Ep 1. Night

The USS Voyager crew is now in its fifth year of being lost in the Delta Quadrant, and they have yet to find a way back home to Earth. The season premiere, "Night," begins with the crew showing signs of fatigue and exhaustion from the constant journey. They have been traveling through a section of space known as the "Void," a region with no stars or planets, and have been unable to find any energy sources to replenish their supplies.

The episode starts with the crew in a desperate state as they struggle to conserve resources and stay alive. The oppressive darkness of the "Void" is causing despair and disorientation among the Voyager crew. The crew is struggling to stay alive and conserve resources like food and energy.

When a small glimmer of hope emerges in the form of a planet with a viable atmosphere, Captain Janeway must weigh the risks of stopping and potentially using up resources they cannot replenish. However, as they approach the planet, they realize that it comes with its own set of challenges. The atmosphere causes the ship's systems to malfunction, which leaves it vulnerable to attack.

The plot develops as the crew has to find a way to survive the harsh atmosphere while trying to come up with a plan to repair the ship's systems. They confront a new dangerous enemy in the depths of space: the alien space-faring species. The species, known as the Zahl, are survivors of an intergalactic war that has left them as nomads, preying on helpless vessels, stealing their supplies and rations and then stripping them of all technology, reducing them to "primitives". They infiltrate Voyager, trying to sap all its resources and leave them stranded forever in the void.

As the crew fight for survival and repair the damaged systems, there are moments of conflict as they struggle to maintain discipline and keep morale high. Captain Janeway faces a tough decision as she grapples with the possibility of sacrificing some of the crew to save the others. She must decide what is more important, the survival of the crew as a whole or the individual lives of a few members.

The episode presents a complex narrative featuring interpersonal dynamics amongst the crew members and the ever-present tension between hopelessness and keeping their morale high. It also highlights the consequences of the voyager crew's actions and the dangers of being out in unexplored regions of space, exposed to unknown dangers.

Overall, the season 5 premiere is a gripping episode with a high level of tension, action and thrills that showcases the character development for the crew, each set to be tested to the limit in their desperation to survive. It's a must-see episode that will leave viewers feeling emotionally drained and desperate for the next episode.