The Voyager Doctor's Key Moments
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Projections -
(2x3)
- The Doctor has an existential dilemma over whether he is a holographic
projection, or a real man trapped in the midst of a malfuctioning holodeck
simulation.
This
episode establishes for us the viewer that he possesses both a conscience and
a
soul (not to mention one heck of an imagination).
There is further suggestion that the
Doctor thinks like a person, when - instead of running a self-diagnostic or
some
24th century equivalent of Scandisk - the malfunction results in an
elaborate hallucination.
Directed by Jonathan Frakes
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Twisted -
(2x6)
- An ordinary episode overall, where we see the Doctor for the first time
taking part in a social gathering as bartender in Sandrine's for Kes' second
birthday.
The real milestone in this is fleeting but significant:
as Kes
stands frightened,
worrying about Neelix, Doc impulsively gives her a parental hug. Their
relationship in the series is an unusual one, which shifts constantly as each
plays
the
other's mentor / surrogate parent over the course of the show's first three
seasons.
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Tattoo -
(2x9)
- In which the Doctor learns compassion. To prove that people don't need to
be
comforted during a time of illness, Doc programs himself with the flu and
steadfastly endures the miserable symptoms... until they last longer than he
had
intended.
The A-Plot, which focuses on Chakotay's origins, is
pretty good too.
This episode also establishes that Doc now chooses to use "Please
state the
nature of the medical emergency" as his greeting protocol.
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Lifesigns -
(2x19)
- MAJOR MILESTONE EPISODE ALERT! The Doctor falls in love when someone he
treats
showers
him with gratitude and attention. You can almost see the moment when he
changes
from a program enhanced by personality subroutines into a person with
computer
enhancements.
Many firsts here:
- For the first time, the Doctor sees himself as a person and writes
his
inaugural personal log.
- For the first time, he goes to Tom Paris for romantic advice.
- This may be the fifth episode he's been kissed in the series
thus far,
but
it's the first time the Doctor actually initiates some of it.
- For the first time, he's had upgrades made to his programming in the
form of personality subroutines (for dancing and sex).
- It is suggested that once Denara Pel's mind has been returned to her
natural
body, he would pursue a sexual relationship with her.
This episode also establishes that even for the Doctor, love is blind:
he
actually
likes being called Schmullus.
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Innocence -
(2x22)
- In a token sequence of this Tuvok vehicle, we see that the Doctor - with
the
help of Kes - has begun to work on improving his social and diplomatic
skills. His
motivation is enthusiasm laced with wavering confidence, and results in one
of
my personal favorite Doc zingers: "We don't always receive such distinguished
guests here - unless there's been some sort of accident."
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The Thaw -
(2x23)
- Putting those newfound diplomatic skills to work, the Doctor enters a
virtual
reality program in an attempt to negotiate with the computerized incarnation
of
fear to release its hostages.
A warning that people who have viewed this episode either love it or hate
it.
If you ask me, it all depends on how you feel about 1960's camp. I think it's
a real
trip.
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