Inside Trek On Workforce

Over at Inside Trek, freelance journalist Ian Spelling recently had the opportunity to visit the Voyager set and speak with Kate Mulgrew (Janeway), Tim Russ (Tuvok) and guest star James Read, who plays Janeway's love interest, Jaffen. His visit coincided with the filming of upcoming Voyager two-part episode, "Workforce', which, according to Spelling, presents a whole new Voyager. But then Captain Janeway, "sporting a blue jump suit, long, flowing hair and a big, goofy smile" is definitely not the Voyager we know and love. It's an unearthly mental image and certainly "an unearthly sight."

Workforce, as we already know, sees the majority of the Voyager crew - including Janeway and Tuvok - put to work on an alien planet, completely oblivious to each other and unaware of the lives they used to lead. And they're all positively happy about it - and so are the actors. "What is there not to be happy about?'' Mulgrew told Spelling, "I love these scenes. We just have to look so insanely happy. It's kind of strange, really, and fun as a change of pace." Her happiness may also have something to do with the lack of "yelling or running around or explosions", not to mention her long-campaigned-for Janeway romance.

Next up, Spelling caught up with the show's resident Vulcan, Tim Russ, who's just as happy as Mulgrew with the episode so far. Like the free-spirited and head-over-heels Janeway, Tuvok will not be quite himself, but possibly more so than others - "He's still Tuvok, but it's a slight variation on the Tuvok we're used to seeing". Aside from the chance to portray his character in a slightly different light, Russ likes "that [they're] spending a lot of time on a quieter, more reflective story'' - unusual for a two-parter which tend to be more action-orientated. Russ also hints that the mind-wipe may not be totally successful for all of the crew - despite having no memory of his past, apparently "recognition factors start to kick in, and [Tuvok] realizes that something's not right.

To read the full article, which includes a bit more from Mulgrew and some comments from Read (who, as it turns out, actually once auditioned for the role of Captain Janeway after Genevieve Bujold quit and the producers considered casting a male lead) on being a part of Star Trek, please follow this link. Thanks go out to Voyager's Delights for showing the way!

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