Ep 20. Good Shepherd

The Star Trek: Voyager season 6 episode 20 titled "Good Shepherd" is an emotionally-driven episode with a unique storyline that explores the inner-life of three "lower-deckers" who are not often in the spotlight.

In the episode, Captain Janeway receives an ultimatum from Starfleet Command: she must fill out her crew complement with new recruits or face going back to Earth. Having already faced a lot of disagreements with her current crew, Janeway begrudgingly agrees and creates a plan to take on three new crew members who are not in the forefront of Starfleet. These three lower-ranking crewmembers are part of a larger group of unlikely candidates with traits or qualities that have been overlooked by the Starfleet's advanced selection process. The trio includes a timid alien named Tal Celes, a repetitive technician named William Telfer, and a new and inexperienced security chief named Mortimer Harren.

With the inclusion of the new crew members, the Captain wants to use the opportunity to excel as a mentor and show them the importance of working together as a team amidst difficult circumstances of being stranded in the Delta Quadrant. Celes, Telfer, and Harren, all skeptical of their abilities, set their own doubts aside and begin to work alongside the Voyager's crew.

The episode soon takes an interesting turn as the three lower-deckers become guinea pigs in a social experiment of sorts. In the journey of the ship, Seven of Nine, previously a Borg drone, senses the presence of an alien entity, and as the crew moves towards it, tensions begin to rise and mistakes are made, leading to a conflict between the crew, and fragments of the alien organism get on board the ship. Eventually, it is discovered that the creature thrives on their stress, and the ship's equilibrium is disturbed as they struggle to contain the entity and repair the ship.

In this struggle, it is the three recruits who shine as they come up with creative and unconventional solutions to ease the tension level on the ship, using their unique talents combined with the strength to adapt. The trio finds themselves fulfilling an unusual captain's log, one that has them explaining their experiences in the lower decks and how they overcame their shortcomings to help Voyager, tackling their internal struggles step by step, and leading by example.

The episode is a character-driven piece that shines the spotlight on some of the previously overlooked crew members, making it an extremely refreshing addition to the series. It is emotionally resonant as it explores the psyche of the three crew members and the events that have led to their being overlooked by Starfleet Command. Through various meetings and conversations with Janeway and other crew members, it becomes apparent that they are dealing with their own issues, personal or professional, that impact their ability to function as a member of the crew.

Throughout the episode, we see a dramatic change in the attitudes of the three, both towards themselves and others around them. As they learn from their mistakes and overcome hurdles, they begin to gain a newfound confidence as they work as a team in an environment that could be considered hostile. It is when they work through these difficulties together that the crew becomes stronger.

In a series that's all about exploration and survivalist tactics, where the crew is often geared towards encountering danger with diplomacy and force, “Good Shepherd” takes risks by slowing things down and revealing the circumstances of those who are often disregarded and the challenge of pairing them with people who completely differ in their mindsets, creating a commentary on society's expectations, misunderstandings, and how to create team unity from jarring personalities. And yet, it never feels like it loses the plot or slows down the thrilling momentum of the show. The show rises above all of it and delivers a unique episode that is exciting, thought-provoking while building its legacy as a classic television show.

In the end, the episode offers a message of teamwork and encouragement, highlighting the importance of even the most seemingly insignificant members of the team, and acts as a reminder that true strength lies in diversity and unified efforts. The “Good Shepherd” is an episode that grippingly showcases the significance of underrated personalities, an inspiring last hurrah for previously cast off characters.