Star Trek Watch: The Captains’ Favorite Episodes – Kate Mulgrew

Kate Mulgrew reveals her favorite episode from Star Trek: Voyager.

We’re going back in time to 2014, with Trek Core’s upload of this video. It features Kate Mulgrew, aka Captain Kathryn Janeway, discussing her favorite episode from her time on Star Trek: Voyager. When asked what episode would fall into that category, Mulgrew was quick to point out the season five episode, Counterpoint.

The episode saw Mark Harelik guest-star as Kashyk, a member of the Devore species. They’re a group of beings who reject and hold in contempt people who are telepaths. They are constantly on the lookout for anyone who can read minds and this is where the Devore and Voyager come into conflict; the Voyager has three members of their crew with telepathic powers (Tuvok, Vorik, and Jurot) and are smuggling a dozen Benari refugees through space.

The episode is a cat and mouse game, a spy vs. spy type of situation where Janeway has to determine if she can trust Harelik.

Kate Mulgrew played Kathryn Janeway perfectly in Counterpoint

One of the best parts of the Star Trek: Voyager episode Counterpoint wasn’t just the script, which was very good, it was the way Mulgrew played Janeway. Without going into spoilers, the hesitant optimism she displayed while dealing with Kashyk was masterful. It left you wondering not only if he could be trusted throughout the episode but if she was being duped as well.

Her offer to let him join them was a tipping point in the story, and it set up the finale of the episode so perfectly.

Though what isn’t mentioned is how this one episode defines Janeway perfectly. A woman who’s so optimistic she’ll hold out hope even when the man she yearns for may destroy her, but yet still remain the same woman and captain who would never sell out the safety of her crew or those under her protection.

She truly is a haunted hero in this episode and maybe as a character overall. Someone who’ll sacrifice everything so her crew doesn’t have to.