First 'Life Line' Reviews

Fast as ever, Michelle Erica Green at AnotherUniverse has uploaded her review of 'Life Line', yesterday's new Voyager episode. In a much more lengthy review than usual, Green appears very impressed by the episode:

My favorite Voyager episode literally in years, "Life Line" features nearly everything that's good about the series and very little of the things that aren't. Not only was this a fantastic Doctor story, it was that rarest of events, a segment in a continuous storyline - specifically, the story of Voyager's attempt to get back to the Alpha Quadrant, and what the people there plan to do when they get home. The Doctor has figured prominently in what continuity there is: he met a holographic version of Barclay in the second season episode "Projections," he met another model EMH during his brief sojourn to the Alpha Quadrant in "Message in a Bottle," and now he has made first contact with the people actually in the Alpha Quadrant working to bring Voyager home.

A bit less positive about the episode, though still praising it, is Michael Marek at Cinescape:

"Life Line" is an important episode for the on-going Voyager storyline. It establishes that Voyager will now be in contact with Starfleet on a monthly basis, allowing personal messages from home for the crew. It also may be setting the stage for some plot issues at such time as Voyager does make it home, since Starfleet is very interested in the status of the former Maquis crew, who were outlaws at the time they were pulled into the Delta Quadrant.

Is Life Line a good episode? I'd have to give it a qualified "pretty good." As often happens in Voyager, strengths are tempered by weaknesses. Nevertheless, it is important to the long term Voyager story, and thus fans should not miss it.

Finally, guest reviewer O.Deus at TrekWeb has also written a review of 'Life Line'. Here's the final paragraph of his analysis, summing up his thoughts on the episode:

All in all a good episode that offers us a nice look at the Federation and its scale against Voyager's individual journey. After all Dr. Zimmerman can't even remember Voyager's name, let alone care about its crew. The Jupiter Station in the opening shot is beautiful and makes you wonder what the Federation might look like in Series V with top of the line special effects. Dr. Zimmerman is a bit too over the top and strikes some false grouchy notes as compared to his Ds9 appearance but Picardo is at the top of his game to the point that his Dr. Zimmerman, a guest star easily dominates everybody including Picardo's own EMH in every science they're in. Barclay and Troi are mostly outsiders in this story, supporting characters with practical roles to fill and through their familiarity also help us care about the story though little would change if they were gone. The single Voyager scene emphasizes possible coming frictions with the Federation nicely set against the background of the Doc's own homecoming troubles. With few lines, Haley nevertheless manages to be an interesting and disturbing presence while the actress suggests depths and complications in her relationship with Doctor Z. that the episode never shows us. In and of itself Life-Line isn't particularly ground-breaking but it's a nice story told well which is more than good enough for your average Wednesday Night.

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