Star Trek: Phage

Episode: "Phage"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 5

Original Air Date: February 6, 1995

via Memory Alpha

During an away mission, Neelix's lungs are stolen by a Vidiian.  The thief's species is suffering from a horrible disease on a planetary scale.  They harvest the organs of others in order to survive.  The Doctor comes up with quite a brilliant idea to save Neelix: implant holographic lungs in him.  Unfortunately, that means Neelix has to remain tightly confined in sickbay for the rest of his life unless his own organs can be retrieved.

Okay, after a shaky couple episodes, this feels like firmer ground.  There's more permanent character development this week.  Before his pulmonary adventure, Neelix takes over the Captain's private dining room and turns it into a galley (without asking), establishing his own long term raison d'être on the ship.  Janeway balances compassion and rage impressively in her confrontation with the Vidiians.  Perhaps best of all, we witness the growth of a gratifying relationship between the two most intriguing characters in Voyager's early going: the Doctor and Kes.  Kes is the first to show the EMH any compassion for his unexpected and unwelcome promotion to the chief medical officer role.  She also proves to be a capable assistant.

Plus, the Doctor gets to slap Tom Paris.  See here.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Jennifer Lien (Kes) was born in Palos Heights, Illinois, August 24, 1974.  As a child, she was eager to escape from the south side of Chicago and acting proved to be the way out.  She took her first acting class in the eighth grade and got an agent soon after.  

Before Voyager, Lien had regular roles on both Another World and Phenom.

Lien left Voyager early in Season 4.  We'll address her departure when/if we get there.