VOY: “Body and Soul”

Date: June 11, 2021

Season 7, Episode 7

Music Video of the Day:

Interstellar News: I’m super excited to be heading up to VA this weekend to spend time with a dear friend. I’m going out in the world and doing things, it’s a Christmas miracle!

TL;DR: Seven, the EMH, and Kim are attacked in the Delta Flyer by aliens that are hostile to holograms, so Seven downloads the EMH. This has the effect of the Doctor’s personality in the forefront while using Seven’s body. It’s wonderful until they separate and Seven explains she can feel everything and has been violated. She and the Doctor come to an agreement so they can all make it out alive. Back on Voyager, Tuvok is going through pon farr and Paris suggests a visit to the holodeck.

Favorite Quote:

EMH(in Seven’s body): Captain Ranek and I shared a meal aboard the Flyer. He’s really a gentleman, once you get to know him.

KIM: You had a dinner date in Seven’s body?

EMH: It wasn’t a date. It was a tactical maneuver designed to win the trust of our captors, and it worked.

You really need to hear Kim say the line, he’s so flabbergasted.

“Indulgences are what make life worth living.”: On one hand, this episode is an amazing acting exercise for Seven. On the other hand, I think they make too much light of Seven’s body being violated. In “Retrospect“, Seven thought she had been physically violated and it was a terrible episode. Here she was actually violated and there’s a happy ending, which makes me very sick. I mean there are parts of this that are good if you put aside Seven not being in control of her own body, but for me it’s very hard to put that aside. The EMH is so overwhelmed with being able to eat, drink, and do all of the things he can’t normally do that he forgets what a sacrifice Seven made in order for him to not be destroyed. The subplot of Tuvok going through pon farr is ridiculous, but it’s awesome of Paris to be a bro and not tell anyone else about it.

There are two redeeming scenes. The one where the EMH is in Seven’s body and they win Ranek over with food and at the end where Seven presents the Doctor with a compromise. As an Italian who loves food, these scenes speak to me… but that’s about all I can say nice about this episode. 2 slices of mediocre cheesecake for this one.

TA Out!