AStar Trek: Voyagercharacter was originally meant to be Captain Kathryn Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) version of Spock (Leonard Nimoy). OnStar Trek: The Original Series,the half-Vulcan/half-human Spock represented the outsider and many fans related to him because of this. Spock was caught between two worlds and sometimes felt like he didn’t truly fit in either one. Spock also acted as a foil for Captain Kirk, as the Vulcan’s logical stoicism balanced out Kirk’s more impulsive tendencies.
Nearly everyStar Trekshow sinceTOShas had a similar outsider character, whose presenceallowed the show to dive deeper into what it means to be human.Star Trek: The Next Generationhad the android Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), who wanted nothing more than to be human.Star Trek: Deep Space Ninehad Constable Odo (René Auberjonois), a Changeling who struggled to find his identity. AndStar Trek: Voyagerhad Seven of Nine(Jeri Ryan), the former Borg drone who had to relearn how to be human.
Star Trek: Voyager Wanted Seven Of Nine To Be Janeway’s Spock - Did It Work?
With a character as popular as Spock, it’s no surprise that subsequentStar Trekshows would try to recreate that phenomenon. Not only was Spock a great character on his own, but he also helped create the perfect dynamic with Captain Kirk and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley).Star Trek: Voyager’sSeven of Nine was originally meant to serve a similar purpose as Spock.In her new book,Star Trek: Open a Channel: A Woman’s Trek,Nana Visitor spoke withVoyagerexecutive producer Brannon Braga about Seven of Nine’s original purpose. Read her quote below:
Brannon told me that Seven was designed to make Janeway a stronger character - to give her a Spock - and that, to this day, he regrets not having spent more time discussing this with Kate. Spock, Data, Odo, and Seven of Nine were all characters struggling with their humanity, and they are all characters that activate others in storylines and relationships.
Like Spock, Seven became one ofStar Trek’smost popular characters andStar Trek:Voyager’sratings improved after she joined the cast. Seven also added conflict to the show, asit took Voyager’s crew time to get used to a former Borg drone being on the ship.Jeri Ryan often delivered Seven’s line in the same emotionless monotone that Spock regularly used, further cementing her role as an outsider. Still,Seven and Janewaydid not have the same type of friendship that Spock had with Kirk. Janeway took on a mentor role for Seven, but they also had their fair share of conflicts.
Kate Mulgrew Has Spoken About Her Initial Misgivings Regarding Seven of Nine
Kate Mulgrew initially felt trepidation when Jeri Ryan joined thecast ofStar Trek: Voyagerin season 4.Mulgrew had established Janeway as an intelligent and hard-working captain,whose looks were irrelevant when it came to doing her job. Mulgrew felt that Seven of Nine, with her skintight bodysuits and obvious attractiveness, would undermine the type of lead Mulgrew had tried to build. Mulgrew has since taken responsibility for her treatment of Jeri Ryan onVoyager’sset, but her initial misgivings were understandable.
Star Trek: Voyager Problems With Jeri Ryan Are “On Me”, Says Kate Mulgrew
Kate Mulgrew accepts responsibility for problems with Seven of Nine actor Jeri Ryan on the set of Star Trek: Voyager.
While Seven of Nine’s sex appeal was part of the reason whyVoyager’sratings increased after she joined the cast,Seven developed into a complex character in her own right.And Seven’s sometimescontentious relationship with Captain Janewayultimately benefited both characters. Fans related to Seven of Nine for many of the same reasons they had related to Spock, and Jeri Ryan made the character so much more than her impractical catsuits. It’s difficult to imagine the showStar Trek: Voyagerwould have been without Seven of Nine, and the former Borg drone remains a fan favorite even today.
Star Trek: Voyager
Cast
In this sci-fi series, the starship Voyager becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant, 70,000 light-years from Earth. The diverse crew, led by Captain Janeway, embarks on a perilous journey home, encountering unfamiliar species and challenges while adhering to Federation principles in uncharted space.
