The Star Trek: Voyager Plotline Jeri Ryan Wishes She Could Do Differently
If you ask someone what their favorite "Star Trek" series is, "Star Trek: Voyager" probably won't be the first choice — or even the second. Debates surrounding the series run hot, from the various characters within its ensemble to how it resolved the story of the U.S.S. Voyager's travels through the Delta Quadrant. Even the series' stars have their own thoughts on how things were handled; Jeri Ryan, who played fan-favorite character Seven of Nine, is no different.
During an interview with the official "Star Trek" website in 2011, Ryan discussed the series finale "Endgame" and her issue with the sudden relationship between Seven of Nine and Commander Chakotay. Said relationship had been established in the episode "Human Error," where Seven was learning the ups and downs of being human via the holodeck; in Ryan's mind, the issue could have been handled more carefully:
"My problem with that relationship was that it came out of the blue. They had started the set-up of the relationship a few episodes earlier ... where Seven was experimenting with her humanity on the holodeck. And so she sort of fell in love with Chakotay there. They said something like her could never have these sorts of relationships because she would die, or whatever."
Speed dating
Ryan continued to discuss the sudden Seven/Chakotay relationship and how she thought it wouldn't go anywhere during the filming of the episode "Natural Law", which left the pair stranded on an alien planet.
"We specifically asked the producers — Robert and I — 'Now, are we going to play this? Is this going to go somewhere? Because, obviously, we'd need to carry something over from...' And they said, 'No, no, no, no! Absolutely not. Don't play any of that. Nothing's going to happen.'"
Apparently, the producers backtracked, because by the time "Endgame" filmed Seven and Chaoktay were romantically involved. Ryan admits that she was more than a little annoyed by this about-face.
"And then, out of the blue, all of a sudden, they're dating (in "Endgame"). That was a little annoying, especially when you've specifically asked about it and they said, 'No, absolutely not.' Then, suddenly they're in love. That was a little... It's one of the frustrations of network television. And it's how you learn, also. You have to try to be the babysitter and the protector of your character."
Both Seven and Chakotay have recently reappeared in "Star Trek: Picard" and "Star Trek: Prodigy," respectively. Seven became part of Jean-Luc Picard's crew and Chakotay served as the captain of the U.S.S. Protostar. If you asked me, they tried to make it work and agreed to a mutual separation — but for what it's worth, it's not the strangest couple I've seen on TV. Or even the most ill-fitting — Ted and Robin from "How I Met Your Mother," anyone?