Summary
Robert Picardo’s story about Jeri Ryan’s behavior towards him on the set ofStar Trek: Voyagerseason 4 is funny, but also highlights some real disparities in the series.Jeri Ryan joined the cast ofVoyagerseason 4 as Seven of Nine when Jennifer Lein departed the show after playing Kesfor the first three seasons. Ryan quickly rose to become a wildly popular member ofVoyager’s cast of charactersand began to establish the dynamics of Seven’s relationships with the USS Voyager’s other crew early on.
One of these relationships was Seven’s friendship and mentorship withthe Doctor (Robert Picardo)which began shortly after she joinedVoyager’s crew. Seven and the Doctor’s relationship was one of the strongest parts of her character arc, and a source of both hilarity and some surprisingly poignant moments. Ryan and Picardo shared a similar relationship off-screen, only adding to their character dynamic.One of the earliest episodes that laid the groundwork for Seven and the Doctor’s working relationship wasVoyagerseason 4, episode 7, “Scientific Method,“an episode that apparently also demonstrated Picardo and Ryan’s emerging friendship off-screen.
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Robert Picardo Says Jeri Ryan Treated Him “As A Sex Object” In Star Trek: Voyager’s “Scientific Method”
Picardo hilarious described Ryan’s behavior on set
In an interview withThe Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazinearound the time of “Scientific Method’s” airing,Robert Picardo shared a joking story of Jeri Ryan teasing him because of a certain costume he wore during the episode. Thanks to the infiltration ofVoyager’s crew by invisible aliens, the Doctor was forced to take refuge onStar Trek: Voyager’s holodeckin a Renaissance simulation, where he adopted Renaissance-style dress including a tunic and tights. Many of Picardo’s scenes in the latter half of the episode were with Jeri Ryan, and apparently, hilarity ensued. Read Picardo’s full quote below:
“Of course, you got to see me wear tights for the first time. The wonderful thing about working with Jeri Ryan when I was also wearing the Spandex was that Jeri thought it was completely OK to treat me as a sex object, and it was. It was something I had been begging for for years. I’ve always felt I had the nicest butt in the company, but I’m sure there are eight other butts that would care to differ.”
Picardo went on to say in an interview withStar Trek Monthlythat “The day that I wore those tights, Jeri pinched me on the butt about five times. She was just so delighted that someone else had to wear tights on the show!” This quote demonstrates how Ryan treated Picardo “as a sex object” andhighlights how comfortable the two apparently were with each other already, so soon after Ryan joinedVoyager. However, it also highlights a real difference between Seven of Nine and the rest of the cast.
Robert Picardo’s Joke Highlights A Real Dichotomy In Star Trek: Voyager’s Costumes
Picardo may be joking, but Seven’s costumes were different than others
While it’s funny to hear about Picardo and Ryan teasing each other, his story shines a light on the fact that Seven’s costumes onVoyagerwere very different than everyone else’s. Except for a few episodes,Seven’s “uniform” onVoyagerconsisted of a skin-tight catsuit in several different colors, which highlighted her figure.These suits had a narrative explanation in that Seven needed a more form-fitting garment to help with her dermal regeneration after her rescue from the Borg, but also served to set her apart from the rest of the cast.
When Seven did wear a Starfleet uniform onStar Trek: Voyager, it was the teal uniform jacket of a science/medical officer.
Picardo’s story makes it clear thatJeri Ryan was aware of the dichotomy between her suits and everyone else’s Starfleet uniforms. Luckily, it sounds like Ryan had a sense of humor about the whole thing, and her teasing Picardo so ruthlessly really highlights how comfortable she was made to feel on the set ofStar Trek: Voyageralmost immediately. If nothing else, the story suggests thatVoyager’s set was a lot more laid back than some otherStar Trekseries of the era.
Source:The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine, issue 18,Star Trek Monthly, issue 45
