I first started watchingStar Trek: Voyageras a kid, and, like a lot of people, I have seen every episode of the show several times over. There are more than 170 episodes ofVoyager, adding up to over 120 hours of television. That is a lot of time spent watchingStar Trek: Voyager’s characters lost in the Delta Quadrant. At this point, I do not always want to start a rewatch withVoyagerseason 1, episode 1, “Caretaker,” and I have figured out from which episode it is best to start watching.
AlmosteveryStar Trekserieshas improved as its seasons progressed. The now ubiquitous television term, “grow the beard,“refers to the massive jump in quality inStar Trek: The Next Generation,corresponding to Jonathan Frakes’s character, Commander William T. Riker, growing a beard inTNG’s second season. Similarly,Star Trek: Deep Space Nineimproves in its third season as conflicts with the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant began simmering.Starting with this episode in season 3 ofStar Trek: Voyageris just the right entry point to see the best of what the show has to offer.
Star Trek: Voyager Season 3, Episode 16, “Blood Fever” Is The Best Place To Start Rewatching
It’s A Great Episode With Some Great Followup
On the whole, “Blood Fever” is an excellent episode ofStar Trek: Voyager. There are 26 episodes in the show’s third season, and, coming about two thirds of the ways through, “Blood Fever” is one ofVoyagerseason 3’s best episodes. It sets up the relationship between Lieutenants Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) and B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) excellently. And the fact that Ensign Vorik (Alexander Enberg) cannot get back to Vulcan for the Pon Farr perfectlysets up the consequences of the USS Voyager being stranded in the Delta Quadrant.
I Forgot TNG’s Hugh Borg Actor Made A Surprise Comeback On Star Trek: Voyager
Jonathan Del Arco, best known for playing Hugh the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation, made a surprise appearance in Voyager’s 7th season.
“Blood Fever” is a fun episode in and of itself, but it is the perfect place to start a rewatch ofStar Trek:Voyagerbecause of what comes afterwards.In the final 11 episodes ofVoyagerseason 3, almost every member of the show’s core cast gets an episode that serves as a perfect character introduction.“Unity” is great for Commander Chakotay (Robert Betran), “Favorite Son” is one of Ensign Harry Kim’s (Garret Wang) most iconic episodes, and “Real Life” is basically a look into The Doctor’s (Robert Picardo) psyche.
Season 3 is whenStar Trek: Voyagerreally came into its own.
Each of these episodes are excellent in their own rights, and, taken together, they form a stretch of television that shows the true potential ofStar Trek: Voyager. Season 3 is whenStar Trek: Voyagerreally came into its own, exploring the ramifications of life in the Delta Quadrant in interesting new ways, and"Blood Fever” is the tipping point for the season as a whole.
It’s OK To Skip The First Two Seasons Of Star Trek: Voyager
Watch Them The First Time, But You Don’t Need To Rewatch
Of course, starting with “Blood Fever,” in the middle of season 3, means skipping the first two seasons ofStar Trek: Voyager. WhileI would recommend starting from the beginning when watchingVoyagerfor the first time, those first two seasons aren’t necessary viewing during a rewatch. If you have already seenVoyager, you don’t need the setup that the ship is stranded in the Delta Quadrant. Episodes like “Blood Fever,” where the crew being far from home is a core plot driver, do more than enough to refresh the stakes of the show.
The Kazon were originally intended to be a much larger threat onStar Trek: Voyager, but they were made into much smaller antagonists due to low popularity. They have returned inStar Trek: Prodigy, however.
Starting partway through season 3 lets you skip some of the more controversial aspects ofStar Trek: Voyager’s early seasons.The Kazon wereVoyager’s least popular villainsand starting in the middle of season 3 means seeing the Kazon only three times (and one of those is as holograms). Furthermore,since Kes (Jennifer Lien) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) broke up afterVoyagerseason 3, episode 10, starting with “Blood Fever” means skipping over the more uncomfortable moments of their relationship.There are some genuinely banger episodes inVoyager’s early seasons, but starting in season 3, the show gets more consistently excellent.
Starting With “Blood Fever” Sets Up Star Trek: Voyager’s Most Iconic Character
Seven Of Nine Replaced Kes In Season 4
Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine is one of the coolest characters in theentireStar Trekfranchise, and all the groundwork for her character’s introduction is laid in the back half ofVoyagerseason 3.“Blood Fever” is the first episode where the Borg appear inStar Trek: Voyager,and the very next episode, “Unity,” focuses on a community of former Borg drones. Most obviously, the two-part episode, “Scorpion,” bridges the gap betweenVoyagerseasons 3 and 4 and introducesSeven of Nine onStar Trek:Voyager. “Blood Fever” gives just the right amount of foreshadowing for the introduction ofVoyager’s former Borg drone.
Star Trek: Voyager Is Finally Getting a Comeback, But What Will Its Continuation Do?
Star Trek: Voyager will soon get a continuation courtesy of IDW Publishing, but what questions left over from the finale will it answer?
Of course, Jeri Ryan was brought intoStar Trek: VoyagerbecauseJennifer Lien left her role as Kes. The young OcampanKes was an important part ofVoyager’s early seasons,but showrunners Rick Berman and Jeri Taylor were not happy with the character’s development, and Jennifer Lien suffered from personal issues. But noVoyagerrewatch would be complete without taking time to appreciate Kes at her best.
“Blood Fever” gives viewers the best of all possible worlds regarding Kes and Seven of Nine.
Luckily, episodes like “Darkling,” “Before and After,” and “Real Life” all give Kes a chance to shine. Watching the back half ofVoyagerseason 3 offers an excellent farewell to the character. In the end, “Blood Fever” gives viewers the best of all possible worlds regarding Kes and Seven of Nine, and that is why it is the perfect place to start rewatchingStar Trek: Voyager.
