Star Trek: Projections

Episode: "Projections"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 3

Original Air Date: September 11, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Barclay episode!

The Doctor finds himself in an alternate reality.  Here he is no longer a holographic projection.  He's the real, flesh and blood Louis Zimmerman (the EMH's human creator).  Meanwhile, it's the ship and the rest of the crew that are the holograms.  Dwight Schultz returns as Barclay - or at least a character who looks and sounds like Barclay.

"Projections" does well with critics but I found it tedious.  As a rule, I don't care for it-was-all-just-a-dream narratives.  Occasionally, there's a really good one like "The Inner Light" but "Projections" is nowhere near that level.  Pet peeves aside, I can acknowledge the story provides meaningful development for the Doctor, quickly emerging as Voyager's most interesting character (for now).

In my initial Voyager post, I put the Doctor in Data's chair and I stand by it.  Among the new show's principal's he's the best fit.  However, with this episode I've come to realize our favorite android is actually not the Doctor's best TNG parallel.  Particularly in the exploration of how the EMH might have an existence beyond sick bay, the Doctor is the realization of Moriarty's ambitions to have a life beyond the holodeck.  Fortunately for the Voyager crew, the Doctor's motivations are more benevolent.

The Creators

As discussed in this post, Rick Berman had become the leading creative force behind the Star Trek franchise by the third season of The Next Generation.  Two of his fellow executive producers took on more prominent roles with the next two spin-off series, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.  Michael Piller had co-creator credit for both shows.  Jeri Taylor had co-creator credit for the latter.  

via Memory Alpha

Michael Piller was born in Port Chester, New York, May 30, 1948.  He was born to professional writer parents.  His father Gene Piller was a screenwriter.  His mother Ruth Roberts was a songwriter.  Michael graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Piller's career started in television journalism for which he won an Emmy.  He developed his first TV show, entitled The Doctor's Office, in 1987.  His work on Trek began in 1989 with the episode "Evolution," on which he served as co-writer.  Soon after, he became showrunner for the series.

Piller is often credited with bringing order to chaos.  The first two seasons were tumultuous for the writing staff.  Piller focused on building a strong sense of team and the result is the beautiful, more cohesive show we all know and love.  When Paramount asked for a new series, Berman turned to Piller to lead.  He wrote the pilot and took charge as showrunner.  With Piller moving on, Jeri Taylor took over his job with NextGen.  

Piller passed away in 2005 from head and neck cancer.

via Memory Alpha

Jeri Taylor (born Jean Cecile Suer) was born in Evansville, Indiana, June 30, 1938.  She went to Indiana University as an undergrad, then got an MA in English from Cal State-Northridge.  Before Trek, she wrote for Little House on the Prairie and The Incredible Hulk.  She directed and produced for Quincy, M.E. and Jake and the Fat Man.  

She joined NextGen in Season 4, initially as a supervising producer and co-writer for "Suddenly Human."  Two years later, she was promoted to co-executive producer.  After NextGen ended, Taylor joined Berman and Piller in creating Voyager.  By Season 3, she was the showrunner.  

Jeri Taylor passed away just last month at the age of 86.