Actress Kate Mulgrew is best known for her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager. Being the fifth series in the franchise after the original, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine, the show was lauded for keeping the female captain as its central character while also focusing on the ensemble.
However, the writers and showrunners of Voyager may have missed an opportunity to truly make Captain Janeway as legendary as Captain Kirk or Picard. Mulgrew mentioned that one element of her character as an ambitious woman that the show largely ignored was her loneliness and how she has made sacrifices to get to her position.
Kate Mulgrew Expressed Regret About Captain Janeway’s Missed Character Arc
Kate Mulgrew is best known now for her role in Orange is the New Black, for which she has won the SAG Award for Best Ensemble Cast multiple times. She also won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress. However, the actress is better known for playing Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager.
Mulgrew headlined the fifth Star Trek series and has the unique distinction of being the first female captain in the franchise to be in the lead. Her character has been legendary, with her managerial skills considered superior to the series greats such as Captain Picard and Kirk (via Vulture). She has also established herself in the Captain’s Hall of Fame.
However, Mulgrew mentioned that Voyager failed to explore one key aspect of Captain Janeway’s rise in power as a woman and that was her loneliness. Speaking at a Fan Q&A session, Mulgrew mentioned that she had pitched the idea to the writers but it never materialized (via Cinema Blend).
They did one episode on the Captain’s loneliness. It didn’t seem to have much traction, but I thought they should’ve explored that throughout the run. I gave up my life as a young woman. I gave up the chance to have children. I had to break up with my fiancé, who quickly remarried. I had to say goodbye to my dog. As Captain, I could love, but only to a certain extent. And Janeway chose not to have a lover.
She mentioned that the series focused more on her ambition and less on her personality and life outside of Starfleet.
Kate Mulgrew Revealed Possible Reason Why Star Trek: Voyager Did Not Show Captain Janeway’s Loneliness
The Star Trek franchise has always been progressive in its depiction of the future. Though some of the storylines and arcs are dated in retrospect, Gene Roddenberry’s space opera saw a future that was more professional, diverse, and inclusive. However, Kate Mulgrew pointed out one dimension in Captain Janeway that the show did not explore deeply.
When asked what could be the reason, Mulgrew mentioned that the writers may not have wanted to portray a ‘weaker’ side to Captain Janeway. She said,
I suppose they were a little afraid that would be feminine or something, but I think it’s crucial. Women doing brave things, and bold things and unprecedented things are often lonely. Anyway, we are lonely in life. The only thing we can do is be the best we can be under the circumstances. So I gave Janeway everything I had.
Star Trek: Voyager of course never ignored the character, but Mulgrew’s qualms with the show on this aspect are definitely valid.
Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.
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