Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) Unity (1997) User Reviews

Finally, some decent enemies....

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 19 February 2015]

Just one episode earlier, Tony Robinson (who played 'Garak' on "Star Trek: Deep Space 9") directed. Here in "Unity" Robert Duncan McNeill ('Paris' from "Star Trek: Voyager") directs. Such things were common with the Trek shows--with a variety of actors from the shows getting to direct episodes. Most notably, LeVar Burton (29 episodes) and Jonathan Frakes (from "Star Trek: The Next Generation"14 episodes as well as movies) directed a lot of shows throughout all the later incarnations of "Star Trek" and went on to direct a variety of non-Trek shows.

At the end of the last episode, the Borg's presence in the Delta Quadrant is revealed with Chakotay discovers the corpse of a Borg drone. In "Unity", Chakotay and a 'red shirt' hear a distress call and when they respond, they find a planet peopled by their Swedish adversaries (yes, I know the Borg are NOT Swedish). However, it's a trap and you can guess what happens to the red shirt! Chakotay is rescued by a pretty lady and he learns that a bunch of Alpha Quadrant folks had been brought to this planet long ago. Oddly, it's peopled by all sorts of folks from all different races and planets. In the meantime, Captain Janeway and Voyager find a Borg ship that is apparently dead in space--and Torres says it's like a 'ghost ship'. What's next? See the episode.

Through two and a half seasons, "Star Trek: Voyager" suffered because the ship's enemies were for the most part really uninteresting. Unlike Romulans or Klingons in previous series, the Kazon were not particularly interesting or scary. The closet to interesting villains were the Vidiians but they were never particularly developed in the show. Fortunately, someone must have realized this and from this episode on, the Borg would become a super-serious threat--and the episodes would improve as a result. So, because of this, I really appreciate "Unity". Well worth seeing.

Independent Borg

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 25 August 2010]

As Commander Chakotay and Ensign Kaplan explore the Nekrit Expanse in a shuttle they receive a communication from what appears to be a Star Fleet transmitter on a nearby planet. When they land to investigate they come under attack, Chakotay is injured and Kaplan is killed. A woman called Dr. Riley Frazier rescues Chakotay and he is told that she was kidnapped in the Alpha Quadrant and left on the planet, the same happened to the rest of the population. He hasn't been there too long when he makes a shocking discovery; these aren't any old aliens; they are former Borg who lost their connection to the Collective. As Chakotay gets more ill they link him to their local collective to cure him, afterwards they with to fully restore their collective in an attempt to stop the various races fighting each other as was happening at the time. Meanwhile Voyager has found a Borg Cube adrift in space. It turns out this is the cube the people on the planet came from and they want Chakotay to help restart some of its systems, he offers to take their request to Captain Janeway but she refuses. It turns out he is still connected to them and they force him to reactivate the cube and even to fire upon his crewmates, perhaps they weren't to be trusted after all, or perhaps they were just desperate.

This was a good episode and an interesting reintroduction to the Borg who had featured in other series of Star Trek but up until this point hadn't been seen alive in Voyager. I liked how we were never sure whether they could be trusted; even at the end it was ambiguous as to what they would do next. It is a pity Chakotay was accompanied by Kaplan rather than a regular character; Kaplan didn't really need to die but as soon as she appeared it was likely that she'd be killed as we'd never heard of her before this episode making her expendable as far as the series is concerned.

Enjoyable and well made episode

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 21 January 2023]

Chakotay investigates a distress call that leads to a surprising collective of individuals.

This is a strong episode with interesting themes and good reintroduction to previous Star Trek antagonists.

The story is good, as it brings the Borg into the Voyager narrative in an intelligent and philosophical way. It is interesting that the writers accept that certain aspects of a collective identity have merit and give a more rounded portrayal of the Borg than the one-note baddies of previous stories. We all know the writers were inspired by communist states, so it feels a bit more balanced in this one. Saying that, Janeway's general skepticism, the seductive nature of the characters, and Janeway's final conversation with Chakotay feels like it represents their take on the subject.

Technically it is very well made, with effective moments such as when Chakotay first sees a guest character looking more Borg like and the brilliant way multiple voices are brought together to eventually resemble the voice of the collective.

The visuals are great during both planet and space scenes. The Borg makeup and costuming is iconic as ever, plus the art design is generally strong throughout.

All actors are and good form and Robert Beltran leads it well.

New insight into an old villain

[chadtoland · 9/10 · 17 January 2021]

I'm surprised this episode isn't rated more highly. It explores new ideas about the Borg and their origin. The viewer gets perspective about how one might be drawn into joining a collective at its early stage, with a noble goal in mind, only to have it morph into something dangerous.

Missteps but a purpose

[Forteplus1 · 8/10 · 8 April 2015]

With the Borg being The Federation's greatest foe, this show jump started the BEST Borg episodes ever created. Nobody created better Borg episodes that Voyager.

For the cynic who thinks Voyager often falls astray of trying to get home each and every episode, I'd like to remind everyone that Star Fleet also had it's supplementary goal to lean new things as opportunities arose hence the reason we commonly see many episodes drift off track. Life isn't just about the destination - it's about the journey.

The scene where the attractive Borg intimates a different type of closeness is a real feeling and one not worth overlooking. As a metaphor, I'd call it like the moment we fell in love v/s the way we stay in love decades later and yet with such GREATER intimacy even though the physical expressions might not always be geared towards the typical procreation type activities. What the sub commander feels is like us old farts who're more in love than ever hence I REALLY like this story plot.

Star Trek has always been about concepts & ideas. Look past the first layer of this script and I think you'll find more you can personally relate too than you think.

Borg

[foster_baxter · 9/10 · 20 February 2022]

This was a very good episode and it's great to see the Borg. Just a correction, one reviewer said Garak from DS9 was played by Tony Robinson. Actually he was played by Andy Robinson.

Re-enter the Borg

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 26 August 2018]

Chakotay and an Ensign are pulled into a planetary dispute. It turns out that there is a dangerous group who used to be Bork. At the conclusion of the last episode, a Borg signature was discovered, so we know what's coming. These intergalactic bees are always around and have tremendous powers. Chikotay gets all caught up in his role in helping these aliens. No one seems all that concerned about the poor ensign who dies almost immediately. Once again, there seems to be some truly bad decision making. Chikotay is incredibly trusting and, as is his want, endangers everyone. Of course, he an Janeway are two peas in the same pod and she would have gotten in over her head.

Having it both ways.

[thevacinstaller · 7/10 · 24 July 2021]

It is an interesting concept. A group of individuals who maintain individuality yet can serve the whole willingly through the collective.

It was interesting that the episode portrayed the freed borg as sympathetic in the beginning only to highlight the fallout that collective consciousness could have by the end of the episode. Morality and ethics gets thrown out the window when survival is at stake and almost any act can be manipulated to be logical or needed.

I enjoy the episodes that take on the muddy waters of moral/ethical viewer interpretation.

In theory a good idea however...

[cloud-98076 · 8/10 · 3 November 2019]

This episode only creates questions like if these alpha quadrant species were assimilated at wolf 359... how did they get back to delta quadrant when that borg cube was destroyed by enterprise...not to mention that they could control Chakotay with no actual implant...or that they could self destruct the cube by thier mere thoughts when the drones on the cube did not interject.

Borg return with middling results

[alexwoolcott · 6/10 · 24 August 2010]

Another humdrum episode from the Season Three archives who's only distinction is that it is the show's first episode with the Borg. Basically, Chakotay and Ensign Nobody land on a planet filled with Borg who have been freed from the Collective. Ensign Nobody is shot and killed within the first three seconds and Chakotay goes on to forge a relationship with the Borg lady who saved his life, resulting in a rare instance of sexual intimacy.

This intimacy is a rare thing in Voyager (and Star Trek shows in general) but it isn't used nearly enough to give the episode any bite. The climax of the episode has Chakotay helping the former Borg via some combination of telepathy and mind control, but it would have been a lot more interesting if he considered betraying Voyager all on his own simply because of some mushy feelings for his new friend.

What does make the episode interesting is the political questions raised about the limits of socialism within a democracy. The new Borg are living in a co-op, which is seen as a good thing so long as each of them are still free to make up their own minds about things. But the moment they have united their society into a single collective, the question is raised as to how they will use their new found "power".

The episode features more than a few holes (see the Goofs section for most of them), but watch towards the end of the episode for Harry Kim's imitation of the Flash. No sooner has he been beamed to the transporter room with the Away Team then he's suddenly on the Bridge (with none of his Away Team gear).

Maybe not so bad if you didn't see the trailer first

[whatch-17931 · 5/10 · 8 January 2021]

As usual for Voyager, the trailer for this episode promised something exciting, while the episode itself was mostly talking, with much of it very expositional.

In this case, it's way worse because the trailer screams THE BORG, while the episode tried to hide it for about half its runtime. We're apparently supposed to figure it out when Chuckles does. It makes his captors' constant Borg hint dropping even more annoying. And how convenient that they are able to remove all their visible Borg prosthetics.

And his captors' plan was- what exactly? Wait for someone to find them by their Starfleet signal, hope whoever it is is friendly and doesn't notice the Borg ship in orbit, gain their confidence and convince them to help partly reactivate the cube so that blah blah blah.

It's ridiculous.

There was a lot of potential here, but it badly missed the mark.

Pathetic

[Bolesroor · 3/10 · 2 February 2011]

Let sleeping Borgs lie. That's what my Grandfather always told me, and dammit, he was right! Chakotay is out on a shuttlecraft mission with Ensign Deadmeat... strange, since I thought these people just wanted to GO HOME!!!

I'm so tired of the terrible writing team starting each episode already-embroiled in a story, a pathetic trick to avoid showing Voyager stopping each week and getting involved in nonsense when their supposed mission is to get home. Enough, you losers...

Gasp! the shuttle crashes, and Chakotay discovers former Borg who want his help in re-establishing their psychic link, basically jump-starting the idle Borg cube floating in space above the planet. Why would Janeway send an away team to the Borg ship? Why would she even consider the ridiculous idea of helping the Borg reconnect? Who the hell wrote this absurd episode? Just terrible.

GRADE: D-