This was an above average episode with suspense. How can Seven possibly save the day (and the Voyager)? With all but 3 characters brainwashed into thinking their journey would finally come to a happy end with all their wishes coming true, How can Seven save them all after she's zapped? With Naomi's help, as well as the Doctor's, she contacts the alien, Quatai, also trapped in the Monster. Together they work out a way to get the Monster to vomit their ships free. What really puzzled me, and what I didn't see in other viewer reviews, was why did Quatai turn around and go back to the Monster to be eaten? Was he in a symbiotic arrangement with the Monster? Or did he still want to try and destroy it??
14 Reviews
Better than average...
Criticrab24 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is a better than average Voyager episode. There are 3 main characters (plus a little bit of the Doctor). Seven of Nine and Naomi Wildman have to save the day. These are 2 of my least favourite characters but there's very little sentimentality in this episode. W. Morgan Sheppard makes an interesting appearance as a friendly alien and does a good job. So what makes this episode better than average? I think its one of those episodes where the outcome comes down to one individual who can save everybody. This is not a new idea. So when all of the crew apart from Seven of Nine (who isn't desperate to get to Earth) and Wildman (isn't bothered about Earth because she wasn't born there) cannot help, it comes down to Wildman (who is the only conscious crew member at this point) to find and revive Seven of Nine and start the escape. Its also fun at the start to see Seven struggling with the crew who are duped into thinking that the worm hole is the way home. This leads to Seven erecting various force fields and shooting various crew members (not killing them). This is always a fun idea and works well. The denouement is, as is usual with these fixed length single episodes, predictable and a little dull, but its still a fun episode.
Seven Comes to the Fore
Hitchcoc6 September 2018
Once again the crew, led by Janeway, are looking for a wormhole, thinking that in a day or two they will be swimming at Malibu. But the problem is that they begin to lose their grasp of reality. They walk around with smiles on their faces, thinking they have the world by the butt, not realizing that Seven has made a dramatic discovery. She is immediately seen as a spoilsport. But she has that unflappable Borg being that allows things to be done without a lot of emotions.
One of Star Treks most ominous looking monsters
foodstampcharlie23 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
To see helpless Quatai being pulled straight into one of the most ominous looking Star Trek creatures was awesome.It leaves you with a feeling of being sucked into a great big funnel.This monster had the look of one big stomach that ate everything in the galaxy by manipulating their thoughts,W.Morgan Sheppard put on a brilliant performance as an obsessed alien seeking revenge for the deaths of his family by the stomach monster.. Seven and Naiomi saved the day as they were not affected by the monsters telepathy and were trying every means necesary to alert the crew..but the rest of the crew (thinking they were heading to a worm hole straight to Earth) wouldn't hear it... Voyager Heads straight into the Stomach monster to be eaten Alive.
I just think it's neat.
grotsky_af13 November 2020
I know Naomi's a polarizing figure (not sure why other than like a knee-jerk "Kids Bad! Shut Up Wesley! Grown Ups Only On My TV!" kind of reaction), but I really like the way they use her character to show all the ways that life on Voyager is, by necessity, different than life on other Federation Starships. She's as much a member of the Voyager Crew as anyone else, Starfleet rank or no, just by virtue of being along for the ride. Also Scarlett Pomers is great at making her seem like a full character rather than just a stock Kid to be used when the plot demands. Good for you, girl from "Reba"! She's got good chemistry with Jeri Ryan, too. Also, fun fact, the guy who plays Qatai in this episode is the father of the actor who played Icheb's dad in "Child's Play" from season 6. They were both also in "The Impossible Astronaut" from series 5 of Doctor Who like 15 years later.
Seven and Naomi save the day
Tweekums5 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
It looks like Voyager may be getting home a lot sooner than expected when they come across a worm hole which appears to lead straight to Earth. Almost of the crew are elated, and this grows as they start to get messages from the other side... things couldn't be better the messages are all good news; the Maquis have been pardoned and even offered plum jobs, Tom has been offered a job as a test pilot and Neelix has been invited to be an ambassador. Only two members of the crew don't seem happy with the situation are Seven of Nine, who has no desire to go to Earth and believes things are far too good to be true, and Naomi Wildman who has had no home apart from Voyager so has no wish to get to Earth. Seven asks the Doctor to investigate whether or not the crew are being manipulated but when she returns to ask how he is getting on she finds that he is off line because the crew received a message saying the wormhole might damage him. She finds that there is another ship in the wormhole and talks to its captain who warns her that it is a trap. Soon after Seven is advised that she must go into stasis as it may effect her Borg implants. She resists and with the help of young Naomi Wildman manages help Seven maintain a force field long enough for her transport to Engineering. Unfortunately Capt. Janeway finds a way to stun her and takes Voyager into what the crew believe is a worm hole but clearly is something quite different. Once inside the crew is rendered unconscious but imagines getting to Earth. Naomi is unaffected and goes to engineering to find Seven. She then activates the Doctor and contacts the alien who is also trapped; it turns out he has been hunting a huge creature for years but was tricked into thinking he could defeat it by the creature's ability to telepathically effect anybody nearby and lure them in and devour the; as Naomi says. "like a pitcher plant catching insects". Together they must find a way to escape before they too become food.
Jeri Ryan does well taking the lead in this story as Seven and is ably supported by Scarlett Pomers as Naomi, Robert Picardo as the Doctor and guest star William Morgan Sheppard who played the Capt. Ahab like alien who lives to hunt down the creature... his similarity to Herman Melville's character was apparent long before The Doctor made a comment about it.
Jeri Ryan does well taking the lead in this story as Seven and is ably supported by Scarlett Pomers as Naomi, Robert Picardo as the Doctor and guest star William Morgan Sheppard who played the Capt. Ahab like alien who lives to hunt down the creature... his similarity to Herman Melville's character was apparent long before The Doctor made a comment about it.
Seven hitting her stride
Hughmanity25 January 2021
Voyager has improved over the seasons and now with Jerry Ryan growing more confident and personable in her Seven of Nine role, it is as good as it's ever been.
I normally don't like kid characters on Trek as a general rule. Jake in DS9 was the least annoying, but Naomi Wildman is also tolerable. The raport she has with Seven of Nine is really good, and serves to humanize Seven further.
This episode is a play on the Millenium Falcon hiding in an 'asteroid' that turns out to be a giant worm, but with some added psychosis.
Good premise, solid story, great acting from Jerry Ryan, and I really enjoyed this episode.
I normally don't like kid characters on Trek as a general rule. Jake in DS9 was the least annoying, but Naomi Wildman is also tolerable. The raport she has with Seven of Nine is really good, and serves to humanize Seven further.
This episode is a play on the Millenium Falcon hiding in an 'asteroid' that turns out to be a giant worm, but with some added psychosis.
Good premise, solid story, great acting from Jerry Ryan, and I really enjoyed this episode.
Captured in the web.
thevacinstaller25 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's like a remix of Doomsday Machine with a splattering of TNG 'The game'. It's a solid episode that shows up SO9 is starting to understand and interpret human behavior ---- in the manner that she uses her intuition to figure out something is horribly wrong with the crew. It's solid premise ---- I would have had a bit more cat and mouse scenes with SO9 trying to escape the crew --- but hey --- We got 45 minutes here.
It's a good episode but I felt like there was just something missing in it to elevate it to masterful ----- How about SO9 is tempted by some desire throughout the episode that her borg side is able to counteract or perhaps the doctor is able to help counteract?
It's good to see William Sheppard as Qatai. Can't mistake that voice under all that makeup. I wonder if he ended up slaying the beast? We get to make the choice when it comes to that.
It's a good episode but I felt like there was just something missing in it to elevate it to masterful ----- How about SO9 is tempted by some desire throughout the episode that her borg side is able to counteract or perhaps the doctor is able to help counteract?
It's good to see William Sheppard as Qatai. Can't mistake that voice under all that makeup. I wonder if he ended up slaying the beast? We get to make the choice when it comes to that.
Enjoyable Seven of Nine episode
snoozejonc29 September 2023
Voyager discovers a potential way home, but is it too good to be true?
I think this is a solid old fashioned type of Trek that mixes various elements of the franchise and uses characters like Seven, the Doctor and Naomi Wildman very well. The traditional Star Trek tribute to Moby Dick is fairly good too.
The plot requires some suspension of disbelief, but it is entertaining, with some decent paranoid thriller type moments moments as Seven realises something is not right. It also includes a decent twist that links nicely to her character.
I think Scarlett Pomers is good as Naomi and her dynamic with Jeri Ryan works well. Robert Picardo is great as always and William Morgan Sheppard contributes well in the guest role.
For me it's a 7.5/10, but I round upwards.
I think this is a solid old fashioned type of Trek that mixes various elements of the franchise and uses characters like Seven, the Doctor and Naomi Wildman very well. The traditional Star Trek tribute to Moby Dick is fairly good too.
The plot requires some suspension of disbelief, but it is entertaining, with some decent paranoid thriller type moments moments as Seven realises something is not right. It also includes a decent twist that links nicely to her character.
I think Scarlett Pomers is good as Naomi and her dynamic with Jeri Ryan works well. Robert Picardo is great as always and William Morgan Sheppard contributes well in the guest role.
For me it's a 7.5/10, but I round upwards.
Awesome Episode!!
kyden-576398 June 2020
Voyager happens to be a bigger bite the space creature could chew
tomsly-400156 January 2024
Interesting episode about a massive ancient organism in space, that just like a fly-eating plant lures its prey into doom. This organism also telepathically tricks its victims into making them believe their biggest wishes will come true. In case of the Voyager crew: Flying through a wormhole directly to earth.
Only Seven and Naomi are unaffected by the organism's telepathy while the rest of the crew is overwhelmed by their longing for luck and happiness and is put out of action. Both don't share the desire to return back to earth and thus don't fall for those mind games. Both never have set foot on earth and Seven also feels uncomfortable going there for she fears to be treated like an outcast there.
The dynamic between Seven and Naomi continues to grow after Seven had those multiple personality breakdowns in one of the last episodes and bonded with Naomi. She is now determined to teach her all about space and spaceships. The two make a great duo and Naomi is able to pry some emotions out of Seven - sometimes. Maybe Naomi reminds Seven of herself. She was about her age when she was assimilated by the Borg and with her she now has a chance to relive the time as a child.
I also liked this obsessed alien hunter, that tries to kill this organism for nearly 40 years after it devoured his family. As the doctor casually mentions, he is like captain Ahab hunting Moby Dick - with no other purpose and joy in his life anymore but pure cold-blooded revenge. And the last scene of this episode shows him again, back in his vessel flying towards that "whale" again in another attempt to satisfy his revenge once and for all.
Only Seven and Naomi are unaffected by the organism's telepathy while the rest of the crew is overwhelmed by their longing for luck and happiness and is put out of action. Both don't share the desire to return back to earth and thus don't fall for those mind games. Both never have set foot on earth and Seven also feels uncomfortable going there for she fears to be treated like an outcast there.
The dynamic between Seven and Naomi continues to grow after Seven had those multiple personality breakdowns in one of the last episodes and bonded with Naomi. She is now determined to teach her all about space and spaceships. The two make a great duo and Naomi is able to pry some emotions out of Seven - sometimes. Maybe Naomi reminds Seven of herself. She was about her age when she was assimilated by the Borg and with her she now has a chance to relive the time as a child.
I also liked this obsessed alien hunter, that tries to kill this organism for nearly 40 years after it devoured his family. As the doctor casually mentions, he is like captain Ahab hunting Moby Dick - with no other purpose and joy in his life anymore but pure cold-blooded revenge. And the last scene of this episode shows him again, back in his vessel flying towards that "whale" again in another attempt to satisfy his revenge once and for all.
Happy drifting towards oblivion.
planktonrules26 February 2015
A wormhole appears in space near Voyager. Everyone is happy and they soon start receiving lots of messages from their loved ones in the Alpha Quadrant. There are two serious problems--Seven's examination of the wormhole indicates it's NOT real and the messages through the wormhole are TOO positive--so positive that it's like a lure pulling them to their deaths. However, no matter how hard Seven tries to let everyone know, the more they ignore her and try to shut her up. Eventually, the ship gets very close and the crew falls asleep--all but Naomi who is some freaky little kid who appears in way too many episodes. She then wakes ups Seven, Seven activates the Doctor and they save another being being sucked into the fake wormhole. Can the four of them save Voyager?
Overall this is a pretty good episode. It's a lot like a Venus Flytrap in space and the show is good despite its appearance of Naomi--and I hate cute kids on sci-fi shows!
Overall this is a pretty good episode. It's a lot like a Venus Flytrap in space and the show is good despite its appearance of Naomi--and I hate cute kids on sci-fi shows!
What made Naomi so immune?
awvknj19 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The implication at the end that Naomi Wildman wasn't influenced by the beast because she wasn't that knowledgeable about or interested in earth did little to support the plot. The fact that she was never affected when everyone in the crew was impacted might have been noticed after the fact by the crew. She was the only biological one impervious, and if she hadn't been able to wake up 7 the crew would never have escaped!
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