A Star Trek: Voyager character was originally meant to be Captain Kathryn Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) version of Spock (Leonard Nimoy). On Star Trek: The Original Series, the half-Vulcan/half-human Spock represented the outsider and many fans related to him because of this. Spock was caught between two worlds and sometimes felt like he didn't truly fit in either one. Spock also acted as a foil for Captain Kirk, as the Vulcan's logical stoicism balanced out Kirk's more impulsive tendencies.
Nearly every Star Trek show since TOS has had a similar outsider character, whose presence allowed the show to dive deeper into what it means to be human. Star Trek: The Next Generation had the android Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), who wanted nothing more than to be human. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had Constable Odo (René Auberjonois), a Changeling who struggled to find his identity. And Star Trek: Voyager had Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), the former Borg drone who had to relearn how to be human.
Star Trek: Voyager Wanted Seven Of Nine To Be Janeway’s Spock - Did It Work?
Janeway & Seven Had A Much Different Dynamic Than Kirk & Spock
With a character as popular as Spock, it's no surprise that subsequent Star Trek shows would try to recreate that phenomenon. Not only was Spock a great character on his own, but he also helped create the perfect dynamic with Captain Kirk and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Star Trek: Voyager's Seven of Nine was originally meant to serve a similar purpose as Spock. In her new book, Star Trek: Open a Channel: A Woman's Trek, Nana Visitor spoke with Voyager executive producer Brannon Braga about Seven of Nine's original purpose. Read her quote below:
Brannon told me that Seven was designed to make Janeway a stronger character - to give her a Spock - and that, to this day, he regrets not having spent more time discussing this with Kate. Spock, Data, Odo, and Seven of Nine were all characters struggling with their humanity, and they are all characters that activate others in storylines and relationships.
Like Spock, Seven became one of Star Trek's most popular characters and Star Trek: Voyager's ratings improved after she joined the cast. Seven also added conflict to the show, as it took Voyager's crew time to get used to a former Borg drone being on the ship. Jeri Ryan often delivered Seven's line in the same emotionless monotone that Spock regularly used, further cementing her role as an outsider. Still, Seven and Janeway did not have the same type of friendship that Spock had with Kirk. Janeway took on a mentor role for Seven, but they also had their fair share of conflicts.
Why Kate Mulgrew Had Problems With Jeri Ryan’s Seven Of Nine On Star Trek: Voyager
Kate Mulgrew Has Spoken About Her Initial Misgivings Regarding Seven of Nine
Kate Mulgrew initially felt trepidation when Jeri Ryan joined the cast of Star Trek: Voyager in season 4. Mulgrew had established Janeway as an intelligent and hard-working captain, whose looks were irrelevant when it came to doing her job. Mulgrew felt that Seven of Nine, with her skintight bodysuits and obvious attractiveness, would undermine the type of lead Mulgrew had tried to build. Mulgrew has since taken responsibility for her treatment of Jeri Ryan on Voyager's set, but her initial misgivings were understandable.
While Seven of Nine's sex appeal was part of the reason why Voyager's ratings increased after she joined the cast, Seven developed into a complex character in her own right. And Seven's sometimes contentious relationship with Captain Janeway ultimately benefited both characters. Fans related to Seven of Nine for many of the same reasons they had related to Spock, and Jeri Ryan made the character so much more than her impractical catsuits. It's difficult to imagine the show Star Trek: Voyager would have been without Seven of Nine, and the former Borg drone remains a fan favorite even today.
