The crew of Voyager is, one by one, being replaced by innocent-looking aliens (the Nyrians). By the time that the crew realizes that this swapping is part of a hostile take-over of the ship, it is far too late. Eventually, the whole crew is detained in a habitat that was designed to suit their needs, as long as they don't feel the need to escape. Well, they do, and discover that they're in a facility with a whole lot of these habitats. Janeway and Tuvok manage to take control of the device that captured the crew, and use it to hold the Nyrians hostage in one of those environments that they aren't well-suited for, until all the peoples that have been kept prisoner there are set free.
The Nyrians, like the invaders from Rise, have a reasonably interesting way of going about the rather commonplace activity of conquest in space. That they do things the way they do out of a desire to non-violently steal is a good hook. The director opined that he wished they were more sinister, but I think they're more unique by being so non-threatening. Well, their hats are pretty goofy, so there's that, but overall I'm happy with their implementation.
What sells me on this episode is the importance of the environmental preferences of the different species. Most of the alien-a-week groups don't get that kind of treatment - even many of the long-standing Trek species don't either. To then have that information be used as an important part of the plot of the episode is nice, but strays into obvious Chekhov's Gun* territory.
I've noticed that the more recent episodes have tended towards more technologically advanced enemies. I think part of the reason for that is not everyone liked the Kazon as much as I did, and the writers decided it must be because they were less technologically advanced. Although, it is pretty common for people to look at something, not like it, then try to look for a simple reason for why that thing is bad. See, for example, people who don't like Star Trek: very often, when I read rants about why someone doesn't like Star Trek (which I kind of seek out because I'm crazy), it transforms into a rant about how Star Trek is bad because the prime directive is bad. Or because having a multi-author show is bad. Or that the alien-a-week format is bad. Presumably, the writers got plenty of anti-Kazon feedback that said: low-tech is bad, and they took it to heart. Then again, they could have just decided that triumphing against a more powerful enemy would seem more heroic. I don't think that's necessarily true, but I'm happy to have variety.
Watchability: 4/5
Bottom Line: Not a whole lot of depth, but this is a well-constructed episode, and I've got to reward that. Maybe my rating system is overly generous if "not making me wince" starts you out at a 4/5...
*I really need to stop linking to tvtropes. I lose at least an hour every time I do.
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