S7 E03: Drive

Paris and Kim are out testing the Delta Flyer II when they are challenged to a race by another ship. They win, but need to take the other ship to Voyager to help repair it. Its pilot, Irina, informs them of a nearby interstellar race, in which Paris immediately seeks Janeway's permission to compete. She consents, but Torres is frustrated that he had forgotten about their romantic holodeck getaway, so on Neelix's counsel, she takes Kim's place aboard the Flyer for the race. The race's organizers embrace Voyager as a neutral party for hosting the event, since it is the first since the cessation of hostilities in the area. Irina's ship shows signs of sabotage, and when her co-pilot is injured, Kim takes his place. When he is almost incapacitated too, he realizes that Irina is herself the saboteur, and plans to not be anywhere near the finish line when the Flyer, which she also sabotaged, crosses the finish line - an act that would set off a bomb and kill all the spectators. The communications system is down, but Kim manages to send an encoded message to the Flyer, which has already stopped short of winning because Paris and Torres were arguing. They get the message and transport the bomb to a nebula, and then Paris and Torres get married for some reason.

So, you know how I'm annoyed because every time Paris and Torres get screen time together it is so that they can fight with each other? This episode is the same thing. The time when they were happiest together remains Thirty Days, two seasons ago, when they couldn't see each other because Paris was in solitary confinement. Every time they're around, they're miserable. Worse, out of a need for drama, they are constantly dismissive of the other's desires to the point that it is really hard to imagine that they care for each other.

When Torres is dejected over Paris' latest slight, she visits the mess hall. Neelix is once again the thoughtful, caring, mature ship's counselor, and offers useful advice, but my wife and I were adding dialogue to the scene because we were so annoyed by Torres/Paris. Some examples:

NEELIX: What about your weekend with Tom?
TORRES: He just cancelled it.
MY WIFE AND ME (US): And you're going to break up with him!!
NEELIX: Does he have any idea how much planning it took?
TORRES: No, and you’re not going to tell him either. He just entered this big race and he’s really excited and, I don’t want to spoil it for him.
US: Plus, it gives you more time to break up with him!
NEELIX: I'm sure if you tell him how important this weekend was to you, he’ll reconsider.
TORRES: Probably, but he should be able to do what makes him happy.
US: Like not be with you?
NEELIX: What about what makes you happy?
TORRES; It’s time I faced facts, Neelix. Tom and I just don’t belong together.
US: FINALLY!
NEELIX: Then you’re not in love with him anymore?
TORRES: I didn’t say that.
US: It's just that you never were in love in the first place!
NEELIX: B’Elanna, if you still love each other.
TORRES: Maybe that isn’t enough.
NEELIX: Call me a hopeless romantic, but I still think it is.
TORRES: There’s a Klingon phrase my grandmother used to use. Mok'tah. It means bad match. That’s what Tom and I are. I just hate that it's taken me three years to realize it.
US: We hate it too!

But, of course, Paris had to pull out all the stops and lose the race just to get her back, so she had to marry him. I guess that's how that works. The thing is, they always patch things up when they fight (which, as I've mentioned, is all the time), so I have zero faith that things will improve between them.

On the other hand, this episode also has the space rally race, which is a bit silly but also awesome. I'm surprised that there hasn't been anything else like it in Trek, but if there's only one show to have a race, it should be the show with Tom Paris in it. The idea of the race as a kind of public relations stunt designed to bring formerly warring factions together is also great, and gives Voyager a good excuse to participate. If only it weren't marred by being another tedious Torres/Paris episode, this premise could have made for a fantastic fun episode.

Watchability: 3/5

Bottom Line: Okay, so the Paris/Torres stuff is actually a bit more palatable than it usually is, and the writers do a decent job of not really siding with one or the other here, which helps.