Jennifer Lien left Star Trek: Voyager and was changed by Jeri Ryan as Seven of 9, however Robert Duncan McNeill praises Lien and her character, Kes’, significance. McNeill performed Lieutenant Tom Paris for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager, which celebrates its thirtieth anniversary in 2025.
Kes was a collection common character for the primary 3 seasons of Star Trek: Voyager. An Ocampa who solely lived for 9 years, Kes and her love curiosity, Neelix (Ethan Phillips), joined the USS Voyager’s crew in Star Trek: Voyager‘s collection premiere. Nonetheless, when Jennifer Lien exited Star Trek: Voyager, the present’s producers cited Kes as an underdeveloped character with restricted story potential.
Showing as a visitor on The Transporter Room podcast with Chris Garis, Allyson Leach-Heid, and Linda Paiges, Robert Duncan McNeill remembered that Tom Paris and Kes turned mates on Star Trek: Voyager, and he defined why Jennifer Lien was a gifted actor, and the way “important” Kes was to the evolution of Star Trek: Voyager‘s different characters. Learn Robbie’s quote beneath:
In the end, [Kes and Tom Paris] did turn out to be good mates. I cherished doing scenes with Jennifer as a result of she was the one actor on our present [whose] appearing fashion was naturalism. She was not a theater actor. She didn’t come from the identical background that Kate Mulgrew got here from, or perhaps that I got here from, or Bob Picardo got here from, with massive theatre, and taking part in to the again of the home, somewhat bigger than life.
Jennifer [Kes] was the one character who at all times sat in realism and naturalism, and I appreciated that. I cherished doing scenes together with her for that purpose. And in my reminiscence, after Seven got here on, my reminiscence of that was like, ‘Oh, I assume they by no means actually discovered what to do with Kes.’ She didn’t have good tales so that they needed to herald a distinct character.
However after I went again and rewatched the collection, she really had unimaginable tales. Her tales helped develop The Physician, helped develop Tom from being a jerk to being an affordable, relatable man. If it wasn’t for Kes, none of these characters, mine or Bob’s, or Ethan Phillips’ [Neelix], and even the Captain, they couldn’t have developed in the identical approach. They wanted Kes. She was important to the primary few years of our present in ways in which I had forgotten till I rewatched it.
Take a look at the complete interview with Robert Duncan McNeill on The Transporter Room beneath:
Jennifer Lien’s exit from Star Trek: Voyager nonetheless has unanswered questions, however the actor’s declining psychological well being was a key situation. In the end, Jeri Ryan’s coming aboard as Seven of 9 enhanced Star Trek: Voyager, bringing mainstream consideration to the United Paramount Community’s flagship collection.
On The Delta Flyers podcast with Garrett Wang, Robert Duncan McNeill reviewed each episode of Star Trek: Voyager, and he was in a position to reassess how very important Kes was to the event of characters like Lt. Tom Paris, The Physician (Robert Picardo), Neelix, and Captain Janeway in Voyager’s early seasons.
It is tragic that Jennifer Lien misplaced contact together with her castmates, and he or she has been unable to learn from how Star Trek: Voyager has gained a higher appreciation and a brand new viewers lately, due to followers discovering and binging Voyager on streaming providers like Netflix and Paramount+.
Robert Duncan McNeill’s protection of Kes is welcome, as historical past tends to decrease the Ocampa’s impression on Star Trek: Voyager. Jennifer Lien’s naturalistic performances as Kes have been essential to bringing out the very best in different characters on Star Trek: Voyager.
- Launch Date
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January 16, 1995
- Community
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UPN
- Showrunner
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Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, Kenneth Biller
- Administrators
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David Livingston, Winrich Kolbe, Allan Kroeker, Michael Vejar
- Writers
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Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor