On a Little "Guilty" Pleasure: Star Trek Voyager

I’ve been watching a lot of Star Trek: Voyager lately.  I’ve been rather addicted, in fact, opening Netflix for something to do as I eat dinner or to unwind before bed (typically a few hours longer than I intend).  I’ll often play spider solitaire while I watch to keep my hands busy (and off of food).  Fortuitously (or not), an unfinished game gives me an excuse to watch another episode, and an unfinished episode gives me an excuse to play another hand, and in this manner, I very enjoyably (if not very productively) pass many hours.

                Some may scoff at my choice of viewing material.  Shows like Castle, Once Upon a Time, and Downton Abbey are more popular, socially “acceptable” series to watch--and these three are, indeed, among my favorites.  Voyager, however, is lighter material for an evening’s entertainment and a pleasant break from reality and from mental exertion.  Another part of its charm is its familiarity and nostalgia; I watched these episodes with my family as a kid, and watching them again lends me an inclusive pleasure not unlike that of understanding an inside joke.  Sure, the show can be corny, predictable, and preachy about everything from evolution to individuality.  Despite that, it’s oddly satisfying.  The crew’s triumphs and happiness become my own.  I am also of the opinion that a little (mostly) wholesome diversion such as this provides (well, probably at less than my current binging rate) can be cathartic and encouraging.

I know others understand this feeling: In the Castle episode “The Final Frontier,” the team investigates a murder at a sci-fi convention--more specifically, on the set of an often-mocked space-faring show.  When Kate Beckett’s coworkers discover she’s a secret fan, they tease her mercilessly.  Later, when she and Castle are alone, talking after hitting a snag in the case, she says, “You’re right, okay?  It was a stupid show.  It was cheesy and melodramatic.  I mean, a handful of academy cadets on a training mission and suddenly the Earth is destroyed and they’re all that’s left of humanity?  I completely understand why you hated it. BUT, Castle, I also understand why people loved it... It was about leaving home for the first time--about searching for your identity and making a difference.  I loved dressing up like Lieutenant Chloe. She didn’t care what anybody thought about her--and I kinda did at that time.  I mean, she was a scientist and a warrior, and that was all in spite of the way she looked.  It was like I could be anything and I didn’t have to choose.  So don’t make fun--okay?” 

I believe the script writers hit that proverbial nail squarely on its proverbial head.  (So, there!)