Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew enjoy some hard-earned leisure time in the holographic setting of a charming Irish village where she can't help falling for a ruggedly handsome townsman - but their holiday is darkened by an approaching wave of deadly neutron radiation.
Created by Paris as a diversion for himself and his mates, sunny Fairhaven offers Janeway a deceptively realistic fantasy figure named Michael Sullivan (Fintan McKeown), whose physical and intellectual specifications are made to order for her. Soon, her attention is commanded by the trailing edge of a speedy wave front that poses more of a threat than anyone knows.
Special Agent Matti
Holodeck hijinks for the whole family.
As you will recall, I am no friend of holodeck episodes. I was traumatised by the low quality of The next generation holo-episodes and never quite recovered. There have been a couple of worthwhile episodes (eg Nothing Human and Bride of Chaotica!) but the rule of thumb is still to steer clear. Fairhaven, being both the title of Tom Paris' latest authorial effort and of which Voyager finds itself most in need, is one of those macro/microcosm things where the outside world of the galaxy echoes the inside world of the ship echoes the inside world of the character, in this case, Janeway.
The burden of command, which she chose not to share, has weighed heavily on Kathryn, taking its toll of her romantic and sexual selves. She remained true to Mark until he gave her an intra-galactic Dear John, refused Chakotay's angry warrior offer, didn't have the time to take Kashyk up on his offer and steadfastly refuses to have a relationship with a junior officer. Now, any sapient life form would immediately shout holo-nookie. Jadzia Dax did it. Kira did it. Tom did it. Kim wanted to do it. Vorik did it to save his life. Riker fell in love but never got to do it. La Forge fell in love and had to meet the real thing. Picard has probably done it (Dix? Lose the broad). Quark will even lend you Vulcan love slave part 2. For all you sapients out there, here she goes.
Do you have to avoid Fairhaven because it's a holo-episode? Well... no. The story is actually about real people and the way they interact with their technology. Michael is no blow-up boyfriend with stimulating attachments, he is a three-dimensional character who feels as real to her skin as Janeway will allow him. It is her willingness to be touched or lack thereof that makes this story work. She doesn't want a relationship with a bunch of photons and some force fields. It's not real enough for her. So she does some judicious editing of Michael's file and produces someone she can't resist. Which raises the problem of what she's going to do now that she's created the perfect man.
Fintan (and there's a good Irish name for you) plays the rugged Irish charmer like he was born to it. Um... actually... he was. Oh, well. Kate, who knows Janeway inside and out, begins the episode full of Captainly bravado then allows herself to melt and bend under Fintan's manly gaze. For all the Janeway/Torres fanfic writers out there, this episode puts her on the hetero side of the fence. There's hope that these two will continue their relationship in later episodes as the program (and Michael) are still alive at the end of the story. It will be good to see where the powers that be take this little arc.
There are some nice effects when the big neutron storm pounds the ship, but effects junkies will have to wait until later in the season for the fireworks to come out. Tough luck, enjoy an adult relationship and get a life!
PG (Adult themes)
VHS rental and retail: 7 July 2000