Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) False Profits (1996) User Reviews

A link to TNG

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 9 August 2010]

It looks like the crew of Voyager will be getting home sooner than expected when they discover a wormhole and a nearby planet appears to have Alpha Quadrant technology despite being a Bronze Age civilisation. Chakotay and Paris beam down to the surface and discover that it has indeed been visited by people from the Alpha Quadrant; a couple of Feringi are there and have usurped the local religion for their own gain. They live in luxury, waited on by beautiful under-dressed women while the population are not doing so well. Jayeway believes that they should be removed as they are only there because they attended a Federation led conference seven years before at the other end of the wormhole. They however point out that their arrival does correspond to the locals' religious prophecies. Since they can't remove them by force Neelix pays them a visit suitably disguised as The Grand Proxy, claiming that the Negus has recalled them to Ferenginar; the plan appears to be working until the Ferengi decide they would rather kill him than leave. Learning more of the people's prophecies they make them believe it is time for the 'Sages' to leave, unfortunately they interpret the prophecy as meaning they must burn the Sages, including Neelix.

As is usually the case with Ferengi episodes this one was fairly amusing, although one can see the Captain's point of view about their corruption of the locals it does seem as though they are taking it too seriously when they risk not getting home to remove the Ferengi. It was fun to see Ethan Phillips, playing Neelix the Ferengi. The ending while predictable was satisfactory; after all if they could have used the wormhole the series would have ended rather prematurely.

Kind of fun but the end was pretty stupid...as well as disappointing.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 17 February 2015]

One of the best things about "Star Trek: Deep Space 9", in my opinion, was that although many of the episodes were deadly serious, every so often they'd toss in a comedic episode starring the Ferengi to keep things light and fun. Unfortunately, through much of "Star Trek: Voyager" light and fun are NOT words you'd use to describe the show and too often the series needed something like this. Well, someone must have realized this when they came up with "False Profits"--an episode that inexplicably brings the Ferengi into the Delta Quadrant.

When the show begins, Voyager comes upon an M-class planet that demands their attention. This is because although it's social evolution places it squarely in the Bronze Age, there are replicators on there as well!! Obviously some advanced race has imposed itself on the planet. However, when Paris and Chakotay go to investigate, they're horrified to find two Ferengi jerks are there--and they've created a religion around themselves and are completely taking advantage of these naive people. Voyager needs to not only get these jerks away from these people but figure out how they got there so that Voyager can use the same method to get themselves home.

This episode made me laugh though it clearly is not among the best Ferengi shows. Additionally, the ending really was a letdown. Although some wormhole was available to get them back to the Alpha Quadrant, a contrived reason they could NOT use it was tossed in and it really made little sense. It was just an excuse not to end the series and it seemed like it.

Had potential but falls short

[snoozejonc · 6/10 · 2 December 2022]

Voyager discovers a planet with two Ferengi impersonating gods.

This is an okay episode but it generally wastes a great concept.

There are not too many opportunities in Star Trek to do decent crossovers, but this one has a very good premise that connects it with an episode of TNG. I think it starts well and it quite intrigued me to find out how events would unfold.

Considering the writers are offering the notion that Voyager could get home via the wormhole, they make absolutely no effort to maximise this aspect of the plot. Instead it is all Ferengi related comedy with the addition of Neelix. How funny is it? For me, I found it mildly humorous at best. The best moments are Ethan Phillips pretending to be a Ferengi and the general silliness in filmmakers portrayal religious exploitation and subjugation.

The ending involving the wormhole felt like everyone involved in the production was just going through the motions.

On the positive side the make up and costuming of the Ferengi characters looks awesome as ever and their actors play the parts very well.

Exploitation begins at home.

[thevacinstaller · 6/10 · 11 July 2021]

There are some reviewers suggesting that Janeway should have just let the Ferengi enslave an entire world by misappropriating the societies religious/fable beliefs and go through the wormhole instead. Um, what franchise are you watching?

This episode is not a roaring success for me. I needed a personal investment in the plight of the society ----- We needed a guest star to really hammer home the misery/destruction caused by the Ferengi.

This question does raise the question of what does starfleet do when aliens in the alpha quadrant exploit a pre-warp society like the Ferengi are doing?

This episode is a bit of a re-imagining of the TNG episode 'Devils Due' and normally I am not one to pick up on such similarities but this one stuck out to me and I have to knock off a few points for that.

The ferengi performances were the best part of this episode but not enough to make it an enjoyable experience for me. This one needed a tighter script in my opinion. I need to care about these people and that never happened in this episode.

how not to get a stranded crew home.

[rgarfiel · 6/10 · 19 April 2009]

Yes, they have to keep the show going, but this episode shows one of the great flaws in "Voyager" as a concept. Janeway should be doing everything she can to get her crew home; after all, she was the one who got them stranded in the Delta Quadrant in the first place. So, with the wormhole almost upon them, and the way home there for the taking, Janeway instead plays games with an alien planet and two miserable Ferengi, and almost literally misses the bus. Even so, once she transports the Ferengi to the ship, shouldn't they be tied up like cattle and guarded by several well-armed crewmen, who would realize that keeping the Ferengi on ice is their ticket back to Earth? Janeway's sympathy for the inhabitants of the planet must take a back-seat to her primary mission. This episode, like so many Trek shows, in all the series, could be sub-titled "liberals in space." Great morality back on Earth, no so hot when exiled 75,000 light-years from home.

First self termination

[dannydeever · 5 January 2019]

Star Trek franchise has lots of incongruent moments and episodes, with plot holes and character inconsistencies. I suppose it's inevitable staffing so many writers and being tasked to create 45 minutes of compelling storylines 26 times per season. The Voyager series had plenty of raising the eyebrow moments through the first 2+ seasons -- "Oh Seska! You died...well..Voyager..it was nice having you, now abandon ship fierce Kazon warriors, to the escape pods!!" or "That's nice we've discovered transwarp speed and can go anywhere in the universe in the blink of an eye, but let's just get home the old fashioned way and forego further experimentation" and "let's just forget Michael Jonas the 2nd crewman traitor ever existed." -- but I find False Profit to be the first real face palm episode in the series, specifically regarding the last 5 minutes.

There's about 50 things to nit pick, starting with the two Ferengi apparently besting Star Fleet security on their way to the brig. Sure, the Ferengi are cunning, but I fail to think of any plausible scenario that would allow them to get free, especially considering the circumstances where the security should be on heightened alert given everything that leads up to it. But the real letdown is literally sitting there while the wormhole home shrinks away.

It didn't have to lead to the Alpha Quadrant or the site of the TNG episode from 7 years prior. It's an unstable wormhole...maybe it only gets them 10,000 light years closer or maybe it takes them to the Beta or Gamma quadrant? At this point, they're 2+ years into the show and have moved about that far. They're still running into Kazon - a culture only 30 years new to space -- and the Viidians - a culture seemingly more dedicated to curing their phage than space dominance....so apparently they haven't moved very far. It was probably about time to move them..onward a bit. Blown opportunity. But why? Why would they get distracted from their primary mission objection in order to dink around with the Ferengi? At first, it was because they were upsetting the natural order of things because the natives saw the Ferengi as their gods. That objection apparently last 5 minutes, because in the next scene they're using Neelix in a ruse that objectively is no different than simply beaming the Ferengi off the planet and into a brig. Eventually, they get everything they want and are ready to go home. The Ferengi then manage to unintentionally collapse the wormhole, so Voyager has to move fast. However, Voyager can't adjust or react quick enough to seize their chance. By the way, Voyager moving like molasses jumping to warp or full impulse is kind of recurring thing. The Enterprise moves like a Cheetah in comparison. Maybe the main computer processes the jump slower or can't establish the warp field as quickly, I don't know, I can't remember if they ever address it throughout the series. Apparently, having the best pilot in the quadrant doesn't help in this regard. Anyway, how easily the Voyager crew loses sight on going home in this episode, is a little too much to overlook. Where's Tuvok to point this out? Conspicuously, largely absent. This is probably the first self termination point in the series. The audience is forced the red pill and awakens from the matrix and it's time to reset.

I have questions....

[GreyHunter · 6/10 · 18 December 2019]

Despite the rare bumbling nature of the Voyager senior staff, this wasn't a terrible episode. It deals with a classic sci-fi trope of people/beings with superior technology playing God to primitive peoples (using, of course, Clarke's First Law), and the nature of the Ferengi makes for a particularly pointed example of this trope in action. It wasn't a great episode either, but they can't all be winners.

As for the complaints about the bumbling nature of the Voyager staff, other reviewers have discussed it fairly thoroughly, though a couple of them do miss the fact that this was intended to be pure Roddenberry, i.e. the do no harm principle of the Prime Directive, which would include fixing Federation and/or Voyager mistakes, and seem to misunderstand the concept of multitasking. Voyager had nothing to do except wait for a while as they tried to work out how to attract the wormhole and, once they did so, hold position until the time came. There's no logic problem with dealing with the Ferengi at the same time.

But, as others have pointed out, the decisions were just baffling. I can understand why Janeway would send the Ferengi back. I can't understand why she would do so almost immediately, without considering possibilities and consulting the rest of the senior staff. She's been very well established as being the sort of captain who would do both if reasonably possible. Had she considered longer, perhaps she would have remembered that they can do cosmetic surgery on Voyager and could easily send two crew members to play replacements (Neelix can't be the only shortish person on board who could play a Ferengi, especially since the leader of the "Sages" was actually almost exactly Janeway's height, as you could see when they went nose to nose) Or perhaps she could have thought a few extra moments and realized a sensible compromise would be to let the gods return but take away their god-like powers, i.e. the advanced technology

Other minor questions I didn't see addressed elsewhere include how the Ferengi shuttle was still space-worthy, given that they clearly state they crashed in the square, and why Voyager didn't have at least the foresight to have a probe with information for the Federation fired immediately upon the wormhole opening....just in case. Also, why wouldn't they go ahead and replicate the local currency for their return trip? And did any of them consider the fact that the Ferengi had already created a toxic situation in the society and even with them gone, the Ferengi culture and rules might cause significant upheaval in the society? And a most baffling one...we are familiar with the fact that most of the Ferengi treat the Nagus with almost God-like reverence (the only exception I know of is when Brunt kinda turned on the Nagus, but that's a case of someone very near the chambers of power, someone who actually knew the Nagus). The two Ferengi here are under the impression that the wormhole is now stable and they are no longer out of the Nagus' reach. What would possess them to believe killing the Nagus' Proxy -- which means he essentially *is* the Nagus for all intents and purposes when the Nagus isn't personally present -- would end well for them?

All in all, one of those episodes to be taken with a disengaged brain and just enjoy the whole Ferengi plot.

More Stupidity on Janeway's Part

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 22 August 2018]

If this were a sitcom, it would be just fine to have the bumbling crew of Enterprise encounter a couple of idiot Ferengi. But to have an incredibly viable method of escape messed up by the need to put these guys in their places is quite absurd. Knowing the wormhole is out there, it should occupy all their attention. The Ferengi weren't killing people. Granted, they are quite unpleasant, but ultimately a drop of water in the huge galactic ocean. Using all the capabilities they have including Neelix's disguise distracts them from their true goal. These two would have come and gone eventually. It is fun to see them get their comeuppance, but at what expense. Janeway really does make some monumentally poor decisions.

JANEWAY IS AN IDIOT AGAIN

[awbusa · 10/10 · 18 July 2021]

Instead of screwing around with the FERENGI the USS VOYAGER crew should've just fixed the wormhole and went home - JANEWAY keeps wasting opportunities to get home - 1st was the CARETAKER'S ARRAY they could've used it anytime to get home - 2nd was the THE ROMULAN WORMHOLE episode EYE OF THE NEEDLE , they could've beamed the USS VOYAGER & the crew through it and simply put the crew in stasis for 20 years and the EMH could've awakened them 1 day after the USS VOYAGER DISAPPEARED in the BADLANDS - 3rd the QUANTUM SLIP STREAM DRIVE episode HOPE & FEAR

• there are many more examples.

Gilligan's Island...in Space

[zombiemockingbird · 6/10 · 16 May 2023]

While watching this episode, I had a sudden flashback to Gilligan's Island. Every time they had an opportunity to be rescued, someone, (usually Gilligan) did something incredibly stupid to completely screw it up.

Enter Captain Janeway. The crew of the Voyager has an opportunity to go through a wormhole, and get back to the Alpha Quadrant. But they encounter this planet, where the primitive and incredibly gullible inhabitants are being fleeced by a couple of errant Ferengi. Suddenly, Janeway becomes God/Judge/Jury and decides they have to do something to stop the Ferengi. But instead of just grabbing them and leaving, they concoct this stupid ruse, involving Neelix dressing up like a Ferengi, and of course it all goes horribly wrong, and they miss the chance to go through the wormhole. It was somewhat entertaining, but I expect more from Star Trek than a Gilligan's Island plot.

For Shame

[Bolesroor · 5/10 · 2 February 2011]

Why head home when you can putz around in the Delta Quadrant, playing policeman to two Ferengi hucksters? This would have been a much better episode if not for the wormhole... the idea that Janeway wastes a chance to get home is deplorable and pathetic.

Voyager discovers a planet on which two Ferengi are posing as Gods in order to exploit and steal from their subjects. Of course Voyager intervenes- Janeway instantly beams the two greedy culprits up to the ship. Then she lets them go again. Why? What possible reason could the decisive Janeway have for getting involved and then instantly withdrawing? The little speech they gave? Bullspit. It's just a bad plot device because the moment she beams them back down she starts devising another method of ending their charade.

This buys us time until the brilliant idea of surgically altering Neelix to look like a Ferengi and beaming him down to pose as the Grand Proxy and trick the con-men into ending their reign of terror. Wasn't it easier when you had them in your transporter room? Neelix bungles, of course, but the highlight of this episode is the Ferengi crooks who are genuinely funny and entertaining.

Of course, when the suddenly-inept Voyager crew finally manages to beam the Ferengi back on board, they promptly overpower security and escape into space, ending Voyager's chance to take the wormhole back home, which was the ENTIRE PREMISE OF THIS SHOW IN THE FIRST PLACE! Why not just call it "Killing Time In Deep Space"... stop policing the Delta Quadrant and GO HOME!!!

GRADE: C-

The worst ever episode

[mr-jpallen · 1/10 · 3 October 2021]

The voyager crew are desperate to get back home and we've seen the lengths the crew have gone to, to get back. Sometimes stealing technology to do so. Yet suddenly there is a wormhole that will take them back to the Delta quadrant in a few hours. But there are a couple of ferengi causing problems on the nearby planet. Instead of just beaming them aboard and going through the wormhole they do a whole song and dance about how to make the ferengi leave and keep the local population happy. It's completely nonsensical and none of the characters seem in the least bit concerned they may not make it back through the wormhole in time before it collapses if they continue to play around on the planet. Obviously we are only in season 3 so they need to somehow not get back through the wormhole which is exactly what happens when the ferengi miraculously escape by overpowering a single guard and then accidentally destabilise the wormhole. Oh and of course we can't have the ferengi in the show anymore so they conveniently get pulled through. How this absolute joke of an episode made it onto screen is beyond me. The writers/producers should be embarrassed.

One of the memorable failures in Voyager

[neacorp · 3/10 · 16 August 2009]

For me this was one of the most important episodes in the entire series. In my opinion, this was the biggest blunder they had to endure.

Voyager finds an old unstable TNG wormhole, complete with 2 lost ferengi. The crew knows this is their best shot to get home, and they actually make the wormhole stable. That's it, that's all they needed. It could have clearly ended there if their officers were competent.

Instead we got an over-righteous Janeway picking her priorities out of a hat at random, and blind Tuvak who should have clearly noted that logically the ferengi would try to sabotage their extraction from paradise at any cost. What happened next wasn't a shocker, but simply the dumbest intervention in history. If you have not seen this episode yet, the amount of episodes after this will clearly give away the ending.

So what were the alternatives? 1. Ignore the ferengi, travel home and then report the ferengi crimes, so somebody else returns through the now stable wormhole to arrest them. 2. Extract the ferengi by a simple confrontation or transporter, lock them up in a cell or something, with guards posted around, preventing all possible ferengi mishaps. 3. Expose and arrest the ferengi and let the local population deal with them. Personally, 1 was my favorite.

But what about the rest of the series, you ask? Well, who says we have to end it? Why not build an outpost in the Delta quadrant next to the wormhole, restock the Voyager crew and send it on the longest mission in history of star fleet to answer if Voyager could actually get home without the wormhole. Is that hard to grasp? For the writers it was apparently so. Sad, new characters, new stories, new possibilities, all lost.

Janeway is frustrating and inconsistent

[striveonsolutions · 4/10 · 12 May 2021]

Janeway's line: "since the federation was involved in the negotiations that led to the Ferengi owning the rights to the wormhole, the federation is already involved." Ummm what? That is Janeway's way of spinning it? To justify her getting involved? And Tuvok says that's a "very logical" way of looking at it? This is preposterous.

So, by that logic, the Federation is responsible for all the actions/choices of any race that participates in a negotiation for an indefinite amount of time after said negotiation? So much for the Prime Directive!

And all it takes is two Ferengi to distract Janeway from focusing on getting her crew home through a wormhole? Its incredible that Chakotay didn't relieve Janeway of command at any point of this series. Absolute incompetence.

Silly and boring

[tomsly-40015 · 3/10 · 19 December 2023]

Another silly Ferengi episode - the first for Voyager though.

While the idea is interesting that Ferengis are worshipped as gods on an underdeveloped planet and exploit the citizens to make profit, it is done in a silly way again. Don't know why most Ferengi episodes have to be corny and over the top.

At least Neelix did a better job impersonating a Ferengi than a Talaxian. He is less annoying this way.

What hurts my eyes again: The stupidity of the Voyager bridge crew. There is the one and only chance to travel back to the alpha quadrant through a wormhole but they rather mess around with two Ferengis and try to stop them from returning back to the planet. I'd like to hear what the rest of the crew has to say about the fact, that their superiors wasted this opportunity because Janeway and the other senior officers played "Chase the Ferengi" instead.

Ahh... greed

[maxbishop-74846 · 5/10 · 15 April 2020]

Probably as good an episode as any to note the contention, the illogic that is Janeway's segways. Will get involved because the Ferengi tainted the culture. An impressionable culture (Prime Directive-ish). Oh, but the dramatic Ferengi say the prople will miss them (you mean, the people that had their cultural trajectory hicacked? Another verse in the them on correcting the interferred with culture. So, what does Janeway do then? This still substantiates the evil, so of course what she does is... send them back to the planet. What?? Over and over is the Federation contradiction of get the most advanced weaponry to never use them. Rabid people that do not want you around and want to kill others asking for your protection.. what to do? Oh, just talk with them. When we're not blasting them, which will lead to saying sorry. Really tired of that dichotomy, which is represent the most in Voyager series.

Oh, and... maybe.... get close to a worm hole when you're about wanting to jump in fast? Just a thought.

Oh, and why is their every kind of medical discipline on board these ships, even counselors, but never a Speech Pathologist (SLP for voice disorders and over pronunciation of stage diction type personnel)?