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AI/LLM Reviews of Star Trek: Voyager Threshold

Google Gemini

"Threshold" is an episode that lives in infamy. Written by Brannon Braga, it is often cited by fans and even the cast (including Robert Duncan McNeill) as the "point of no return" for internal logic in Voyager. While it won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup, the story itself remains one of the most criticized in the series.

Narrative Summary

Tom Paris attempts to break the Warp 10 barrier, a feat theoretically impossible as it implies occupying every point in the universe simultaneously. He succeeds, but the experience triggers an "accelerated evolution" in his DNA. He begins a horrific physical transformation, eventually kidnaps Captain Janeway, takes her to Warp 10, and they both evolve into giant amphibians, mate, and leave behind a brood of lizard-babies on a remote planet.

The "Good" (Yes, there is some)

Robert Duncan McNeill's Commitment: McNeill gives 100% to a script that asks him to do increasingly ridiculous things. His portrayal of the manic, terrified, and eventually delusional Paris is genuinely well-acted.

Practical Effects/Makeup: As mentioned, the makeup work is stellar. The body-horror elements as Tom’s skin peels and he loses his tongue are effectively gruesome and visually impressive for 90s television.

The First Act: The initial setup—the excitement of the engineering challenge and the rivalry/camaraderie between Paris, Torres, and Kim—feels like classic, hopeful Star Trek.

The "Bad" (The Science and the Logic)

Biological Nonsense: The central conceit that "evolution" is a predetermined path that can be "sped up" is a fundamental misunderstanding of biology. Evolution is a reaction to environment, not a script hidden in DNA leading to a "lizard" endgame.

The Warp 10 Problem: If the crew figured out how to reach Warp 10 and the Doctor can "cure" the evolution side effects with a simple antiproton treatment (as he does at the end), there is no reason Voyager shouldn't be home by the next episode.

The Ending: The abandonment of the "Janeway-Paris offspring" is never mentioned again. It’s an absurdly dark and bizarre ending that the show simply chooses to ignore in all future episodes.

Final Rating: 2/10

Verdict: "Threshold" is a fascinating failure. It is "must-watch" only in the sense that it is a cultural touchpoint for the fandom—a piece of "so-bad-it's-good" history. As a standalone story, it breaks the show's internal logic and ends on a note so bizarre it borders on surrealism.

Notable Moments

The Tongue Scene: One of the most visceral "body horror" moments in Trek history.

The Recovery: Janeway and Paris sitting in the mess hall at the end, casually discussing the fact that they had children together as lizards, is perhaps the peak of Voyager's occasional narrative tonal deafness.

ChatGPT

Here’s a review of **Star Trek: Voyager – Threshold**, drawing on the episode’s plot, themes, and reception as reflected in the Chakoteya transcript.

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### Review: *Threshold*

“Threshold” is one of *Voyager*’s most infamous episodes, remembered less for what it tries to do than for how wildly it misses the mark. The core idea—Tom Paris breaking the warp-10 barrier and becoming “everywhere at once”—is classic high-concept *Star Trek*. On paper, it’s a compelling exploration of limits, ambition, and the cost of technological obsession.

The first half of the episode actually works reasonably well. Paris’s obsessive drive, the experimental engineering, and Janeway’s mix of pride and concern give the story some tension. The concept of warp 10 as a kind of ultimate threshold fits Trek’s tradition of science-as-myth.

Unfortunately, the episode collapses under its own execution. The pseudo-scientific leap that warp 10 causes “accelerated evolution” is not just dubious—it’s incoherent even by Trek standards. Paris’s grotesque transformation into a salamander-like creature is more body-horror than thoughtful sci-fi, and the explanation feels arbitrary rather than earned.

The final act is where “Threshold” truly derails. The revelation that Paris abducted Janeway, mated with her, and produced amphibian offspring—only for everyone to quietly move on once they’re “de-evolved”—is deeply uncomfortable and narratively irresponsible. There are major ethical and emotional implications that the episode simply ignores, resetting the status quo as if nothing happened.

Ironically, the episode won an Emmy for makeup, which highlights the problem perfectly: the craftsmanship of individual elements outshines the story itself. “Threshold” is bold, strange, and memorable—but almost entirely for the wrong reasons.

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### Rating: **2 / 10**

A fascinating premise undone by nonsensical science, tonal whiplash, and one of the most baffling endings in *Star Trek* history. Notorious rather than rewarding.
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