A Look at Pathfinder (Voyager)

Opinionated Voyager Episode Guide sees the return of Reg Barclay as Voyager slowly drives him insane. I know the feeling.

[@MerelyAFan]

There's something so fundamentally funny and sad in Voyager developing a TNG regular better in one episode than they managed to do with half their own actual main cast throughout the entire series.

[@grandoldpodcast]

Truth

[@bradwolf07]

Ah yes, this Reg Barkley episode. I like how he assumes the Marquis crew members are still wearing their old uniforms rather than Federation uniforms. It's a logical, if odd, choice. I also like how Pete isn't a bad guy, he's just a supervisor at his wits end trying to help a brilliant but reckless teammate. Both have good intentions but they are coming up against each other.

[@noblehelium3794]

Well speaking of uniforms, why is Barclay wearing his uniform when he's chilling at home?

[@bradwolf07]

@@noblehelium3794 he may love his uniform...or he may have lost his favorite footy pajamas. No idea

[@horaciosi]

But somehow, Tuvok isn't wearing a Maquis uniform. OOPS!

[@bradwolf07]

@@horaciosi I think because Barkley knew that Tuvok was undercover Federation, so he would have put him in the appropriate uniform (Star Fleet one). But that's a guess

[@xXShadDragXx]

@@bradwolf07 I would have assumed that Tuvok's mission may have been declassified when the ship was assumed lost.

[@horaciosi]

Fun fact: This is the last Star Trek episode to air in the 90s. As a sendoff to the golden age of the franchise, it's a damn good one.

[@flintcityhc1524]

“My name is Reginald Dementia Darkness Ravenway. I’m 42, and go to Star Fleet….”

[@thenamedoesnotmatter]

His head was like Voldemort in the movies. It was... VOLDEMORT!!!

[@kevinkeeney9418]

Good lord.

[@John73John]

I would've thought the "stupid Neelix moment" would be having a cat named after him. The entire community of cats has been in touch multiple times, and they still haven't received the official apology they so richly deserve.

[@DeconvertedMan]

"I've spent 21 years..." HAHAHA... wow!

[@myriadmediamusings]

Reg was driven so insane he decided to retire, marry a mushroom fairy woman, become a blue-skinned, long-nosed chef and found his own catering company.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

He also hired a grumpy rock monster who always said "radda" and began mentoring a pudgy, purple bear-cat-rabbit kid.

[@paulhudson8725]

I sense this is a reference to something...

[@richardjulian5038]

The cartoon Chowder. Dwight Schultz plays the chef character the OP was describing, can't remember the name at the moment.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

@@richardjulian5038 Mung Daal. All the characters had food names.

[@Avenger85438]

Better then the alternate reality were he accidently goes back in time, looses his memory, becomes a mad scientist and helps the Nazi's take over the world.

[@HilaryPea]

If I were stranded on the other side of the galaxy and I needed to get home, I would want someone like Barclay working on it. Because I know he would bring passion, intelligence and empathy/sympathy to his endeavor. Obviously, I would not want him to do it at the price of his own health or sanity. But, I know he would go above and beyond to get the results needed for a positive outcome, even stand up for himself, his principals, and my rights. This episode more than proved that!

[@benives254]

Always love a bit of Dwight Shultz

[@bthsr7113]

"Whyyyy!?" My reaction to anyone who only wants one scoop. Have your treat or don't!

[@alexmcintyre8229]

One of the reasons why I like this episode is because it feels more realistic than a lot of other episodes. In this episode there is no villain/bad guy. Yes Pete is the antagonist in the final act but he has a good relationship with Lt. Barclay. This episode shows that you don’t need to have a traditional villain in a sci-fi episode to have a good episode.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

On Admiral Paris' desk, there's a photo of a young Tom in his cadet uniform. This was actually a reused photo of Robert Duncan McNeil as Nick Locarno.

[@HilaryPea]

-Social Anxiety Disorder. How far we've come. When Barclay's arc first appeared on TNG, the diagnoses fans gave him was severely neurotic. And since I have Social Anxiety Disorder myself, I am glad for this evolution. It is kinder and less judgy. -I love how Troi's eyes became glazed over when he started his tech-tech speech. I've watched the the ST universe long enough to, at least, have a gist of what he is saying, which is scary. In their timeline, they are so far imto the future that algebra and calculus are standard teachings in 4th grade. my son and I started learning multiplication 3th grade (1989 for me and 2014 for him), so you'd think she would have a better idea of what he was talking about. Did none of those innumerable hours in the conference room teach her anything? they hella talked tech-tech in her presence! That's sad. It must have been episodes when having a low cleavage temporarily lowered her IQ. -"It's exactly the kind of thing you're afraid: To blurt out the wrong thing. So all that's left is to hang your head, slink out, and remember to never speak to anyone ever again." Thank you for describing Social Anxiety Disorder to a T!

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

I remember watching the original episodes of TNG and though oh he's just really shy or he's socially shy. Later on I said "oh he just has bad anxiety". Yes now it's a little more officially recognized which is nice. I had a bad when I was younger but now in my 40s I could really care less lol. God I love Dwight I could have watched him as a regular.

[@HilaryPea]

@@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes Dwight did the role flawlessly. It isn't easy stuttering and stumbling on purpose.

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

@@HilaryPea it was fun watching him get big brained and confident on that one episode with the god-like being lol.

[@HilaryPea]

@@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes If it I'm not mistaken that episode got the "Like an Amoebe" award for having somebody evolve or be so evolved that the rest of the characters are amoebas by comparison.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

I've always seen Barclay as like the Star Trek equivalent to Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter. He starts off unsure of himself but gradually gains confidence and eventually proves himself to everyone.

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

Seeing a rare ep of trek-verse people back home is a rare step towards some impressive worldbuilding. I loved it.

[@LTenhet]

The absolute worst part about Voyager is that Barclay wasn't the one that got Voyager home.

[@horaciosi]

You have to understand: That would've made sense from a thematic standpoint, so we can't have that on Voyager.

[@horatioswrld]

Barkleys name being Dwight is amazing. He was the Dwight Shrute of Enterprise

[@boobah5643]

Are you confused or just poorly articulating your thought? Because the character's name is "Reginald Barkley," and the actor's name is "Dwight Schultz."

[@Nick007Gaming]

You're suffering from paranoia "who told you that" had me laughing so loud

[@CybershamanX]

(10:07) Hey! It's the famous lights that blink back and forth prop! As seen in many Trek episodes and other sci-fi presentations, even, strangely enough, Airplane 2 starring William Shatner on a moon base who asks what it does. I wonder if it's still available for to rent... 😉

[@myriadmediamusings]

Oh it gets even better. They were finally given an official name within Trek...in Lower Decks. Season 4x2 I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee has them be mentioned as "Tucker Tubes".

[@Feasco]

I remember seeing it in The Last Starfighter when the main character is first meeting his copilot

[@CybershamanX]

@@Feasco Oh, yeah! I forgot about that! Grig was really twisting some knobs! 😉

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

I always thought the situation room had a funky design- early 90s to a T, and god those colors (no matter how long I live I'll NEVER accept teal as something that should exist). Also- random observation - that table looked like a giant keyhole.

[@cloudstrife532220]

I really like Reg using the Holodeck as a rubber duck.

[@supportpatriarchyordietrying]

it's so sad ... the only person who WANTS to be stranded with Voyager in the Delta Quadrant (besides me) is stuck at home in the Alpha Quadrant. :-(

[@fredrikcarlstedt393]

Poor, poor Pete that has to suffer through Reginald Barclay .

[@jamesabernethy7896]

Although a rerelease I just wanted to post on a new video, I don't often catch them on release but I've actually been watching some random older episodes and really enjoyed them. I liked your multi-partners for Mars Attacks and them.

[@hariman7727]

Barclay was "Rubber Ducking" to the holo-crew. "Rubber ducking" is when you tell your programming/engineering problems, because that lets people step away from their issues and think more clearly about it.

[@myriadmediamusings]

Huh maybe the "Rubber Ducky room" mentioned in Lower Decks may not be what we thought it was this whole time...

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

I horribly thought I read something else at first.... "Docking" I will now apologize for not keeping this family friendly

[@hariman7727]

@@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes To the shame corner!

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

@@hariman7727 😂 I go forthwith...

[@Feasco]

with the exception that most people don't form deep emotional attachments to their rubber ducks right? ... right?

[@Maniac536]

This is one of my fav episodes of the show

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

God I love Dwight. I could have watched him as a regular. He and the gent who played the AI doctor were so good. I could watch a two-man show of them playing random characters.

[@Vanessinha91Pucca]

I love the evil janeway

[@Maniac536]

Also pretty sure Reg’s boss is Sully from Uncharted

[@MegaAchilles23]

Victor “Goddamn” Sullivan

[@Maniac536]

@@MegaAchilles23 yep. Credits confirm it

[@Renegade2786]

And later on, Voyager gets a visit from Johnny Gat.

[@Maniac536]

@@Renegade2786 I’m sure there were more charges piled up on him during that visit that were not covered under the statue of limitations.

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

ST had some of the most fun and skilled character actors. Shame they never got more screen time.

[@Feasco]

I feel like the limited screen time works in their favor, you don't want to fill yourself on nothing but steak

[@YourCapyPal_bigupsfor3DPipes]

@@Feasco whoa fwen speak fo' yoself

[@njb1126]

Why couldn’t barclay get away? I thought he was howling mad Murdoch?

[@Blueskybuffalo]

Why do you call it the Magic Meeting Room?

[@simplegarak]

It comes from his review of voyagers second episode, Parallax. They concoct a solution to the episode's problem that is literal magic.

[@MrSaywutnow]

I believe he explained it in his review of "Parallax". The meeting room is usually where the crew come up with a technobabble solution to whatever problem they have, and because technobabble is closer to magic than actual science....you get the magic meeting room.

[@Blueskybuffalo]

@@MrSaywutnow that all makes sense

[@pearsegallagher9832]

algorithm comment

[@Thraim.]

Sometimes the jokes write themselves, don't they?

[@Feasco]

one of the better voyager episodes: barely features any of the actual main characters yeah that tracks

[@rewking2317]

Damn, not quite fast enough for first 😂

[@MrARock001]

I'm sad in hindsight that more wasn't made of what ubiquitous holographic technology might have meant for the neurodiverse people living in the Federation. All of that potential got spent on Barclay and was protrayed as unhealthy, which is understandable, but unfortunate.

[@captianmorgan7627]

If you want neurodiverse characters try: This Alien Shore by Celia S. Friedman.