Caretaker
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 16 January 1995
- ON
- UPN
- STARDATE
- 48315.6
- DIRECTED BY
- Winrich Kolbe
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 721
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Michael Piller & Jeri Taylor; story by Rick Berman & Michael Piller & Jeri Taylor
Pursuing a Maquis ship into the Badlands, Captain Janeway and the new USS Voyager are flung across the galaxy, stranded 70,000 light years from home.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
Captain Kathryn Janeway takes the USS Voyager into the Badlands to find a missing Maquis ship carrying her undercover security chief, Tuvok, with former Starfleet officer Tom Paris released from prison to help. A powerful displacement wave hurls both ships 70,000 light years into the Delta Quadrant, killing several of Voyager's senior officers. Both crews are taken to an array run by the Caretaker, a dying alien who has spent centuries caring for the Ocampa, whose world his own people ruined. Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres go missing. With help from Neelix, a scavenger, and Kes, a young Ocampa, Janeway and Maquis leader Chakotay rescue them, while hostile Kazon close in. Chakotay sacrifices his own ship in the battle. Rather than let the array fall into Kazon hands, Janeway destroys it, stranding Voyager 75 years from home. The two crews unite under her command, with Chakotay as first officer and Paris at the helm.
- 01Geneviève Bujold was first cast as the captain, then named Nicole Janeway, but left after two days of filming. Kate Mulgrew took over the role.
- 02The double-length premiere launched the UPN network on 16 January 1995 and was watched by 21 million American viewers.
- 03It won two Emmy Awards, for its main title theme music and its special visual effects. Armin Shimerman cameos as Quark from Deep Space Nine.