Lifesigns

This is a nice character episode for the doc. He falls in love with a female patient, whose brain has been transferred to the computer and is now projected as a hologram while the doc tries to save her real body - which is blemished by the phage and about to pass away unless the doc finds a cure.

The doc though is unexperienced (or shall we say "not programmed") in matters of love and acts quite wooden and unromantic. With a little help of Kess and Paris though, both find a way to each other and the doc shows a more empathic side of his. What I don't like about this episodic approach of Star Trek though: It is always this "Once and never again" scenario. Of course doc's love interest has to leave him after the treatment to help her people. It would have been much more interesting if the crew would make friends that enrich their own story arcs and change things on the ship.

Also what is strange: Data is said to be a sentient life form. He is aware of himself, he thinks and is able to adapt. The doc on the other hand is also aware of himself, he also thinks, is able to adapt and unlike Data obviously capable of having emotions. So he is even more human than Data! The only thing missing is a body. He is just a hologram. So, why is the doctor not treated like a sentient life form? How comes he is just forgotten, when the ship is evacuated like in another episode? Shouldn't the crew treat him like a living being, too? Just like Data? We talk about an intelligent computer program that is able to learn, evole and adapt. This is not different to a human's brain.

The Doctor falls in love with a hologram image of a woman suffering from a terrible disease. This is a nicely done episode about accepting people for what they are. The Doctor is a really interesting character. There are two other focuses that continue. Paris has turned into a complete ass. And we are continuing to see the traitor who is sharing information with the Talaxians.

It was a wonderfully emotional episode where the Doctor really got into his act. The acting in every episode of Voyager is generally excellent. But in this episode, the Doctor really showed off his acting skills. It was like a movie. The actress was just as good as the Doctor. I wish we saw this level of quality acting in today's series.

The Doctor falls in love with a patient.

This is a reasonably good episode that owes a lot to Robert Picardo's performance.

As Trek romances go, the concept is not the worst, but like most of the others I never really care whether it succeeds or not. However, I do like the emphasis on the love being about the person and blind to physical appearance.

Two other positives are the performances of the lead actors. Susan Diol makes her character both sympathetic and likeable, plus she has strong chemistry with Picardo, who is excellent as always. He shows superb range as romantic lead and comic performer. His mannerisms are very natural and his verbal delivery makes the dialogue sound good.

The subplot involving the Paris/Chakotay conflict feels forced to me and I do not think it works in the midst of other narratives. Likewise the Kazon infiltration feels rather tiresome. However, there is more to come on this in future episodes which makes sense of it all. (But it's not that great)

Lifesigns is essentially the Holodoc in love story. Voyager transports a disfigured Vidiaan dying from the Phage.

The Doctor manages to revive her with placing her consciousness in a holographic body.

Luckily the Vidiian is Dr Danara Pel, her medical knowledge could prove essential to revive her body.

Only for the Doctor to fall in love with Dr Pel but showing romantic inclination is part of his programming.

That is where Tom Paris comes in, but Paris is having issues with Chakotay over his lateness and insolence.

The romance story works better than expected. Although you sense there will be no happy ever after.

As for Paris and the return of the Kazon spy. You can see how this will be all linked and Paris's impertinence looks clumsy.