On forced leave

Anchors Away:  Why Season Seven Rumors Have Some Janeway Fans Worried It all sounded good.  It seemed that Ken Biller's tenure as show-runner of Star Trek: Voyager would be marked by a renewed emphasis on neglected character arcs.  To wit, the writing staff has promised to address Kim's rank in an episode in which he becomes Captain of an alien vessel; to run with the long ignored Torres-Paris relationship; Torres' own feelings about her Klingon heritage-- even the long subdued, but simmering Doctor-Seven of Nine attraction.  But amidst this renewed interest in long dangling

Already, we know about twelve stories coming up this season, ranging from episodes already in the can to stories that are probably still in development.  The most striking thing about them is not, say, that there's definitely going to be a two-hour movie this year, or that the Delta Flyer will be rebuilt, or that the Borg kids will finally be dispatched: it's that Janeway has remarkably little to do with any of the stories that are coming up this season.

With the little more than 26 episodes left to deal with Janeway's obsessive quest to get Voyager home, the writers seem to be turning a blind eye to Janeway stories, instead favoring some long ignored characters to an extent almost bordering on overkill.  (Are three episodes, "Drive", "Inner Child" and the Klingon generational ship show, really necessary to deal with the Torres-Paris relationship in just the first half of the season?  With more doubtless to come?)

If there's one thing many people could agree on about seasons four, five and six, it's that Seven of Nine's addition to the show polarized the series in such a way that the ensuing abundance of Seven and Janeway shows often made it seem that the rest of the cast was getting short shrift.  So, while no one should object to seeing the supporting characters pulled back into the fold, Biller might be making a critical mistake in forgetting to play to the show's strengths.  In the past few years, increasingly, where Voyager's strength has been is in its star and main character.
 

Over seven years, Kate Mulgrew has proved remarkable: easily Voyager's most appealing performer and perhaps the one with the broadest range.  She's played a complicated woman who has both a cutting sense of humor and a cutting sense of vengeance.  She's been a sometime maternal figure and a woman not unknown to be clouded by obsession.  Over six years, Mulgrew has gotten a lot of mileage in a role that has proven to be consistently durable.  In the seventh season, where Voyager's journey will surely come to an end one way or an other-- it's hard to believe that these surprises could be running out.  Indeed-- many argue that season seven should turn the focus back to Janeway in order to ensure a satisfying

conclusion to a character who has been the foundation of this ship-- and show-- for seven years.

As far as the seventh season is concerned, there's reason to be concerned that all this might change.  So far, it seems that the character will be put in a subordinate position-- certainly present and visible, but likely secondary.

Still, there are some signs of hope for Janeway fans, however slight.  Biller has promised that "Flesh and Blood"-- this year's two hour extravaganza-- will deal with Janeway coming to terms with the decisions she's made over the past few years to help Voyager survive-- namely, giving technology away.  But still, the episode seems billed as a show that is targeted more toward the Doctor's character.  If there is one thing that Biller should pick up from former boss Brannon Braga, it's Braga's belief that a strong Janeway arc is what makes Voyager's two part episodes and two hour movies.  Braga is right.  "Year of Hell", "Killing Game", "Scorpion", "Equinox" and "Dark Frontier" are all almost unimaginable-- and significantly weakened-- without the Janeway component.  In wake of her intimations that she might leave the show two years ago, media reviewers of "Dark Frontier" mostly took time to praise Mulgrew.

In its final season, Voyager would be wise to play to its strengths-- that includes a renewed emphasis on Janeway before the last leg of the series makes it seem like her character arc comes off rushed.

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