S6 E06: Riddles

Neelix and Tuvok are on a mission together on the Delta Flyer, and Neelix is annoying Tuvok, as usual. Tuvok retreats to the aft cabin for some peace and quiet, when a hidden assailant strikes him with an energy beam. Upon returning to Voyager the Doctor presents a grave prognosis: Tuvok's mind has been greatly damaged, and he may never recover. Voyager sets off for a nearby planet to try to get some answers, while Neelix tries to pester Tuvok out of his coma. Tuvok wakes, but cannot talk, and seems to instinctively trust Neelix. Voyager meets up with the Kasat, who send Narok, a deputy investigator. He has some theories about a reclusive species that studies people from the shadows, but hasn't been able to get solid evidence and admits that even his colleagues don't take him very seriously. With Seven's help, he sets up Voyager so it can detect the alien ships, but needs Tuvok to recover enough to remember the cloaking frequency that he detected just before he and his tricorder was shot. At first, Tuvok is unable to recall it; his mental capacity is that of a child, and he is emotional and enjoying Neelix's company. He is finally able to depict the frequency in the frosting of a cake he has baked, and Voyager tracks some ships back to a large space station; the aliens (the Ba'neth) at first have no interest in giving Voyager any help with fixing Tuvok, but Naroq offers to give up their scanning technology in exchange so that the Ba'neth annot be found again. The Doctor, with the new technology at hand, finds a cure for Tuvok, but child-Tuvok is reluctant to undergo the procedure. Though Neelix has been enjoying Tuvok's company, he is mature enough to encourage him to accept the treatment.

For some reason, the writers really like to pair up Neelix and Tuvok. I'll admit, based on their exchanges in Caretaker, I thought they showed promise, perhaps with a similar dynamic as that of Odo and Quark. However, when the stories seemed to be intent on taking Neelix's side, like in Rise, I decided I'd be happy if the two were never paired again. While the scripts have nothing but compassion for poor Neelix, constantly spurned by mean, icy Tuvok, I always saw it a different way. To me, Neelix's constant needling, despite Tuvok's repeated attempts to shoo him, showed a complete lack of respect for Tuvok's way of life. Neelix doesn't just pester Tuvok, he's constantly trying to get him to admit that logic is flawed, and that he should give up over a century of training and smile. There's no character on this show with as much contempt for another.

Fortunately, the pair hasn't had much time together of late, and this is their first story together since season four's (literal) resurrection of the Neelix character. The opening scene shows the obnoxious Neelix again, but this is just the usual Voyager character back-pedaling, and he quickly drops it once Tuvok is incapacitated. After that, he is back to being nouveau-Neelix - still irrepressible, but also respectful and mature. He at first tries to ensconce Tuvok in his old life to help restore him, but then follows Seven's advice and helps him explore what it is to be child-Tuvok. He is kind and accepting, but also selfless in his willingness to encourage Tuvok to undergo the treatment. I'll give Neelix half a pass for the first scene, largely because I've come to expect that sort of behavior from the writers. I am still a little annoyed by the last scene, wherein Tuvok comes up with another joke answer to a joke riddle of Neelix's from the first scene, and Neelix knowingly chides Tuvok for giving an illogical response. What the hell is illogical about puns, Voyager writers? I'm not sure you guys actually know what logic is.

So, Neelix is still good, but I wasn't entirely happy with Tim Russ' performance as child-Tuvok. He acts like a pretty stereotypical adult-playing-a-child, but also adds in some weird halting speech thing. My wife disagrees with me on this point (and, actually, on the whole old-Neelix being contemptuous of Tuvok part too), and was impressed with the way he carried himself through these scenes, so we'll call this one a wash.

If Innocence, The Swarm, Before and After, and The Fight are Alzheimer's-themed episodes, then this one is a stroke-themed episode. The sudden neurological deficits, personality changes, and slow, agonizing, and uncertain recovery are all very evocative of the plight of the victims and the families of the victims of strokes. If this episode has one major drawback, it is that we only focus on Neelix's response to Tuvok's change. My wife speculates that's because Neelix is the only one who is strong/brave enough to open up to him, but I don't think I agree. Janeway should be greatly affected by this change, but probably the biggest problem with Tuvok's absence from season 5 is that what little he had formed in terms of relationships with the crew do feel like they have wilted away. Especially after the departure of Kes, he does feel kind of disconnected from the crew, since his early scenes with Seven have not seen any sort of follow through.

Watchability: 4/5

Bottom Line: A stroke-themed episode is a great idea, and they picked the right victim, but after that this episode suffers somewhat from a narrowness of scope.