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(→‎Background Information: A retcon/error can be explained in-universe as a product of a time traveler changing the timeline.)
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* Janeway refers to late [[1990s]] computer technology as "stone knives and bearskins". In {{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}}, [[Spock]] makes the same analogy when referring to the technology of the [[1930s]].
 
* Janeway refers to late [[1990s]] computer technology as "stone knives and bearskins". In {{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}}, [[Spock]] makes the same analogy when referring to the technology of the [[1930s]].
 
* Although this two-part story is set in [[1996]], there is no allusion made to the [[Eugenics Wars]] which had already been established as taking place at this time ({{TOS|Space Seed}}; {{film|2}}). Whether this is a deliberate retcon or an error on the part of the production staff is unclear. However the [[DS9]] episode {{e|Doctor Bashir, I Presume}} produced soon after this one, mentions the wars as taking place in the [[22nd century]] and not the [[20th century]] which might account for this (although writer [[Ronald D. Moore]] himself admitted that was an error on his part).
 
* Although this two-part story is set in [[1996]], there is no allusion made to the [[Eugenics Wars]] which had already been established as taking place at this time ({{TOS|Space Seed}}; {{film|2}}). Whether this is a deliberate retcon or an error on the part of the production staff is unclear. However the [[DS9]] episode {{e|Doctor Bashir, I Presume}} produced soon after this one, mentions the wars as taking place in the [[22nd century]] and not the [[20th century]] which might account for this (although writer [[Ronald D. Moore]] himself admitted that was an error on his part).
** This is also evidence that a [[time travel]]er tampered with the [[timeline]], therefore delaying the Eugenics Wars for two centuries.
 
 
* This episode has the only mention of the word '''teleport''' anywhere in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, when Starling exclaims, "They are trying to '''teleport''' the ship!"
 
* This episode has the only mention of the word '''teleport''' anywhere in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, when Starling exclaims, "They are trying to '''teleport''' the ship!"
 
* In this episode, Voyager discovers that they are in the past because they cannot pick up Starfleet signals, but can pick up radio transmissions. The same occurance helped Kirk and co. determine that they were in the past in the episode {{e|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}.
 
* In this episode, Voyager discovers that they are in the past because they cannot pick up Starfleet signals, but can pick up radio transmissions. The same occurance helped Kirk and co. determine that they were in the past in the episode {{e|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}.

Revision as of 16:42, 26 December 2008

Template:Realworld

After encountering a Federation timeship from the future, Voyager is flung back to 20th century Earth.

Summary

USS Voyager encounters an artificially generated graviton disruption, from which the 29th century timeship Aeon emerges, firing on Voyager. The pilot of the timeship, Captain Braxton, claims that Voyager will be responsible for a temporal explosion in the 29th century that will destroy the entire solar system. Captain Janeway responds with force to calm Braxton and eventually Voyager overpowers the timeship, causing Braxton to lose control of it. The graviton field begins to collapse and both ships are pulled in. Voyager finds itself in orbit around Earth, but in the 20th century. Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, and Tom Paris transport to the surface, where they have detected some unusual readings near Los Angeles, leaving Harry Kim in charge.


  • Operations Officer's log, supplemental. We've been on full sensor alert, looking for signs that anyone else has detected Voyager. As a precaution, I've also asked Neelix and Kes to monitor all media broadcasts.


A young woman named Rain Robinson has been hired by Starling to watch for a certain kind of radiation (gamma radiation from Voyager's nacelles, although she doesn't know it). She reports her findings to Starling, but is not to reveal her discovery to anyone else. When she finds the radiation, Voyager received a standard SETI greeting from Rain's Observatory. In response, Tuvok and Tom Paris are sent to find whatever information she has gathered and destroy it. Rain catches them in her office, but all three are then forced to flee the observatory when Starling's assistant, Dunbar, attempts to vaporize them, because Rain did end up telling one of her friends about her discovery.


Janeway and Chakotay continue to follow the homeless man, who turns out to be Captain Braxton, who explains that he was trapped on Earth 30 years ago, when his timeship crashed in the mountains. He was unable to reach the ship in time, and instead it was found by Henry Starling, who began exploiting its 29th-century technology, beginning the microcomputer revolution of the 20th century on Earth.


Janeway and Chakotay break into Starling's office and begin downloading his database, hoping to find where the timeship is being kept, just as Starling walks in. He threatens them and orders Ensign Kim to abort the download. Kim knows the Captain is in trouble, but as transporters were damaged by the rift, he orders the ship into low orbit for emergency transport, rescuing Janeway and Chakotay. As Voyager flies by, they attempt to transport the timeship out as well, but Starling blocks their attempts, and uses their transporter to download over 20% of Voyager's Database, including The Doctor, who appears in Starling's office.

Unfortunately, Voyager is spotted by someone videotaping a backyard barbecue, and the footage is seen by television viewers across the U.S.


TO BE CONTINUED…



Memorable Quotes

"We could've worn our Starfleet uniforms. I doubt if anyone would've noticed."

- Tuvok on the fashions worn by the late 20th-century inhabitants of Los Angeles.


"Ensign Kim, you have an impeccable sense of timing. Not bad for your first day in the Big Chair."

- Janeway to Ensign Kim after he rescues Janeway and Chakotay from where they are being held hostage


"Your curves don't look so great."

- Tom Paris, on Rain Robinson's Fourier analysis


"Far out."

- Henry Starling, after the Aeon crashes in the High Sierras


"Who are you, and what's that thing in your pants?"
"I beg your pardon?"

- Rain Robinson and Tuvok, referring to a tricorder Rain saw Tuvok hide in his pants.


"Nobody'll know the difference!"
"I'll know, Sharon. He's my brother; how can I face him knowing that our son is his son?"
"All you need to know, Jack, is that I love you!"

- Sharon and Jack, on the soap opera


"What does it mean, groovy?"

- Tuvok, to Tom Paris


"Time travel. Ever since my first day in the job as a Starfleet Captain I swore I'd never let myself get caught in one of these god-forsaken paradoxes. The future is the past, the past is the future. It all gives me a headache."

- Janeway to Chakotay at Starling's computer.


"Stop, or I'll kill your captain."
"Who is this?"
"You've got five seconds!"

- Henry Starling, threatening Harry Kim


"They are trying to teleport the ship!"

- Henry Starling

Background Information

  • This episode marks the first mention of a future Starfleet that monitors and repairs the timeline. In this case, it is the 29th century Starfleet using a timeship. Timeships exist as part of Starfleet beginning in the 26th century if not sooner, (TNG: "A Matter of Time"), but all previous mentions only concerned Federation historians using the ships to study the past. In addition, as of at least 2373, a unit known as the Department of Temporal Investigations existed as part of the United Federation of Planets for purposes of investigating and reporting on all incidents of time travel involving Federation citizens, (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations") and may very well have been the precursor to the 29th century-Starfleet depicted in this episode.
  • There's a very subtle gag in this episode involving the Communicators. Right after Harry receives the "Greeting from Earth" message from Rain Robinson he proceeds to contact the away team on the surface. As the Captain's Communicator beeps all of the native Angelenos walking past the away team immediately reach for their cellphones to answer them. This was probably a nod to the similarity of modern cellphone design and technology to the "futuristic" flip-top Communicators from the Original Series.
  • Rain Robinson has a Talosian action figure on her desk which was released as part of the Star Trek 30th anniversary line-up from Playmates.
  • Janeway refers to late 1990s computer technology as "stone knives and bearskins". In TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever", Spock makes the same analogy when referring to the technology of the 1930s.
  • Although this two-part story is set in 1996, there is no allusion made to the Eugenics Wars which had already been established as taking place at this time (TOS: "Space Seed"; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). Whether this is a deliberate retcon or an error on the part of the production staff is unclear. However the DS9 episode "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" produced soon after this one, mentions the wars as taking place in the 22nd century and not the 20th century which might account for this (although writer Ronald D. Moore himself admitted that was an error on his part).
  • This episode has the only mention of the word teleport anywhere in the Star Trek franchise, when Starling exclaims, "They are trying to teleport the ship!"
  • In this episode, Voyager discovers that they are in the past because they cannot pick up Starfleet signals, but can pick up radio transmissions. The same occurance helped Kirk and co. determine that they were in the past in the episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday".
  • The cockpit of the Aeon would later be reused as the cockpit of Kovin's starship in "Retrospect" and as Kes's starship in "Fury".


Awards

  • This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.

Video and DVD releases

Links and References

Guest Stars

Special Guest Star

Co-Stars

Uncredited Co-Star

References

Aeon (Template:ShipType); Arizona; astrophysics; "B" movie; Barstow; Benetton; Blaine; Bride of the Corpse; California; Caltech; Chateau Coeur; chronometric data; Chronowerx Industries; computer; Dave; DY-100 class; Earth; Edsel; e-mail; Fourier spectral analysis; force field; gamma emission; gigabyte; graviton matrix; Griffith Observatory; groovy; Halley's Comet; hard drive; Hermosa Earthquake; high school; High Sierras; Hollywood; Hot Dog on a Stick; Howdy Doody; HyperPro PC; isograted circuit; JPL; Jack; Jessica; Jim; KGB; Lada; laser; lava lamp; Los Angeles; Mars; meteorite; moon; motorcycle; Orgy of the Walking Dead; paradox; pinball; pizza; polaron; RADAR; radio; Santa Cruz; Santa Monica; satellite; Saturn; science fiction; secret agent; SETI; SETI greeting; Sharon; soda; soap opera; Soviet Union; Soviet spy satellite; space-time continuum; Starfleet Academy; stone knives and bearskins; subatomic disruptor; taxicab; telephone; telescope; temporal matrix; temporal rift; tennis; thermal radiation; theta band filter; transporter; transtator; tricorder; truck; Turn-of-the-Millennium Technology; Twinlab; 247-Baker; UFO; ultraviolet radiation; Uncle Sam's Psychic Readings; United States of America; USSR; weather balloon

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Star Trek: Voyager
Season 3
Next episode:
"Future's End, Part II"