Janeway develops a strong attachment to a holographic 19th-century Irishman while a dangerous particle storm batters the starship.
| The Love Boat |
Chakotay: You seemed embarrassed when I ran into you. There was no reason to be. It was nice to see you having a little fun.
Janeway: He is rather charming, isn't he? Too bad he's made of photons and force fields.
Chakotay [grinning]: I never let that stand in my way. |
Janeway: You want a confession, Doctor? All right. I've become romantically involved with a hologram, if that's possible.
Doctor: Tell me what happened.
Janeway: Oh, you know the story. Girl meets boy. Girl modifies boy's sub-routines.
Doctor: Did you have intimate relations?
Janeway: That's none of your business. Let's just say it was a memorable three days. |
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Additional credits
Fintan McKeown - Michael
Richard Richle - Seamus
Henriette Ivanans - Maggie
Jan Claire - Frannie
directed by Allan Krocker
written by Robin Burger
What happened
The scene opens in 19th-century Ireland. Therefore, it must be a holographic simulation.
Tom, wearing cap and vest, gives some change to Seamus, a down-on-his-heels local, then finds Harry in the flower market chatting with Maggie, an attractive lass.
The Doctor bicycles up in clerical vestment. Apparently relishing his role as priest in this holographic town of "Fair Haven," he tells "sinners" Tom and Harry that he expects their attendance at his next sermon.
We next see Harry winning an arm-wrestling tournament at the local pub.
Janeway enters -- in uniform, unlike her crewmates -- and, as an Irish history aficionado, praises the simulation's authenticity. But there's little time to dawdle -- a dangerous "class 9 particle wave front" is approaching Voyager.... (more extensive spoilers)
Analysis
"Fair Haven" taps into a thematic vein -- the holodeck as escapist addiction -- that has already been explored in other Voyager episodes, as well as on Deep Space Nine.
Unfortunately, the character of Michael, designed to be a romantic foil for Janeway, is sadly uninteresting. Even after given an "education," he comes across as somewhat simpleminded.
Nevertheless, while there is little that is new or exciting here, the story unfolds in a pleasant and inoffensive manner. The holographic Irish town has some charm, as does the traditional Irish music. Janeway's need for companionship is plausible, even if inexpertly acted.
The Doctor, though a secondary player here, remains one of the show's more interesting characters. His observation to Janeway that Michael's consciousness is no less real than his own serves to make her romance seem more meaningful. It also raises anew the question of exactly how and when holograms become sentient.
Dangling plot threads
Will Janeway and Michael rekindle their romance in a resurrected version of Fair Haven?
Was Tuvok's nausea a transient result of circumstances, or does it reflect a deeper dissatisfaction?
Reality check
Neutron stars are highly dense, fast-spinning stars. Neutron stars that emit radio pulses are known as pulsars. The notion of a neutron star collision generating a "class 9 particle wave front" is fictitious.
Tune in next week
The Voyager crew meets an alien race whose species evolves from birth to interstellar contact in a matter of hours -- a veritable "Blink of an Eye".
What do you think? Send your comments to the author or editor.
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