Written By: Kenneth Biller
Directed By: Allan Kroeker
Rating: ***** (out of 5)
Who would�ve thought that a simple plot like �person moves backward through time� could have so many possibilities. We see that in 5 years time Janeway is dead, Chakotay is captain, Doc has hair and a name, Paris is married to Kes, Harry is married to Kes and Tom�s daughter and Neelix is a security chief. But imagine that we saw a future where Voyager is destroyed � or where even when Voyager has made it back to Earth. We could�ve seen any number of possible timelines moving backwards.
But what we saw is wonderful. We never discover exactly where Voyager is and how close they are to home, but they are still on their journey. They�ve hit some bad times, like the Year of Hell, but things are generally very good. The Year of Hell concept is fascinating and it would be amazing is we see these Krenim in the future and have a big arc of episodes where Voyager is continually under attack.
Naturally, �Before and After� is written so that we aren�t meant to fully understand what is happening, but we get the gist of it. Just before Kes�s life ends, due to natural Ocampan causes, Doc tries to make Kes live longer by subjecting her to a Bio-Temporal chamber. This chamber and some Chroniton particles, or something that Kes picks up during the Year of Hell, is what makes her go backward in time. Living her life backwards, Kes has no memories to start off with and slowly gathers information in the current time period, which sometimes lasts for months.
The problem is fixed when Kes jumps to Voyager�s normal present time (boy that�s a coincidence!) and they subject Kes to antichronitons. Kes continues to move backward in time until a time before she was born, and then her life continues up until the point where the she is being subjected to the antichronitons in the present! The way in which this all happens is so well done that I got Goosebumps when we see Kes before she was born and then silence � before everything reverses and time goes forward again. By the way, Kes as a baby shown here was so cute!!
Some plot-holes: if Kes got these Chroniton particles in the future, then when she past that period of time her life should�ve resumed as normal because the particles, I�d assume, would cease to exist because she never had them. I guess the way that the episode resolves the issues still seems logical though, even if it is surprising that the Bio-Temporal Chamber is easy enough to make in a short period of time in Voyager�s present! Finally, if Kes goes backward before she was born and then back again to when she was born; does she relive her entire life? Then how would she remember what�s happened in the future? Then she would know everything that�s going to happen to her. We never get a clear explanation to that. It seems that this concept would be an utter mess, but somehow the episode fits nicely together by giving us enough information to chew on while leaving the rest to speculation.
I believe by commenting on how well done the episode is, Kenneth Biller has received his distinction for writing; but Allan Kroeker hasn�t as yet. His directing here was so cinematic and professional that I was excited just by the look of some of the scenes, maybe I�m just relieved that Season 3 has picked itself up again. �Before and After� has come at a good time because Season 3 was starting to get quite tiresome. Also cinematic were the outstanding special effects.
The acting was superb. The main cast were all perfect; Jennifer Lien doing a very nice job, not to mention how much more beautiful Jennifer looks with the longer hair. The entire supporting cast were wonderful, even the children. I must particularly mention Jessica Collins who did an outstanding job as Kes�s daughter Linnis, plus the good characterization by the writers.
�Before and After� is one of my all time favorite Voyager episodes, this was a truly enthralling and engaging drama and I guess also thriller. I can�t recommend �Before and After� enough because before and after you watch it you will find it timeless. (Enough puns for one sentence I think!)