The Doctor and Seven become inseparable in the episode that originally aired on November 15. 2000 this is Body and Soul.
The Episode:
Captain’s Log Stardate 54238.3 Body and Soul
After an attack by the Lokirrim, the Doctor hides in Seven’s body until he can be safely freed and Tuvok finds himself facing the Vulcan Seven Year Itch.
The Story:
Harry, Seven and The Doctor encounter a Lokirrim ship who are hunting illegal photonic insurgents. Detecting the Doctor, they board only to find Seven and Ensign Kim aboard the ship. Soon, Kim discovers that The Doctor has been downloaded into Seven of Nine’s cybernetic Matrix allowing him to survive undetected. This leads to the Doctor essentially taking over Seven’s body and thoroughly enjoying the new sensations of taste, touch and more. The two soon begin fighting over the body with Seven being disgusted when the Doctor becomes aroused (and inebriated and gluttonous) in her body. They soon come to terms and after they both use their newfound joint mind to help them escape after saving the captain of the ship, Ensign Kim, Seven and the Doctor return to Voyager unharmed and with a better understanding of one another.
The B Story involves Tuvok undergoing Pon Farr while Lt Paris has to find treatments for him while maintaining discretion. Using a holographic version of Tuvok’s wife, Tuvok is able to avail himself of his needs which gives him time to weather through this Seven Year cycle.
In the end, everyone is safe and Voyager is back on course…once again.
Is this a ‘Good’ Episode:
First, Let me say that Jeri Ryan is tremendous in her portrayal of The Doctor in Seven’s body. She not only manages to capture his voice but somehow is able to completely capture his mannerisms as well. While this is an episode that showcases the character of The Doctor, it also manages to really showcase Ryan’s incredible acting ability. It couldn’t have been easy to mimic a fellow actor on the show but she does it with such incredible ease it is almost uncanny.
The episode itself, directed by none other than Lt Paris himself Robert Duncan McNeill, is a terrific episode that not only utilizes Seven of Nine in a clever way but also asks some rather important questions regarding consent and sexuality. The consent comes in with how the Doctor uses Seven’s body not thinking about the desires of Seven herself and whether his actions are acceptable or not. This lesson becomes a significant one when he finds himself attracted to one of the crewmembers without considering how Seven would react to his actions toward this crewmember. However, Seven realizes in the events that maybe there are things that she has been putting off unnecessarily, like cheesecake. Ultimately, The Doctor is forced to realize his faults in his compulsions while Seven discovers that there is more to life than nutritional substances and efficiency.
The B Story, well, its the inevitable event that will happen on any ship with a Vulcan crew member. With 7 seasons, it was only a matter of time before Tuvok went through Pon Farr and it was probably a lucky thing that it was Paris who was treating him and not The Doctor. The Doctor would have been understanding but this really gave Paris a chance to shine, showing that he is an officer who really cares about his fellow crewmembers.
Overall, Body and Soul is a really fun episode that really helps to push the character development of several crew members on Voyager. While we really never get a chance to find out more on the Photonic War that was going on, it gave our crewmembers a chance to really shine.
Gleanings and Cool Bits:
- 0 photon torpedoes fired, -20 remaining.
- 0 shuttlecraft lost or destroyed, -6 remaining
- You might recognize Megan Gallagher in the role of Jaryn. Gallagher is also known for her time on a short-lived series called Millennium with Lance Henrickson as well as appearing on a few DS9 episodes as well.
- We never find out what becomes of the Lokirrim and their war with the Holograms but they are mentioned again with a small hint as to how the war began. Needless to say, it involved slavery.
Thanks for reading the Retro TV Review, I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you, one episode at a time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! Next Review: Nightingale
For more reviews: check out the weekly series called Key Movies Of My Life that comes out every Thursday and for more retro TV goodness check out the rest of the Retro TV Reviews here.
As always, please feel free to comment below and share your experiences with these episodes as well. If you just happened by, tell me what you think! Don’t Forget To Follow me if you like the blog!
Late To The Game 3/17/2021
Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available. Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.
“Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made production intended for recreational use. No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.”
Late to the Game Blog 