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The Delta Flyers is a weekly Star Trek: Voyager rewatch & recap podcast hosted by Garrett Wang & Robert Duncan McNeill. Each week Garrett and Robert will rewatch an episode of Voyager starting at the very beginning. This week’s episode is Child’s Play. Garrett and Robbie recap and discuss the episode, and share their insight as series regulars.

Child’s Play:
Seven suspects that Icheb's parents are not telling the truth about their son's assimilation; one of the Borg children still on board Voyager may hold the key to the mystery.

We want to thank everyone who makes this podcast possible, starting with our Executive producers Megan Elise & Rebecca McNeill

And a special thanks to our Ambassadors, the guests who keep coming back, giving their time and energy into making this podcast better and better with their thoughts, input, and inside knowledge: Lisa Klink, Martha Hackett, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips, Robert Beltran, Tim Russ, Roxann Dawson, Kate Mulgrew, Brannon Braga, & Bryan Fuller

Additionally we could not make this podcast available without our Co-Executive Producers:
Stephanie Baker, Philipp Havrilla, Kelton Rochelle, Liz Scott, Eve England, Sab Ewell, Sarah A Gubbins, Jason M Okun, Luz R., Marie Burgoyne, Daniel de Rooy, Chris Knapp, Janet K Harlow, Utopia Science Fiction Magazine, Courtney Lucas, Matthew Gravens, Elaine Ferguson, Brian Barrow, Captain Jeremiah Brown, Heidi Mclellan, Rich Gross, Mary Jac Greer, John Espinosa, James Zugg, Deike Hoffmann, Mike Gu, Anna Post, Shannyn Bourke, Vikki Williams, Kelly Brown, Lee Lisle, Mary Beth Lowe, William McEvoy, Sarah Thompson, Samantha Hunter, Holly Smith, Amy Tudor, Adm. Bill "Seoulman" Yu, KMB, Dominic Burgess, Ashley Stokey, Lori Tharpe, Mary Burch, Nicholaus Russell, Dominique Weidle, Lisa Robinson, Normandy Madden, Joseph Michael Kuhlman, Darryl Cheng, Alex Mednis, AJ Freeburg, Elizabeth Stanton, Kayla Knilans, Barbara S., Tim Beach, Ariana, Meg Johnson, Victor Ling, Shambhavi Kadam, Holly Schmitt, James H. Morrow, Christopher Arzeberger, Megan Chowning, Tae Phoenix, Nicole Anne Toma, Donna Runyon, Nicholas Albano, Daniel O’Brien, Bronwen Duffield, Brandon May, Andrew Duncan, David Buck, Jeremy Mcgraw, Jason Bonnett, Ali S, Danie Crofoot, Ian Ramsey, Susan V. Gruner, Feroza Mehta, Michael Dismuke, & Jonathan Brooks

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Comments

ST Fan CB

This is a great story with a plot twist that we rarely see on Voyager and was a welcome change. Really don't get why it can't be understood. Come on man. Clearly the pathogen that his body produces is transmitted to the Borg through assimilation and is not airborne. The other children were protected by the maturation chambers and when they were released they were already disconnected from the hive mind. Therefore that is why the other kids and Seven did not get it. It is unclear why the Doctor stated that he could suppress the pathogen since it was never needed before why is it needed now? It only affects Borg. I would like to see a backstory episode of how Paris got thrown out of Starfleet, how he joined the Maquis, got captured and ended up in prison. From what I remember of school, there was a certain grade that everyone HAD to submit a project for the science fair as part of their grade. It was not optional. Got a little creepy with GW fawning over the guest actor. No wonder Megan stated that he was going to ask for a date. Icheb is in season 1 of Picard not 2.

Rach V

It felt to me like Robbie was talking about Ashes to Ashes rather than Child's Play! I was shocked by the score last week because I can't stand the laziness of the writing by the Voyager staff that they could fabricate such bo**ocks and ignore everything we know of Kim's backstory to justify the storyline. I figured it was because they had the lovely Kim Rhodes on and were being polite... But then it was like non-stop tearing Child's Play apart when there was far less cause. Maybe, like Seven and her parents, the suppressed anger at the Ashes to Ashes plot holes just burst out of Robbie this time around. Icheb's death (in that s1 of Picard Robbie saw) - when you reflect on this episode - is utterly heartbreaking. I feel so angry and upset when I watch this knowing about that. It hurts in my chest, so that must mean that I like this episode, even if it's only a solid 7. I like Icheb. I don't like the modern stuff. Old ST is about hope; new Trek? Despair and violence and humans always reverting to type.

Andrew Gancsos

While it would've been a nice thought to originally have Icheb's parents tell him about his purpose before sending him out as bait, that would've likely ruined the entire plan. Once Icheb was assimilated the Borg would've known he was the cause of a viral attack and likely wouldn't have bothered recovering any "contaminated" drones, likely leaving him to die alone on a crippled Borg vessel.

Leslie Banta

OMIGOSH WALTER SNORING 💤 🐶 during the rewatch ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Jen V

The glamour filter is a thing that's used to be more flattering for women. It goes all the way back to old Hollywood!

SnazzyO

Icheb parents! How horrible. I thought clever but again is the ‘all Seven all the time.’ Also: if your Dad is Crowley (Mark Shepard), be afraid. It’s like when Roger Ebert did a review of a movie one time; ‘… and Sean Bean is … Sean Bean’. Although to be fair, they LEVERAGED that trope in Flight Plan with Jodie Foster and it worked brilliantly.

Dee McGee

Garrett, Borg consider the elderly week, therefore irrelevant so it would not have worked using one of their elderly.

MG

Whenever Robbie mentions working on a play called "Childs Play" my mind always pictures it as "Chucky: The Musical".

Andrew Emanuel

I think you just have to suspend disbelief we don’t like this show because it’s a documentary lol also got to see a whole different more human side of seven which was beautiful. Speaking of beautiful that’s why they use the filter on her because she’s a sex symbol and not on all of you guys (no offense) lol

Patrick Carlin

"...Cause the Brunali really stink at child care!" 🤣🤣🤣

sab ewell

I'm with ya Robbie. No worries lol

sab ewell

Picard, Prodigy, Lower Decks you can even go back to TNG and DS9 lol we are here for it ❤️

Andrew Murray

On a run down studio lot, is that why George Lucas shot two star wars prequels at Fox Studios Sydney?

Andrew Murray

In this late conversation between Seven and Icheb....if only they knew and could see the future......(Picard (that is, the show, not the Captain....), we're looking at you).

Andrew Murray

since the underlying theme is one's future, and their destiny, to quote another certain crack-pot scientist: "the future is whatever you make it to be..so make it a good one...both of you!"

Andrew Murray

enough with the glamour filters, you're shooting Star Trek Voyager not a Miss America Beauty Pageant (1989)! (Jeri Ryan, I believe, won "Miss Illinois" that year).

Andrew Murray

Robbie should have put a "glamour filter" on his Zoom recording - just to prove the point of its overuse....?

Andrew Murray

I'd introduce the Brunali to Parrises Squares (that sounds like something Tom Paris invented, as in "Paris's Squares"?)

bakura

you've made me think a lot of thing's regarding this episode's plot holes but i'll try. the thing with the borg is there very clever and a little bit thick. the way they learn about thing's is by assimilating them so while they may have assimilated many brunali it's possible when icheb was on the ship the borg registered him as a different species when scanning the ship so assimilated him to learn then the pathogen spread as a result, even then that probably should mean the borg should have realised the second time around with icheb unless the cube wasn't able to get the information out to the collective since the borg cut of connection to the infected ship although that's odd as that's not an efficient way to learn completely blowing my guess out of the water. the other way that doesn't work is if the brunali have done this with multiple children then wouldn't the borg have learnt this genetic difference unless like i said the information has been stopped from getting to the borg OR every genetically engineered child is genetically engineered differently so no one scan's as the same race. you are right icheb should have affected the kids and frankly still should and even should have affected 7of9 (unless not being connected by a hive mind is relevant in some way) and the doctor should have detected it when the children had there first physical, maybe when voyager found the pathogen they should have noticed it in icheb however they probably never met brunali so thought that was his physiology......... is what i first thought until i realised if the kids had didn't have the pathogen (which they should have) and he did which voyager had already detected confirming how they all died they should have found something, at the very least voyager should have assumed the borg were allergic to brunali or something......... something 7 would have eminently disproved with borg knowledge of already assimilated brunali that voyager must have info on as well as multiple delta quadrant species with 7's help by this point. as for putting a test tube on the ship, maybe, voyager did teleport a torpedo once to destroy a borg ship so you could have put a test tube on a ship but you do have to wonder when the moment the borg scanned the ship and found no life sines would they have even been interested? the last thing is actually about later, icheb would go on to join starfleet as star trek picard showed (which no was season 1, in a flash back scene he was dissected for borg part's when 7 tried to rescue him but was to late and gave him a mercy killing) but it's only now occurred to me....................how? being genetically engineered that would make him an augment which given the year star trek prodigy is set (which still confirms augments can't join starfleet on account of genetic engineering is illegal with exception of extreme genetic birth defect's) icheb could have never been able to join starfleet by the time voyager finally got back (and there's been no indication the law has changed at any point in the future and for context icheb was kidnapped dissected 2 years after the beginning of prodigy and was clearly a lieutenant in the episode of picard so he would have had to have been in the academy and risen through the rank's which would have taken years) unless like with dal in the recent episode of prodigy they made some sort of exception (which i don't think was ever explained) which make's you wonder how well enforced are the federation's law's and starfleet's rule's if you can just make exception's like that regardless whether you personally agree with them or not.

Andrew Murray

"build a volcano" project - Peter Brady style? :)

Andrew Murray

I'd agree, and perhaps not reviewing entire seasons/series, but a 'favorite eps' or 'best rated' eps list with selected eps from each series.

Tashicat

the problem with sticking a note on him somewhere is the Borg could scan it n just kill him n then everyones efforts wouldve been for nothing. I do agree that the kids werent infected because the maturation chambers protected them, im pretty sure thats exactly what Seven says in "Collective".

Tashicat

Strange New Worlds touched on that too, that whole planet of Augments accidentally mutated their species n ruined thier planet trying to un-modify themselves so The Federation would let them have a chance to be included. Seems like the only real enforcement of regulations is when someone gets outed, like its not allowed, but they dont go looking when you apply either...kinda like the whole Simon Tarses Romulan deal on tng. They couldve easily detected what he was when he enrolled at the academy but they didnt look too close until they had a reason...

David Turner

I think Garrett is really taken by Mark Shepherd! There’s some love interest there lol! By the way I’m not really into this episode either. I just don’t like child centric episodes. I know Icheb is technically a teenager but still. The character is in Picard quite early in season one actually, then gets killed of by seven which is rather brutal and pointless as he’s not in it long.

Brandon Kolk

Not to mention that we don't know how old Icheb was when he was sent to the Borg the first time. If he was an infant the first time there's no point in sending a note because he wouldn't be able to read it.

Katherine

Megan made me laugh :)

Karen

Return of the gaseous anomaly!

Mary Burch

I agree with Robbie's rating on this one. I never really warmed up to the Borgy Bunch and thus couldn't get invested in what happened to them.

Victor Ling

Mark A. Sheppard looks a lot like Mark Allen Shepherd (who played Morn from Deep Space Nine). They could be twins.

Nancy Lapierre

the kids were unaffected because they were disconnected from the collective

Karen Chuplis

Hmmm. I was also 8.1. I often get Robbie’s POV and see how his suggestions would improve something but this is the first time I just don’t get it. I don’t at all think anything came out of nowhere and it all made sense. There was something wonky all along about the parents. I can chalk some of that up to Mark Shepherd. He just had an aura of “not quite right. I thought they did bring up genetics enough. I don’t need to be hit over the head. I do think too this pathogen is absolutely targeted at Borg. It doesn’t touch anyone else (actually precedent set on that in TNG rather eh episode about the bikers) I do agree there were a lot of other ways they could have delivered it. That could have been addressed. Like the father could have said Icheb was the only successful subject of the genetic manipulation in his plea too not retrieve him at the end. I don’t think a Petrie dish would have been assimilated. It had to be through assimilation. But everyone does have a different POV but to me the only missing thing was emphasizing Icheb was the only resource they had had success with.

Karen Chuplis

Ach. Icheb was in season one. The Star City Rag ep. However if you missed the very opening you might not have seen it. Because if you saw it …you’d remember *that* I promise. I’d really love it if you guys did one of the modern Treks. Including maybe Prodigy. That is “for kids” but it is straight up Trek and feels a LOT like a Voyager sequel.

Laura Johnson

Totally remember the 8th grade science fair! I did a project on plant growth and which kind of water (rain, distilled, or lake…..I lived across the street from Lake Lanier) produced the best growth.

Christopher Collins

Robert Duncan McNeil’s limerick was great. I think this discussion was great compared to the actual Voyager episode. I also agree with Robert Duncan McNeil that this was not that great of an episode. I feel like it was too soon to meet Echep’s family so soon after they are introduced. I think the highlight of the episode is the visuals of a wrecked planet and escape from the Borg sphere.

SM Rosenberg

Oh hey it's my first time commenting because I disagree and need to explain myself :D None of the things that bothered Robbie in this one bothered me. I love when the first half of an episode seems to be going one way (in this case, Seven's struggle to let Icheb go and Icheb's struggle between staying and going) and then there's a sudden twist for the second half (it was a false choice! Don't stay!). I don't need any obvious dwelling on the hints present in the first half, as long as there's just one or two things. I also felt that Seven's suspicion was its own kind of a hint, in that you're supposed to disregard it but it turns out to be right. I wasn't bothered by Seven being attached to Icheb - she's shepherded these kids from Borg to reintegration; the science fair shows how far they have come from those early days, which is a tremendous accomplishment for Seven, and we've seen lots of steps along the way, so I never felt like anything was missing. To me, it was right there, and very obvious from the opening sequence. Regarding the pathogen: it's not an airborne pathogen -- it seems clear to me that it is only going infect Borg when they assimilate him, and then spread between them, so my understanding was always that it's a combination of blood-borne and technology-borne. It could only spread that way. So it wouldn't affect anyone not Borg, and yes, it would probably kill Icheb too once he was fully assimilated because he'd be Borg too and they probably figure better dead than Borg.

AM Marquez

Just hoping Robbie survived the Peach Bowl.

Christinaof9

Three things I must discuss with you guys lol....! 1. Sorry Robbie, just can't see that POV at all. This is a 9 episode for me, I love big unexpected twists and Voyager was at its best when it did them. This episode touches my heart every time I see it and it certainly didn't come out of nowhere, when we have had several episodes now depicting the bonding of Seven with the Borg kids and especially with Icheb. There's a story arc here that really hits the heart and is huge for developing Seven's character. It also breaks the heart when considering what happens in Picard, which brings me to... 2. Icheb is indeed in Season 1 of Picard and if you missed that then you missed a huge plot point (that relates back to Voyager!) and the entire reason behind so many of Seven's actions. Season 1 barely make sense without that terribly painful episode...so you have to go back and rewatch Season 1! 3. And speaking of rewatching Picard...Yes please do a Picard and then Prodigy, as both of these tie in to Voyager! You could bring on guests from both casts and theorize on Voyager and what these shows mean for the characters and Starfleet since Voyager, etc. Please! 😃

Lisa Minnesma

I agree with Robbie. I've even just give it a 2 or 3. I have very little interest in this one.

Meagan Wright

I like the potential of this episode, but there is big holes. Why go through the trouble of killing off just one ship when it should spread to others? If you did just want to kill off one ship why do they attract it? Why not use him if they were to get attacked? And attracting the Borg vessel puts them all at risk.

Stephanie

Dislike this one so much I am not even rewatching. The Borg get boring after awhile.

Andrew Gancsos

Where is the video? I click the link and only get audio

Jeremy Taylor

Icheb's family's been found His initial resistance breaks down But Seven's suspicions are great Turns out, he was bait Voyager saves him, so he's staying around

Grafty

Icheb’s Season 1 Picard appearance was when I stopped watching Picard. Yikes, I didn’t sign up to this so random legacy characters could