Learning Curve (Star Trek: Voyager)
| "Learning Curve" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: Voyager episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 16 |
| Directed by | David Livingston |
| Written by |
Ronald Wilkerson Jean Louise Matthias |
| Featured music | Jay Chattaway |
| Production code | 116 |
| Original air date | May 22, 1995 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Learning Curve" is the 16th episode of Star Trek: Voyager and final episode of the first season. The 45 minute television show was released in May 1995 and was the last show of the first season. Some of the crew of the Maquis ship Val Jean which had become part of the Voyager crew due to the destruction of their own vessel experience problems getting along with the Federation crew. They have to get trained by Tuvok to better operate aboard their new ship. Both crews are stranded on the other side of the Galaxy from Earth, after being abducted by an extra-galactic alien that abducted and medically tortured the crews of Voyager and Val Jean, killing a number of them in the process. The episode contributes to the Maquis narrative thread/story arc that cuts across three Star Trek franchise television shows including Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as the Star Trek: Voyager this was a part of.
The episode sheds some light on the motivations of Maquis rebels, in particular crimes by the aliens known as the Cardassians. Those aliens were introduced by the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded" (S4E12), which also involves a character struggling with crimes committed against them personally contrasting with a Federation-Cardassian peace. Although the Maquis originated from Federation, they have since transitioned from many of its rules of conduct to a less structured chain-of-command and operations style. This provides a genesis for the episode main concepts, a resolution to the tension between these two organizational styles. Also, Neelix nearly destroys Voyager trying to make his own cheese, which is resolved by giving the ship "a fever", curing its biological systems.
It was seen by 8.3 million in the U.S. at its debut in May 1995.
After Crewman Dalby is insubordinate towards security chief Tuvok, the Vulcan discusses the situation with Captain Janeway. Janeway understands Tuvok's frustration but points out that the Maquis have never been trained in Starfleet procedures or philosophies. A class is organized to teach several Maquis crew members Starfleet protocol so that they can integrate more fully with the rest of the crew. Tuvok will teach the class, having been an academy instructor. At first, his efforts are unsuccessful; the trainees, with Dalby as ringleader, walk out of their first lesson despite Tuvok ordering them to stay. Later in the mess hall, Dalby makes it clear to Chakotay that he wants to do things the Maquis way. Chakotay punches Dalby, saying that if Dalby wants to do things the Maquis way then so will he, by using violence to enforce discipline. Before leaving, Chakotay reinforces Janeway's orders. With his point made, the students return to Tuvok's training sessions.
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