In the Flesh (Star Trek: Voyager)
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| "In the Flesh" | |||
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| Star Trek: Voyager episode | |||
 Species 8472 assumes Boothby's appearance |
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| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 4 |
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| Directed by | David Livingston | ||
| Written by | Nick Sagan | ||
| Featured music | Jay Chattaway | ||
| Production code | 198 | ||
| Original air date | November 4, 1998 | ||
| Guest stars | |||
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| Episode chronology | |||
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| List of Star Trek: Voyager episodes | |||
"In the Flesh" is the fourth episode of Star Trek: Voyager's fifth season, the 98th episode overall. It originally aired on November 4, 1998.[1] As of July 2010, the episode had an average rating of 3.9/5 on the official Star Trek website.[1] It was written by Nick Sagan, the son of astronomer Carl Sagan.[2]
[edit] Plot
Voyager has encountered a space station, internally, contains a near-complete recreation of Starfleet Academy on Earth. Chakotay and Tuvok have investigated the recreation, finding that those inside appear to be Starfleet personnel, cadets, and others, such as the groundskeeper Boothby. Chakotay also becomes interested in on cadet, Valerie Archer. Caught in an area they should not be in by one such cadet, the two stun him and transport back to Voyager. When they attempt to question the cadet and take a DNA sample, he commits suicide. The Doctor discovers the "human" is really a genetically-altered member of Species 8472, a highly dangerous race the crew had previously encountered. Captain Janeway orders Seven of Nine to begin preparing warheads using the Borg nanoprobes, but also looks for a diplomatic solution, sending Chakotay back to the simulation to learn more.
Chakotay keeps a date he earlier arranged with Valerie, during which she speaks candidly about the simulation, to which Chakotay attempts to play along. Valerie, secretly, discovers that Chakotay is human, and alerts her superiors, and soon Chakotay is captured. Boothby, appearing as the highest-ranking member of Species 8472, interrogates Chakotay, believing that Starfleet is preparing to invade fluidic space and attack their species. The Voyager crew arrives at the simulation to attempt to rescue Chakotay, creating a tense stalemate. Janeway and Boothby agree to enter negotiations to settle the matter peacefully.
During these talks, the Voyager crew learn that this station is but one of several similar training grounds for Species 8472, and question if the species themselves are planning to invade Earth, while the aliens steadfastly refuse to believe that Starfleet is not preparing to attack. Janeway, seeing the stalemate, orders her crew to stand down, which gains the trust of Valerie and Boothby. They reveal the stations are not a staging area, but only as reconnaissance mission to prepare themselves for an eventual invasion by Starfleet. Agreeing that a truce is possible, the Voyager crew exchanges information on the Borg nanoprobes with Species 8472's information on genetic modifications. The two sides complete their discussions, and soon Voyager resumes its journey home without fear of the threat of Species 8472.
[edit] Production
According to writer Nick Sagan, the original concept for "In The Flesh" had the Voyager crew discovering a picture of Species 8472 in an ancient Earth culture, leading them to discover that some human legends of demons and devils grew out of early contact with Species 8472. When the writers couldn't work this idea out, Sagan wrote the episode as a Cold War parable, using his father's work toward détente as inspiration.[2]
Sagan says the episode originally "didn't end quite so 'happy happy;'" it had a more ambiguous ending. Producer Brannon Braga wanted to resolve the issue.[2]
Originally, the script called for a dream sequence where Species 8472 razed Janeway's hometown on Earth. However, due to the very high cost of the computer animation used for Species 8472, the scene was scrapped.[2]
Sagan believes that the character of Valerie Archer "is in some way a connection to Captain Archer on Enterprise." Archer's name is an homage to two other science-fiction characters: Dave Bowman, the lead character of 2001: A Space Odyssey; and Ellie Arroway, the lead character in Carl Sagan's novel Contact. "You put bow and arrow together and you get Archer," said Sagan.[2]
Actor Robert Beltran, who played Chakotay, listed "In The Flesh" among his favorite episodes of the series.[3]
The computer monitor used by Species 8472 in this episode is largely composed of parts from an earlier prop: a Krenim game used in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "The Year of Hell, Part II." This monitor reappears in the later episodes "Life Line" and "Nightingale;" in both episodes, it still displays symbols associated with Species 8472.[4]
[edit] Reception
At tv.com, fan votes rated the episode 8.8 out of 10 (great).[5] In January 2008, Startrek.com readers rated the episode 3.9 out of 5.[1]
TrekWeb gave the episode an "A-/A" rating, calling it "Voyager's best this year, with a nice twist and a wonderful message" despite what "really was a bad premise".[6]
Jim Wright "enjoyed it immensely," saying that the episode "has a real TOS feel to it" and declaring it "one of those episodes I watched repeatedly."[7]
David Sluss at The Cynics Corner gave the episode a 6.0 (D-) rating, calling it "A reasonably well-executed episode, but the ideas behind it are suspect, to say the least." Sluss faulted the "ongoing emasculation" of Species 8472; the aliens' unexplained, extensive knowledge of Starfleet; and Janeway's diplomatic techniques.[8]
The Trek Nation found the episode "engrossing... apart from unfortunate similarities with the excellent Deep Space Nine episode 'Homefront,' which also took place at Starfleet Command and focused on shapeshifting aliens who were planning to infiltrate Earth." Reviewer Michelle Erica Green found that the episode "had nice balance and some clever wit."[9]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "In The Flesh". StarTrek.com. CBS Paramount. http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/VOY/episode/103771.html. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
- ^ a b c d e Davenport, Caillan (2003-10-27). "Nick Sagan - Part I". TrekToday. Trek Nation and Christian Höhne Sparborth. http://www.trektoday.com/interviews/nick_sagan_part_one.shtml. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
- ^ McKellar, Terry. "Robert Beltran". Voyagerview. http://voyagerview.com/robert.html. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
- ^ Hillebrand, Jörg; Schneider, Bernd (2010-07-10). "Variations of the VOY Desktop Monitor". Ex Astris Scientia. Bernd Schneider. http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/monitors_voy.htm#other. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
- ^ "Star Trek: Voyager: In The Flesh". tv.com. http://www.tv.com/star-trek-voyager/in-the-flesh/episode/10737/summary.html. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- ^ ""In The Flesh" Review". TrekWeb. Steve Krulzler. http://trekweb.com/Reviews/voy/198.html. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
- ^ Wright, Jim. "Jim Reviews: "In The Flesh"". reviewboy.com. http://www.reviewboy.com/intheflesh.html. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
- ^ Sluss, David E. (1998-11-07). "Voyager's "In The Flesh"". The Cynics Corner. http://www.cynicscorner.org/voy_5/voy_504.html. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
- ^ Green, Michelle Erica (2004-01-13). "In The Flesh". The Trek Nation. Trek Nation and Christian Höhne Sparborth. http://www.trektoday.com/reviews/voy/in_the_flesh.shtml. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: In the Flesh |
- In the Flesh at the Internet Movie Database
- "In the Flesh" at TV.com
- In the Flesh at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
- In the Flesh at StarTrek.com
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