Realization

[icepixie]

So I was watching my ancient tape (OMG ELEVEN YEARS OLD) of "Resolutions" last night--"research," you see--and I realized something.

Even before she goes crazy, Janeway kind of scares me.

It's mostly the actress rather than the character. KM...well, if I were to be charitable, I would say "acts big" or "acts for the stage," but I'm really not all that charitable so I'll call it what it is, which would be "chews the scenery to splinters." It's a little freaky. (Although it seems like pretty much everyone on every Trek has this problem. Part of it is the writing. Some of those lines...no one could deliver them and not sound pompous and grandiose.) And then there's that dark, gravelly, overenunciated voice that combines with the acting to make me feel like she wants to eat my soul.

I'm not sure how I missed this as a teenager. Maybe she has better, subtler moments that I just don't remember. I'm going to assume this is true, because that makes me feel better.

*

According to the IMDB page for episode 4.8, Nana Visitor is guest-starring in the episode.

Hmmm. First we have Admiral Ro, now we have...Civilian Kira, it seems? Cool. Bajorans FTW!

(You know, assuming the studios ever come to their senses and make a deal with the writers so show actually airs at some point...)

Comments

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how I missed this as a teenager. Maybe she has better, subtler moments that I just don't remember.

I think she does. Which is not to say she wasn't scary.

I also want to note how very, very happy it makes me to see anyone with whom I have not previously discussed her refer to her having gone crazy as a given. 'Cause, dude. The Batshit of Cap'n Katie was gobsmacking, and so many people still seem to think she made perfect sense. :: hides from them ::

[icepixie]

I think she does. Which is not to say she wasn't scary.

I think her style is better in command/crisis situations. Here, she was all stilted and overdramatic and had a bunch of prominent pauses in everything she said, and I just wanted to say, "Dude, relax." (Although possibly one can interpret that as her being very unrelaxed at this whole being-left-behind-forever thing, but it was even apparent in that little scene with the tomatoes that's supposedly set like two months after they wound up on the planet.)

I also want to note how very, very happy it makes me to see anyone with whom I have not previously discussed her refer to her having gone crazy as a given. 'Cause, dude. The Batshit of Cap'n Katie was gobsmacking, and so many people still seem to think she made perfect sense. :: hides from them ::

OMG, yes. I quit watching in season six because...well, mostly because of "Fair Haven," which was bad enough on its own, but also because of the many other ways Kathy had gone INSANE over the past year and a half or so. Ever since the Borg showed up, she'd kind of being spiraling out of control. "Equinox" was the point where I seriously questioned why no one was relieving her of command.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Even before she goes crazy, Janeway kind of scares me.

YES. I could barely even make it past the series premiere, she was so freakish. She is the entire reason I couldn't stand Voyager. (Well, her and Neelix.) I mean... great series concept! But creepy obnoxious captain = fail.

but I'm really not all that charitable so I'll call it what it is, which would be "chews the scenery to splinters."

Oh, entirely. I just wanted to hide my eyes whenever she started talking.

Part of it is the writing. Some of those lines...no one could deliver them and not sound pompous and grandiose.

Ha! I loved Sisko to pieces, but whenever the DS9 scripts called for "dramatic," HE! WOULD! PUFF UP! AND! DELIVER! EVERY LINE! WITH THESE ODD!! BREATHS!! ALL!! OVER!1!! Poor guy.

And then there's that dark, gravelly, overenunciated voice that combines with the acting to make me feel like she wants to eat my soul.

Thank you. That spit-take nearly ended in a yogurt-y death for Sarah's keyboard. I hate you.

Maybe she has better, subtler moments that I just don't remember.

....no. No.

[caffey.livejournal.com]

Even before she goes crazy, Janeway kind of scares me.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that the Janeway character hasn't been sane to begin with. Her insanity has just manifested itself over the years. Mostly, I find that amusing, though. But then, my favorite episodes happens to be Bride of Chaotica, I'm that odd. *coughs*

I haven't watched Resolutions since maybe 2000? And I feel no inclination to do so. I did, however, watch Coda recently. And can we just say that KM has NO idea how to die properly, and more importantly, convincingly? Hee. *g*

[babylil.livejournal.com]

It's entirely possible that the reason Janeway scares you is that Kate Mulgrew is possibly the most intimidating person I've ever met. It's even worse because she's actually lovely and friendly, yet at the same time I'm terrified to speak to her.

She has this presence that's just... scary. There's no other word for it. I'm afraid of Kate Mulgrew. But they say the most important thing is admitting you have a problem.

[babylil.livejournal.com]

Btw, I'd like to say for the record that I've seen her on stage twice (once in 'Tea at Five', the Hepburn bio, and again in 'The Exonerated', about death row inmates who were subsequently proved innocent) and she absolutely blew me away.

I don't think it's just charitable to say she 'acts for the stage', I think it's the truth. She was never meant for TV, to be honest there are scenes in Voyager I'm almost too embarrassed on her behalf to watch, but on stage she's amazing.

[elflore.livejournal.com]

The thing with Janeway, I think, is that the writers on Voyager really didn't give a flying frak about characterization.

(You know the story about Ron Moore's one-week stint as a Voyager writer, right?)

I seem to remember there being at least 3 different Katherine Janeways. There was "No, we cannot break the Prime Directive and interfere with alien cultures, no matter what!" Janeway, there was "Sod the Prime Directive, I will get my people HOME, I am Janeway hear me ROAR!" Janeway, and there was, "Dammit I'm tired, do I care about Directives this week? Do I care if I care?" Janeway.

You never really knew who you'd see, week to week.

[icepixie]

YES. I could barely even make it past the series premiere, she was so freakish. She is the entire reason I couldn't stand Voyager. (Well, her and Neelix.)

Awww. The reset button was why I eventually had to give up hope, but Neelix was a close second. (Also, Harry Kim, Most Boring Ensing In the Universe. And Chakotay's lack of spine. Oh, and let's not forget Katie's Hologram O' Love...okay, there were lots of reasons I jumped ship.)

I mean... great series concept! But creepy obnoxious captain = fail.

It was such a good concept, and it went SO VERY BADLY WRONG. It's like it was intentional, this screwing up. My thought is that Voyager should've been destroyed at the beginning and everyone put on the Maquis ship. That might have livened things up a bit.

Oh, entirely. I just wanted to hide my eyes whenever she started talking.

I want to know if she got into the role by watching Shatner.

Ha! I loved Sisko to pieces, but whenever the DS9 scripts called for "dramatic," HE! WOULD! PUFF UP! AND! DELIVER! EVERY LINE! WITH THESE ODD!! BREATHS!! ALL!! OVER!1!! Poor guy.

Yes, yes he did. Although there got to be less of that as time went on; apparently once he got the beard, he also got a giant dose of BADASS, and that seemed to cut the puffy-chest dramatics.

Thank you. That spit-take nearly ended in a yogurt-y death for Sarah's keyboard. I hate you.

Bwahahaha! (It's funny 'cause it's TRUE.)

....no. No.

Maybe not...

[icepixie]

Personally, I'm of the opinion that the Janeway character hasn't been sane to begin with.

Now that's an interesting thought. I missed all of S1 and a good chunk of S2, so I can't comment, but I've heard that theory bandied about the internets. (Although to subscribe to it would be, in a way, giving the writers ENTIRELY too much credit. ;))

And can we just say that KM has NO idea how to die properly, and more importantly, convincingly? Hee. *g*

Awww. That's the one I haven't watched in almost ten years. I just remember Chakotay wailing and big flashes of lightning.

[icepixie]

She has this presence that's just... scary. There's no other word for it. I'm afraid of Kate Mulgrew.

Interesting. I'd wondered if that was the case; as I was watching the episode, I kept thinking, "Is she like that in real life? HOW DOES SHE HAVE ANY FRIENDS?!" But I guess one could get used to it.

Fab icon, BTW.

[icepixie]

I don't think it's just charitable to say she 'acts for the stage', I think it's the truth. She was never meant for TV

I thought that might be the problem. She does look like she would be amazing onstage. (Although the voice might still scare me.)

[icepixie]

The thing with Janeway, I think, is that the writers on Voyager really didn't give a flying frak about characterization.

Well, yes. But this was obvious. :D (Or possibly they got "characterization" confused with "boobies.")

(You know the story about Ron Moore's one-week stint as a Voyager writer, right?)

That's ringing some distant bells, but I'd like to hear it again.

I seem to remember there being at least 3 different Katherine Janeways. There was "No, we cannot break the Prime Directive and interfere with alien cultures, no matter what!" Janeway, there was "Sod the Prime Directive, I will get my people HOME, I am Janeway hear me ROAR!" Janeway, and there was, "Dammit I'm tired, do I care about Directives this week? Do I care if I care?" Janeway.

You never really knew who you'd see, week to week.

YES. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! That is so true. And even worse, it's like she chooses the wrong one every time, at least where getting home in reasonable time is concerned. Hello, contrivance... Bah. They should've planned it for four years and been done with it.

[babylil.livejournal.com]

Hehe, yeah. She's friends with other scary people, like John DeLancie!

Fab icon, BTW.

Thanks :)

[babylil.livejournal.com]

OMG, her Katharine Hepburn voice was amazing! Personally, I love her voice, but I can see how people might find it scary *g*

[elflore.livejournal.com]

Ron Moore: The story I heard (though I can't recall where) is that after DS9 ended, Ron Moore went over to work on Voyager. After a week he quit in frustration, because no one in that writers room had any interest in actually developing the characters as people.

Getting home: I hoped they'd do something like what DS9 did, taking all or a large portion of their final season to put together a really epic finale. I knew they wouldn't, that they'd do just what they did and get them home in one rather silly final episode. But c'mon! Janeway brings home a Borg, an EMH with not-at-all-delusions of personhood, and half a crew of terrorists. We really needed to see the fallout from that. I want to believe they all got to live happy and fulfilling Alpha Quadrant Starfleet lives--but you KNOW they had to fight tooth and nail to get there.

[icepixie]

I seem to remember the whole "gone in a week because the other writers were idiots" thing. Heh. Although I think he might have found an ally in Jeri Taylor, if they were working on the show at the same time. Her Voyager books were full of characterization, anyway.

Getting home: That final season NEEDED to be about how the Federation totally put everyone on trial for terrorism and consorting with terrorists and tried to decompile the Doctor and autopsy Seven, because that was totally what they were turning into at the end of DS9. And yet, of course, no.

But even without that, it would've been better had they had a plan for a shorter series, with actual arcs and stuff instead of innumerable forehead aliens of the week and an apparently endless amount of shuttles to crash on planets.

Ahem. Basically, it needed to be BSG. :D

[elflore.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember Jeri Taylor fading back from the show midway through, and I suspect that was part of the problem. When it became the Empire of Braga, it was all about the boobs. In every way.

[icepixie]

I think JT left the writing staff after S3, and stepped away from exec. producer after S4. (Lord, why do I remember that? The things I could do if I swept away all these useless facts rattling around in my brain and filled the space with something useful...)

[elflore.livejournal.com]

Heheheheh. You know, there's actually a Doctor Who novel that has the Doctor using the TARDIS' telepathic circuits to edit out memories he doesn't need any more, because otherwise the Time Lord brain gets filled up after all those centuries...

And speaking of Who...just listened to Charley's farewell story, and it is fantastic. Just make sure you listen right through the credits!

[icepixie]

I want to be able to edit out memories I don't need. That would be great.

Ooooh, the final one is out. I must find a way to...procure...it...

[elflore.livejournal.com]

http://www.mininova.org/search/?search=girl+who+never+was

Happy Christmas. *g*

[caffey.livejournal.com]

(Although to subscribe to it would be, in a way, giving the writers ENTIRELY too much credit. ;))

Nah, they don't deserve the credit. I'm pinning this on KM's portrayal of the character. Although I would have to go back and re-watch the early seasons to give you specifics, or any kind of evidence to prove my point for that matter. I'm lazy, though. Please don't make me go back. *makes puppy dog eyes*

I just remember Chakotay wailing and big flashes of lightning.

Still the highlight of that episode.

How I hate having to go back and edit my comments, even though I love the fact that I can. Go figure.

[icepixie]

If only I could torrent!

[icepixie]

I'm lazy, though. Please don't make me go back.

Well, I'll take your word for it, then. :D

Still the highlight of that episode.

Heh.

[caffey.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll take your word for it, then. :D

Which puts you in the top three of my favorite people list right now. :D