Remember (episode)

Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

"Remember"
VOY, Episode 3x06
Production number: 40840-148
First aired: 9 October 1996
←  47th of 168 produced in VOY  →
←  47th of 168 released in VOY  →
←  430th of 911 released in all  →
Teleplay by	Lisa Klink
Story by	Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
Directed by	Winrich Kolbe
In-universe date	50203.1 (2373)

For the TNG episode with a similar title, please see "Remember Me".

B'Elanna Torres receives vivid dreams from an unknown passenger aboard Voyager.

Summary

Teaser

"Captain's log, stardate 50203.1. We're three days away from Enara Prime, home of the passengers we picked up from a colony in the Fima system. Our high warp capability has greatly reduced the time it normally takes them to make the journey home. In return, the Enarans have shared their energy conservation technology with us and, perhaps more importantly, their friendship."

The engineering staff, specifically Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres and Ensign Harry Kim, are working with a group of the visiting guests, Jessen and Jora Mirell, to install their energy conservation technology and decide to call an end to the evening's work. Kim and Jessen have become friendly and go off to dinner while Torres retires to bed for the night. While in bed, Torres has a vivid dream about having a passionate love affair with a young Enaran male, Dathan Alaris, who, interestingly, calls her Korenna. She oversleeps the next morning and Chakotay comes to wake her.

Act One

Torres is immediately apologetic for being late to her shift, but Chakotay is more concerned about her. She confides to Chakotay about the dreams and her excitement about the love affair they portray. He's amused by the whole thing, and Torres swears him to silence.

"It's a little cold in here, isn't it?"
"Perhaps a bit chillier than we're used to but just about perfect for…"
"Enarans, I got it."

Meanwhile, Neelix has shut off the mess hall to the crew in preparations for an Enaran-themed party to recognize their guests. Tom Paris and Kim enter and are amazed at the lengths he went through, and the Enarans certainly enjoy it. Kim goes to join Jessen while Jor Brel, the Enaran leader, is playing a traditional Enaran musical instrument. Captain Kathryn Janeway, next to him, loves the music and asks about the instrument. Brel offers to help her play it, and she agrees, but she doesn't realize this meant a telepathic link with her to share his knowledge. She is startled because she didn't expect such an intense contact but at the same time she appreciates the experience and understands it was innocent. Jor Brel apologizes and the incident is settled.

Meanwhile, Torres did not join the party, turning in early to have another dream. This one is not as pleasant, as her character is scolded by her father, Jareth, for continuing to see the man from earlier. It's revealed he is forbidden from contact with her. She pleads with him, but he is adamant. Her father leaves, and the man, hidden up until now, comes from a back room. They embrace, but suddenly his skin becomes badly burned and he screams in pain.

Act Two

Torres reports to Chakotay with an update on the energy conservation efforts, then turns to the dreams. She says it feels like they are advancing a story, and it's very real. She thinks there's more going on. Chakotay suggests she talk to one of the Enarans while he informs Janeway.

Torres going to engineering, but then one of these dreams catches her in daytime, this time a ceremony in which Torres' character is given an award by her father. Her father is talking about the beginnings of colonization efforts for his people. To her surprise, her lover is there, risking being seen with her to participate in her big day. They want to embrace, but can't risk it. They promise to see each other the next day.

Meanwhile, Kes finds Torres unconscious in engineering, and calls for a medical emergency.

Act Three

Torres jumps awake in sickbay, to a relieved Janeway and Kes. The Doctor finds strong signs of telepathic activity and determines that the memories Torres is experiencing were implanted in her subconscious, only to be realized when her conscious mind is inactive. He wants to put a cortical inhibitor on her to suppress theta wave activity. Torres hesitates, as she wants to see the story through, but The Doctor reiterates she would risk brain damage, so she relents.

Janeway decides to ask Brel about the incident. Brel seems honestly skeptical that anyone is doing this intentionally. His guess is that she is sensitive to the stray telepathic thoughts of all Enarans on the ship, and Torres' mind is forging them into a narrative. After he leaves, Tuvok admits it is a plausible explanation, and Torres also thinks it's reasonable. Janeway admits there's no other sign of a hidden agenda with the Enarans, however, she wants to keep investigating, and Tuvok isn't satisfied either until they've ruled out foul play. In the meantime, she orders Torres to take time off, to get away from it.

"Captain's log, stardate 50211.4. We're approaching Enara and preparing to host a farewell party for our guests. They've made every effort to help us understand their telepathic abilities but it's still a mystery why they've affected Lieutenant Torres so strongly."

Torres can't just sit and wait, so she takes off the inhibitor and allows another dream to occur. This time, Korenna has a talk with her father about the Regressives, a subgroup which once resisted Enaran technology. She's been led to believe that, because of their chosen way of life, they're dangerous to have living on the planet, and have voluntarily chosen to be resettled to a colony world. She's skeptical now, and talks with her dad to reassure her. Later, she flashes to her participation in preparing the people for the ship. Some are silent, but one person wants more information on what will happen to her. Korenna can't give it to her, and she's led away by someone else. Then, Korenna's father calls Alaris' name, much to Korenna's surprise. He doesn't show, which leads her father to think Korenna warned him, but she didn't know about him. Then, another person, resisting the processing, knocks Korenna down leaving her with a deep cut along the side of her face.

Torres wakes up and remembers that Jora Mirell had a scar in the same area and realizes that it's her memories she's reliving. Determined to talk to Mirell herself, she has the computer track her to her quarters. When Mirell doesn't answer the door chime, she breaks in and finds her on the floor. Mirell is insistent on giving her the rest of the memories because she won't deny the truth, something the rest of her people have been hiding for a long time. Mirell says the others in her group now know she's been sharing these memories. She grabs Torres' neck and Torres finds herself in another dream, now playing the same kind of musical instrument from before.

Act Four

Korenna, in her room again, stops playing and thinks. Alaris enters her room, and explains he is scheduled to leave the next day. He wants Korenna to come with him, but she can't leave her family and career. Alaris tells her the incredible rumor: that the Regressives are not colonized, but simply killed en route to the planet. Korenna has a hard time believing this, as there's plausible explanations for not being able to get in contact with those who already left, but Alaris is adamant. They're interrupted by Korenna's father, who talks to his daughter. He claims that the Regressives want nothing more than to force their beliefs on others and manipulating her to bring her over to them. He also claims Alaris has been seen with other young women and only wants to turn her against her family. Korenna is eventually swayed by his rhetoric and signals that Alaris is in the next room.

Her memory flashes to later when Alaris and another Regressive are put to death (burned like she saw earlier) after the words of Korenna's father talking about protecting their ideals. Korenna is deeply distraught, but then, when the crowd cheers at their deaths, Korenna herself joins in. After this, Korenna is shown as a teacher working with children. She tells them that the Regressives eventually wiped themselves out through infighting and diseases, and now none of them remain.

Torres wakes up to find that Jora is dead.

Act Five

Strongly affected by the horrible visions, Torres realizes that the Enarans have concealed a part of their history from their descendants and that Jora regretted her actions and didn't want her buried memories to die with her. She charges into the goodbye party organized for the Enarans and tells everybody about what she has discovered. The older Enarans refuse to admit that what she experienced was a true story, while the younger ones refuse to believe her. Torres also accuses the chief of the Enarans of having killed Jora Mirell. Janeway is shocked and tells B'Elanna she will speak to The Doctor to confirm the cause of death of Jora Mirell and then meet B'Elanna in her ready room an hour later.

Janeway decides to allow the Enarans to disembark and takes no actions to force them to come to terms with their history. She tells Torres she believes her, but if they want to conceal a part of their history from themselves it is their right to do so. Starfleet has no business in the matter. Torres desperately suggests they could look into it if a murder occurred on their ship, but Janeway says she already had The Doctor examine Jora Morell for signs of foul play and that he found none. They have no basis to launch any kind of investigation, however Janeway has trade negotiations as well as shore leave canceled, and orders that Voyager leave orbit as soon as all the Enarans have disembarked. Janeway mentions that the Enaran engineers are still packing up their equipment, and suggests that if Torres has anything more to say, she should talk to them. Torres thanks Janeway and leaves.

In engineering, Torres finds Jessen, who still strongly refuses to believe her. Torres challenges her to prove her wrong, telling her she can look for the colony where the Regressives were supposedly settled, ask questions and discover the truth about what happened whatever that may be. She offers to give her all the information she can and regrets she cannot simply pass on her memories like Jora did. Convinced by Torres' earnestness that she might be telling the truth, Jessen tells Torres that she can establish the telepathic link. Torres agrees, and Jessen in turn begins experiencing the same story herself.

Memorable quotes

"Maybe he's right. The Enarans haven't shown any hint of subterfuge, any hidden agenda. They've been nothing but straightforward and honest. You're in no immediate danger. They'll be gone in another day. The situation will resolve itself."
"And yet, you fully intend to continue investigating."
"I wonder how long it's been since I did anything that surprised you."

- Captain Janeway and Tuvok

"Why don't you go on without me."
(Harry Kim and Jessen leave)
"No, really. I insist."

- B'Elanna Torres

"I don't think satisfying your curiosity is worth risking brain damage, lieutenant."

- The Doctor, to Torres

"I wish… I had your abilities. I could just show you."
"You would do that? Share your experiences openly?"
"Of course."

- B'Elanna Torres and Jessen

"So that's it? We just go on our merry way and nobody ever has to take any kind of responsibility?"

- B'Elanna Torres to Captain Janeway

Background information

Story and script

• This episode was meant as a parable to the Holocaust and was conceived of as a Deanna Troi episode for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Joe Menosky, co-writer of the episode's story, recalled, "That episode was actually a Next Generation story that Brannon [Braga] and I came up with a long, long time ago, and it was going to be a Troi story. Lisa Klink took it over and reworked it and made it a Voyager episode." (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 92)
• The final draft of this episode's script was submitted on 16 July 1996. [1]

Cast and characters

• Actress Roxann Dawson was thrilled with the teleplay of this episode. She remarked, "It was a brilliant script […] I felt the show had something to say." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 12) Additionally, Dawson enthused, "I loved the story – it was so well written." (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, p. 18)
• Dawson also enjoyed appearing in this episode, as well as the connections between her two roles of Torres and Korenna Mirell. The actress raved, "I loved having the opportunity to do that show [....] I loved being able to play the two characters, and how Korenna's life influenced B'Elanna's." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 12) In fact, Dawson cited this episode – towards the end of Voyager's seventh and final season – as being "the episode I'm probably most proud of," and further said, "It was a great opportunity to play two characters, really." (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, p. 18)
• Roxann Dawson's performance herein made the episode a prominent one for both Lisa Klink and director Winrich Kolbe. Following her work on the third season, Klink remarked, "[Roxann] was amazing in this episode. I think that all of our actors are very good, but in this particular instance, this one performance stands out in my mind from the whole season as just being remarkable." (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 92) At the end of Voyager's fourth season, Kolbe said of "Remember", "That sticks out because of Roxann. She did a terrific job and she's getting better and better." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15)
• An aspect of the episode that thrilled Roxann Dawson was the opportunity to perform alongside the actor who played Jareth. "Bruce Davison was extraordinary," Dawson commented. "I've always wanted to work with him. I had known of him since I lived in New York City, and he was just brilliant." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 12)
• Janeway actress Kate Mulgrew also enjoyed this episode. Midway through saying that she thought highly of both Roxann Dawson and Winrich Kolbe, Mulgrew enthused of their work here, "I loved 'Remember' which she [Dawson] shot with my boyfriend [Kolbe]." (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 84)

Reception

• Ultimately, Brannon Braga was disappointed by this episode; he would have preferred that the episode had been done as an installment of TNG and felt that Schindler's List as well as subsequent awareness of the Holocaust had taken the edge off this episode's genocide-related story. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 92)
• On the other hand, Joe Menosky favored the episode's final form over its TNG origins. "I think, ironically enough, that it was better as a Voyager than it would have been as a TNG," he enthused, "and I think better as a Torres story than it would have been as a Troi story. Because in some ways, not having a 'sensitive' character and to be thrown into this situation is a little more effective." (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 92)
• Winrich Kolbe was impressed with the writing of this episode. Referring indirectly to Roxann Dawson, Kolbe opined, "The story they built around her for that show was very good, very creative." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15)
• This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 4.7 million homes, and an 8% share. [2]^(X)
• Cinefantastique rated this episode 3 out of 4 stars. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 90)
• Star Trek Magazine scored this episode 3 out of 5 stars, defined as "Warp Speed". Additionally, Lou Anders, a writer of the magazine, wrote a review of the installment, commenting, "'Remember' deals with a very important theme in the way that the best Star Trek episodes always do. However, while the subject matter is important, the episode is not as exciting as other recent outings." (Star Trek Monthly issue 24, p. 59)
• The unauthorized reference book Delta Quadrant (p. 145) gives this installment a rating of 6 out of 10.
• Executive producer Jeri Taylor stated that both this episode and the previous one ("False Profits") were examples of episodes which "didn't work", yet maintained that "Coda" and "Nothing Human" did work. (Star Trek: Voyager - A Vision of the Future)

Continuity

• In this episode, Janeway quips to Tuvok, "I wonder how long it's been since I did anything that surprised you." Two episodes prior, in "The Swarm", Tuvok claims to be surprised by her decision to pass through the swarm's space. "The Swarm" was actually produced after this episode though, and has a later stardate of 50252.3.
• This episode's plot is similar to that of VOY Season 6's "Memorial", although the entire crew relives a terrible past as if it was part of their memories.

Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 3.3, 24 February 1997
• As part of the VOY Season 3 DVD collection

Links and references

Starring

• Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway

Also starring

• Robert Beltran as Commander Chakotay
• Roxann Dawson as Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres
• Jennifer Lien as Kes
• Robert Duncan McNeill as Lieutenant Tom Paris
• Ethan Phillips as Neelix
• Robert Picardo as The Doctor
• Tim Russ as Lieutenant Tuvok
• Garrett Wang as Ensign Harry Kim

Guest Stars

• Eugene Roche as Jor Brel
• Charles Esten as Dathan Alaris
• Athena Massey as Jessen
• Eve H. Brenner as Jora Mirell / Korenna Mirell

Special Guest Star

• Bruce Davison as Jareth

Co-Stars

• Nancy Kaine as Woman
• Tina Reddington as Girl
• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited Co-Stars

• Michael Beebe as Murphy
• Angela Brown as Enaran cadet
• John Copage as sciences officer
• Ron DeMore as Enaran soldier
• Alexander James Egan as Enaran boy
• Brian Hall as Enaran cadet
• Sue Henley as Brooks
• Ken Jackman as Enaran civilian
• B. Johnson as Enaran girl
• Scott Leva as Fredik
• Stuart Nixon as Enaran civilian
• Jack Nolan as Enaran cadet
• Kate Ricci as Enaran cadet
• Richard Sarstedt as William McKenzie
• Evelyn Sein as Enaran civilian
• Paul Seymore as Enaran soldier
• Pablo Soriano as Demalos
• John Tampoya as Kashimuro Nozawa
• John Thaddeus as Enaran regressive
• Sam Vanny as Enaran cadet
• Robin Van Sharner as Farran
• Unknown performers as
  • Peshar
  • Enaran civilian
  • Female Enaran regressive

Stunt Double

• Leslie Hoffman as stunt double for Roxann Dawson

Stand-ins

• June Jordan – stand-in for Tina Reddington

References

accusation; algae puff; ankle; career; Citizenship Award; colony; color; communications interlink; consent (mutual consent); cortical inhibitor; Danius Cliffs; Dathan's uncle and his family; disinfectant; District Education Center; duty shift; Enara Prime; Enaran; Enaran light-emitting object; Enaran musical instrument; EPS conduit; ethics; evidence; experience; Fima colony; Fima system; frontal lobe; heart; high warp capability; holonovel; hoverball; Jor; Kashimuro Nozawa; knowledge; leader; microfusion generator; mind; nap; neural pathway; oven; oversleeping; personal hygiene; poison; power relay; question; radioseptic; raw; Regressive; secrecy; shore leave; synaptic pattern; Talax; tarin juice; telepathy; telepathic ability; terraforming; thermal sweep; theta waves, toast; trade negotiation; truth; uncle; village; voila

External links

• "Remember" at StarTrek.com
• "Remember" at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• "Remember" at Wikipedia
• ""Remember"" at MissionLogPodcast.com, a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast

Previous episode: "False Profits"

Star Trek: Voyager Season 3

Next episode: "Sacred Ground"