Star Trek: Voyager’s Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang look forward to discussing “Threshold” and “Tuvix” on their podcast, The Delta Flyers

Star Trek: Voyager “Threshold” and “Tuvix”

If you haven’t been listening to The Delta Flyers, the Star Trek: Voyager rewatch podcast hosted by series costars Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang, maybe it’s time to start. TrekMovie.com spoke with the duo recently in a lengthy interview on a wide range of topics, notably their upcoming rewatch of two of Voyager’s most divisive episodes.

Wang and McNeill discussed some of the finer points of fan upset over turning humans into salamanders in the season two episode, “Threshold”. In the episode, McNeill’s character, Lieutenant Tom Paris, and Captain Janeway are genetically altered into what are basically giant salamanders. If you haven’t seen it, there won’t be any more spoilers here, but “Threshold” has often been criticized as not only one of the worst episodes of Voyager, but in all of the Star Trek franchise. McNeill spoke of his character being featured in the episode, saying, “I am so proud that I have one of the most hated episodes of all of Star Trek. The reason I think it’s so hated is because of the writing and the story elements - not what I did, I hope.”

Also from Voyager’s second season, “Tuvix” is perhaps one of the most controversial episodes of the series, polarizing audiences for more than twenty years. In the episode, a transporter malfunction combines the physical bodies as well as the personalities of Neelix, a Talaxian, and Voyager’s Chief of Security Tuvok, a Vulcan. As the newly-christened “Tuvix” begins to bond with the crew, the ethical dilemma of his right to live versus restoring Voyager’s crewmen to their former selves becomes the forefront of the story. Wang weighed in on the discussion. “I love that episode,” he said during the interview. “I don’t get into the politics...you know? But if you let Tuvix live, then you’ve just killed Tuvok and Neelix. You’ve killed two individuals now, right? That’s a tough decision for Janeway to make." If you haven’t seen the episode, you’ll have to watch it to decide for yourself.

If Wang and McNeill stay on schedule with weekly episodes, The Delta Flyers rewatch of “Threshold” and “Tuvix” should be released in mid-November and mid-January, respectively. For their comments on everything from the origin of The Delta Flyers podcast and the rigors of acting for film - to Wang’s impressions of Captain Janeway - read the full interview at TrekMovie.com. You can also watch both of the Star Trek: Voyager episodes, “Threshold” and “Tuvix”, available to stream on CBS All Access.