Common Sense Media Review
Getting lost in space has never been so much fun.
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Star Trek: Voyager
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 24 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a compelling addition to the franchise that features strong character development and leads, particularly the first female captain, but it includes some mature themes that may not be suitable for younger audiences. While the storytelling can be excellent, some episodes are noted for their odd plots, violence, and brief sexual content, suggesting that it's better appreciated by older kids and adults.
- strong characters
- mature themes
- occasional violence
- not for kids
- excellent storytelling
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
STAR TREK: VOYAGER follows the crew of a starship that's been teleported to the very farthest reaches of the galaxy and is struggling to find its way home, a 70,000-light-year journey that could take decades. This handy plot device means that Voyager's structure can be pretty much identical to its predecessors, but with an almost completely new set of alien guest stars. Many of the ship's crew members perished when the Voyager was zapped across the universe; a renegade ship that the Voyager was pursuing was destroyed shortly afterward. Circumstances force the two groups to team up -- predictably, the "marriage" of the Starfleet crew and the rebels doesn't always go well.
Is It Any Good?
While this series lacks the cultural heft of the original series -- far fewer storylines serve as metaphors for important social issues -- this isn't necessarily a flaw, just a difference. The lost-in-space premise gave Star Trek: Voyager (which originally aired from 1995 to 2001) a compelling narrative arc. It may not be as deep as the original series, but it was ultimately a good addition to the Star Trek universe.
Because the Voyager is stranded out in the Delta Quadrant, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) -- the only female captain in the Star Trek franchise -- has to solve any problems that arise on her own, without being able to call for backup. The influence of characters who never attended the rigid Starfleet Academy leads her to make decisions that might never have happened on another starship or on a more traditional mission. In this way, the series does harken back to the original Star Trek's off-the-cuff feeling and can be refreshing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about humanity's need for companionship in Star Trek: Voyager. This series follows the lonely travails of a ship that's been transported to the farthest reaches of the universe and is struggling to find a way back to Earth -- which could take about 75 years. How do you think you'd react in that kind of situation? How does the ship's separation from the rest of society make this series different from the other Star Trek shows?
The Voyager unites two groups of former foes into one crew. How are they able to set aside their differences and cooperate on the starship? What happens when they cannot cooperate?
Which things in the Star Trek universe are possible and which are purely science fiction? In what ways do they use technology that is similar or the same to ways we use it?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 16, 1995
- Cast : Jeri Ryan , Kate Mulgrew , Robert Beltran
- Networks : Spike , Syndicated
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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