To The Journey: A Star Trek Voyager Podcast

What if Janeway Died, Part II. WE LOVE JANEWAY! She is our captain! Please read on and listen. Losing a main character on a Trek series is no small matter, but losing a captain would have been doubly problematic, had it happened. That's why Char and Tristan speculated what would have happened if Janeway had died in To The Journey 113, "Harry Gets Promoted." However, they only got through Season Th...

"Flashback" Commentary. It's always sorrowful when we lose another member of the Trek family. When it happens, we pause to reflect and appreciate that person's contribution to the Star Trek universe. In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan celebrate the life of Grace Lee Whitney, who died on May 1, 2015. She made her last appearance as Janice Rand on the Voyager Season Three episode "F...

"Emanations" and "Half a Life" Comparison. We often watch Star Trek because it makes us ponder heavy topics. Certain episodes drive us to consider how we feel about life after death and the treatment of our elders as they require more help from others. In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan discuss these themes as they compare Voyager's "Emanations" with TNG's "Half a Life." Each epis...

Top Five Janeway/Chakotay Moments.  Behind a top-notch captain is always a top-notch first officer. Kirk and Spock shared a deep and intricate friendship that went far beyond duty. Picard and Riker always knew they could count on each other. Sisko and Kira used the differences in their points of view to see the bigger picture together and make well-rounded decisions. And Janeway had Chakotay, who...

Voyager's Mirror Universe, Part 2. In episode 114 of To The Journey, Char and Tristan set the stage for what the Voyager crew would be like in the Mirror Universe. But Char and Tristan could not stop there, not when a door of new possible stories just opened before them. Listen in as they break out the white board and write a Mirror Universe episode on the spot in the TTJ writer's room. Find out j...

Message in a Bottle Commentary. With Char gone in the Delta Flyer, Tristan brings in his friend and Nerd Party Co-Host, Matt Hansen!  This week they riff on Season 4's "Message in a Bottle" with a joyous commentary track. Andy Dick made his mark in Star Trek by being the comedic counter to our beloved Doctor. The two seemed perfect for each other as they galavanted across the beautiful and new U.S...

BridgeMates Rematch. In Earl Grey 82, "When in Doubt Choose Data," Char and Tristan emerged victorious in BridgeMates, the "how well do you know your cohost" game show. In this To The Journey/Earl Grey ​crossover, Phillip Gilfus reprises his role as game show host as once again Char and Tristan face off against Darren Moser and Daniel Proulx in a Voyager-style rematch. Listen on and find out if Te...

Top Five Season Three Moments. Season Three of Voyager was filled to the brim with notable moments. A second appearance by Q, the solidification of Tom and Harry's bromance, The Doctor's holofamily, and eyebrow-raising dialogue between Kathy and Coco were just a few of the highlights of Voyager's third year. So, what's the cream of the crop? In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan cata...

A Voyager Prequel/Sequel. When a franchise is successful, it's only natural that fans and producers alike want more of it. Sometimes a spinoff show is a raging success, like Better Call Saul, the prequel to Breaking Bad. Then there are those other times when the expansion of a popular fandom doesn't measure up to what came before. The Star Trek spinoffs that came after TOS aren't immune from such...

Voyager in the Mirror Universe. The closest Voyager ever got to a Mirror Universe episode was "Living Witness," which portrayed the crew as ruthless toward those it encountered, and with quicker tendencies toward violence. Despite these similarities, this depiction was actually a historically inaccurate portrayal of Voyager's actions in the Delta Quadrant. This episode whet the appetites of many V...

What if Janeway Died? When it came to her crew, Captain Janeway would do anything to protect their safety...including sacrificing her own life. What if, on one of the many occasions where her life was in imminent danger, she really died and the Magic Reset Button was broken? Char and Tristan consider the numerous developments that would have happened to Voyager — both onboard the ship and in the s...

"Collective" Rewrite.  Children on Star Trek has always been a mixed bag. The Borg kids, whom we first meet in Voyager's sixth season episode "Collective," are no different. In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan attempt an assimilation of "Collective" in hopes of bringing it closer to perfection...or a rewrite, at least. They debate the usefulness of the Borg kids on Voyager, rave ab...

The Afterlife. Star Trek has never shied away from topics with no definitive answer, and therefore neither does To The Journey. In this episode, Char and Tristan undertake the episodes of Voyager that dealt with the possible afterlife. They examine several interpretations of where we might go after death, from The Great Forest to Gre'Thor — but be wary, for aliens living in another dimension could...

Missing Voyager Flashbacks.  The recipe for Star Trek success has a few key ingredients: thought-provoking sci-fi stories, social commentary embedded in said stories, epic space battles, and memorable characters. And when it comes to characters, we as fans don't ever get enough of our favorites. In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Earl Grey co-host Phillip Gilfus talk about missing charact...

Favorite Season Two Moments. Don a fresh uniform and brush up on your pool game, because you're invited to a party at Sandrine's on holodeck two at 1900 hours. What's the occasion, you ask? Char and Tristan are revisiting their "favorite moments" series in this episode of To The Journey. This time, it's Season Two on deck. So grab a drink from Sandrine, a slice of Jimbalian fudge cake from Neelix,...

The Killing Game, Part II Commentary. Star Trek two-part episodes tend to be known for a strong first half and weak conclusion. That is not the case when it comes to "The Killing Game," the second two-parter of Voyager Season Four. Despite starting with only a quarter of an hour of material for the second half, the writers pulled this one together with a nice mix of drama, humor, social commentary...

The Killing Game, Part I Commentary. After the cast and crew poured their hearts into the epic "Year of Hell" in Voyager's fourth season, it wouldn't have surprised anyone had Voyager steered clear of two-parters for the remainder of the season. However, the exhausted cast and crew went for it and gave us "The Killing Game," and pulled it off with gusto. Join Tristan and Char as they discuss World...

"Cold Fire" rewrite. The time has come again when Char and Tristan pick an episode of Voyager and give it a little TLC. This time, it's Season Two's "Cold Fire," where Voyager encounters the Caretaker's mate, Susperia, and a group of Ocampans who have embraced and honed their telekinetic abilities. Let us not forget the bonus of Kes accidentally boiling Tuvok. Listen on and find out what Char and...

"Tuvix" and "Similitude" Comparison. There are times when an idea is so good that you can't use it just once...right? Intentionally or not, the Trek writers have used similar plots for episodes of different series. Case in point: Enterprise's "Similitude" and Voyager's "Tuvix." Both spawn controversy about one's right to live, even if it means sacrificing another. The captains — Janeway and Archer...

The Voyager Reunion. It's deplorable that we did not see what happened to the Voyager crew after they returned home. Yes, we got a glimpse of a reunion in "Endgame," but Admiral Janeway eradicated that future. So, what would the intrepid crew be up to in the canon universe we know and love? In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan share their speculations on what each member of the crew...

Merry Prixin! Untangle the twinkle lights and hang some tinsel from the nacelles, it's that time of year where just about everyone is engaging in festivities of some sort. Since Char and Tristan are aboard the USS Voyager, naturally they are celebrating Prixin with Janeway, Chakotay, and  the crew. In this special installment of To The Journey, they discover what Prixin is really about.   Hosts Tr...

Trek Through the Tough Times. All of our lives are full of ups and downs. Though our minds gravitate towards looking back at the good times, the tougher times often equally affect who we become. In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan share how Voyager — and Star Trek in general — has been a constant and uplifting means of support through the more difficult periods in their lives, and...

Top Five Season One Moments. There are moments so remarkable that they instantly become what we think about when we recall the episode in which they occur. In this episode of To The Journey, Char and Tristan take a look at Voyager Season One and narrow their favorite moments down to a list of five each. Even with a limited season of only 16 episodes, the task was challenging, so what made the fina...

Timeless Commentary.  Throw some confetti because it's party time, To The Journey is 100 episodes old! Char and Tristan celebrate this milestone by breaking a bottle of champagne over the warp core and watching Voyager's 100th episode, "Timeless." Listen in as they ponder Robert Beltran's true hair color; Borg skeletal structure; Janeway and Chakotay's after-dinner "dessert"; who named Captain LaF...

Let's Write a Story! Char and Tristan are both smart people capable of thinking creatively on the spot. The question is, how well? Find out in this episode of To The Journey, where Char and Tristan write an episode of Star Trek: Voyager together. With no preparation prior to recording, they develop a story from start to finish in their own "Voyager writer's room." Listen on and find out who starre...