Series: Star Trek: Voyager
Season 3, Episode 20
Original Air Date: March 19, 1997
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| via Memory Alpha |
Harry Kim is inexplicably drawn to the planet Taresia where the natives tell him he is one of their own. An agent of their world traveled to Earth long ago and injected Taresian DNA into Harry's mother. Now that he's finally "come home," the Taresians are eager for him to stay, marry three wives and have loads of children. The Doctor's scans confirm that Harry does, indeed, carry Taresian DNA but something's fishy...
"Favorite Son" is the last of a three-episode run often referred to by fans as the "trilogy of terror." In other words, they're notoriously bad. I don't really think any of them are so terrible. A little Harry development is always nice and it's only fitting that an Odyssey-like series should have a Sirens episode. "Favorite Son" is definitely sexist so if that's the complaint, I will concede the point. But otherwise, the story's okay - certainly far from terrible. We've seen worse from Voyager!
In the end, it is revealed that the Taresian DNA was implanted in Harry long after his birth. However, in the original script, there is no such plot twist. Harry is a Taresian and would have been for the rest of the series. That could have been interesting. Instead, the writers let themselves off the hook for trying to figure out how to incorporate the revelation in future stories.
Acting Notes
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| via Criminal Minds Wiki |
Cari Shayne played the role of Eliann, one of the Taresian women eager to marry Harry. She was born in Sellersville, Tennessee, September 8, 1972. Career highlights including recurring roles on General Hospital, Party of Five and The Bay. She's also made guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote, Criminal Minds and This Is Us. Films include Exposé, Jack the Dog and Good Fortune.
I guess you can literally see how the first two seasons, and fans inexplicably crapping all over them, resulted in how the series created the version of itself that the fans insisted it was all along, a radical departure from DS9…
ReplyDeleteInexplicably? Tony, there are definitely reasons. I'm not saying Voyager doesn't have its moments or its strengths. It has both. We're gradually approaching 80th episode territory and I'll dig into those more then. For now, I'll put it simply: Voyager is closer to the original series than either NextGen or DS9 and Janeway is the most Kirk-like captain since.
DeleteBut the weaknesses are obvious. DS9 is so smooth, even in a more pedestrian episode. The interesting question to me, at this point, is why? Even with quite a lot of the same creative talent working on both, the older series gets the better material over and over again.
It starts with the cast. Even with a lot of newcomers, DS9 was built around a nucleus of Brooks, Auberjonois and Shimerman. Those three had serious cred even before Star Trek came into their lives. Relative novices were only going to get better from working with them. I've worked in the performing arts for a long time and I can tell you, there's no substitute for good material. However, it's also worth saving the best material for performers who are ready for it. You do High School Musical to build up your numbers. You save JC Superstar for a cast that's hungry.
The best writers clearly devoted their best material to the better show.
With better actors and stronger writing, a stronger concept was built. I know I've gone on ad nauseam about the quality of DS9's supporting cast but I think it's another sign of broader strengths. There's always room to grow, expand, augment - however you want to describe it - without ever detracting or distracting from the basic idea. Adding Worf was brilliant - made everyone else better without cost.
Compare that with what's about to happen with Seven. The impact on the series was seismic and, at least in my opinion, a tremendous improvement. But by nearly all accounts, including the actors themselves, her stories came at the cost of everyone else's. It's understandable. To my previous point, you've been managing a fleet of Honda Civics, then someone hands you the keys to a Lamborghini. A Civic is a solid, dependable model but obviously, the new car's a lot more fun to drive.
Well, obviously we disagree. The fact is the first two seasons are very different than the last five, and actually feature what fans complain the series never bothered to do.
DeleteI'm looking forward to Season 4. I don't know the series as well from that point.
DeleteSeven turned out to be a blessing to the series (creatively) and a curse, since there were cast members and fans who couldn’t get past bringing in the Borg (singular and plural). Arguably Voyager ended up exploring the Borg (in both senses) better than any other incarnation of the franchise. I find that hard to take for granted.
DeleteMany have also dismissed Jeri Ryan as simply looking great in a jumpsuit. There's no denying her considerable physical beauty. But Ryan brought so much more.
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