal of this heartbreakingly doting resistor of tyranny. Grey and Mulgrew's chemistry on screen is evocative of Patrick Stewart and his supporting cast in "Inner Light". Truly, I believe this episode is underrated by fans, this vignette within the larger context of the episode, for me, makes it special. Special in TV moments, and special in Star Trek. Will the future inheritors of the Star Trek legacy ever be able to live up to simple emotion as this?

Look, I'm not someone who obsesses over details, I'm just some person on the internet, but I'd like to share my opinion on this episode-especially after having watched the next one, "Prototype." As I mentioned in the title, this is a violation of the Prime Directive. I don't understand why they didn't properly research what they were getting into before doing what they did. I get that they needed something for the Voyager, but I still think they could've done something much better to avoid any issues.

On the other hand, I do appreciate the idea of showing that Captain Janeway has feelings, but I would've expected someone much colder and more methodical when it comes to wanting to help someone she just met, no matter how sad his story is.

Overall, the episode is fine-it's not bad-but there are still a few things that bother me, as often happens throughout the series. It's like when Picard, in the early seasons, made comments against the Ferengi, just to give an example.

So it's ok, but some things are weird in this episode.

The original star Trek always had a massive amount of humanity and care for others. Not surprising given the era it was made. Altruism was a given.

TNG and DS9 were incredible wooden, sterile and clinical. Above all they were boring. Characters had little humanity.

Then along came voyager. A breath of fresh air as it brought back the ethos of the original series.

Unfortunately, voyager didn't get off to the best start. It took quite a while for the series to flourish and break the shackles of the two previous ST derivations.

Quality of writing and production values increased as it progressed.

Then Along comes Resistance.

Finally we see the original philosophy of ST show itself in all it's splendor.

Resistance is an incredibly moving story. I shed a tear at the final scene with kat and Joel Grey.

You've got tuvok showing his suppressed human feelings. Just a spock did at times.

Finally, Voyager shows itself It shows what was always there but only eluded to.

A perfect star trek story. Worthy of Captain Kirk and crew.