Drive
- Episode aired Oct 18, 2000
- TV-PG
- 43m
Tom's sudden entry in an alien spacecraft race throws a wrench into B'Elanna's labored plans for a romantic holodeck getaway for two, threatening their relationship.Tom's sudden entry in an alien spacecraft race throws a wrench into B'Elanna's labored plans for a romantic holodeck getaway for two, threatening their relationship.Tom's sudden entry in an alien spacecraft race throws a wrench into B'Elanna's labored plans for a romantic holodeck getaway for two, threatening their relationship.
- Voyager Ops Officer
- (uncredited)
- Alien Dignitary
- (uncredited)
- Lt. Ayala
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaB'Elanna plans a Holodeck holiday for her and Tom on Giedi Prime. This is the Harkonnen home world in the Dune series of novels by Frank Herbert. Giedi is here described is a lush paradise above and beyond even that of Risa, the pleasure planet often seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), which is ironic, since Herbert describes Giedi Prime as a polluted industrial wasteland.
- GoofsWhen Tom Paris makes B'Elanna recite 'nursery rhymes' In the Delta Flyer, he says that they got him through the academy. B'Elanna responds "you were expelled." This is not true. Tom Paris graduated from the academy; however, the character that Robert Duncan McNeill played in TNG The First Duty (1992), Nicholas Locarno, WAS expelled.
- Quotes
[Tom Paris wants to participate in a race, much against Tuvok's wishes]
Tom Paris: Captain, this race is more than just a sporting event. Until recently, this region was a war zone. Four different species fought for nearly a century to control it.
Harry Kim: Now, for the first time, they're competing peacefully, to commemorate the new treaty that ended the war.
Tom Paris: This race embodies everything the Federation values: a peaceful coexistence, free exchange of ideas...
Captain Kathryn Janeway: I think it's a great idea.
Tom Paris: [baffled silence] You do?
Tuvok: You do?
- ConnectionsReferenced in Star Trek: Lower Decks: Reflections (2022)
The episode starts off with the promise of an exciting race set against a tense political backdrop, but it ends up trying to do too much.
The main problem for me is the shifting focus from the race, to politics, to comedy, to romance and back again. I'm just guessing the writers were trying to say there are more important things a stake than a race, but for this to work they have to keep things interesting.
A significant amount of time is dedicated to Tom and B'Elanna's mixed race relationship, contrasting with other characters lack of tolerance and acceptance of integrated societies. As good an idea as this is, I do not think it really works. Tom and B'Elanna are decent characters played by good actors but unfortunately they do not have strong material to portray their romance. It feels forced with unnatural sounding dialogue as they tend to awkwardly, over-explain their feelings. (Harry Kim and Irina's lines are equally as unimaginative)
That being said there are some enjoyable moments: The crew being more interested in the race than duty; Seven of Nine advising B'Elanna how to handle Tom; and Neelix turning commentator.
I rate it as a 5.5/10, but round upwards.
- snoozejonc
- Jul 31, 2020
Details
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3