VOY: Homestead

         This is one of those episodes that was at least partly spoiled by the netflix description which I always try to avoid, but sometimes my eyes just fall on the wrong part of the screen. Also it would have been really nice if they started doing their wrap up episodes a little earlier so they didn't seem so forced or obviously wrap up eps. Plus, other than missing his family, Neelix never seemed to miss being around other Talaxians, they kinda seemed like a bunch of jerks. And honestly the ones we meet in this episode are pretty obnoxious, but I guess they are Neelix's people. 
         We open with Neelix putting on a celebration of Earth's first contact with the Vulcans which seems appropriate since the movie about it was such an influence on the show. As Janeway prepares to order Tuvok to dance with Neelix she is interrupted with news that they have discovered a colony of Talaxians. And no, they never bother to explain how they made it so far only saying they traveled for five years. But without the Borg transwarp conduit and some help from Kes Voyager would have never made it this far so fast. But whatever. Neelix and company head over on the Flyer since the colony is inside an asteroid in an asteroid field and once they get close the ship is damaged by an explosion. Neelix wakes up being cared for by a Talaxian woman named Dexa who maybe is forbidden to talk to him? She won't let him see his friends and leaves him locked in a cell. But her son does come to visit. She shows up later with the so called leader of the Talaxians and he tells Neelix he is free to go but not to talk with people so Neelix goes on a tour of the colony with Dexa. 
         As he leaves miners show up and demand that the Talaxians leave the asteroid they are squatting in since it is theirs to mine. Janeway tries to negotiate a deal but the miners aren't willing to budge. So Neelix comes up with a plan to build a shield grid and defend the colony staying behind as their leader. They come under fire from the miners but Janeway ignores the prime directive and shows up with the Flyer to save Neelix. The shield grid works and Neelix stays behind as ambassador to the Delta Quadrant which is kinda silly if he is going to spend his life inside a hidden asteroid colony being attacked by some sort of presumably effective government, but whatever.

         Review: I kinda skipped over the plot about Neelix falling in love with Dexa since it didn't really make much sense to me on screen. I think it would have been easier to understand if Neelix hadn't gone so long without seeming to miss his people at all.

4 out of 10