Wanderlust

1.16 — “ Learning Curve”

1.16 — “ Learning Curve”

Plot: The insubordination of a former Maquis officer lands Tuvok in the role of drill instructor, trying to make four unwilling former Maquis crewmembers into Starfleet officers. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Kes fight cheese.

Thoughts: “Learning Curve” was not intended to be the series finale, which explains its lack of epic scale. I am nevertheless pleased to see the return of concerns about the integration of the crews and show mythology peculiar to Voyager, and find this a pleasant enough hour.

sunny jim points out that the line “Get the cheese to Sickbay” is worth the price of admission.

Our lead rebellious guy is as subtle as rocks in a sock, but overall this lot is more charming than anyone involved in TNG 7.15 “Lower Decks,” scripted by the same teleplay authors. Tuvok comes off alienating; I can’t imagine he would have been any more popular at Starfleet Academy. Surely Starfleet training has a greater component of positive motivation.

In the role of Tuvok’s advisor, Neelix proves he is no Guinan. The teaser with Janeway in the holonovel is pretty bad–it’s second rate Star Trek doing third rate Masterpiece Theater. But in the later acts the dramatic beats land when they’re supposed to, and I did not feel my intelligence was being insulted. So heigh-ho, a moderately high note to say farewell to Season One! There are still some kinks to work out with this series, such as far too many characters that bore me to death (Harry, Tom, and Kes), but I look forward to seeing where Season Two will take us.

3.5 of 5 space sneakers.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Learning_Curve

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3 responses to “1.16 — “ Learning Curve””

  1. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Ah, Tuvok. So Vulcan. Like a drill sergeant, but no yelling.

    I quite liked this episode. I liked that it was made in the first place and I think it’s pretty sensitive to the sociological problems that would be encountered in this type of environment.

    Chakotay’s approach to discipline is… well… interesting. You can see how he got to be a Maquis Captain. And what a strain it probably is for him to be so reasonable all the time. He definitely seems to enjoy the punching a bit too much. Also… isn’t the Star Trek universe past all that, or something? That scene was satisfying and also disturbing.

    Yes, Harry Tom & Kes are super-boring (Kes surprisingly so because she’s a badass in a bunch of ways plus is going to die in less than 9 years). Is it the actress or her lines that are the problem? Hard for me to tell.

    I’m not in love with Janeway’s character either. She’s kind of crazy for a starship captain alone in the Delta quadrant, as far as the risks she takes, and nobody seems to comment on this. So that’s probably the most interesting thing about her, to me.

    Neelix is annoying. I feel like his character should be made more attractive and Kes’s less attractive and I would like them better. I don’t know why exactly I think this.

    The Doctor is really the only completely interesting one.

    Anyway, the episode… the ending was quite a bit too pat, but I like Tuvok so much that I’m not really mad. Overall, it was a nice season finale, even with the cheese.

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  2. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    It’s had to picture Spock being placed in the same position of drill instructor–but I would have loved to have seen it! I feel like he would have no more empathetic resources, but a little more insight into how far he was falling short.

    I guess you could argue that something similar happens in “The Galileo Seven” where Spock has to lead the marooned away team and can’t get them to accept him, although that was so early in the series, I’m not sure Spock was fully formed in the writers’ minds.

    Only Kes could deliver a surprise line like the one revealing her 9 year life expectancy and have nothing interesting come of it! I think you have some of the same issues as TNG with a nearly-all male writers wrong that struggles to identify with the female characters, but VOY actually does have Jeri Taylor in a senior producer position and DS9 manages to do much better, so that can’t be the whole story.

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  3. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Haha I remember those fake giants!

    Yes… Kes is just so boring that nothing can save her, it seems….

    Reply

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