Things were pretty much over the peak when Voyager warped into Season 5. The Seven Of Nine tension was begin to feel played out by now. The prominence of the girl Naomi I found to be a bit irritating. This would also be a year of rebellion as quite a few crew members cause Janeway more than her fair share of grief. The Borg continue to be the master villains and account for the bright spots in an otherwise mediocre season. Season 5 does bring us to that magical 100th episode with “Timeless”. “Dark Frontier” would be…ome the first Trek episode ever presented as a “Star Trek TV film” Yes, there were many 2-parters, but “Dark Frontier” was not filmed or broadcast as a 2-parter.
Synopsis
The Federation starship Voyager is looking for a rebel Maquis ship that vanished in the “Badlands”. Capt Janeway (Mulgrew) is concerned for a Starfleet operative and friend aboard the missing ship. When they find the vessel they are thrown 700,000 light-years away from home. Now the crews of both ships must work together to overcome a 100 year journey back to Federation space.
Audio
Again you are given a choice of the original Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track or a newly mastered 5.1 version. The sound is fuller and more dynamic on the 5.1 option. The dialogue is always sharp and well mixed. A distinct improvement over the broadcast versions.
Video
Each episode of Voyager is presented in its original television 1.33:1 full frame format. These transfers are definitely a step up from their cable presentations. Colors are quite vivid and at times spectacular. The opening sequence is a great example. The sun and flares are alive in wonderful contrast to a perfect field of darkness. Blacks are as deep and detailed as I’ve seen on television.
Special Features
The color scheme is reddish pink this time around. The extras are quite comparable to the previous four. Packaging remains the same.
- “Braving The Unknown: Season 5” is a continuation of the same season capsule found on each of the previous sets.
- There are two “Time Capsule” segments. Torres and Paris receive the traditional 5 minute profiles. Highlights here include more current interviews and classic moments for each character.
- “The Borg Queen Speaks” features a profile of the show’s take on “First Contact’s” Alice Krige character. Here actress Susanna Thompson plays the evil Borg royalty. Krige would later show up to bring the character to life later.
- “Delta Quadrant Make-Up Magic” is pretty much what you would expect (make-up f/x).
- Menus are exactly like previous sets. It can still be a little frustrating waiting for the 4 ship views to warp into the screen before you can access the episode you want.
Final Thoughts
Season 5 can best be summed up with one word: Stability. This was the first year where no real changes occurred. Even in its most basic form, Voyager can still be a compelling series, one often overlooked by critics and fans alike. That might be why they are flying off the shelves. Voyager has one grand thing in common with all Star Trek: “Resistance is futile”.
Special Features List
- Braving the Unknown: Season 5
- Voyager Time Capsule: B’Elanna Torres
- Voyager Time Capsule: Tom Paris
- The Borg Queen Speaks
- Delta Quadrant Makeup Magic
- Photo gallery
