Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy (episode)
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
 |
| "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy" | ||
|---|---|---|
| VOY, Episode 6x04 Production number: 224 First aired: 13 October 1999 | ||
| ← | 122nd of 168 produced in VOY | → |
| ← | 122nd of 168 released in VOY | → |
| ← | 582nd of 726 released in all | → |
 | ||
| Teleplay By Joe Menosky Story By Bill Vallely Directed By John Bruno | ||
| Unknown (2376) | ||
Aliens attempt to spy on Voyager by tapping into the Doctor's program, but they mistakenly access his new "daydream" program instead.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
[edit] Act One
In the USS Voyager's mess hall, The Doctor, the ship's holographic chief medical officer, is belting out the Italian opera aria, La donna è mobile. He puts great gusto into the performance. Among the audience, composed of members of the crew, are members of the senior staff.
The audience listens. However, their reaction, compared with other times the Doctor has performed for the crew, is much more intense, and, further, outright shocking. They are raptly focused on him. Tears form in the eyes of Flight Controller Ensign Paris and First Officer Chakotay. Commanding Officer Captain Janeway watches The Doctor adoringly while Seven of Nine, former Borg drone and chief astrometrician, and Chief Engineer Lt. Torres watch him with very evident desire.
But the most shocking reaction comes from Chief Tactical Officer and Security Chief Tuvok, a Vulcan. He actually cries.
The Doctor continues his performance. Then Tuvok suddenly chortles, grunts and collapses, convulsing. This breaks up the concert as Paris, a trained medic, immediately goes to his side. But the Vulcan rises and, using his full strength, throws him across the room. Janeway hails for a security team while crewmembers try to to restrain him. Their efforts fail as he throws them aside as easily as he did Paris.
Then The Doctor, in a voice of calm control, informs everyone of the problem: Tuvok has gone into pon farr. He then begins singing the aria again, but this time, he changes the words into instructions for Paris to load a hypospray with an anesthetic to subdue the raging Vulcan. Paris does so, and tosses it to him. He injects Tuvok in the posterior. Tuvok drops cold, and the audience enthusiastically gives The Doctor a standing ovation. He accepts it appreciatively, with a beatific smile. Flowers fall on him.
Listen to The Doctor sing 'La donna è mobile' and the altered versionfile info
The Doctor hears Torres impatiently calling him. He finds himself in the sickbay, as she curiously looks at his beatific expression. Embarrassed, he tells her he was daydreaming. This earns him an even more curious look; holograms do not daydream. But he is not forthcoming with any details and she does not press the issue.
[edit] Act Two
Torres hands The Doctor a PADD detailing the members of an away team she is about to go and lead on a planetary survey, as well as sensor scans of the planet. The Doctor, however, is very displeased to note that he is not on the list of team members, though he was initially supposed to be. There is a canyon on the planet he wants to get holo-images of. Torres explains that his presence on the team is no longer considered necessary, and offers to take the images for him. He refuses and she leaves with a dismissive air. He goes back to daydreaming.
First Officer Chakotay goes onto the bridge. A PADD is in his hand. The captain is there, in her seat, as the duty officers work. He is surprised to see, on the viewscreen, a large nebula. Janeway tells him sensors did not detect it until a few minutes ago. He takes his first officer's seat, next to the captain's and hands her the PADD. The PADD contains a formal letter from the Doctor. In it, he complains about his treatment by the crew, and outlines a proposal for his advancement. Janeway reads his complaints: failure of the crew to acknowledge his sentience and rudeness towards him.
But what she reads next makes her do a double take: his request for advancement. He asks to have his program extended so that he can take over the ship in case the crew is incapacitated. Since the letter is official, protocol demands an official response. Tuvok offers to handle it, but Janeway says she will do it herself and heads for her ready room.
Voyager passes by the nebula. But hidden within it, observing her, is a small ship whose crewmembers look very strange. Their species is called the Hierarchy. One of them, named Phlox, is conducting scans of Voyager when another, presumably his superior, sees and angrily reminds him that the ship was designated as an 'unacceptable risk', meaning attacking her has been deemed to be too risky. She, unsurprisingly, is in none of their databases, and they have been unable to scan her interior. Thus they have no idea if they can take her, and the Hierarchy never acts on a potential target without first getting this information.
Phlox responds that he believes he can tap into a data transfer conduit he could reach her main computer core. Here he could find all the information they need about her. His superior refuses, but he goes over his head (which is allowed) by appealing directly to the Hierarchy government. He is instructed to proceed, to his superior's chagrin.
In Voyager's briefing room, the senior staff is gathered to discuss the away mission to the planet. The Doctor sits between Paris and Torres, and Seven is sitting across from him.
The two women are reporting results of scans they have been conducting; first Torres, then Seven. But as Seven is speaking, the Doctor feels something moving on his leg under the table. He looks, and finds Torres' naked foot stroking his leg. Flight Controller Paris, her boyfriend, starts making a suggestion about suitable landing site. As he is doing this, The Doctor notices Seven watching him. She smiles at him seductively and gives him a "sweet-eye". She "passes him a note", sending him a message on his PADD inviting him for dinner.
Captain Janeway joins in, looking at The Doctor as seductively as Seven is. As Neelix, the Talaxian chef, among other things, makes a point about caution due to the amount of ore they will be hauling back, Janeway rises and walks to The Doctor's seat. Seven and Torres see this and their faces flash with jealousy. Torres 'opines' that perhaps The Doctor should come along after all, as the mission is "starting to look a little more dangerous than we thought."
At this, Seven angrily sends him another note: "RESIST!", in red, blinking letters. She tells Torres she requires his help in astrometrics. Torres demands to know why. They begin to verbally cat-fight. Then Janeway suddenly starts moaning as if she is in pain. She "explains" that it is an "old Academy injury" that "acts up sometimes".
She suggests to The Doctor that he stay on the ship and "take a look at it", as she takes his hand and places it on her lower back, then slides it slowly down onto her bottom. Her expression borders on orgasmic. Torres leaps to her feet and angrily demands she get away from him. With equal anger, Janeway dismisses her. The Doctor looks on with the air of a man accustomed to having women fight over him.
His daydream is broken, however, when Janeway crisply calls his name to return his attention to her. He and she are alone in the briefing room. In an official tone, she tells him she wants to talk about the his letter. She motions him to follow her to her ready room. He follows her, embarrassed.
In her ready room, Janeway expresses grave concern about his letter's content, saying that he seems to be never satisfied despite the unprecedented freedom she has given him over the years. The Doctor earnestly responds that everyone has the right to advance himself; he should too. Janeway turns her attention to his proposal to be given the ability to run the ship. The exact proposal is as follows: he wants to have his program extended to include tactical and strategic ability. He could therefore function as an Emergency Command Hologram, or ECH, if necessary, essentially a "backup captain" in the event that Janeway and the crew are incapacitated.
Janeway finds the idea interesting. But she denies the request, on the ground that altering his program to that degree may prove detrimental, depriving the crew of something they do have a crucial need for: a chief medical officer. However she adds that, once they return home, she will recommend to Starfleet that they look into implementing it as part of starship design. The Doctor is disappointed.
But as he walks along a corridor, he finds himself outside Cargo Bay 2, quarters of Seven of Nine. He enters, and find Janeway and the crew gathered. They cheer as Janeway proudly introduces him as the ECH. This confuses him; but he enjoys it nonetheless, especially as Seven and Torres both plant lingering kisses on his cheeks.
Aboard the Hierarchy ship, a pleased Phlox informs a peer, named Devro, that he has found a way to spy on Voyager from within: he has discovered the Doctor's holographic nature and has tapped into his cognitive subroutines. This will allow him to see everything the Doctor sees. He reports this to his superior, telling him that he has already begun to use the tap. The superior instructs him to continue his surveillance. He acknowledges, even more pleased. He is completely unaware that what he is seeing is merely the Doctor's daydreams.
[edit] Act Three
Voyager is in orbit around the planet. The away team is on its way down to the surface on the Delta Flyer. The Doctor is on the bridge with Janeway and the other senior bridge officers, as well as Seven of Nine. He is monitoring the lifesigns of the away team.
Ensign Paris is giving a report over the com when he calls mayday and reports that the shuttle is being attacked. Tuvok, at Tactical, scans and, to the great alarm of all, reports that a Borg sphere is the attacker; it is approaching fast. Janeway orders red alert and battle stations. She then orders the Borg vessel put on-screen.
Tuvok is doing so when Borg implants begin erupting out onto his skin. Seven does a scan and tensely reports that an assimilation virus has breached the ship's bio-security. Chakotay doubles over in pain, implants spreading on the back of his neck. Janeway orders hard to starboard and deflector shields reinforced, but an explosion from the sphere's shots knocks her out. Meanwhile, the rest of the bridge crew is transforming into Borg drones. Seven looks at them, terrified. Ensign Kim, in agony, calls desperately to the Doctor to save them.
The Doctor's face steels with melodramatic determination. He orders the computer to "activate the Emergency Command Hologram." The computer does so. The sciences division green-blue of his uniform's shoulders and chest become command division red. Four gold pips, the insignia of a Starfleet captain, appear on his collar. Seven of Nine watches him adoringly. The computer reports that all systems have been put under his control; he has the bridge. He strides forward, glaring at the viewscreen. He orders all weapons fired on the Borg ship.
On the Hierarchy ship, Phlox watches in amazement.
The Borg hail Voyager with their usual pronouncement of intent to assimilate. The Doctor, in a voice of iron, warns them to back off. Tuvok, now assimilated, lurches toward him. Chakotay, in the same state, advances on Seven, who shrieks in terror. The Doctor grabs two hyposprays, feints the 'Chakotay' drone with one and uses the other to put it out. He drops the 'Tuvok' drone with a Vulcan nerve pinch. Seven's gaze at him becomes even more adoring and is now mixed with desire.
He again warns the Borg to stand down. When they refuse, he orders the activation of the "photonic cannon" (a weapon that exists wholly in his imagination instead of Voyager's arsenal). The computer obeys. He orders it fired on the sphere. The computer does so. As Phlox watches from his ship, in utter amazement, the sphere is instantly destroyed. His signal tap then goes down.
Ensign Kim calls The Doctor's attention back to monitoring the away team. He looks around, embarrassed and somewhat confused. Kim has asked him about the away team's lifesign readings. With his attention completely engrossed in his daydream, he did not hear him. He unsteadily checks the scans and reports that they are normal. Kim informs Paris that they are cleared to proceed. Everyone watches the Doctor with concerned curiosity.
On the Hierarchy vessel, Phlox informs his superior what he just saw. Voyager, he reports, is extremely formidable, having destroyed a Borg sphere with a single shot from an intensely powerful weapon she has: a photonic cannon. The superior is skeptical, as there had been, and continue to be, no signs of Borg in the area. Phlox insists; he saw it with his own eyes. He recommends what he terms a "type 3 stealth assault". The superior consults the Hierarchy, which agrees. He orders preparations be made.
The Doctor quickly heads for the Sickbay, trying to avoid meeting or talking to anyone. Chakotay, however, catches up with him. He congratulates the Doctor with a beaming smile, commenting that the Borg will think twice before attacking them again. The Doctor is confused; Chakotay's words and actions here do not reflect the puzzled, concerned look the First Officer gave him on the bridge.
He queries the computer for Chakotay's location. The computer responds that he is in his quarters. He looks at what seems to be Chakotay, this time with consternation, as 'he' asks the Doctor what is wrong.
[edit] Act Four
In engineering, Kim, Torres and Seven of Nine listen as The Doctor agitatedly recounts what has been happening. He had, he informs them, input new subroutines into his program that allow him to daydream, an activity he has long wanted to be able to do. But now, the subroutines seem to be malfunctioning: he is daydreaming whether he wants to or not.
Seven takes his arm, telling the others she can help him. Torres becomes jealously angry. She takes his other arm. Seven insists that he and she are going to the Sickbay, together. Torres angrily accuses her of coming up with any excuse to be alone with him, at which Seven threatens her with assimilation. The Doctor, however, unlike in his fantasy in the briefing room, does not look at all happy this time.
An alarm sounds. Both Torres and Seven ignore it, continuing to verbally cat-fight over The Doctor. Kim checks it and is shocked to find that the warp containment field is inexplicably destabilizing; a ship-destroying warp core breach is imminent.
Torres and Seven finally join Kim at the console. Engineering staff run about in panic. Torres tries to stabilize the core but fails. Computerized attempts to eject it also fail. The only solution to avert calamity is for someone to enter the core and eject it. But it is like a 20th century nuclear reactor: no known living person could possibly survive inside it. Oh, who can save them?
They call on The Doctor, pleading with him to do it. He is unsure if this is a daydream or not, but they assure him only he can save the ship.
Ensign Kim shows Torres and Seven on a PADD what he believes to be the problem with The Doctor's daydreaming subroutines. He turns to explain it to the Doctor and sees, along with Seven and Torres, the Doctor climbing over the rail around the warp core. They ask what he is doing, and are horrified by his answer: he is going to eject the core. They rush to restrain him as he loudly protests that he "has to save the ship".
The Doctor is back in the sickbay. But now he is completely locked into his daydreams, unable to stop. As he walks around in his office, going from one fantasy to another, talking to empty space filled in his mind by people he thinks are there, Torres explains his condition to Captain Janeway. Torres informs her that she has downloaded his daydreams to one of the ship's two holodecks, where they can be seen and studied to better get an idea of how to repair him. Kim and Seven are on this holodeck, observing the daydreams. Janeway is reluctant to let this be done: she did promise him a bit more consideration, and part of that is respecting his privacy. His daydreams are by rights no-one's business but his. Torres responds that this may be the only way to properly find a way to fix him. Then Kim hails; they need to see what is playing out on the holodeck from The Doctor's imagination.
Janeway and Torres enter the holodeck to find it appearing as a darkened Cargo Bay 2. A holographic Seven of Nine reclines naked on a dais, covered from the waist down by a sheet. A simulation of The Doctor is before her, dressed in a painter's smock and beret, clinically studying her as he paints her. Seven herself looks on dispassionately. Kim stares. Janeway gazes at the scene, unsure of what to say, finally settling on "he does the hands very well."
The scene then changes to the Doctor again as the ECH, taking command of the ship and saving the day. Janeway finds this fantasy amusing. Torres notes that this particular fantasy seems to be the Doctor's favorite; it runs more times than all the others. Kim surmises that algorithm for this fantasy is thus more accessible than the others, providing an angle of attack against the problem.
The scene changes again. But Torres is extremely displeased about what happens in this one. A simulation of her sits with one of the Doctor in the mess hall. In tears, the holographic Torres asks him why he is dumping her. He responds that she will get over him, which she tearfully disputes. When he mentions Paris, her boyfriend, she fervently asserts that Paris is not "half the man you are". The real Torres storms off the holodeck in angry disgust. Kim, amused, suggests to Janeway that they return to the sickbay and try to isolate the 'ECH' algorithm. Janeway agrees.
But as they leave, she sees one more fantasy: the Doctor being congratulated by her for saving the ship. He quietly responds that all he ever wanted was to live up to his full potential to help the crew he loves. This strikes Janeway.
Aboard the Hierarchy ship, Phlox watches his monitor in disbelief and fear. He has realized that what he was seeing was not real, but fantasies in the Doctor's imagination. Thus, on his recommendation, they are about to attack a vessel they in actuality know nothing about. This will ruin him; the Hierarchy does not tolerate mistakes or misinformation. He tries to salvage the situation by suggesting to his superior that perhaps Voyager may not be worth attacking, but fails; the superior warns him menacingly that his data had better be accurate. His worry is extreme.
[edit] Act Five
Torres spends half the night repairing The Doctor. He no longer daydreams. The next morning, Janeway comes to see him. He is very embarrassed and despondent. He apologizes for altering his program without her clearance. She does not rebuke him for doing so, however; instead, she kindly tells him that daydreaming is a good thing, as it lets one imagine other possibilities in life. But, she adds, he should wait until a way is found to add this ability to his program without damaging it. He readily agrees.
Later, however, The Doctor is examining blood samples in the sickbay. But as he works, sounds and sights he does not want to hear or see begin to fill the room. To his great horror, he finds that he is once again in a daydream; the one about receiving a commendation from Captain Janeway in front if the cheering crew in Cargo Bay 2. He hails the bridge, reports the relapse of his daydreaming, and asks to be shut off.
But then he sees someone who is not a crewmember: Phlox. The alien explains that he is using his daydream to project himself to him. He urgently informs him of the impending attack. The Doctor demands his identity. He provides it, and explains what the Hierarchy do as a species: they hide and scan passing ships for useful/valuable materials and raid them for these. It is the job of the long-range observer, of which he is one, to do the scanning. He spotted Voyager and tapped into the Doctor's program to spy on the ship from within through him. Unfortunately, the tampering caused The Doctor's daydreaming subroutines to destabilize and landed him, Phlox, in extremely hot water, as what he saw and thought was real was The Doctor's fantasies.
The Doctor is very angry to hear all of this. He asks Phlox why he is helping Voyager. Phlox responds that, over the time he has spied on them using him, he has seen how much possibility exists in him to be more than he is now. This seems to be a trait that the entire crew has, he explains. This is a very fascinating and attractive concept to him; his species is in no way like that. He does not want the Doctor or the crew harmed. His sincerity wins The Doctor over.
The Doctor rushes onto the bridge and informs Janeway of the impending attack. Chakotay asks how he knows this: Paris, who has returned from the away mission and is back at the conn console, reports no ship detections on sensors. The Doctor responds that an alien appeared to him in a daydream and told him. This angers Janeway; she demands to know why he disobeyed her orders and altered his program again. He responds that he can prove it, and gives Ensign Kim a PADD containing sensor modifications that will allow the detection of the Hierarchy ships, which are cloaked; Phlox' plus two more that will join in. Kim inputs the data and, with surprise, informs Janeway that the Doctor speaks the truth. On her order, Kim puts the ships on the viewscreen.
Janeway wants to remove Voyager from the area at maximum warp. The Doctor, however, advises her that will not work; the Hierarchy have ships all over the sector. If they escape these, they will run into others. However, Phlox has promised to provide the resonance frequencies of their phasers.
In return, however, Phlox wants the following: he has told his superior that The Doctor is in command of Voyager. That fiction must be maintained. When the superior opens a com channel to demand their surrender, as the Hierarchy always do to a victim, the Doctor must be the one sitting in the captain's seat. Janeway cannot believe her ears. But she acquiesces; it will keep them from being attacked, three against one, by ships that are obviously quite advanced.
In the Sickbay, Kim helps to reprogram The Doctor to make his ECH fantasy a reality, at least for now. The Doctor, however, is extremely nervous; daydreaming about commanding the ship is very much different from actually commanding her. Kim assures him he will do fine. He wanted to have this chance; he now has his wish.
On the Hierarchy ship, however, a severe complication appears in Phlox' plan. His superior changes the intended assault pattern to 'type four' instead of 'type three'. This entails continuous remodification of their phaser frequencies; thus the ones he was planning on giving Voyager will be useless and he cannot give them any others as they will be changing continuously. He rushes to inform them.
The Doctor returns to the bridge, in his ECH uniform. He nervously sits in the captain's seat. Chakotay, in his first officer's seat, assures him, like Kim, that he will do fine. Janeway is in astrometrics with Seven. The former drone has created a comlink that will allow only the Doctor to hear her. Thus she can prompt him on what to say and how to act.
Phlox hails and agitatedly informs The Doctor of the change in attack plan. Then the three Hierarchy ships arrive. They de-cloak. Phlox' superior, who is apparently the commander of the whole group, hails them as Phlox said would happen. Chakotay orders an on-screen answer. The superior appears and tersely informs Voyager of their intent to raid them. Janeway prompts the Doctor with a response. But in his nervousness, he makes a mistake, though he immediately corrects it. As the superior threatens them, however, Tuvok cuts the communication long enough to inform Chakotay that he has found a potential weakness in the attackers' shields. Chakotay moves to the Tactical station to see it, and orders the communication reestablished.
The superior orders them to stand down their weapons and prepare to be boarded. Tuvok modifies the shields to take advantage of the weakness he has found and fires. The Doctor overacts: "Ha! How do you like that, huh? A taste of your own medicine!" Janeway warns him to cool it. The hierarchy ship returns fire. The shot takes their weapons off-line; now they cannot fire back. The superior orders them again to prepare for boarding. Janeway instructs the Doctor to offer to negotiate.
But then he gets a flash of inspiration. His nervousness vanishes as he commands Tuvok to "activate the photonic cannon". Tuvok has no idea what he speaks of. Chakotay discreetly orders him to act like he does. He 'acknowledges' and pretends to input the command. The Doctor, in a voice of steel, warns the superior to withdraw; he has seen the weapon's power. Chakotay 'reminds' him of what he saw it do to the 'Borg sphere'. The superior hesitates; he detects no weapons powering up, but the Doctor sternly tells him the weapon cannot be detected by sensors. He issues one 'final warning': withdraw or be destroyed. Phlox agitatedly endorses this.
The superior asks the Hierarchy for instructions on how to proceed. He is instructed to withdraw. He issues the instruction to his crew and the other ships. Phlox silently cheers in extreme relief.
On Voyager's bridge, Kim happily reports the ships are moving off. The Doctor has done it. He cannot believe it; he is overjoyed. He reflexively looks to sit down in relief, but pauses as he sees he is about to sit in the captain's seat. Chakotay tells him with a smile to go ahead; he has earned it. He does, with a huge grin.
The Doctor, once again in his usual science division blue-green and black, is working in the sickbay when Seven hails him. She requires his assistance in the mess hall. He acknowledges and goes there.
He enters to find the room filled with crewmembers, including the Captain, all in dress uniform. They cheer. He looks at them in horror, but Kim assures him this is not a daydream. Janeway pins a medal on his chest, the Starfleet Medal of Commendation, for his "imaginative defense of the ship and crew." He does not know what to say. He gives her his 'heartfelt' thanks. She also informs him that she has reconsidered his ECH proposal and is going to authorize research into it, there on the ship. He is very happy to hear this. The crew cheers again. Seven kisses him on the cheek.
But she tells him it is only platonic; he is not to expect her to pose for him. He smiles sheepishly, but happily. His dream has become reality.
[edit] Memorable Quotes
"Tuvok I understand,
you are a Vulcan man,
you have just gone without,
for seven years about.
Paris please find a way,
to load a hypospray,
I will give you the sign,
just aim for his behind.
Hormones are raging!
Synapses blazing!
It's all so veeeeeeeeeeeryy, illogical!
Illogical! Iiiiiiiiiiiill– Illogical!"
- - The Doctor, to Tuvok and crew (to the tune of La donna è mobile) in one of his daydreams
"To Captain Kathryn Janeway, starship Voyager. From Emergency medical hologram, Starship Voyager. Topic; Status of Emergency medical hologram, starship Voyager
- - Janeway Reading a 'Grievance' from the doctor
"Resist!"
- - Seven of Nine, to the Doctor, via PADD in one of his daydreams
"You, are dis-missed!"
- - Janeway, to Torres in one of The Doctor's daydreams
"We are the Borg..."
"I know very well who you are, stand down your weapons."
"State your designation."
"Emergency Command Hologram, at your service."
"Designation unknown."
"Not for long!"
...
"This is the last time I'm going to ask you. Stand down your weapons! Turn back, while you still can!"
"You will be assimilated."
"Over my dead program! Computer, activate the photonic cannon! Fire!"
- - Borg Collective and ECH in one of The Doctor's daydreams
"They say a doctor who operates on himself has a petaQ for a patient."
- - B'Elanna Torres
"Assimilation is an unpleasant fate!"
- - Seven, to Torres in one of The Doctor's daydreams
"Warning: Warp core breach, a lot sooner than you think!"
- - Computer in one of The Doctor's daydreams
"Warning: Last chance to be a hero Doctor, get going!"
- - Computer in one of The Doctor's daydreams
"He does the hands very well."
- - Janeway, on The Doctor's nude sketches of Seven
"This is the part I like."
"Nice touch."
- - Kim and Janeway, on the ECH and his addition of captain's pips
"Photonic Cannon?!"
"A weapon of mass destruction. Invented by The Doctor, of course."
"Of course."
- - Janeway and Kim, after observing The Doctor order the computer to bring the photonic cannon online
"Forget him! He's not half the man you are."
- - Torres, on Paris and The Doctor in one of his daydreams
"It won't bite."
- - Chakotay, on the captain's chair
"Tuvok! Activate the photonic cannon."
(*beat*)
"Tuvok, that was an order!"
"Activating the photonic cannon. *Sir*."
- - The Doctor and Tuvok
"That was a purely platonic gesture, do not expect me to pose for you."
- - Seven, after kissing The Doctor on the cheek
"What I wouldn't give for a whoopee cushion right about now."
"A what?"
"Ancient technology."
- - Tom Paris and Harry Kim on the bridge before the ECH is about to sit down in the captain's chair for the first time
[edit] Background Information
- The premise is based on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber. In the short story, Walter Mitty daydreams heroic adventures while running an errand for his wife.
- The Doctor's stories about saving Voyager and becoming the love interest of all of the female characters are similar to the Mary Sue subgenre of fan fiction. This seems to suggest that such stories are the most common form of fantasy.
- The title of the episode pays homage to the spy novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré. The 1979 BBC television serialization of that novel included a character played by veteran Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Patrick Stewart.
- This episode has major plot elements similar to TNG: "Hollow Pursuits". In "Hollow Pursuits", Geordi La Forge, Riker, and Deanna Troi encounter Barclay's versions of themselves (and other crew members) in his holodeck recreation, here Captain Janeway, Harry Kim, Seven of Nine, and B'Elanna Torres view The Doctor's daydreams in the holodeck, including versions of themselves and other crew members. Also in "Hollow Pursuits", Barclay saves the Enterprise in the end, here the Doctor saves Voyager from the Hierarchy. The episode also has similarities to TNG: "Phantasms" in that it involves an artificial humanoid's dreams becoming a real-life danger and crew members entering a holodeck recreation of that individual's dreams in order to solve the dilemma. The Doctor's solution to Voyagers predicament is very similar to Kirk's in TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver" whereby the enemy is "bluffed" into thinking they have superior weaponry. The Doctor posing as the ECH near the end of the episode is similar to Worf posing as a Klingon captain of a Federation vessel in TNG: "The Emissary".
[edit] Video and DVD releases
- UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 6.2, 3 April 2000.
- As part of the VOY Season 6 DVD collection.
[edit] Links and References
[edit] Guest Stars
[edit] Co-Stars
- Robert Greenberg as Devro
- Majel Barrett as the Computer Voice
[edit] Uncredited Performers
[edit] References
antimatter; antonium; argon; Assault-class; assimilation virus; Borg sphere; class T nebula; cloaking device; cognitive subroutine; daydreaming algorithm; dilithium; Emergency Command Hologram (ECH); formal grievance; helium; Hierarchy; hydrogen; La donna è mobile; Mantua; micro-tunneling sensor; opera; perceptual subroutine; petaQ; phaser; photon torpedo; photonic cannon; physio-emotive disorder; plasma radiation; pon farr; resonance frequency; Starfleet Medal of Commendation; Talaxia; transport enhancer; type 3 stealth assault; type 4 assault; warp core breach; whoopee cushion
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