Jennifer Lien left Star Trek: Voyager and was replaced by Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, but Robert Duncan McNeill praises Lien and her character, Kes’, importance. McNeill played Lieutenant Tom Paris for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025.
Kes was a series regular character for the first 3 seasons of Star Trek: Voyager. An Ocampa who only lived for nine years, Kes and her love interest, Neelix (Ethan Phillips), joined the USS Voyager’s crew in Star Trek: Voyager‘s series premiere. However, when Jennifer Lien exited Star Trek: Voyager, the show’s producers cited Kes as an underdeveloped character with limited story potential.
Appearing as a guest on The Transporter Room podcast with Chris Garis, Allyson Leach-Heid, and Linda Paiges, Robert Duncan McNeill remembered that Tom Paris and Kes became friends on Star Trek: Voyager, and he explained why Jennifer Lien was a gifted actor, and how “critical” Kes was to the evolution of Star Trek: Voyager‘s other characters. Read Robbie’s quote below:
Ultimately, [Kes and Tom Paris] did become good friends. I loved doing scenes with Jennifer because she was the only actor on our show [whose] acting style was naturalism. She was not a theater actor. She didn’t come from the same background that Kate Mulgrew came from, or maybe that I came from, or Bob Picardo came from, with big theatre, and playing to the back of the house, a little larger than life.
Jennifer [Kes] was the only character who always sat in realism and naturalism, and I appreciated that. I loved doing scenes with her for that reason. And in my memory, after Seven came on, my memory of that was like, ‘Oh, I guess they never really figured out what to do with Kes.’ She didn’t have good stories so they wanted to bring in a different character.
But when I went back and rewatched the series, she actually had incredible stories. Her stories helped develop The Doctor, helped develop Tom from being a jerk to being a reasonable, relatable guy. If it wasn’t for Kes, none of those characters, mine or Bob’s, or Ethan Phillips’ [Neelix], or even the Captain, they couldn’t have evolved in the same way. They needed Kes. She was critical to the first few years of our show in ways that I had forgotten until I rewatched it.
Check out the full interview with Robert Duncan McNeill on The Transporter Room below:
Jennifer Lien’s exit from Star Trek: Voyager still has unanswered questions, but the actor’s declining mental health was a key issue. Ultimately, Jeri Ryan’s coming aboard as Seven of Nine enhanced Star Trek: Voyager, bringing mainstream attention to the United Paramount Network’s flagship series.
On The Delta Flyers podcast with Garrett Wang, Robert Duncan McNeill reviewed every episode of Star Trek: Voyager, and he was able to reassess how vital Kes was to the development of characters like Lt. Tom Paris, The Doctor (Robert Picardo), Neelix, and Captain Janeway in Voyager’s early seasons.
It’s tragic that Jennifer Lien lost touch with her castmates, and she has been unable to benefit from how Star Trek: Voyager has gained a greater appreciation and a new audience in recent years, thanks to fans discovering and binging Voyager on streaming services like Netflix and Paramount+.
Robert Duncan McNeill’s defense of Kes is welcome, as history tends to diminish the Ocampa’s impact on Star Trek: Voyager. Jennifer Lien’s naturalistic performances as Kes were crucial to bringing out the best in other characters on Star Trek: Voyager.
- Release Date
-
January 16, 1995
- Network
-
UPN
- Showrunner
-
Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, Kenneth Biller
- Directors
-
David Livingston, Winrich Kolbe, Allan Kroeker, Michael Vejar
- Writers
-
Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor
