Voyager Re-Watch: Fairhaven

Please excuse any weird grammar/typos herein. I'm writing this on my phone because I simply can't be bothered to drag out my laptop because I still feel terrible. Honestly, what even is this? Kidney infections are shit. I'm just gonna say it. I'm exhausted, lethargic, confused, completely consumed with weird salt cravings (it was so bad yesterday that I wondered into the kitchen and just started eating olives out of the jar.) I'm feeling much better today. I even took a shower! Everyone in my house will benefit from that choice! Still, I've still got the brain cloud. I actually looked down at my body in the shower and thought, "Wait, am I ten feet tall? ... No...I'm pretty sure I'm normal size."  

I can only hope I'm not sitting here unknowingly writing this post in wing-dings or emojis. 

Anyway, I spent a lot of the last few days just staring at the ceiling or dozing restlessly but when I saw that Fairhaven was next up in my Voyager queue I had to go ahead and hit play. Fairhaven was just the mini-vacation I needed. 

I always think Fairhaven is introduced earlier than it is. And I always think it comes up more than it does. In fact, it only premiers in Season Six and appears in only two episodes. 

I've never considered this one of my favorites but I've always found it sort of charming. I like the idea of Janeway basically falling for what is essentially a character in a novel/tv show. Who among us hasn't had a similar experience? Whether it's Darcy or The Doctor, Thrandruil or Khan (my predilection for imperious, aloof, intellectual dudes is really showing here.) 

The thing I find most interesting--and never noticed before this re-watch--is that every change she makes to her holo-man, she already has in Chakotay. Outspoken, educated, tall, slightly rougeish, and provocative (that last one's debatable and subjective but whatever.) 

On top of all that this Irish bartender isn't a pale, freckled ginger--he's square jawed and tall with black hair. 

 

I literally cannot tell these men apart: 

The only thing separating these men is a face tattoo. 

Anyway, in poking around the Internet for these photos I noticed that people hate this one. HATE IT. And, as usual, I don't really get that. Is this one a classic? Probably not. But it's a romp full of our TV friends messing around on a sunny backlot and pretending it's Ireland. Voyager's gone through a lot of holo-programs and I like this one. Then again, I like period pieces and spend every night reading old timey novels (currently: The Turn of the Screw.) so maybe I'm biased.

I think the biggest travesty in this episode is that no one seemed to notice how very like Chakotay Janeway's new squeeze is.

 Alright. I'm going back to my sick bed. (sick couch) I'll be better soon. And back at it.