With the current lull in Star Trek programming, it's a great time to look back and reflect on all the shows released thus far. While some might choose to do so by watching past series with a Paramount+ subscription, others were psyched to visit Fan Expo Boston to watch Kate Mulgrew speak about her time on Voyager. Among other things, the star who played Captain Janeway revealed the storyline she wished the series would've dove deeper into, and I agree with her.
Star Trek: Voyager has some WTF moments, but it also contains some of the best story and character ideas the franchise has ever delivered. I love the series and think it's great, but I can't help but think it would be that much better had the writers had the same thought Kate Mulgrew talked about during her fan Q&A. In a video uploaded by Craig Semon, Mulgrew talked about the one episode she felt should've been stretched across the series, saying:
They did one episode on the Captain's loneliness. It didn't seem to have much traction, but I thought they should've explored that throughout the run. I gave up my life as a young woman. I gave up the chance to have children. I had to break up with my fiancé, who quickly remarried. I had to say goodbye to my dog. As Captain, I could love, but only to a certain extent. And Janeway chose not to have a lover. I chose–Kate Mulgrew chose not to do that. So, the loneliness was harrowing. And I think it should've been a bit better revealed that just under the surface of her absolute devotion to this crew and her passion for science and exploration. But, you have to show the person, you know?
I agree with Kate Mulgrew, and I wouldn't be surprised if her take was somewhat influenced by the way current and upcoming Trek shows emphasize character-driven storytelling. It almost sounds like she wishes Captain Janeway could've been explored in the same way that Michael Burnham was in Discovery, and as someone who thinks Burnham is one of the best Trek characters specifically because we see so much of the captain's growth, I can't blame Mulgrew for wishing she had that same experience as Janeway.
Of course, Star Trek: Voyager had an entire ensemble cast to worry about, and not every adventure was Janeway-centric. Even so, Kate Mulgrew feels there was another reason the writers didn't harp on the Captain's loneliness too much, but why she still feels like it was a missed opportunity:
I suppose they were a little afraid that would be feminine or something, but I think it's crucial. Women doing brave things, and bold things, and unprecedented things are often lonely. Anyway we are lonely in life. The only thing we can do is be the best we can be under the circumstances. So I gave Janeway everything I had.
I think many Star Trek fans would agree Kate Mulgrew gave one of her best performances as Captain Janeway, and she's even continued to do so as Admiral Janeway in Prodigy. With Season 2 on its way to those with a Netflix subscription in July, maybe the writers gave her the wish of diving deeper into exploring the lonely side of Janeway.
And if not, Kate Mulgrew can take solace that Captain Janeway was never neglected as a character on Star Trek: Voyager. Lest we forget there are characters like Harry Kim who really got screwed over on the series, it could always be worse.
Kate Mulgrew expressed an interest to reprise her character in live-action in the modern era of Star Trek, but we haven't seen it happen yet. Top brass Alex Kurtzman told CinemaBlend "surprises" are on the way after Discovery's end, so maybe there is something we don't know about yet in the works. Cross those fingers if you'd like to see it happen, because we're not that far off from San Diego Comic-Con, so there could be some big announcements for the franchise there. I'd hate to be so bold to ask for a Voyager movie, but c'mon, isn't that way overdue at this point?
While we wait for updates on that front, many other Star Trek fans and I will be watching Season 2 of Prodigy when it arrives on Netflix on July 1st. Hopefully, the latest season will be just as good as the first, and enough fans will watch to encourage Netflix to greenlight more seasons.
