'Random Thoughts'

Stardate: Unknown
Written By: Kenneth Biller
Directed By: Alexander Singer
Rating: **1/4 (out of 5)

I would be awfully offended if people came up to me and read my mind.  Imagine all the difficult situations you could be put in.  Neelix is put in an embarrassing situation and I can imagine more.  I would guess that kind of thing doesn�t offend the Mari.

I like the idea of a species that have eliminated all violence on their world, and �Random Thoughts� has the perfect setup for a fantastic episode.  But unfortunately it is no where near thought through enough.

One of the reasons why �Random Thoughts� doesn�t succeed is because the Mari claim to be peaceful, and the only really peaceful people we saw where in the background.  Not even a violent thought is tolerated, and yet throughout this episode we see Numira acting violent all the time, not physically, just in the way she moves and speaks.  Talk about non-violent . . .

Janeway�s reaction to B�Elanna being arrested was very non-Starfleet like.  She of all people would be more tolerant of other cultures beliefs. 

Which brings me to Act of Stupidity No. 1: If the Mari are so strict on contain violence, why do they allow off-worlders onto their home planet.  Wouldn�t it be more logical to have specially conditioned people somewhere else so there is no risk of the entire population being affected?  Or at least tell the off-worlders about their laws.

And why didn�t the guards who brought B�Elanna in to the chamber incapacitate her before they brought her in.  Her violent thoughts would�ve infected the Guards minds, and Numira�s for that matter.

It�s funny how Chakotay tells Paris �We don�t want to risk an encounter with the Mari.,� and yet they are non-violent.  They wouldn�t have weapons or warships, that would be an act of violence.  Any military people on the Mari world would have to have their minds purged after every mission.

I�m surprised that Tom didn�t act upon his rescue plan.  In �Thirty Days� (which occurs around a year after this) he risks altering an entire race, and here he doesn�t try to save his girlfriend from a non-violent race?

I also think that getting rid of one violent thought from B�Elanna might do her some good, Janeway should�ve considered ordering her to take the procedure.

Guill was extremely stupid for sharing his violent thoughts with Tuvok, and Tuvok was pretty stupid for sharing his violent thoughts with Guill.  Tuvok�s thought could�ve had profound effects on Mari civilization if he wasn�t able to save himself, and Guill was just plain stupid because he knew that Tuvok was investigating.

I would imagine Guill wasn�t prepared for the intensity of the thoughts Tuvok gave him, and he was blinded by his need for bad thoughts, it�s like a drug.

Here are the main reasons why �Random Thoughts� doesn�t succeed:
1. The Mari aren�t properly shown as non-violent people, and are portrayed as very stupid for not thinking of ways to not infect their home-world with violent thoughts.
2. The main problem: The story doesn�t know what point it�s trying to make.  Was the point of all this for that silly corridor scene with Tuvok and B�Elanna at the end?  Or was it for Seven�s ending scene?  I doubt either of these are the reason.

�Random Thoughts� seems to be put together by a few random thoughts by the writers.  It�s a good attempt, the whole idea of having telepathic rave without crime is interesting, but it ends up really going nowhere.  There are some good scenes, particularly between Numira and Tuvok and some nice beauty shots of Voyager, but it isn�t enough to satisfy.  A good try though.