From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

Al/LLM REviews of STar Trek Voyager Investigations

Google Gemini

"Investigations" (Season 2, Episode 20) is a pivotal, if controversial, episode of *Star Trek: Voyager*. It serves as the grand finale to a multi-episode story arc involving Tom Paris’s "downward spiral" and the presence of a Maquis traitor.

Based on the transcript and episode details from the source provided, here is a review and analysis of the episode:

### 1. The Big Reveal: The "Long Con"

The most significant aspect of "Investigations" is the revelation that Tom Paris’s erratic and belligerent behavior over the previous several episodes (*Meld*, *Dreadnought*, *Lifesigns*) was a ruse.

* **The Sting Operation:** Janeway and Tuvok staged Paris’s "quitting" to flush out a spy they knew was communicating with the Kazon.
* **The Impact:** For the audience, this provides a sigh of relief—the Tom we liked hadn't actually reverted to his mercenary ways. However, the revelation that Janeway kept even Chakotay in the dark adds a layer of tension to the command structure, highlighting the lingering distrust between the Starfleet and Maquis crews.

### 2. Neelix as the Unlikely Hero

The episode’s title refers to Neelix’s new role as a shipboard journalist. Tired of just being a cook/morale officer, he starts "A Briefing with Neelix," a morning talk show.

* **The Investigation:** While the broadcast starts with lighthearted segments (including a comic subplot where The Doctor wants his own medical segment), Neelix accidentally stumbles onto the real plot.
* **Character Growth:** This episode gives Neelix some of his best "serious" moments. His tenacity in tracking down the suspicious data bursts in Engineering shows he is more than just comic relief. His eventual physical confrontation with the traitor, Michael Jonas, is surprisingly intense and high-stakes.

### 3. The Traitor: Michael Jonas

Michael Jonas (Raphael Sbarge) had been a background character selling secrets to Seska and the Kazon for months.

* **The Resolution:** Jonas’s arc ends in a dramatic, albeit somewhat stereotypical, "villain fall." During a struggle with Neelix on a catwalk in Engineering, Jonas falls into a plasma stream and is disintegrated.
* **Critical Note:** Many fans felt Jonas’s exposure was a bit rushed. After weeks of buildup, his "investigation" by Neelix happens quite quickly, and his death prevents him from ever facing the Maquis he betrayed.

### 4. Seska’s Return

Martha Hackett returns as Seska, the Cardassian-spy-turned-Kazon-advisor.

* **The Plan:** Seska’s goal was to lure Paris away, thinking he was a disgruntled asset she could flip. The scenes between them on the Kazon vessel are a highlight, as they play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse.
* **The Action:** Paris’s eventual escape in a stolen Kazon shuttle is a classic *Voyager* action sequence, though some critics argue it was "too easy" for him to steal a ship and find his way back to *Voyager*.

### 5. Historical Trivia: The Royal Cameo

"Investigations" is famously known for a non-speaking cameo by **Prince Abdullah of Jordan** (now King Abdullah II). He appears as an unnamed science officer in the opening scene, standing near Harry Kim. As a massive *Star Trek* fan, he was invited to the set, though he couldn't have a speaking role because he wasn't a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

### 6. Themes and Analysis

* **Truth and Perception:** The episode explores how easily "truth" can be manipulated. The crew (and the audience) believed Paris was a failure because the evidence pointed that way. Neelix’s "news" program emphasizes that the role of a journalist is to look past the surface—even when the surface is a carefully crafted Starfleet lie.
* **Serialization:** This was one of *Voyager's* earliest attempts at a serialized "mystery" arc. While the payoff is satisfying in terms of clearing Tom’s name, some feel the resolution of the Jonas plot was a missed opportunity for a deeper trial or confrontation with Chakotay.

### Final Verdict

**Rating: 3.5/5**
"Investigations" is a solid, workhorse episode. It effectively clears the board of the Jonas/Paris subplot and transitions the series back to its "monster of the week" and "exploration" roots. While Neelix’s talk show is a bit "cutesy" at times, the episode succeeds in giving Tom Paris his redemption and proving that even on a small ship like *Voyager*, there are still secrets to be found.

ChatGPt

Here is a focused review of **Star Trek: Voyager – “Investigations” (Season 2, Episode 20)**, grounded in the episode’s events and dialogue as presented in the Chakoteya transcript and supported by established episode context.

---

## Review: *Investigations* (Star Trek: Voyager)

“**Investigations**” is one of *Voyager*’s strongest early Season 2 episodes, successfully blending intrigue, character development, and serialized consequences in a way the series sometimes struggled to maintain.

### Plot and Structure

The episode is framed around Neelix’s new role as morale officer and amateur journalist, broadcasting *A Briefing with Neelix* to the crew. What begins as comic relief quickly turns into a serious narrative device when Voyager realizes someone onboard is leaking information to the Kazon. The transcript highlights how Neelix’s curiosity—initially dismissed as meddling—becomes the key mechanism for uncovering the traitor ([chakoteya.net][1]).

The central mystery is tightly constructed. Tom Paris’s apparent betrayal and defection to the Kazon feels believable because it builds on his earlier disciplinary issues. Crucially, the episode later reveals this to be a carefully orchestrated deception by Janeway and Tuvok to flush out the real spy, giving the story a satisfying retroactive coherence rather than a cheap twist.

### Character Work

Neelix emerges as the episode’s surprise success. Often portrayed as comic or irritating in early *Voyager*, here he demonstrates bravery, intelligence, and moral seriousness. His confrontation with Jonas in Engineering—clearly reflected in the transcript’s escalating tension—cements Neelix as a legitimate member of the crew rather than just a mascot.

Chakotay’s role is particularly notable. His anger at being excluded from the plan underscores ongoing Federation–Maquis mistrust. The episode does not resolve this tension neatly; instead, it allows Chakotay’s disappointment to linger, reinforcing the idea that Janeway’s command decisions, while effective, carry ethical and relational costs ([Wikipedia][2]).

Tom Paris benefits as well. His return and explanation reframe his earlier behavior not as erratic writing, but as long-form character strategy, strengthening audience trust in his arc.

### Themes

At its core, “Investigations” is about **trust under isolation**. Voyager’s predicament in the Delta Quadrant makes betrayal existentially dangerous, and the episode explores how paranoia can corrode morale. The decision to deceive the Maquis crew “for the greater good” raises uncomfortable but very *Star Trek* questions about transparency versus security.

The use of media—Neelix’s broadcast—as both a morale tool and investigative weapon is surprisingly prescient, highlighting how information control shapes collective perception aboard the ship.

### Notable Elements

* The uncredited, non-speaking cameo by the future King Abdullah II of Jordan adds a piece of real-world trivia, though it never distracts from the story ([Wikipedia][2]).
* The death of Jonas is abrupt and brutal, emphasizing the real stakes of espionage and marking one of *Voyager*’s more consequential internal conflicts.

### Overall Assessment

“Investigations” stands out as a well-paced, character-driven episode that rewards attentive viewers. It strengthens Neelix’s role, deepens Chakotay’s internal conflict, and demonstrates *Voyager* at its best when it embraces serialized consequences rather than resetting character dynamics.

**Rating: 8.5/10** — A smart, tense, and underrated episode that proves *Voyager* could do compelling internal drama when it trusted its characters.

---

[1]: https://www.chakoteya.net/Voyager/215.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Voyager Transcripts - Investigations"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investigations_%28Star_Trek%3A_Voyager%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Investigations (Star Trek: Voyager)"
--
Member - Liberal International This is doctor@nk.ca Ici doctor@nk.ca
Yahweh, King & country!Never Satan President Republic!Beware AntiChrist rising! Look at Psalms 14 and 53 on Atheism ;
Birthdate 29 Jan 1969 Redhill surrey England
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2