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Caretaker: Directed by Winrich Kolbe. With Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jennifer Lien. While pursuing the trail of Maquis rebels, a newly commissioned Starfleet ship gets pulled to the far side of the galaxy.
- (4.3K)
- Action, Adventure, Drama
- Winrich Kolbe
- 1995-01-16
- Overview
- Summary
- Log entries
- Memorable quotes
- Background information
- Links and references
The newly commissioned starship Voyager and a Maquis raider are flung into the far reaches of the remote Delta Quadrant by a powerful entity known as the Caretaker. (Series premiere)
Teaser
Weapons fire streaks through space as a Cardassian warship attacks a much smaller Maquis raider with phasers. The latter ship's crew, led by Chakotay and also including B'Elanna Torres and Tuvok, are struggling to hold their spacecraft together and get the impulse engines' power steady, but Torres frustratedly points out the vessel has thirty-nine-year-old rebuilt engines. The Cardassian commander, Gul Evek, hails the Maquis ship, ordering them to stand down, but Chakotay defiantly shuts off the transmission. The Maquis crew then deactivate their vessel's weapon systems in order to channel enough power to the engines to reach the Badlands, with the Cardassian warship all the while in close pursuit. Whereas Chakotay's piloting skills are sufficient to avoid the plasma storms in the Badlands, the Cardassian ship is less lucky and is severely damaged. Relieved, Chakotay sets a course for a planet where they can make repairs when a bright flash erupts through the ship; the vessel has passed through a coherent tetryon beam from an unknown source and, despite beginning to move away at full impulse, the ship is intercepted by a huge displacement wave.
Act One
In the Federation penal settlement in New Zealand on Earth, several inmates wearing ankle monitors are performing labor. One man's work is interrupted when a woman in a Starfleet uniform approaches him and asks, "Tom Paris?" The man glances up at her and she introduces herself as Kathryn Janeway. She states that she served with his father on the USS Al-Batani and that she would like to speak with him about a job she wants him to do. He sarcastically replies that he is already doing a job for the Federation, but Janeway says that the Rehab Commission is very pleased with his work and has given her permission to discuss the matter with him. He replies, "Well, then I guess I'm yours." As they walk together, Janeway informs Paris that she was his father's science officer on the Arias Expedition. Paris comments that she must be good, as his father only accepts the best and brightest. Janeway tells him that her mission is to track down a Maquis vessel that vanished in the Badlands a week previous. Paris advises against it, having never seen a Federation starship that could maneuver through the plasma storms; Janeway retorts by saying that he has never seen the USS Voyager. Paris infers that Janeway's motive is to have him lead the Federation to his former Maquis colleagues. Paris reminds Janeway that because he was only with them a few weeks before being captured, so he didn't know many of their hiding places. Janeway replies that he knows the territory better than anyone in the Federation. When Paris asks why this specific Maquis ship is so important, Janeway tells him that her chief of security was on board the ship undercover and had not reported in for some time. Paris muses that perhaps it was only the chief of security that disappeared. Janeway reveals that the ship was under the command of Chakotay, a another former Starfleet officer. Paris acknowledges that he knew Chakotay and that the two never got along. Paris says that the point of disagreement was that Chakotay left Starfleet "on principle," to defend his home colony, but he considered Paris a mercenary who joined "whoever would pay [his] bar bills," an accusation to which he admits. Paris concludes that he will help track down the Maquis, but asks what he has to gain from the venture. Janeway says that the Federation will help him at his next parole review. Janeway informs him that officially, he'd be a Starfleet observer, to which Paris replies that he's the best pilot Janeway could have. Janeway is firm about Paris' role and once the mission is over, he'll be 'cut loose', causing Paris to agree with the rejoinder, "Story of my life." Tom Paris arrives to Voyager, docked at Deep Space 9, via a shuttle, piloted by a Betazoid female pilot, Lieutenant Stadi. Now clad in a fresh Starfleet uniform, Paris walks up to her. Stadi focuses on flying the craft, but she livens up to Paris a little as he turns on the charm. He says that Stadi is changing his mind about Betazoids, because he always thought that they were warm and sensual. Stadi says that she can be warm and sensual, but Paris replies that she can, but just not to him. The conversation shifts as a sleek vessel comes into view at one of DS9's docking pylons. Stadi proudly identifies it as their ship, the Voyager. She states that the ship is of the Intrepid-class, has a new variable warp nacelle configuration, giving it a sustainable cruising speed of warp 9.975; it has fifteen decks and a crew complement of 141. It is also equipped with bio-neural circuitry. Paris inquires as to the circuitry, and as she flies around Voyager towards the shuttlebay, she informs Paris that the bio-neural circuitry speeds up response time in the ship's computer. Meanwhile, on board Deep Space 9, Quark is trying to sell bright, rare crystals to a young Starfleet ensign seated in his bar. He tries to politely tell Quark he is not interested and says cadets were warned about Ferengi at the Academy. Upon hearing this, Quark feigns being upset that the Federation is spreading lies about the Ferengi and that he will make a formal protest to the Federation Council. Quark asks for the young ensign's name for the report, to which he replies, "Kim, Harry Kim." Kim backs downs and offers to buy the whole tray of crystals in an effort to smooth things over. As Quark brings over the crystals and begins to negotiate, Paris interrupts and tells Ensign Kim that the crystals Quark is trying to sell him can be found on virtually any planet in the system and can be bought for little or nothing. Now knowing that Quark was trying to rip him off, Ensign Kim leaves with Tom Paris who says, "Didn't they warn you about Ferengi at the Academy?" Paris and Kim enter sickbay aboard Voyager and report to the chief medical officer. When Paris identifies himself, the doctor comments, "Ah, yes. The observer." When Paris comments that he seems to be observing some kind of problem now, the doctor says that he was a surgeon on Caldik Prime when Paris was stationed there, though they never met. He says Paris' medical records from his previous posting have arrived and that the captain had asked if he were on board, saying that he should check in with her. Kim, sensing a tense situation, says that he hasn't yet paid his respects to the captain, either. The doctor says that perhaps it would be a good thing for a new operations officer to do. After they leave sickbay, Kim asks Paris what the story is between him and the CMO. Paris responds that he's gotten tired of telling it and that he's sure someone will be happy to tell him. Meanwhile, Captain Janeway is in her ready room talking to her fiancé, Mark Johnson, on her desktop monitor about her dog, who turns out to be pregnant. Janeway insists that the dog stays with him, leading him to reply, "Is this another 'love me, love my dog' demand?", to which Janeway quickly replies, "Yes." Janeway says they will be leaving as soon as she approves the system status reports. Johnson says he won't bother her anymore, leading Janeway to get on her knees in front of the terminal and says, "You never bother me, except the way I love to be bothered. Understand?" Saying that she'll see him in a few weeks, Janeway quickly asks Johnson to pick up her dog's doggie bed, which Johnson then says he already did – an hour ago. After the connection closes, the door chimes. Paris and Kim enter. Janeway welcomes them aboard Voyager, to which Kim replies with a stiff, "Thank you, sir," standing at full attention, causing Paris to look at him curiously. Telling the nervous ensign to stand "at ease, before you sprain something," she lets him know that protocol aside, she doesn't like being addressed as "sir," to which Kim responds, "I'm sorry… ma'am." Janeway smiles and says that ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but that she prefers "captain." She tells them they are getting ready to leave and she shows them to the bridge. Walking out onto the bridge, she introduces them to her first officer, Lieutenant Commander Cavit, who exchanges a hearty handshake with Kim and one with Paris reluctantly and only after Paris extends his hand first. Janeway shows Kim to the operations station and asks if he would like to take over. Kim responds, "Yes, ma'am," to which she replies, "It's not crunch time yet, Mr. Kim. I'll let you know when." At a nod from Janeway, the first officer instructs Lt. Stadi to lay in their course and clear departure with Operations. After Stadi confirms this, they complete the pre-launch sequence and prepare for launch, which Janeway orders with "Engage." The dorsal light of the ship comes on, illuminating the ship's registration, and the ship departs.
Act Two
With the ship under way, Paris heads down to the mess hall for some hot tomato soup. As he is ordering the soup from the replicator, he notices that Voyager's chief medical officer and Commander Cavit are looking at him with judgmental eyes, while talking to Kim at a nearby table. As Paris makes his way over to Kim's table, Cavit and the CMO make a hasty departure. When Paris finally sits down, he says to Kim, "There. You see, I told you it wouldn't take long." Paris then begins to tell Kim that it was true that he caused an accident which led to the deaths of three Starfleet officers and that he falsified reports. What led him to turn himself in and tell the truth despite the fact that he would have gotten away with it otherwise, Paris sarcastically remarks that it took "the three dead officers to come in the middle of the night and (teach) me the true meaning of Christmas.". Paris therefore confessed everything, and was promptly discharged from service… upon which, looking for a fight, he joined the Maquis and was arrested during his very first assignment for them. Paris gets up to leave and says that he knows that Cavit and the CMO told him to stay away from him and that he should listen to them. As Paris walks away, Kim replies "I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me." As a curious Paris regards Kim following this statement, Captain Janeway summons them both to the bridge to inform them that the ship has reached the Badlands. enters the volatile region. Janeway, Cavit, and Ensign Rollins are crowded around the tactical station trying to ascertain where the Maquis ship would be. With some assistance from Paris, the ship begins to head in. Shortly after, Ensign Kim's sensors read that a coherent tetryon beam is scanning the ship. Janeway asks Kim if he can identify the source of the beam, but he cannot. The sensors then find out that a displacement wave is quickly moving towards the ship. Cavit suggests that they may be able to disperse the wave with a graviton particle field. Janeway orders that it be done. It is later found that the field had no effect on the wave. Janeway orders Stadi to move the ship away from the wave at full impulse. However, the ship is unable to outrun it and the wave collides with Voyager. After the ship has been released from the wave, it has suffered heavy damage. Janeway comes to and checks Cavit's pulse, only to find that he is dead. Stadi also did not survive after Paris checks Stadi's pulse. Janeway asks where they are. Kim gets the viewscreen working, but the Badlands are gone – there's only empty space and an enormous array. Kim replies that if his sensors are working perfectly, they are over 70,000 light years from the Badlands… Voyager has been transported to the Delta Quadrant, the other side of the galaxy.
•"Captain's log, stardate 48315.6. We've traced the energy pulses from the array to the fifth planet of the neighboring system and believe they may have been used in some fashion to transport Kim and Torres to the planet's surface."
•"Captain's log, supplemental. The Maquis ship and Voyager have encountered a debris field where sensors have detected a small vessel. One humanoid lifeform is on board."
"Damage report!"
- Chakotay, with the first spoken words of the series
"Be creative!"
"How am I supposed to be creative with a thirty-nine-year-old rebuilt engine?!"
- Chakotay and B'Elanna Torres, under fire from Gul Evek's warship
"Gul Evek must feel daring today."
Writing the pilotCast and charactersProceeding with pre-production•While Michael Piller worked on the script for this episode, Voyager's staff and filming crew were beginning to form. In early March 1994, Rick Berman asked Producer Merri Howard to start spending time on the series' pre-production effort. This episode was originally budgeted at around US$6 million or US$6.5 million. Although a preliminary budget had been set, schedules now needed to be created to facilitate a buildup in staffing, set design, and construction. Significant milestones were planned for the months of April through August 1994, with principal photography scheduled to begin on 15 August. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 229, 233 & 318) Twenty-eight days were allotted for the installment's production period. (Star Trek Magazine issue 119, p. 79) Merri Howard shifted her attention full-time to Voyager in April 1994. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 229) •At first, the only full-time member of Production Designer Richard James' art department was Andy Neskoromny, who would be art director for this episode. Both of them joined the series in its pre-production phase, on 6 April 1994. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 229 & 238) •Richard James was thrilled to participate in the creation of this episode. "It was a tremendously exciting experience," he reminisced. "There were a few moments of anxiety, but the challenge of it definitely got the juices going." (Star Trek Monthly issue 3, p. 11) •Richard James and his staff in the art department were challenged by the fact that the script called for the creation of many new environments and props. The installment's requirements therefore resulted in a heavy workload for the art department. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 257) •The pre-production efforts for this installment were tied up with those for the series at large. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 229, 232-233) Richard James characterized the designing of the USS Voyager's bridge and the ship itself as "our primary areas of concern in the pilot." (Star Trek Monthly issue 3, p. 11) •While the script was being revised from early April to mid-May 1994, enough details were clarified with each change that a few more departments could initiate their own developmental work. Meanwhile, Merri Howard continued reworking her pre-production schedules and started issuing revised production-planner calendars, projected through August. During April and May, a lot of the organizational effort and departmental coordination fell to Howard. When Unit Production Manager Brad Yacobian began working on the series on 3 June 1994, the two started to divide up the quickly increasing responsibilities. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 232) •Suzi Shimizu and Cathy Huling collaborated with Merri Howard on the budget breakdowns for each department. Tracking all expenditures, particularly at this early stage, was critical, and, from this point forward, communication and coordination throughout the company would be highly important. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 232-233) •Early in his search for someone to direct this pilot episode, Rick Berman called James L. Conway and asked him to helm the installment. However, Conway was unavailable, so had to turn the opportunity down. Director Winrich Kolbe, who had directed many previous episodes of Star Trek, was thereafter selected by Berman to direct this outing. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 10) Berman chose Kolbe on the basis of his earlier Star Trek work and tried to contact him in June 1994, a few weeks prior to 27 June. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 35; The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 57) However, the director was busy on a late-night shoot in a remote, rural part of Georgia when Berman initially called. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 57; Star Trek: Communicator issue 101, p. 56) "I got a message from one of the production assistants that Rick Berman had called and wanted a call back, that it was urgent," the director continued. "And I figured, 'Well, he's not going to ask me to dinner, or how I liked Georgia!'" (Star Trek: Communicator issue 101, pp. 56-57) Kolbe called Berman back later that night. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 57) "I called his office, but by that time he had left," Kolbe reflected, "so I called his home and his wife gave me his mobile number. So I called him from my mobile phone to his mobile." (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 35) The two spoke while Berman was making his way home from the Paramount lot in Los Angeles. "When we finally spoke, and it wasn't a good connection, he said I would not be doing any Deep Space Nines for a long while," Kolbe recollected. "I said, 'What?!' He said, 'We want you to do the Voyager pilot for us.' That was very nice and, obviously, I remember that moment very well." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 57) Elaborating on how he responded to the offer, Kolbe reminisced, "I lifted up about 6 feet and then slowly hovered down again and said, 'Yes!'" Berman notified Kolbe he would start prepping the episode on 27 June, aiming for it to enter production on 15 August. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 35) •After he completed the filming of his previous project on 15 June 1994 and then took a few days off, Winrich Kolbe reported to Paramount on 27 June, exactly as had been planned. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 35) The director himself noted, "I started prepping on June 27." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 63) At that point, he, Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor were hard at work on preparing to film the installment. "We were starting Voyager from scratch. The producers and writers were living with this project much longer than I have been," said Kolbe, "so they had their ideas on the characters and I had my own ideas." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, pp. 57-58) •Complex systems of production were automatically initiated by the distribution of the completed draft script to all department heads and key staff members. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 237) It enabled Winrich Kolbe and the rest of the production personnel to commence pre-production, and they set to work on familiarizing themselves with the teleplay. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) Because most of the people involved had worked with one another and with Star Trek for many years, receiving the script was enough to let them immediately proceed with their work because they now knew what to do next. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 237) •In addition to Andy Neskoromny, Richard James requested concept sketches from set designers, illustrators, and scenic artists. They included John Chichester, Louise Dorton, Doug Drexler, Jim Martin, and Gary Speckman. Some of the prospective designers – like Chichester, Dorton, and Speckman – were just finishing on TNG. Others, such as Martin and Drexler, were working on DS9. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 240) •Costume Designer Robert Blackman began his work on this episode in June 1994, initially sketching costume designs for the Maquis, Neelix, and Kes. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 232, 260 & 261) At least in the case of designing Neelix's costume, Blackman took cues from the episode's script. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 263) •Concept designs, by Daren Dochterman, were illustrated and submitted for a "Gazon shuttle" and a "Gazon destroyer" spacecraft (since the Kazon were, at one point, to have been called "Gazon"), as well as three different Kazon "blaster" hand-weapons. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 11, pp. 44 & 45) Other concept sketches involved the exterior of the Caretaker's array, which was illustrated in at least two series of drawings, one by Illustrator Jim Martin and the other by Visual Effects Producer Dan Curry. (The Art of Star Trek, pp. 144, 146-147) The episode featured the array to such a key extent that Rick Berman, who had final say on its look, refused to compromise on the appearance of its exterior design. Thus, more than a hundred design concepts, worked on by virtually everyone in the company and even by Image G personnel, were examined and rejected in the process of crafting the array's exterior appearance. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 257) •Reading the pilot story was one way Make-Up Supervisor Michael Westmore researched the kinds of characters the executive producers were creating for Star Trek: Voyager (he also initially read the series bible). (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 86) The episode's make-up needs included designs for the multiple Kazon and Ocampa, as well as the make-up for Chakotay, Kes, Neelix, B'Elanna Torres, and Tuvok. (Star Trek Monthly issue 4, p. 11) The episode's script inspired Westmore upon devising concepts for all these make-up assignments. He started by researching designs for the alien makeup for the "Gazon" (not yet renamed the "Kazon"), the Ocampa, as well as for Neelix and Kes. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 232 & 282) As he read the teleplay, Westmore wrote down such details as that B'Elanna Torres was to be a half-Klingon, that Kes would essentially be an impish kind of alien, and that Neelix would have a much more detailed make-up scheme, with about the same makeup intensity as a Ferengi. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 86) The script made it clear to Westmore that Chakotay was to have a facial tattoo but didn't exactly specify that Neelix was to have a much more elaborate make-up scheme, which was actually a design direction Westmore himself decided to take. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 2, pp. 38 & 39-40) The Ocampa (starting with Kes) were the first alien race the makeup staff worked on. (Star Trek Monthly issue 4, p. 11) Westmore was additionally required to design a Talaxian torso for one of the scenes featuring Neelix. "It said in the script that he's sitting in the bathtub, and they said to me, 'OK, what are we going to do about it?'" Westmore recounted. For the scene, he ended up designing a large shoulder appliance, which fit over the head and went halfway down the actor's chest. "They weren't going to put him any deeper in the tub than that," noted Westmore. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 2, p. 40) The prosthetic featured a "Y"-shaped ridge over the front and most of the appliance was pre-painted, ready to be used when the time came to film with it. (Delta Quadrant, p. 9; The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 2, p. 40) Westmore needed to hire extra make-up artists and mold makers to help make the prosthetic Kazon masks, as there were so many of them. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 283) •The Kazon headdresses incorporated heavy faux pig ears. They were woven into the wigs by Hair Designer Josée Normand. (Star Trek Monthly issue 4, p. 11) •The anklet props worn by Paris and other prisoners at New Zealand's Federation Penal Settlement were designed by Jim Magdaleno. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 69) •In June 1994, all departments were working on preparing "Caretaker" for filming, whereas Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, and Brannon Braga had just started, by then, turning more of their focus to considering how to plot the subsequent first season episodes. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 260) •While the detailed planning for the 15 August start date continued, Winrich Kolbe's schedule became more sophisticated. "I had about four days of prep," he stated, "and then we went into a half day mode – a half day of prep then every afternoon we went into casting [sessions]. Day after day after day." As Kolbe preferred to spend a lot of time planning his shots while walking through the sets or outside, he hated having to spend half days away from doing that, even though he regarded the numerous ongoing casting sessions as "a necessary evil." "This was like coitus interruptus because the moment I was able to creatively figure out a scene, I was off to casting," he complained. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) •From June 1994 onwards, the pace and the pressure kept mounting as the time until the start of principal photography decreased. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 264) •By the start of July 1994, the production staff were holding many meetings. These included regular meetings regarding pre-production, meetings for planning the schedule, and meetings about the next meetings. Merri Howard was instrumental in organizing these meetings, and she was tasked with keeping everyone up-to-date about them. One of her main modes of communication, to this end, was the frequently circulated Memo To Distribution, whose list of recipients was fifty-one names long. Howard issued such a memo – which listed upcoming meetings, scouts, and stage walks – on 21 July 1994. Following "tech location scout"s of each of the filming locations and then a stage walk of Paramount Stages 8 and 9 on 1 and 2 August 1994 respectively, three parts of the production meeting to discuss this episode were to be held on 3, 4, and 5 August, for approximately three hours each time, from 12:30 p.m. on each day, with all three parts of the meeting to be in the Cooper Building conference room, on the Paramount lot. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 291 & 292-293) •The process of designing the Caretaker's array stretched on for several months. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 257) Senior Illustrator Rick Sternbach, who usually took care of most of the starship designs at this point in the development of the Star Trek franchise, was extremely busy with finishing the details of that spacecraft as well as the USS Voyager. As a result, Dan Curry voluntarily ended up designing the episode's Kazon ships. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 106, p. 11) For the exterior of Chakotay's Maquis raider, the behind-the-scenes staff chose to reuse a model which had already had been designed and built for TNG, with modifications made by Greg Jein. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 28, p. 11) Ultimately, the Caretaker's array was represented with a redesign of the Amargosa observatory from Star Trek Generations. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 258) Rob Bonchune, who usually worked on visual effects, contributed to the practical miniatures for this episode. •By 7 August 1994, it was obvious that, with the critical role of Captain Janeway not yet cast, the scheduled 15 August start date could not be met. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 274 & 275) The date when filming would begin was delayed by a week. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, pp. 36 & 83) •Upon walking onto the bridge set for the first time, the main cast members were awed by the environment. ("Cast Reflections: Season One", VOY Season 1 DVD special features) •Camera tests for the new cast, shot on the bridge and the other permanent (so-called "standing") sets, began on 8 August 1994. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 295) That morning, the crew call was at 10 a.m., at which time four stand-ins wearing Starfleet uniform costumes in an assortment of colors were to report to Paramount Stage 8. The performers included Simon Stotler (wearing a gold-colored uniform costume), Mike Fujimoto and B. Majimo (both of whom wore red), as well as Maureen Nellis (in blue). On Stage 8, the shooting call was at 10:30 a.m., in preparation for the filming of a camera test on the Voyager bridge set. After the shooting crew tested the area with various light levels, they filmed the four background performers at different positions and at different angles for the benefit of the wardrobe department, after which the set's video monitors were tested by the art department. Lunch was at 1 p.m., with the craftservice department providing food for the shooting crew. ("Caretaker" call sheets) •The next day (Tuesday 9 August 1994), the craft service department was to close, at 7 a.m., the big doors on Stage 8 for "A"-camera. The four background performers wearing Starfleet uniform costumes, and now with base make-up, were then to report to that soundstage between 8 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. A crew call followed, at 9 a.m., after which there was a 9:30 a.m. shooting call. The day's work involved camera tests that included more of the sets as well as a live video test, for which sound was also recorded. In the live video test, two different cameras were tested: a twenty-four-frames-per-second Betacam in the ready room set, and the "A"-camera in the bridge set. Lunch was again at 1 p.m. ("Caretaker" call sheets) •After flying from his hometown of New York to the series' production base of Los Angeles on Tuesday 9 August, Ethan Phillips spent the rest of that week doing makeup and wardrobe tests. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 277) •Meanwhile, Garrett Wang spent the month of August in hair, makeup, and costume tests. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 68) The first time he and Roxann Dawson met was while the former's hair, sideburns and makeup were being tested, and Wang was present when Dawson first donned her Klingon facial prosthetic. (Starlog, issue #222, p. 79) She, along with Tim Russ, was first involved in the test filming on Wednesday 10 August 1994, which was a camera/make-up test day. T-shirts for the cast were required to be ready at 7:30 a.m. on that day. Both Russ and Dawson reported to makeup at 8 a.m. Meanwhile, four stand-ins (including Nora Leonhardt, Cullen Chambers, Joseph May, and Lemuel Perry) were required to be ready for then, whereas four background performers wearing Starfleet uniforms – including Katsuki Kazuhiro (wearing red), Jaehne Moebius (in blue), and Audrey Williams (wearing gold) – had to be prepared for 8:30 a.m., before a crew call half an hour later. However, the day's shooting call wasn't until 10 a.m., with Russ' set call at 11 a.m. and Dawson's set call half an hour after that. Lunch was again at 1 p.m., though. The day's filming included some more tests of the sets as well as tests not only of Russ' and Dawson's make-up but also their hair and wardrobe for their respective roles of Tuvok and B'Elanna Torres, with three hair changes for each actor. ("Caretaker" call sheets) •Roxann Dawson was again required to report to make-up at 8 a.m. the next day, Thursday 11 August 1994. In fact, the call sheet for that day needed to be revised to allow for the inclusion of a B'Elanna Torres camera test. The same day, five background performers clad in Starfleet uniform costumes were to prepare, also for 8 a.m. They included Tami Peterson (wearing blue) as well as Williams and Katsuki (again wearing yellow and red respectively). Three stand-ins for the role of Harry Kim (including John Tampoya), two stand-ins for the role of Tom Paris and one stand-in for the Torres part were to be ready for 9 a.m., at which time there was also a crew call. The set call was half an hour later. Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang were to report to make-up at 10 a.m. ("Caretaker" call sheets) The two actors met each other for the first time on this day. (Starlog, issue #222, p. 79) After the group of extras participated in the filming of camera tests for a few of the sets, the time came for Wang, McNeill and Dawson to have their camera tests shot. Dawson reported to the set at 11 a.m., whereas the two others reported there a half hour later. ("Caretaker" call sheets) This was to be Wang's first film test with full uniform and finalized hairstyle. In order to film the test, he had his first experience of visiting the Voyager bridge set and, once there, was asked to pretend that he was playing his role of Harry Kim, saying some lines he already knew from the script, while the test was being filmed. (Starlog, issue #222, p. 79) Lunch was again scheduled for 1 p.m. ("Caretaker" call sheets) •Williams, Katsuki and Peterson were among a group of five background performers who were to prepare for 8 a.m. the next day, Friday 12 August 1994. The group additionally included G. Moose, and Jennifer Lien had to report to make-up at the same time that day. Powder and/or base make-up was to be applied to the five background performers, who were required to participate in some more camera tests for a few of the sets. Following a crew call at 9 a.m. and a set call at 9:30 a.m., three potentially recruited stand-ins were interviewed at 10 a.m. Lien was to arrive on the set at 11 a.m., ready for her make-up, wardrobe and hair to begin being tested on camera. Once again, lunch was at 1 p.m. ("Caretaker" call sheets) •At the end of the week beginning 8 August 1994, Ethan Phillips – since the Janeway role still hadn't been cast by then – flew back to New York so he could prepare to change his home address to L.A. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 277) •Once the previously suspended original start date of 15 August elapsed, the beginning of production was again postponed on either Thursday 18 August or Friday 19 August. This time, the start date was delayed from the following Monday, 22 August, to the next Monday after that: 29 August. (Information from Larry Nemecek) As had been the case with the previous postponement, the delay was due to the difficulty of searching for a performer who was considered the most suitable to play Captain Janeway. (Star Trek Monthly issue 4, p. 56; Information from Larry Nemecek) Richard James commented, "There had been a major push, and by putting a great deal of work into it, we were pretty well ahead of ourselves when they pushed it back two weeks." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 67) •On either Thursday 25 August or Friday 26 August, the start date was actually cancelled. (Information from Larry Nemecek) •Expecting that initial Janeway casting choice Geneviève Bujold wouldn't be able to handle the rigors of episodic television, Rick Berman took her out to lunch and tried to impress on her how difficult the associated pressures would be, even when producing this episode. "I explained, 'Because of the push calls, by Thursday and Friday you'll be here until two or three in the morning,'" Berman related. (Star Trek Magazine issue 179, p. 25) At his behest, Bujold then took the weekend to contemplate what he had told her, but, in the morning of the following Monday, she confirmed that she still wanted to participate in the series, despite Berman continuing to be extremely skeptical that she was prepared for the realities of doing so. (Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before, paperback ed., p. 214) •Eventually, the twice-delayed start date was, on either Tuesday 30 August or Wednesday 31 August, scheduled to proceed again, with production now arranged to begin on the day after the Labor Day weekend: Tuesday 6 September 1994. (Information from Larry Nemecek) The notion of delaying the start date to 6 September came as welcome relief to everyone involved in pre-production, as it would add valuable time to their work schedules and many of the sets were not yet ready to shoot. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 274-275) •As soon as Geneviève Bujold was cast as Janeway, she was rushed into makeup and wardrobe as her look was scrutinized and prepared for filming. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) Following her arrival, wardrobe fittings and makeup tests ensued as the start of production loomed. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 25/26, No. 6/1, p. 105) Before that deadline, there were two days of camera tests, which were conducted using Polaroids to show some of the actors sporting particular costumes, such as Torres' Maquis outfit and Neelix's trader garb. (Star Trek Magazine issue 152, p. 24) •After considerable deliberation over what kind of costume should be used for the role of Kes, a total of four different outfits for her, to begin "Caretaker" with, were created by Bob Blackman. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 295-296) •The wardrobe fittings, makeup and hair sessions stretched through much of August 1994 as well as the first week in September. For Geneviève Bujold, the week of 29 August was all about contracts, makeup, and wardrobe fittings. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 295 & 299) However, the actress expressed objections to Rick Berman, around this time, in regard to the preparations, such as telling him that she needed to spend some time with Winrich Kolbe discussing matters that would include what the episode was about. (The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years, p. 571) She got her wish; Bujold had a very brief "meet and greet" in Berman's office, where she met with not only Kolbe and, of course, Berman but also Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor and Tom Mazza, as well as Bujold's manager. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 299) Kolbe later noted, "On the day we met her, […] I guess there was a little panic to get somebody so we could get going." (The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years, p. 569) The director also recalled that, the first time he saw her, he had thought Bujold "was very fragile." (Star Trek: Communicator issue 101, p. 57) •After Robert Beltran received confirmation that he had been cast as Chakotay (on 1 September 1994) and Ethan Phillips returned to the Paramount lot – having made his change of home address from New York (on 30 August) – the producers hosted a luncheon for the new cast, to help everyone get acquainted with each other, although Geneviève Bujold didn't attend the event. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 277, 301 & 302) All other members of the main cast went to the luncheon, as did the producers. (Starlog, issue #222, p. 79) The luncheon was held on Thursday 1 September 1994. (Information from Larry Nemecek) The event was hosted by Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) "They had just cast Geneviève Bujold as Captain Janeway, and she was in the midst of the hair and makeup scrutinization, so she couldn't even make it to that luncheon," explained Garrett Wang. "Rick Berman gave a little talk to us, we met each other briefly, which was our first introduction, and it was really kind of formal. We were sitting around this large table, and everyone was really reserved, and it was new to us all, obviously, so we didn't know what was going on. We just sat there and listened and got advice from Rick and various other people developing the show […] I had actually met three of the actors before that luncheon." (Starlog, issue #222, p. 79) The producers mainly talked about how, due to arbitrary decision-making rather than any kind of favoritism or isolationism, some members of the cast would be asked to do certain publicity things that others wouldn't. Another piece of advice which the producers gave the actors was to keep their performances considerably reserved, so as to avoid making the aliens seem unrealistic. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) There were merely days before filming was to start the following Tuesday. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 302) •Before the episode entered production, the cast, including Geneviève Bujold, had a walk-through on the set, with Winrich Kolbe and the producers. (The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years, p. 573; Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 39) "We had a set tour […] where they brought us around and showed us all the sets," said Garrett Wang. "I remember leaning up against a wall they had just finished painting, and getting paint all over my T-shirt." (Starlog, issue #222, p. 79) The set tour was the first time the cast had a chance to meet Geneviève Bujold. However, many of the individuals there found her reserved presence unnerving. A short conversation was had between her and Garrett Wang, the latter of whom initiated it, but Bujold expressed she was experiencing difficulty with building trust as she felt the situation was so rushed. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 39) •There was no rehearsal or read-through of this episode prior to it entering production. This was not only typical of the series in general but was also Winrich Kolbe's preferred method of working. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) •The start of Robert Beltran's participation in this episode was marked with fan mail. "I hadn't done any work at all [on] the pilot. We were just beginning to shoot the pilot," Beltran recalled. "I reported to work the first day and there were, like, two boxes of fan mail. People writing, saying, 'Welcome to the Star Trek family,' and, 'Welcome. We're really looking forward to the Voyager.' I was amazed that there was that much anticipation for the show." ("Cast Reflections: Season One", VOY Season 1 DVD special features) •As the episode's filming got underway, many of the cast members (aside from Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang) were still in makeup tests to finalize their look. (Beyond the Final Frontier, p. 274) For instance, Robert Beltran and Jennifer Lien, while not involved in the earliest scenes to be shot, spent the majority of the week in makeup and hair tests. This meant they would arrive for makeup and hair each day, then wait around the set until there was a break in the filming. Director of Photography Marvin V. Rush would then quickly film one of them, testing either Beltran's tattoo or Lien's hair (a blonde wig) and Ocampan ears, after which the videotape was hurriedly sent across the lot to the Cooper Building for Rick Berman's consent. The process took longer for Beltran's tattoo than for Lien's hair-and-ears combination. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 303) On 6 September 1994 (i.e., the first day of production), a Kes make-up test was organized, for which Lien reported to make-up at 12:30 p.m. and had a set call at 4:30 p.m. ("Caretaker" call sheets)Sets and filming locations•Prior to the start of pre-production, a methodical transition had to be scheduled to secure the earliest availability of Paramount Stages 8 and 9; as soon as Star Trek Generations wrapped production, both stages needed to be cleared to make way for construction of Voyager's standing sets. The sets on those two stages had to first be designed. Then, people like Construction Coordinator Al Smutko and construction foreman Tom Purser would need to ensure the sets were built and painted, before Chief Lighting Technician Bill Peets, Special Effects Supervisor Dick Brownfield, and key grip Randy Burgess would take over and make their own additions to the sets. Lights, video and mechanical effects all needed to be in place by the originally scheduled filming start date of 15 August 1994. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 229 & 249) •Although designing Voyager's bridge was one of the art department's foremost areas of concern for this pilot episode, sets required specifically for this installment were also given priority. "In the pilot, we needed to concentrate our energies on what was written, so areas like shuttle bays, the cargo bays and the medical lab were tabled for the time being," explained Richard James. (Star Trek Monthly issue 3, p. 11) •Apart from the USS Voyager's interiors, the new sets which needed to be designed and built for this episode included the underground Ocampa enclave, the Kazon settlement, a farmyard, Maquis and Kazon ship interiors, and the inside of a shuttlecraft. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 257) Concerning the set for Ocampa's underground, Robert Picardo commented, "Once again, the producers had to search for a very large and unique location, to double for this futuristic environment." (Star Trek: Voyager - Inside the New Adventure) •At around the start of June 1994, Al Smutko started planning construction crew schedules based on Merri Howard's production-planner calendars and the set design concepts that Richard James was producing. Construction of the standing sets began on 9 May 1994. As Stages 8 and 9 would not be cleared of the sets for Generations until 31 May, the initial Voyager work was done in the mill (which was situated on the Paramount lot) and on Paramount Stage 16. The sets were being built and rigged during June, July, and August. One of the reasons for the stage walks which were scheduled in Merri Howard's Memo To Distribution issued on 21 July was so that everyone could keep updated on the status of set construction. By then, the bridge, of all the standing sets on Stages 8 and 9, was the closest to completion. Both stages were particularly intense sites of activity. Bill Peets, electrician Scott McKnight, and their crew were rigging for lights as quickly as they could, but it ended up taking them two whole weeks to rig the bridge, which included installing over 7,000 feet of wire and countless individual lights. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 232, 250, 281 & 293) •When Voyager's engineering was created for this episode, some lamps that the staff had ordered for lighting the warp core were not yet available. Consequently, only about three-quarters of the core could be built for this installment. (Star Trek Monthly issue 3, p. 11) •Instead of designing an entire underground city to represent the planet's subterranean settlement, Richard James simply found a location that would serve the purpose, which was the Los Angeles Convention Center. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 68) •With the episode's script complete, the first pre-production efforts that Winrich Kolbe and the production staff invested in this pilot included familiarizing themselves with the new Voyager sets under construction as well as the filming locations for this installment. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) Kolbe discovered that the standing sets had almost been completed by the time he arrived. "I had certain ideas about the sets," he reflected, "but they were already built [for the most part] […] It was the same thing with the lighting. I wanted the Bridge lit darker, so that it would glow with all the background lighting. It would have been a bit harder to shoot [however]." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15, p. 10) Also decided by the time Kolbe got involved in pre-production was that the Los Angeles Convention Center would be used to depict the underground Ocampa city. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) On the other hand, he did manage to persuade Rick Berman that the colorisation of the swirls inside the warp core should be changed from straw yellow, white and blue to just blue. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 294) •The interior of the array was colorfully drawn by illustrator Jim Martin, and a foamcore mock-up of the interior was created, based on blueprints. (The Art of Star Trek, p. 145) •Winrich Kolbe was shown photographs of a farmhouse that could be used for the production. However, he decided to keep looking for somewhere else suitable to serve the same purpose. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) •Choosing the site in which to film the surface shots of the Ocampa homeworld was another challenge. (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 134) Winrich Kolbe sought somewhere that would give the impression of an empty expanse. He was initially offered various desert locales, but he felt none of them conveyed the desolation he was looking for. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) Supervising Producer David Livingston wanted to shoot the scenes in Soledad Canyon, a rock quarry which was north of Los Angeles and had been used in the filming of DS9 Season 2 premiere "The Homecoming". (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 134) Eventually, Richard James showed Kolbe a tape of TNG: "Final Mission", in which Jean-Luc Picard, Dirgo and Wesley Crusher crash on the surface of the moon Lambda Paz. That setting had been represented with El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, and the notion of reusing the same location to portray the surface of Ocampa seemed perfect to Kolbe. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 36) "I thought it was nuts to go all the way out there," David Livingston recalled, "but Rick [Kolbe] totally insisted." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 134) •As well as making use of some of the stages on the Paramount lot, the production unit opted to select a couple of other filming locations in addition to El Mirage Dry Lake Bed and the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 134) Norwalk, California, was eventually chosen for the episode's farmhouse scenes, and Griffith Park was selected to represent the New Zealand penal settlement. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 292) •As well as the standing sets on Stages 8 and 9, there were seven interior sets specifically for use in this episode which, in July 1994, needed to be rigged for lighting. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 293 & 294) These included the set of an Ocampa enclave, which resembled a large cavern, featuring hydroponics and other accoutrements of underground life, in contrast to the "city" represented by the Los Angeles Convention Center. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 317) There was also the shaft leading from the underground of Ocampa to the planet's surface. (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 135; Delta Quadrant, p. 9; A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 317) Additional sets included a barn, a chamber, and the interior of Chakotay's Maquis ship. Richard James spent a total of approximately US$2.5 million on sets for this installment. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 317) For the interior of the Maquis raider, he used a redress of the runabout set from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 70) •The Memo To Distribution that Merri Howard issued on 21 July 1994 planned a "tech location scout" of Norwalk and the Los Angeles Convention Center on the morning of 28 July, a similar scout of El Mirage on 29 July, and finally a scout of Griffith Park on the morning of 1 August 1994. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 292) •All the sets which were camera-tested between 8 August and 12 August 1994 were situated on Paramount Stage 8, with the Voyager bridge set on that soundstage meanwhile serving as the site for all the camera tests for the roles of Tuvok, B'Elanna Torres, Tom Paris and Harry Kim (if not also the Kes camera test on the last of those dates). As part of the camera test on 8 August 1994, the Voyager bridge set was tested with and without the red alert special effect, along with testing various light levels and the set's video monitors. The camera test the next day included the ready room, the mess hall, and a corridor. The special effects and electrical departments were again required for the testing of red alert, this time in the ready room set. The Voyager sets that were tested on 10 August included the mess hall and corridor (if they weren't already completed) as well as the turbolifts; on the same day, the camera, grip, and electrical departments initially pre-lit the bridge set for the Tuvok and Torres makeup tests, then lit and shot the three other sets. The sets which were the subjects of screen tests on 11 August were the bridge, turbolift and mess hall, with the mess hall and turbolift sets again tested the day after that, along with the ready room set. ("Caretaker" call sheets) •Set Designer John Chichester worked on the set of the chamber inside the Caretaker's array, submitting sketches of the area's long, needle-like alien probes on 23 August 1994. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 70) According to the unofficial reference book Beyond the Final Frontier (p. 274), the look of the chamber set's harnesses was an elaborate in-joke, as they were designed to resemble harnesses from the Geneviève Bujold movie Coma, and this was done prior to her departure from the making of "Caretaker". The set was built on Paramount Stage 16. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, p. 70) It was constructed right up against the set for the illusory barn. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, inlay photographs) Explained Richard James, "The interior of the barn was always a set, but we did the exterior on location. I added a false front to that barn, and then the interior was shot on Stage 16 at Paramount Pictures. Of course, that set had to be connected to the chamber where the bodies were suspended, with needles piercing their bodies and sucking fluid out of them." (Star Trek Monthly issue 3, p. 11) •The work on preparing the much-needed sets proceeded even during the production period. Shortly after filming began, most of the work on the standing sets had been finished but there was still some final adjustments to be made, especially after the art department began seeing the initial footage from the production shoot. Meanwhile, Stage 16 was loaded with sets for this episode and there was also some location work to be set up, with a couple of large sets which would require a lot of effort to install, including the one intended for El Mirage Dry Lake Bed. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 1, pp. 66-67 & 71) •To transform the Los Angeles Convention Center into the subterranean Ocampan settlement, Richard James, Al Smutko, and their teams worked through the weekend of 17 and 18 September 1994. Set Decorator Jim Mees dressed the set – which was huge, complicated, and very expensive – with truckloads of furnishings and materials. Bill Peets brought in special riggings. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 316-317) •After Voyager's standing sets were completed, plenty of other set construction work still remained, including the building of the Ocampa enclave set. It was initially constructed on Paramount Stage 11 but was later rebuilt on Paramount Stage 18. At the time the set was originally built, there were sets as well as partial sets to prepare for trucking to the other filming locations. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, pp. 292 & 322) The reference book A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager (pp. 334-335) described the rebuilt enclave set, as of the evening of 9 December 1994, when it was still very much a work in progress but was nonetheless starting to take shape; "Toward the rear of the stage was an enormous open area where men were building fake rock walls, to give the appearance of an underground cavern – the enclave. In the foreground, suspended from the ceiling, were high-tech-looking columns and structures with electrical wires dangling out of the sides. On the sides of the stage were large, unfinished walls with glassless windows. Two huge columnlike pieces – with more electrical wires protruding – hung from the ceiling down to within six feet of the floor. Large metal rings encircled each. The floor was covered here and there with piles of dirt that had been brought in, to simulate a cavern floor." •The set of the shaft allowing access from Ocampa's underground to the planet's surface was situated in a pit built for TNG on Paramount Stage 16. (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 135) This was apparently the same set as had represented a cave in TNG: "Second Chances". (Delta Quadrant, p. 9) The set was very expensive, costing approximately US$250,000. It extended from an underground room below the stage and towered thirty feet above the stage floor. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 317) The set was entirely vertical and was, in total, over forty feet high. Richard James stated about the massive set, "That was quite an undertaking because of all the special effects involved […] We had to build a section that breaks away as some of the crew are escaping to the planet's surface." (Star Trek Monthly issue 3, p. 11) Inside the set was a steel staircase which Dick Brownfield rigged to break away and collapse to the bottom of the tower at precisely the right strategic moment. To help support the tall set's structure and counterbalance what went on inside it, Al Smutko had his crew weld steel scaffolding in place all around the set's exterior, from floor to ceiling. Some of the set's walls were wild, meaning they could be removed to allow filming access. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 317)Starring
•Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway
Also Starring
•Robert Beltran as Chakotay •Roxann Biggs-Dawson as B'Elanna Torres •Jennifer Lien as Kes •Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris •Ethan Phillips as Neelix •Robert Picardo as The Doctor •Tim Russ as Tuvok •Garrett Wang as Harry Kim
Guest Stars
•Basil Langton as Caretaker •Gavan O'Herlihy as Jabin •Angela Paton as Adah And\t •Armin Shimerman as Quark
" Caretaker " is the series premiere of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It was first broadcast as a double-length episode on January 16, 1995, as the first telecast of the fledgling UPN network.
Jan 16, 2024 · Today is the 29th anniversary of Star Trek: Voyager. Voyager's pilot episode, "Caretaker," is, in my opinion, one of the more successful introductions to a broad-canvas show with big ideas and multiple characters.
Captain Janeway is sent on her first mission as Captain off the USS Voyager, a Starfleet Intrepid-class vessel. There mission is to find out what happened to a small maquis ship on which captain Janeway's chief of security, Lieutenant Tuvok, has infiltrated.
Jan 15, 1995 · 63. Star Trek: Voyager S1 E1. While on a short-term mission to track an infiltrated Maquis cell, Capt. Kathryn Janeway and her newly launched U.S.S. Voyager crew -- and the Maquis fighter...
"Caretaker" begins with a renegade Maquis ship being chased by Cardassians through the Badlands. After narrowly escaping them, the Maquis ship becomes caught in a mysterious energy pattern. Starfleet designates the ship as missing, and sends a ship to search for it.
