Thirty Days

How is it that Paris had a 5 o'clock shadow for 30 days straight, not shaving. How can anyone make such an unimaginably moronic mistake as that? I mean seriously! He grew a 5 o'clock shadow (stubble) within the first day and it never grew anymore for the next 29 days. That is honestly the worst writing I've ever seen.

This starts out great. I'm in the first few minutes and I am going to start this review because I'm really enjoying the way this starts. They keep really great writers for the show. Not every show is the best which only means it's great because it's Star Trek but it's not as great as every other Star Trek. But this is really fun. Still great fun. OK I have to watch. ... It plays out OK but it doesn't stay as great as the first five minutes. But it's a solid story. It stays in line with the rest of the show. It doesn't violate any of the characters personalities. It was fun seeing Stanford Blatch.

Tom is demoted and sent to the brig for 30 days, but why?

I think how much you enjoy this depends upon you accepting certain aspects of Tom's character that come out of the blue due to the episodic nature of the writing (obsession with seafaring). Plus it helps if you are interested in more drama centred around his behaviour, conduct and backstory.

There are some good themes relating to the prime directive. It is ground that has been covered by the franchise before but this is a different context given Voyager's situation and Tom's position on the ship.

Robert Duncan McNeil and Katie Mulgrew are the standouts in this one as their characters have the best material. I find the 'alien-of-the-week' characters to be slightly irritating.

Visually it is refreshing to see a different type of environment used to good effect. The effects used to bring this to life are very good and hold up by today's standard.

6.5/10 for me but I round upwards.

Much like Tom Paris - I was always fascinated with exploration as a kid. Air, sea, space you name it, I loved it. Seeing the Delta Flyer turn into a submarine for this episode and the Monean's whole under sea civilization reminded me of Sea Quest (another 90s show I loved; until they jumped the shark).

This is one of my favorite episodes of Voyager that I missed during its first-run. When I found it when I watched the show for the first time since it's first run about 10 years ago - I couldn't believe it I had missed it.

If you have an interest in the oceanic exploration, Jules Verne, Robert Ballard (guy who found the Titanic), or anything of that nature (you've obviously gotta be a Trekkie too), you'll love this episode.

Tchüss!

In the beginning of the episode we witness Tom's demotion. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but suffice it to say, he did not violate the Prime Directive. If you really think about it, you will come to the same conclusion. It was merly bending the spirit of the law. Funny fact, the Prime Directive did not even apply in this situation.

Janeway's irrational and overly dramatic punishment for Tom is nothing more than another sign of her holier-than-thou mentality. Otherwise she would have had to demote Tuvok in the first season's episode "Prime Factors" and put him in the brig for longer than 30 days. However, she did not, which only proves my point.

Other than that I really enjoyed this episode, which develops Tom's character even further.