Elogium (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Elogium" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, the 20th episode overall. The episode first aired on the UPN network on September 18, 1995.^[1] The story was written by freelancers Jimmy Diggs and Steve J. Kay, based on Diggs' experience while serving in the United States Navy. It was rewritten by executive producer Jeri Taylor and guest writer Kenneth Biller.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant far from the rest of the Federation. In this episode, Voyager encounters a swarm of space-borne lifeforms, which mistake the vessel for a member of their species. The presence of the aliens induce a premature mating cycle in Kes (Jennifer Lien), causing her and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) to question whether or not they are ready to have children.

Taylor incorporated Diggs’ suggestion to name a character "Samantha Wildman" after an organ donor who saved his wife's life. The script was Biller's first work for the series and earned him a permanent spot on the Voyager writing staff after impressing the producers. The episode received Nielsen ratings of 5.7/9 percent, placing it in 87th position for the week overall. The episode was praised by the cast, and although director Winrich Kolbe was satisfied, he felt that Kes could have been taken further in the episode. Critics gave the episode a mixed response, lauding Lien's performance while criticizing the character dynamics and the message about women wanting motherhood.