Unveiling the Epic Upgrade: How Star Trek: Voyager Revolutionized a TNG Classic - Prepare to be Amazed!

Summary

Enhanced by elements of classic film noir and detective tropes, the early episode "Ex Post Facto" of Star Trek: Voyager elevated a murder mystery storyline from Star Trek: The Next Generation, resulting in a more captivating and engaging plot.

Voyager's "Ex Post Facto" outshone TNG's "A Matter of Perspective" in terms of storytelling and overall engagement by incorporating elements from other mystery works and introducing unique aspects.

Caution: This article discusses suicide.

One of the early episodes of Star Trek: Voyager greatly enhanced a murder mystery plotline from Star Trek: The Next Generation. As the fourth installment in the Star Trek franchise, Voyager had a wealth of existing material to draw from for inspiration, while also striving to create something unique. Interconnectedness between the shows was common in the 1990s-era Star Trek series, including Voyager and TNG, as writers and producers often worked on multiple shows simultaneously to maintain franchise continuity.

Star Trek: Voyager’s Murder Mystery Copies A TNG Season 3 Episode

As Voyager was still establishing its place in the franchise, it occasionally borrowed episodes from other Star Trek series like TNG. This was evident in Voyager season 1, episode 8, "Ex Post Facto," where Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) found himself accused of the murder of a renowned alien scientist whom Voyager's crew had sought assistance from. Despite his continuous claims of innocence, Tom was compelled to reexperience the final moments of the supposed victim's life every 14 hours as dictated by the law of the alien planet. Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and Tuvok (Tim Russ) embarked on a mission to exonerate Tom throughout the duration of the episode.

Apart from a few minor distinctions, "Ex Post Facto" closely mirrors the storyline of TNG season 3, episode 14, "A Matter of Perspective." However, the former executes its plot with greater finesse. Numerous similarities exist between the two episodes. Both highlight the presence of the charming ladies' man, Will Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes in TNG), who becomes ensnared in a compromising situation with the spouse of an extraterrestrial scientist. Subsequently, the alien scientist's wife meets a tragic demise, and Riker finds himself falsely accused of the crime. In both episodes, a reenactment of the murder and the events leading up to it takes place. In TNG, the crew reenacts these events using the holodeck to unravel the truth behind Riker's alleged guilt.

However, the episodes differ significantly, primarily due to the identity of the perpetrator of the crime. In Voyager's rendition, the audience is taken on a thrilling journey reminiscent of a classic film noir, complete with a seductive femme fatale named Lidell Ren (played by Robin McKee) who was romantically involved with Paris. Additionally, the plot involves a clandestine espionage conspiracy. On the other hand, in TNG's version, the answer is more straightforward and tragically so. The episode concludes with the revelation that the scientist, Dr. Nel Apgar (portrayed by Mark Margolis), unintentionally caused his own demise in his misguided attempt to assassinate Riker, following a progressively uncontrollable situation involving Apgar's wife.

How Voyager Improved On TNG’s Original Murder Mystery

"Ex Post Facto" improved upon "A Matter of Perspective" by offering a more compelling narrative, thanks to Voyager's decision to reshape the plot. Drawing inspiration from various classic detective stories and murder mysteries, the episode incorporated not only noir tropes but also ideas reminiscent of the renowned Sherlock Holmes books. While "Ex Post Facto" may not rank among Star Trek: Voyager's finest moments, its storyline proved to be considerably more captivating than that of TNG's version. The mystery in TNG was treated like a typical courtroom drama, unfolding in a somewhat predictable manner and, consequently, resulting in an overall less engaging episode.