Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) Friendship One (2001) User Reviews

Give that man a red shirt!

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 28 May 2010]

Shortly after Earth developed warp technology a probe was launched in to space which in a spirit of friendship contained details of various useful technology as well as cultural details about Earth, this probe was last heard from as it headed into the Delta Quadrant. In their first official mission for almost seven years Voyager is asked to retrieve the probe as it is believed to be near them. When they locate it on an apparently uninhabited planet an away team is dispatched to retrieve it. They find the planet is a radioactive wasteland but isn't as uninhabited as they thought; taken prisoner they are told that Earth is to blame for the suffering as the conditions result from the locals' attempts to use the technology used in the probe. The leader of the local populations tells Janeway that if she wants to get her people back she must find a new planet for them all to live on and transport them there. When asked to give a crew member back as a sign of good faith one is returned... dead having been executed just before transporting. While three of the away team are captured Chakotay and Harry capture a prisoner of their own and one Voyager he is treated for his radiation sickness and discusses an alternate solution to the problem.

This was a good episode which showed how something done with the best of motives can have terrible unforeseen consequences. It also mirrored classic episodes from the original series where a group of regular characters would be joined on an away mission my a character we'd never seen before who's job was to die to show just what sort of danger they were up against, it is just a shame he wasn't wearing a red shirt!

Could have been a classic but ended up a missed opportunity

[snoozejonc · 6/10 · 11 August 2020]

Voyager receives its first official Starfleet assignment to locate the historical Friendship One probe.

The concept of the probe is excellent and is an important part of the Star Trek franchise, but unfortunately the plot devised to explore Voyager's mission to retrieve it is unoriginal and not very well done.

I don't have a problem with the themes the writers incorporate nor the points of view presented in the story. I have my own opinions on most of the themes covered Star Trek but don't take the franchise as seriously as some of the more angry reviewers. Ultimately the writers have the creative freedom to incorporate whatever issues they want into the material. End of!

What I struggled with is how annoying the characters become and frustrating it is with the focus fixed solely on the probe's consequences. Personally, I think they should definitely have covered these issues, but not let it dominate the episode. There could have been a short scene or sequence that address the ethics and then concentrated the remaining time on putting it right. Rather than string out a relatively tedious hostage drama, the suspense could have been created from the crew devising and executing the solution.

Oh and the less said about Lt. Joe Carey the better!

Excellent idea, but disappointed they didn't take a different or more original approach.

It's a 5.5/10 for me but I round upwards.

Cool make-up.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 8 March 2015]

Now that the Federation can have regular contact with Voyager, they ask that they look for the Friendship 1 probe that was sent to the Delta Quadrant a long, long time ago. However, when the shuttle team land, they find that the place IS inhabited (despite the sensors) and these people are really angry. They blame the Earth for their plight, as they used the technology that powered Friendship 1 (antimatter) and destroyed themselves. Sure, a few folks remain, but they look nasty and are suffering from the aftereffects of the antimatter explosion. Not surprisingly, these folks are very hostile and soon take some of the away team prisoner. Now they try to use the team as a bartering tool and things get even nastier very quickly.

This episode features some very nice make-up effects. The sore- covered aliens look really realistic and nasty. While the baby didn't look great--the rest of them sure did. In addition, the story is pretty exciting and worth seeing.

By the way, this story seems a lot like an episode from "Space: 1999" concerning a probe powered by a 'Queller Drive'. This system ended up killing things because of its toxic emissions--and soon folks effected by it come looking for retribution!

Where the Fault Lies

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 19 September 2018]

This is sort of interesting. Voyager and her crew are victimized by a man who speaks for a culture that nearly destroyed itself by trying to adapt technology from an Earth probe. When people do outrageous things and don't look at the consequences, the first they to do is to blame someone else. After 300 years, how could Voyager have anything to do with this destruction. The probe could just as easily have brought prosperity these people. They made their own beds. And to make matter worse, this megalomaniac decides it's his right to deprive everyone else based on his own hatred. He talks about how nothing they do will bring back all the dead. That is such a ludicrous statement, designed for him to keep his hatred and venom intact.

Top

[evans-15475 · 9/10 · 17 January 2022]

Considering how close we are to the end this is a remarkably good episode.you know nothing good is going to happen when an extra is sent on an away mission but I felt the plot worked incredibly well loved the little kid.

Suspend your disbelief for this one

[harveymarosehope · 7/10 · 24 December 2020]

Once you get past the blaringly obvious plot hole at the beginning, it's just another fun voyager ride. If it's not your thing--or you like to take voyager a little too seriously--this is definitely a frustratingly skippable episode.

My main issue is the underlying plot. The federation sent a probe and these aliens and used it to make weapons of mass distruction. Somehow it's humanity's fault that these aliens misused the probe? It's a hard idea to wrap your head around. The idea that these aliens decided its the federation's fault by sending the probe in the first place is as frustrating as their behavior during the entirety of the episode. It doesn't have the affect I think they were going for. In short, it just got annoying because it seemed to unrealistic and too ridiculous.

Summary

[Hackintosh · 8 August 2006]

Stardate: 54775.4

As we see on Enterprise, the Vulcans established a presence on Earth since First Contact, and supervised Earth's progress with warp technology and space exploration. Shortly thereafter, Earth sends the "Friendship One" probe to pre-warp civilizations.

Fast forward to the present: With regular communications to the Alpha Quadrant established, Starfleet sends a mission to Voyager: retrieve the 21st Century probe sent from Earth.

Once the probe is located on a nearby planet the away team is shocked to learn of the non-friendly impact it has made.

Radioactive man.

[thevacinstaller · 6/10 · 22 February 2023]

Well, this is a bit of a Christmas present for me ---- I belly ache all the time about showing us actual real world consequences that strengthen the prime directive.

It is completely plausible that an alien probes technology could be backwards engineered by another civilization who found it. It is less plausible that the probe traveled that distance at WARP whatever without fuel reserves but we will let that go. This is one of those butterfly effects ---- I enjoy a good unintended consequences episode.

I was surprised that they killed off 2nd place engineer from the 1st season. Damn, he's been hanging on for 7 seasons. Janeway is a bit miffed about the whole 'murdering' thing but otherwise it seems to be played off as, "Well, that sucks" by Tom Paris (who's wife works with the guy). Well, I remember you Mr. John something.

I can't say I was particularly emotionally moved by the interplay between the aliens and Tom Paris --- despite a commonality of pregnancy and loving kids being presented. "Hey, I like kids --- we cool now?"

So, I enjoyed the exploration of the side effects of cultural contamination but I was not enthralled by the radioactive people plot.

Vivaldi's One Season: Concerto in B-flat minor "Nuclear Winter"

[tomsly-40015 · 7/10 · 11 February 2024]

An interesting episode that deals with the question of what actually happened to all the probes that we humans sent into space to make first contact with alien civilizations.

Voyager is supposed to recover a probe that was sent out 300 years ago and was actually intended to share knowledge and technology. But just like when ordering from cheap Chinese online shops: you can throw the manuals straight into the trash can because of the incomprehensible nonsense. The species that received the probe apparently misunderstood something in the technical specifications for antimatter technology and thus irradiated their entire planet. Happens, but at least the kids can now sled and build snowmen all year round - thanks to the nuclear winter.

In essence, this episode can be compared to what has happened regularly in our own history, when developed civilizations have encountered seemingly less developed civilizations. Be it native Americans, the cultures of Central and South America, feudal Japan, African peoples... When these cultures came into contact with Western culture, their way of life often not only changed drastically, but often also worsened. If a civilization has not yet crossed a certain technological threshold itself, technology introduced from outside often leads to disruptive, unpredictable changes in these cultures.

However, I wonder why humans continued to launch such probes into space after Cochrane carried out his warp flight and made first contact with the Vulcans. It would have made more sense to contact other species through the Vulcans instead of randomly launching a few probes into space.

And as is always when a crew member has to bite the dust on an away mission - then one of the many nameless officers is taken and given a generic name like Joe for his five minutes screen time.

Dumb Motivations Used to Support Lame Plot

[William_E_Hunter · 3/10 · 28 July 2020]

I won't go into a detailed plot synopsis, suffice to say that Voyager is sent to investigate a lost Earth probe, eventually finding it in the hands of survivors of a doomed civilization that used technology from the probe to eventually destroy itself.

By far the most interesting aspect of this episode is the fact that it is the first Federation mission assigned to Voyager after being lost in the Delta quadrant. As for the rest of it, the motivations of the alien race (yes, yet another hominid species with some facial appliances stuck to their faces) are nonsensical. So, you found this probe and mishandled the tech and you're blaming people 300 years later? Dumb. These aliens would make great Catholics, with their original sin.

Boil it down to the actions of the alien leader and he seems even more stupid. Voyager ambles along, demonstrates that, even though they acknowledge that Earth could be seen as partially culpable for their plight, they want to do their best to correct the terrible ramifications... and he does his level best to thwart Voyager's every move to help them. If you had the right actors, who could maybe sell the idea that the aliens have been driven insane by their plight, this idea might work. But the people they hired aren't those actors, so all you think while you watch this episode is "Why the Hell is he doing that?!?!". Why? Because script, that's why.

Outside of the idea of finally being able to carry out Federation-issued plot lines, skip this lame attempt at a morality tale

Responsible people are guilty for reckless people's terrible choices

[rking-19 · 3/10 · 30 November 2017]

I have watched nearly all Star Trek Voyager episodes (indeed, nearly all Star Trek anything episodes and movies), and while I generally find them entertaining whether I agree with the writers' premise or not, this one is hopelessly irredeemable.

300 years before present Star Trek time, Earth had sent out a probe, "Friendship One," with much technical and scientific information (along with some artistic/musical samples). The probe made it to the Delta quadrant and was received/captured by a people who then proceeded to misuse the technology, ending up with the equivalent of a nuclear wasteland.

Voyager, having established a real-time comm link with Star Fleet, is assigned to go looking for the probe, and they find the planet. The survivors are led by a bitter coot who blames humans for intentionally sending a device designed to destroy their civilization. Right, my blame man.

The leader arbitrarily rejects attempts by the away team to help them and further they murder one of the unarmed crewmen right before sending him back to Voyager. And the "big-hearted' Voyager crew convinces Captain Janeway that they are responsible for the problems these virtue-less but self-righteous dummies on the planet are facing.

The creators of this episode were so busy preaching they sank into moronic myopia. One group of people can be recklessly irresponsible but they are totally innocent and another group of people must be responsible for themselves AND the first group? This is how we know that actors and the people that surround them must generally be drop-outs -- they have no capacity for critical thinking. This acidic tone of judgment against decency makes it impossible to just enjoy the story.

Suppose I spend all my time watching these stupid episodes and lose my job? Are the show's writers then bad people responsible for my loss?

Really, Voyager-Land, some amount of kookiness I can deal with but this is way over the top. If you are working your way through all the episodes, this is one you can skip and be better off for it.

Good ideas. One plot point ruined it for me.

[sshs72 · 4/10 · 11 September 2023]

I remember watching this back when it first aired and.the biggest issue I had with it then is the same one I have with it now over twenty-two years later: (spoiler) the death of Lt. Carey.

They brought this actor back, a few episodes shy of the series finale, just to arbitrarily, needlessly, pointless kill the character off when a random officer like they have done countless times before would have worked.

If it would have been a random character, I would have been more inclined to see the point of the alien society but since it was a somewhat familiar character, I had no sympathy for them and would have been more than happy for Voyager to rescue their people and leave. The use of Lt. Carey undermined the entire point of the episode for me. This could have been a 7-8 star episode but because of that one insignificant decision, it makes it a 4. Just a bad taste in my mouth and I tend to skip this now when it airs in syndication.