Voyager actors are split over B’Elanna’s Season 5 depression

Robert Duncan McNeill and Roxann Dawson are divided into one complex storyline Star Trek: Voyager Season 5. McNeill and Dawson played Tom Paris and B’Elanna Torres, two members of Voyagers cast of letters. Except for capital letters Voyager, Tom and B’Elana’s arcs became closely involved after the two began a romantic relationship in season 4. However, both characters still have their own storylines that involve the other to greater or lesser degrees depending on the episode. One episode that was more Belena-focused was the Voyager Season 5 episode “Extreme Risk.”

The episode involved B’Elanna putting herself in increasingly dangerous holodeck simulations with the safety protocols off to test her ability to feel strong emotions. Belna’s suicidal ideation stemmed from her depression Star Treks Maquis, who were wiped out in the Alpha Quadrant earlier in the season. Despite their romance, Tom is not the one to help Belena through her feelingsInstead leaving this to Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) while he worked on building the Delta Flyer. After the episode aired, the actors of Tom and B’Elanna were divided on their opinion on how their storyline was handled.

B’Elanna Torres’ depression in Star Trek: Voyager season 5 splits Roxanne Dawson and Robert Duncan McNeil

The actors were split in their opinion about how the episode should have gone

Talk to Cinefantastic After the episode, Robert Duncan McNeil expressed his disappointment that Tom was not more involved in helping Belena through her difficulties. Although “Extreme Risk” didn’t ignore Tom and B’Elanna’s relationship entirely, McNeil made it clear that he thought their romance should have meant that Tom played a bigger role in being there for Belanna through her bouts of depression and coping with her. Feelings about what happened to the Maquis. Read McNeill’s full quote below:

“I wish they had used Paris more. I thought that would have been a really nice opportunity to let Paris, like her significant other, be really concerned and proactive there.”

however, Roxann Dawson seemed to have the opposite opinion when she spoke to the same edition of Cinefantastic. Read her answer to the question below:

“This was very true to nature, because often when we dissolve into the parts of ourselves, those who are close are the ones who have the hardest time. They are the first people you cut off. It was very right, His struggle. To try and get through to me, and his inability to do that, I felt that it showed the relationship in a very real way, instead of an ideal way that she was going by putting strain on the relationship and causing an inability. For them to communicate, and it was realistic.”

In some ways, McNeill and Dawson’s differing opinions almost mirror how their respective characters felt during the episode. Tom demonstrated realistic concern for B’Elanna, even if it wasn’t the focus of the storyline, and Belna’s refusal to explain what happened was also a realistic portrayal of how mental health concerns can come between two people. In a close relationship. Narratively, it made more sense for Chakotay and B’Elanna to trust each other than two former Maquis, but ultimately that’s not the only reason why Roxann Dawson was more right than Robert Duncan McNeill about “extreme risk.”

Why Roxann Dawson was right about Tom and B’Elanna’s relationship in Star Trek: Voyager

Finally, Roxann Dawson’s view of Tom/B’Elanna is more accurate

Dawson’s more nuanced take on Tom and B’Elana is Not only accurate for the episode but indicates how Star Trek: Voyager Consistently depicted their relationship. Dawson is absolutely right that the people we love are also the first people we often cut off when dealing with something difficult, and “Extreme Risk” wasn’t the last time Belena tried to cut Tom out of something difficult she was dealing with. . with. B’Elana’s way of dealing with her feelings was often to turn inward, but this led to her and Tom’s relationship being constantly strengthened by conflict.

In general, Tom and Belna were Voyagers most realistic romance. Voyager Actually has very few romantic storylines compared to some others Star Trek TV shows, but compensated for this by giving their one stable couple a wonderfully realistic and satisfying arc. From their first get-together through the birth of their child in Voyagers series finale, Tom and B’Elana’s highs and lows always felt relatable but also exciting to watch. While they may not be the franchise’s most popular couple, Star Trek: Voyager Deserves credit for how well it depicted Tom, B’Elanna, and the whole scope of their relationship.

Source: CinefantasticVol. 31