Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Actress Kate Mulgrew is best known for her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway inStar Trek: Voyager. Being the fifth series in the franchise after the original,The Animated Series,The Next Generation,andDeep Space Nine, the show was lauded for keeping the female captain as its central character while also focusing on the ensemble.
However, the writers and showrunners ofVoyagermay have missed an opportunity to truly make Captain Janeway as legendary as Captain Kirk or Picard. Mulgrew mentioned that one element of her character as an ambitious woman that the show largely ignored was her loneliness and how she has made sacrifices to get to her position.
Kate Mulgrew Expressed Regret About Captain Janeway’s Missed Character Arc
Kate Mulgrew is best known now for her role inOrange is the New Black, for which she has won the SAG Award for Best Ensemble Cast multiple times. She also won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress. However, the actress is better known for playing Captain Kathryn Janeway inStar Trek: Voyager.
“There really wasn’t a list of things to do”: Ronald D. Moore’s Comment Confirms One Star Trek Movie Suffered So That ‘First Contact’ Could Fly
Mulgrew headlined the fifthStar Trekseries and has the unique distinction of being the first female captain in the franchise to be in the lead. Her character has been legendary, with her managerial skills considered superior to the series greats such as Captain Picard and Kirk (viaVulture). She has also established herself in the Captain’s Hall of Fame.
However, Mulgrew mentioned thatVoyagerfailed to explore one key aspect of Captain Janeway’s rise in power as a woman and that was her loneliness. Speaking at a Fan Q&A session, Mulgrew mentioned that she had pitched the idea to the writers but it never materialized (viaCinema Blend).
They did one episode on the Captain’s loneliness. It didn’t seem to have much traction, but I thought they should’ve explored that throughout the run. I gave up my life as a young woman. I gave up the chance to have children. I had to break up with my fiancé, who quickly remarried. I had to say goodbye to my dog. As Captain, I could love, but only to a certain extent. And Janeway chose not to have a lover.
She mentioned that the series focused more on her ambition and less on her personality and life outside of Starfleet.
Kate Mulgrew Revealed Possible Reason WhyStar Trek: VoyagerDid Not Show Captain Janeway’s Loneliness
TheStar Trekfranchise has always been progressive in its depiction of the future. Though some of the storylines and arcs are dated in retrospect, Gene Roddenberry’s space opera saw a future that was more professional, diverse, and inclusive. However, Kate Mulgrew pointed out one dimension in Captain Janeway that the show did not explore deeply.
Elon Musk Got Absolutely Destroyed by One Star Trek Legend for Supporting Donald Trump
When asked what could be the reason, Mulgrew mentioned that the writers may not have wanted to portray a ‘weaker’ side to Captain Janeway. She said,
I suppose they were a little afraid that would be feminine or something, but I think it’s crucial. Women doing brave things, and bold things and unprecedented things are often lonely. Anyway, we are lonely in life. The only thing we can do is be the best we can be under the circumstances. So I gave Janeway everything I had.
Star Trek: Voyagerof course never ignored the character, but Mulgrew’s qualms with the show on this aspect are definitely valid.
Star Trek: Voyageris available to stream on Paramount+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
More from Nishanth A
Spider-Man: Brand New Day – How the 2008 Comic Arc Could Shape Tom Holland’s Next Movie
Transformers Star Is Absolutely Right on Why He Rejected ‘The Penguin’
5 Bella Ramsey Performances So Good, You’ll Forget ‘The Last of Us’ Controversy
Recommended
17 Years Later, This Iron Man Scene Was the Darkest MCU Moment No One Realized
When Is Absolute Flash #6 Coming Out? Release Date, Plot Prediction & Everything We Know
‘The Serial Killer’s Apprentice’: How Dean Corll Was Murdered by His Own “Friend”
Is Apple TV+’s Carême Renewed for Season 2? Details Inside
Chris Pratt Thriller Dominates Global Streaming Amid Pro-RFK Jr Stance
“Oh I f**king love her”: Margaret Qualley’s Dad Made an Aubrey Plaza Confession That Stunned Her
