Voyager Actors Talk Star Trek's Legacy

With the original Star Trek series, Gene Roddenberry was able to tackle many important social issues, including discrimination towards minorities and women. According to the Voyager stars, this tradition has been continued in the latest Star Trek incarnation.

"Gene's goal was to portray this future as something somewhat different than what we have today, including minorities in lead, principal, and important roles," Tim Russ told UPN 9 in New York (via P/K All The Way). Though Trek already featured black human and Klingon characters, Russ indicated Voyager was unique in a different way. "Our show broke the mold by giving myself a character as a black, Vulcan character which we've never seen before."

Jeri Ryan felt that Voyager's recurring theme of forgiveness would be the one the show would be most remembered for. "Redemption is a huge issue in Star Trek. With this character specifically. When Seven was taken from being human and assimilated into the Borg, that was a terrible thing and they are taking her individual choice away from her. But then Janeway severs her from the Collective and makes her become human again. And that was just as bad from Seven of Nine's perspective. I love that they have the courage to show that Starfleet is not riding on their white horse and perfect."

UPN 9 interviewed the Voyager stars after they asked viewers what they thought would be the series' most enduring legacy. Viewers chose the strong role women played in the show as its most important contribution. Not surprisingly, Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway) agreed with this.

"I think that mothers like myself who have walked or pioneered this line, between motherhood and career, can finally watch a show with their daughters which was both liberating and comforting to them," said Mulgrew. "They could say to their daughter, you see now what the future can hold for you. If Hollywood is representing this as a model, this is acceptable. This is possible for you. You always feel better when you see another woman doing something that's tough."

Other actors who were interviewed for the newscast were Ethan Phillips (Neelix), who pointed at the strong moral fibre of all the characters, and Robert Picardo (the Doctor), who spoke about the holographic rights shows. Both themes will be nicely combined in next week's 'Renaissance Man,' in which the Doctor has to holographically impersonate several of his crewmates. A short clip of the show was shown on UPN 9, a transcript of which you can find below:

[The Doctor talks to Janeway, with Kim looking on.]

The Doctor: "If I don't survive, I need you to do something for me."

IN NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE, THE DOCTOR PUTS HIS EXISTENCE IN JEOPARDY TO SAVE THE CAPTAIN'S LIFE

[On the Holodeck, the Holodoc and Janeway continue to argue about this, but we can't hear what they're saying.]

[Two members of the alien race from 'Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy' fight with each other.]

[A console explodes.]

[Janeway falls to the floor.]

[The Doctor and Janeway talk to each other.]

The Doctor: "What did you expect me to do? Let them kill you?"

Janeway: "I expected you to follow my orders."

The Doctor: "You might as well have ordered me to put a phaser to your head."

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