In the seventh episode of the fifth season of Voyager, AHHHH WHAT THE FUCK. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.Â
Trigger Warning: For discussion of ableism (specifically in reference to multiple personality disorder)
I want to start this review with some critical analysis not because I feel particularly negative about this episode. “Infinite Regress” is a rather strong episode of the show, anchored by Jeri Ryan’s dizzying performance and the cinematography. I loved it, and it’s also given me a chance to talk about how mental illness is often framed in fictional narratives. Now, I don’t want to try to speak over anyone who actually has a personality disorder, so much of this will be a more general thing. I kept having a problem with the way Seven of Nine’s disorder was referred to because… well, it wasn’t quite personalities that were at work here. These were specific people, all victims of Borg assimilation. Thus, I wish there was a distinction made here that they might be analogous, but they’re not the same thing.
The reason I say that is because the show invokes a personality disorder, then talks about Seven as if this is a thing to be “cured” or something to just “get through.” That’s not to suggest that people who suffer from any mental illness don’t wish that they could be cured or “get through” their disorders. LORD KNOWS I WOULD LOVE A LIFE FREE FROM MY ANXIETY AND MY DEPRESSION. But I don’t currently have a cure, and thus, I find myself interested more in stories that talk about coping, about living with a mind that isn’t typical. That’s the reality for many people, and yet, most fictional stories aren’t about that. They’re more concerned with seeking out a cure. And there are so many magical or mystical cures within genre fiction! It’s a pervasive trope for a reason. Our society views mental disability as a roadblock, something to be conquered and destroyed. But where does that leave anyone with chronic disabilities? With the incurable?
Anyway, that was on my mind during this episode, right alongside me SHRIEKING EVERY FIVE MINUTES because “Infinite Regress” gets so many other things frighteningly right. Like “Timeless,” we’re given an episode that relies heavily on one person’s acting, and Jeri Ryan kills it. I cannot praise her performance enough, and much credit must be given for how consistent she’s been over all her appearances. I was so used to her stoic, cold nature, that as soon as she turned into that one character who played with Naomi, I was RUINED. From there, Ryan cycles through an unreal number of archetypes and portrayals, sometimes switching between them in a matter of seconds. It’s frightening to watch, and then the show makes it even worse by constantly piling on ONE MORE DISASTER AFTER ANOTHER.
For instance, everything was upsetting enough with just the vinculum to deal with, but then Species 6339 complicates this because… well, what’s wrong with them trying to defend themselves against the Borg? Thus, Janeway has something else to worry about. She can’t deny them their right to use the vinculum, despite its unfortunate consequences. At the same time, she can’t sacrifice Seven! THIS IS JANEWAY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, OKAY. So, this can’t get worse, right?
JUST KIDDING, IT CAN, AND THIS SHOW DEMONSTRATES THAT WITH THE MOST VISUALLY DISTURBING VULCAN MIND-MELD WE’VE EVER SEEN AND I CAN’T DEAL WITH IT. Making Seven’s mind physical through that sequence was just… good fucking god. It hurt to watch, and it ramped up the tension to unbelievable levels…
So yeah. I really do like this episode, and I also think we should be careful in how we represent mental illness. JERI RYAN IS SO GREAT. Hell, everyone is great in this. GREATNESS ALL AROUND.
The video for “Infinite Regress” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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