The Surprising Decision That Divided Star Trek Fans: Voyager Reviving Roddenberry's Core TNG Rule

Summary

Star Trek: Voyager's adherence to Gene Roddenberry's 'no conflict' rule limited its potential for interesting storylines and character development.

The Maquis crew's swift integration into Starfleet in the pilot episode was unrealistic and missed a chance for dynamic conflicts and character development. Despite addressing certain disputes between the crews in later episodes, Voyager ultimately failed to capitalize on its potential for conflict and squandered valuable character and plot opportunities.

Star Trek: Voyager adhered to a rule set by Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ultimately hindered the show's potential for more intriguing storylines. Airing from 1995 to 2001, Voyager was the fourth installment in the Star Trek franchise. It introduced several groundbreaking elements to the series, such as featuring Captain Kathryn Janeway (played by Kate Mulgrew) as the first female lead captain. Furthermore, the show centered around a diverse crew, many of whom were not initially Starfleet officers.

In the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager, titled "Caretaker," the USS Voyager is unexpectedly transported to the far-off Delta Quadrant while on a mission to locate a rebellious Maquis group fighting against the Cardassians in the Alpha Quadrant. As the episode concludes, both Voyager's crew and the Maquis find themselves stranded far from Earth, leading them to unite and embark on a joint journey back home. Although the initial challenges posed by the integration of the Maquis into Captain Janeway's crew were explored during the first season, Voyager was unable to fully delve into this concept due to an old rule established by Gene Roddenberry.

Star Trek: Voyager Brought Back Roddenberry's Core TNG 'No Conflict' Rule

Star Trek: Voyager missed out on several potential storylines by adhering to Gene Roddenberry's 'no conflict' rule from Star Trek: TNG, which significantly reduced the conflict between the Starfleet and Maquis crew. In the beginning, Roddenberry enforced the concept that the crew of USS Enterprise-D should avoid internal conflict and instead face obstacles from external forces. Although Roddenberry had passed away by the time Voyager aired, executive producer Rick Berman stayed true to his vision.

Therefore, Berman aimed to align Star Trek: Voyager with Roddenberry's no-conflict rule. One of the reasons for this decision was the concurrent airing of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which had departed from the rule but was struggling in terms of ratings. Consequently, Voyager's showrunners opted to return to the style and tone of TNG, notably illustrated in the pilot episode where the Maquis crew swiftly integrated into Starfleet and accepted the change by the end of the episode.

Why Voyager's Crew & Maquis Lacking Conflict Was A Mistake

The Maquis crew integrating into Starfleet was a logical choice, but the swift implementation was a mistake for several reasons. The lack of dissent from the Maquis, especially from their former captain Chakotay, in "Caretaker" feels jarring. The integration was merely mentioned by Janeway in the final scene, without being shown on-screen. Given the differing views between the Maquis and Starfleet, it is surprising that there was no resistance from either crew.

While subsequent episodes touched on some disputes between the two crews, Star Trek: Voyager missed the opportunity to fully explore the potential conflicts. Apart from occasional references, any issues between Starfleet and the Maquis were resolved by the end of season 1. Although it is understandable that Voyager wanted to emulate the success of previous series, the lack of conflict with the Maquis was unrealistic and failed to utilize the full potential of characters and storylines.