168 – Natural Law

Grade: C+

Summary

Chakotay and Seven are flying around in a shuttlecraft when they see a planet with a force field around it. He decides to take a closer look, and they end up crashing into the force field. Seven is able to rip a hole into the force field, but that only helps them crash onto the surface. After they exit the ship, they find out they are near a community of prehistoric people.

Commentary

The Prehistoric Society is one of Star Trek’s staples. They appear all over the place, and in every series. With all of these stories, we’re supposed to learn how our actions can have drastic effects on the culture and development of these people. This is done so many times by now that these stories are no longer remarkable. The plot really has to have something unique in order for it to stand out. This one just blends in with all the others and there’s no reason to even watch it.

Apparently an alien society built the force field 300 years ago to protect the planet from other aliens. No reason is given, neither is there any explanation as to how the energy barrier could have been maintained for that long. Well, that’s already more thinking about this episode than I really cared to do.

This episode is pretty bland and pointless. The only thing that is remotely different about this episode is Seven’s friendship that she develops with one of the people living there. Her friend gives her a blanket, but everyone knows this will never be referred to again, and we’ll never see the results of this friendship ever again. So this story adds nothing to Voyager or the characters and it’s a waste of everyone’s time.