Season Six signaled the inevitable decline of Star Trek Voyager. While there were certainly strong episodes, such as Pathfinder, there were far too many episodes like The Spirit Folk. The addition of the Borg children was, perhaps, the final push into the abyss. They are constantly irritating. It’s like a pack of Wesley Crushers without the passion. Voyager may have been struggling to get back to the Alpha Quadrant, but it was clear the writers were struggling even harder to keep the show fresh without resorting to o…ert cuteness or rehashing tired ideas. By now you would think Janeway would have turned off that dangerous holodeck.
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 2.0 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 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 dark green this time around. The extras are quite comparable to the previous five. Packaging remains the same.
- “Braving The Unknown: Season 6” is a continuation of the same season capsule found on each of the previous sets.
- “Voyager Time Capsule: Chakotay” Interviews with a somewhat bitter Robert Beltran have to rely mostly on older footage as he is reluctant to talk Star Trek in recent years.
- “One Small Step: A Mars Encounter” Makes some parallels between Star Trek and real-life space exploration efforts.
- “Guest Star Profile: Vaughn Armstrong” Armstrong plays one of the Borg children, Two Of Nine.
- “Red Alert: Amazing Visuals” is more of the f/x looks we’ve seen over and over again in this series.
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
I guess my biggest complaint is the lack of variety in the set’s extras. With 7 seasons to spread the wealth out over I had hoped for something more than the ongoing season capsules and very short character/actor profiles. With only this and set 7 needed to complete your collection, it is worth getting at a discount price. Don’t spend full retail on this set. “That’s an order, ensign.”
Special Features List
- Braving the Unknown: Season 6
- Voyager Time Capsule: Chakotay
- One Small Step: A Mars Encounter
- Guest Star Profile: Vaughn Armstrong
- Red Alert! Amazing Visual Effects
- Lost Transmissions from the Delta Quadrant
