Projections (Star Trek: Voyager)

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"Projections"
Star Trek: Voyager episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 3
Directed by Jonathan Frakes
Written by Brannon Braga
Featured music David Bell [1]
Cinematography by Marvin V. Rush, A.S.C. [1]
Editing by Robert Lederman [1]
Production code117 [2]
Original air dateSeptember 11, 1995 (1995-09-11) [3]
Running time45:48 [1]
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Elogium"
Star Trek: Voyager season 2
List of episodes

"Projections" is the 19th (3rd in the second season) episode of the American science fiction television program Star Trek: Voyager . Originally slated for the first season, the episode originally aired on UPN on September 11, 1995, [4] and tells the story of Voyager's holographic doctor having an identity crisis on the holodeck regarding whether he or the world around him is the illusion.

Contents

Brannon Braga compared "Projections" to the work of René Descartes, and wrote the episode around the premise of cogito ergo sum , questioning whether the Doctor or the Voyager is the illusion. Beating out LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge) for the guest appearance, Dwight Schultz as Reginald Barclay was praised by the cast and crew, especially for his on-screen chemistry with co-star Robert Picardo. The episode is considered as one of the most underrated episodes of the Star Trek franchise and received positive reviews, with only a few negative comments regarding predictability and underuse of characters.

Plot

Voyager's Emergency Medical Holographic Program (EMH), "the Doctor" (Robert Picardo), is activated due to a red alert. Despite the computer's (Majel Barrett) assertion that nobody is aboard, B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) soon arrives in sickbay. She informs the Doctor that the ship was attacked by Kazon and that all except herself and Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) have abandoned ship. After treating her injuries, Torres transfers the Doctor's program to the bridge using newly installed holographic emitters there. The Doctor treats the captain and assists Neelix (Ethan Phillips) to defeat a stray Kazon in the mess hall, but then notices he is bleeding and feeling pain, neither of which is a function of his program. In sickbay, making inquiries with the computer, the Doctor is told that there are no holographic programs matching his own and that he is actually Lewis Zimmerman (Picardo), whom the Doctor recognizes as his programmer.

With the computer insisting that the crew of Voyager is only a collection of holographic programs, a new hologram appears in sickbay and claims to be Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz), Doctor Zimmerman's assistant at the Jupiter Station Holoprogramming Center. Barclay explains that the Doctor is really Lewis Zimmerman and that the Voyager is actually a simulation in which he has been trapped and which is inflicting radiation poisoning. To end the program and rescue Zimmerman, Barclay suggests destroying the ship before he suffers irreparable brain damage. To convince the Doctor that he is Zimmerman in a simulation, Barclay restarts the Voyager program, and the Doctor finds himself reliving the events of "Caretaker" when he was first brought online.

Convinced of Barclay's claims, the Doctor prepares to destroy the ship, when Chakotay (Robert Beltran) arrives and gives an alternative story: the Doctor is indeed the Voyager EMH, but his program is stuck in the malfunctioning holodeck. The crew is trying to extricate his program and he only needs to wait; if he destroys the ship as Barclay suggests, it will prematurely end the program and the Doctor will be lost. Even though Barclay introduces Kes (Jennifer Lien) as Zimmerman's wife, the Doctor finally opts to believe in his holographic existence. The simulation ends and the Doctor finds himself on the holodeck; Chakotay's story was true and the Doctor is safely returned to sickbay.

Writing

"Projections" is one of four first-season episodes that was held over by UPN to get the jump on other networks in the 1995–1996 television season. [5] [6]

Brannon Braga wrote the story from the initial idea of the Doctor having an identity crisis, "What if the doctor discovers that Voyager is a hologram and he is real?" From there, Braga questioned the axiom "I think, therefore I am" and what it means to be "real". [6] Calling it a "creepy, philosophical quandary", Braga related the story of "Projections" to the work of René Descartes, where "the [character is] plagued by an evil demon out to prove he doesn't exist"; in this instance, Braga made Barclay (Schultz) the demon. The episode was written to keep the viewer guessing as to which reality was true; Braga would later say that the fun of the episode wasn't in the story itself, but in the telling of the story, "in considering all the different twists and turns along the way." [5]

The final draft of the episode was submitted on March 30, 1995. [7]

Casting

Casting for "Projections" was done by Junie Lowry-Johnson and Ron Surma. [1]

Dwight Schultz (2006) Dwight Schultz 2.jpg
Dwight Schultz (2006)

Writer Brannon Braga came up with the idea of having Dwight Schultz guest star as Lieutenant Barclay, later saying that he and Picardo worked so well together that "they should have a spin-off series." [6] Episode director Jonathan Frakes also lauded the chemistry between the two actors. [8] Schultz was pleased to be back on Star Trek, and was surprised to be considered for a Voyager guest appearance. On meeting Robert Picardo, he recalled they spent their time joking with each other on set, discussing mutual friends, and comparing notes on their theatre experiences. [9] Picardo called working with Schultz "like having a party." [10]

Before deciding on Schultz, it was originally suggested that the guest star would be Star Trek: The Next Generation 's LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge. [6]

Reception

Writer Brannon Braga called "Projections" his favorite installment of Star Trek: Voyager in a 1996 interview with The Official Star Trek Voyager Magazine. [5] Series co-creator and executive producer Michael Piller called the episode "a wonderful show" and "a fascinating episode", specifically praising Robert Picardo's performance alongside co-creator and executive producer Jeri Taylor. [6] Picardo himself rated "Projections" as one of the two best Doctor-heavy stories of the second season, second only to "Lifesigns". [11] Reviewers Lance Parkin and Mark Jones thought the episode was "excellent". [12]

In an interview with the Star Trek Communicator magazine, Jeri Taylor pointed to an ongoing Internet survey that ranked "Projections" as the third-highest ranked episode of the second season. [13] In his book Delta Quadrant: The unofficial guide to Voyager, though David McIntee criticized the episode for its ultimate predictability and the characterization of Barclay near the end, he found the interplay between Picardo and Schultz to be overwhelmingly in the episode's favor; he rated the episode eight out of ten. [10] Cinefantastique 's Dale Kutzera was less impressed by the episode, saying it lost momentum in the middle and that it ill-used "[Star Trek]'s greatest inferiority-complex and greatest egotist." Kutzera gave the episode two out of four stars. [3]

In 2017, Business Insider listed "Projections" as one of the most underrated episodes of the Star Trek franchise. [14] In 2020, Gizmodo listed this episode as one of the "must watch" episodes from season two of the show. [15]

Related Research Articles

The Doctor (<i>Star Trek: Voyager</i>) Fictional character from Star Trek: Voyager

The Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram, is a fictional character portrayed by actor Robert Picardo on the television series Star Trek: Voyager, which aired on UPN between 1995 and 2001. He is an artificial intelligence manifesting as a holographic projection, designed to act as a short-term supplement to the medical staff of a starship during emergency situations. However, when the starship Voyager is stranded on the far side of the galaxy with no surviving medical personnel, he is forced to act as the ship's chief medical officer for several years. In an example of the Star Trek franchise's exploration of artificial intelligence, a simple software program becomes a major character in the show.

Kes (<i>Star Trek</i>) Star Trek character

Kes is a fictional character on the American science fiction television show Star Trek: Voyager. She is portrayed by actress Jennifer Lien. Set in the 24th century of the Star Trek universe, the series follows the crew of the starship USS Voyager, stranded far from home and struggling to get back to Earth. Kes is a member of the Ocampa who joins the crew in the series' premiere episode along with her Talaxian boyfriend, Neelix. She subsequently works as the Doctor's medical assistant and develops her mental abilities with Tuvok's assistance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Paris</span> Fictional character from Star Trek

Lieutenant Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris is a fictional character in the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager and is portrayed by Robert Duncan McNeill. Paris is the chief helmsman, as well as a temporary auxiliary medic, of the USS Voyager, a Starfleet ship that was stranded in the Delta Quadrant by an alien entity known as the Caretaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reginald Barclay</span> Recurring Star Trek character

Reginald Endicott Barclay III is a fictional engineer from the Star Trek media franchise. On television and in film, he has been portrayed by Dwight Schultz since the character's introduction in the Star Trek: The Next Generation third season episode "Hollow Pursuits." Schultz played the character for five episodes and one feature film of The Next Generation, as well as six episodes of the series Star Trek: Voyager. Barclay also appears in non-canon Star Trek novels and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazon</span> Fictional species portrayed as interstellar gangsters in Star Trek: Voyager

The Kazon are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek franchise. Developed by Star Trek: Voyager series' co-creators Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor, the Kazon serve as the primary antagonists during the show's first two seasons. They are represented as a nomadic species divided into eighteen separate sects, and characterized by their reliance on violence. A patriarchal society, the Kazon have a low opinion of women, and place pride in men becoming warriors and proving themselves in battle. The Kazon storylines frequently revolve around the attempts of Jal Culluh and his Kazon sect to steal technology from the USS Voyager, with the assistance of former Voyager ensign Seska. During the second season, the Voyager crew uncover more about the alien species' history and culture through a temporary truce. In their final major appearance, the Kazon successfully commandeer Voyager, but are eventually forced to surrender and retreat. The alien species have minor cameo appearances and references in the show's subsequent seasons, and have also been included in Star Trek Online and novels set in the Star Trek universe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holodeck</span> Star Trek device

The Holodeck is a fictional device from the television franchise Star Trek which uses "holograms" to create a realistic 3D simulation of a real or imaginary setting, in which participants can freely interact with the environment as well as objects and characters, and sometimes a predefined narrative.

"Tuvix" is the 40th episode of the science fiction television program Star Trek: Voyager. The episode originally aired on May 6, 1996, and tells the story of Tuvok and Neelix being merged into a unique third character named Tuvix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vidiians</span> Fictional alien race in the Star Trek franchise

The Vidiians are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek franchise. Developed by Star Trek: Voyager series' co-creators Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor, they serve as recurring antagonists during the show's first two seasons. They are represented as a nomadic species suffering from a pandemic known as the Phage, which destroys their tissue. A society with highly developed medical technology, the Vidiians harvest organs from corpses and living beings to stall the progression of the Phage, and experiment on other alien species in an attempt to develop a cure. Vidiian storylines frequently revolve around the aliens' attempts to take its Voyager crew members' organs, though a Vidiian scientist named Danara Pel serves as a love interest for The Doctor. The alien species have made minor appearances in the show's subsequent seasons, and have been included in novels set in the Star Trek universe.

"Life Line" is the 24th episode from the sixth season of Star Trek: Voyager, the 144th episode overall. It is one of the episodes in the Star Trek universe in which characters from elsewhere in the franchise are extended by Voyager. Reginald Barclay and Deanna Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation make appearances, and in addition Jean-Luc Picard is twice mentioned by Troi but not seen. This is also one of the few episodes where a character actually arrives in the Alpha Quadrant, and the only Voyager episode which has a cast member receiving a writing credit.

"The 37's" is the first episode of the second season, and seventeenth episode overall, of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. Due to differing release schedules, it was also released as the final episode of the first season in other countries. The episode aired August 28, 1995, on the UPN network. Directed by James L. Conway, it was written by producers Jeri Taylor and Brannon Braga. It was originally intended to be a two-part episode to bridge between the first and second seasons, and was subsequently re-written to be a single part. Due to late changes to the final act of the episode, special effects shots of the settlers' cities could not be completed, with which Braga and series creator Michael Piller were unhappy.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Projections". Star Trek: Voyager. Season 2. Episode 3. 1995-09-11. UPN.
  2. 1 2 Ruditis, Paul (May 2003). "Season One". Star Trek: Voyager Companion. New York, New York: Pocket Books. pp. 48–50. ISBN   0-7434-1751-8.
  3. 1 2 Kutzera, Dale (November 1996). "Voyager Episode Guide". Cinefantastique . 28 (4/5). Forest Park, Illinois: 78. ISSN   0145-6032.
  4. ↑ "Star Trek: Voyager". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  5. 1 2 3 Nazzaro, Joe (Feb 1996). "Brannon Braga: Supervising Producer". The Official Star Trek Voyager Magazine (5). New York, New York: Starlog Group, Inc.: 50. ISSN   1079-3658.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Gross, Edward; Altman, Mark A. (1996). "Voyager: Season Two Episode Guide". Captains' Logs Supplemental . London, England: Little, Brown and Company. pp.  154–155. ISBN   0-316-88354-9.
  7. ↑ "TAYLOR, J. MSS". Indiana University. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  8. ↑ Madsen, Dan (December 1995 – January 1996). "Jonathan Frakes: Looking Out for 'Number One'". Star Trek Communicator (105). Aurora, Colorado: The Official Star Trek Fan Club, Inc.: 47–51. ISSN   1080-3793.
  9. ↑ Spelling, Ian (August 1997). "Holo Hero". Star Trek: The Official Monthly Magazine. 1 (30). London, England: Titan Books Limited: 32–37. ISSN   1357-3888. Ian Spelling talks to Star Trek: The Next Generation's Holodeck addict Dwight Schultz, alias Reginald Barclay…
  10. 1 2 McIntee, David (2000). "First Season". Delta Quadrant: The unofficial guide to Voyager. London, UK: Virgin Publishing Ltd. pp. 53–55. ISBN   0-7535-0436-7.
  11. ↑ Kaplan, Anna L. (November 1996). "Star Trek Voyager: Holographic Doctor". Cinefantastique . 28 (4/5). Forest Park, Illinois: 95–98. ISSN   0145-6032. Robert Picardo has made Doc Zimmerman the show's most popular and entertaining character.
  12. ↑ Jones, Mark; Parkin, Lance (2003). Beyond the Final Frontier: An Unauthorised Review of the Trek Universe on Television and Film. London: Contender Books. p. 283. ISBN   978-1-84357-080-6.
  13. ↑ Fisher, Deborah (August–September 1996). "Season Review/Preview: ST:DS9/ST:VOY". Star Trek Communicator (108). Aurora, Colorado: The Official Star Trek Fan Club, Inc.: 16–19. ISSN   1080-3793.
  14. ↑ Holodny, Elena. "The 31 most underrated 'Star Trek' episodes". Business Insider. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  15. ↑ "Star Trek: Voyager's Must-Watch Episodes". io9. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
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