# Why G. Bujold didn't remain captain on "Star Trek: Voyager" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908 "2007-01-14T05:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/41 "2007-01-15T23:16:19Z")
So, when do we get that 5 minute window for editing? Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/42 "2007-01-16T00:12:51Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] So, when do we get that 5 minute window for editing? Sheesh. [/QUOTE] No, no. You’re right. She was Kathering an awful lot of Hepburn in that show. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/43 "2007-01-16T00:49:05Z")
I would gladly take Mlle. Bujold over Mrs. Colombo anytime. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/44 "2007-01-16T05:04:56Z")
I think GB _could_ have been great, but I’m not sure she _would_ have been great. I definitely saw the potential for greatness in those clips, but also a whole lot of I-don’t-want-to-be-doing-this. I liked her grimness, but not her lack of presence and confidence. Unless she was willing and able to compromise her style slightly to blend in with the usual four-color style of Trek, she was just going to stick out like a Ferengi at a charity ball. And I think she was unwilling, not out of any artistic stubbornness (which I could respect) but just apathy. She hated the job, and she didn’t want to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/45 "2007-01-16T08:46:33Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] I can’t help but point out that we saw only clips w/o special effects or music. [/QUOTE] My first reaction was fear and loathing of the strange noise the door made :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/46 "2007-01-16T15:25:10Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/McBmqXredgw/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/McBmqXredgw?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque I dunno. Maybe she was just having a bad day on the set. But that… whew. Mulgrew, for all her faults, was 'way better than her, IMHO. I think the producers made the right call. What say you? [/QUOTE] Mulgrew was much better. After all, she had been trained by [Chiun, the Master of Sinanju](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089901/) . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/47 "2007-01-16T15:44:03Z")
Very pretty lady. Unfortunately, her delivery was even more wooden than Tim Russ’s, which was not a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/48 "2007-01-16T15:59:40Z")
Tim Russ was a minor guest on _Numb3rs_ and a minor regular on _Twenty Good Years_ and was absolutely no less wooden. Why did he become an actor? I thought Dubuquers hated Mulgrew because her quick willingness to pad her bra implied that all Dubuque women padded theirs when everybody should know it isn’t padding but corn-fed goodness filling those bras. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/49 "2007-01-16T16:00:27Z")
Yeah, the chemistry just sucked. She seemed extremely tired. During the scene in her ready room with Tuvac, I don’t believe she ever looked him in the eye. She was gracious to quit, and I give her props for leaving. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/50 "2007-01-16T21:51:33Z")
What a difference having all the sound FX taken away makes! I don’t think it would have mattered who played Janeway. The writting for Voyager started off bad and went downhill. They came pretty damn close to being Gilligan’s Island in space. KIM!!! ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/51 "2007-01-16T22:47:12Z")
I don’t think it was a bad performance in itself. I think it was rather subtle. But that’s just not right for a Star Trek captain. She needed to show some dynamic aspects. Stewart did both. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/52 "2007-01-16T22:49:15Z")
I didn’t like Mulgrew at all. I only watched a couple of episodes before giving up. But I also lost interest in TNG somewhere in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/53 "2007-01-17T00:28:07Z")
The viewscreen in the video was cool. BIG WHITE GOOEY SPACE MUSH …EXPLOSION!.. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/54 "2007-01-17T05:32:31Z")
God, it’s like listening to a Schwarzenegger in drag. Very, very bad. Much like Yoyager itself, but more so. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/55 "2007-01-17T06:29:21Z")
I’ll just say…I didn’t like Janeway. However, I didn’t think Mulgrew did a bad job _playing_ Janeway. Ya dig? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/56 "2007-01-17T06:48:00Z")
I don’t think it’s fair to judge anyone’s acting ability based on their performance in Star Trek. Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner are both decent actors but they have few opportunities to shine in The Next Generation. A few, I’ll grant you, but they were far between. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/57 "2007-01-17T15:27:12Z")
Yeah, that’s pretty dire stuff. But I’m surprised to see that it’s on what looks like an official doc, like a DVD extra. I was under the impression that you simply just don’t talk about your unfortunately early casting choices. At least, not that openly. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/58 "2007-01-17T16:41:44Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] Yeah, that’s pretty dire stuff. But I’m surprised to see that it’s on what looks like an official doc, like a DVD extra. I was under the impression that you simply just don’t talk about your unfortunately early casting choices. At least, not that openly. [/QUOTE] The clips were circulating as soon as she bailed. I can remember reading articles written at the time where the film crew was bashing her performance. I really don’t think it’s all that bad, based on what little I could bear to watch (the audio’s horrible). One thing I couldn’t help but notice is that the camera operator seemed to go out of his way to emphasize the fact that she’s short. Given the fact that they can shoot the Couchjumper’s movies so that you can’t tell he’s shorter than his costars, they could have done the shots so that she didn’t always appear to be a little kid in a big people’s world. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/59 "2007-01-17T21:18:33Z")
[QUOTE=MGibson] I don’t think it’s fair to judge anyone’s acting ability based on their performance in Star Trek. Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner are both decent actors but they have few opportunities to shine in The Next Generation. A few, I’ll grant you, but they were far between. Marc [/QUOTE] I think Stewart and Spiner both rose above the material they had to work with. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908/60 "2007-01-17T21:40:42Z")
Wait, let me get this straight… People are complaining about her supposedly fake French accent when she really does talk like that? Someone complains that she seems tired in the shots when Tuvok specifically tells Janeway that she has been awake too long and needs to get some rest? Mulgrew always seemed a little cartoony for me in the role, and Bujpld might have grown into the role beyond, you know, her _first day_. If she’d wanted to, that is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-g-bujold-didnt-remain-captain-on-star-trek-voyager/387908.md?page=4)