Star Trek: Elogium

Episode: "Elogium"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 4

Original Air Date: September 18, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Our heroes encounter a swarm of spaceborne creatures, evidently engaging in mating rituals.  Their proximity triggers spontaneous sexual maturity for Kes and with it, her only chance to have a child.  This stage for Ocampa is called the Elogium.  Kes and Neelix must make a decision about their future quickly.

Okay, so it's time to talk about Neelix.  To put it bluntly, Neelix is one of the least liked principals in the history of Star Trek.  In a word, he's annoying.  We've all had that overly enthusiastic coworker and he channels all of them in his self-assigned morale officer role.  As for myself, I'm not always anti-Neelix.  Voyager can get heavy and occasional levity from Neelix is often welcome, much as his equivalent Quark provides on DS9.  However, stories that focus on Neelix can feel like a lot of work.  In "Elogium," his jealous boyfriend to anxious father journey is not a good look.  

via Memory Alpha

The unfortunate cost of an annoying Neelix is what he detracts from Kes who is certainly one of Voyager's more interesting principals.  The short lifespan of the Ocampa provides rich narrative opportunities.  Some complain about the skeezy relationship between the adult Neelix and the sexually immature, though adult-seeming, Kes.  To be sure, the writers created a difficult situation for themselves with that one.  Lolita implications aside, this intimate glimpse into an accelerated life cycle is fascinating.  The shame is that it turns out to be a false alarm.  

A shame because the incident sparks an important conversation between Janeway and Chakotay about longterm considerations.  At this point, there is no guarantee that Voyager will make it back to the Alpha Quadrant within the lifetime of the current crew.  While the ship isn't well-equipped for families or children, procreation will become both inevitable and necessary for ultimate success.  For the moment, they appear to be let off the hook regarding any decisions, until...

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Nancy Hower played the role of Ensign Samantha Wildman, a xenobiologist who reveals to the captain in the final scene that she is, in fact, pregnant.  Hower was born in Wyckoff, New Jersey, May 11, 1966.  "Elogium" marks her first of eight appearances as Wildman.

Hower graduated from Julliard, after which she embarked on a stage career.  Films include Insomnia, Blackout Effect and The Last Man on Planet Earth.  She guest-starred on Suddenly Susan and The Sentinel.  Voyager was probably the high point of her acting career.

Hower has had an impressively varied career off-screen.  She has fronted two alternative rock bands, including STELLA which opened for Meat Loaf on his 2001 UK tour.  She wrote music for a play called Momma.  She has written, directed and produced for both film and television.  Work includes Memron, a darling of the film festival circuit in 2004, and series 10 Items or Less and Quickdraw.