Voyagers Guidebook

"Far out in the cosmos there exists a planet known as Voyager, where the mystery of travel into space and through time has been solved. It is inhabited by a race who call themselves Voyagers. Their purpose is to keep constant surveillance on history. These people have a time machine device, the Omni, which will take them into the past, present or future. As each Voyager graduates he is given an omni and a guidebook. One such graduate Phineas Bogg, who was assigned as a field worker to operate in certain time zones."

This quote at first didn't make sense to me since Phineas Bogg explains in the Pilot episode –"We're the people that are plucked out of time and trained to travel through the ages..."

In latter episodes of the series, it's revealed that Phineas Bogg was once a pirate, not a native of Planet Voyager. He says so himself in "Old hickory and the pirate." And it's obvious by his outfit.

On Planet Voyager a race of people have discovered the secrets of Time and space manipulation. These Voyagers appointed themselves, or were appointed as authorities over Earth's history. Fans of "Doctor Who" may be reminded of the Time Lords. All of this is narrated, we never actually see them. However, there are the judges in the "Trial of Phineas Bogg" episode. 

I suppose any children born to the Voyagers would be considered natives of the planet. I imagine the Tribunal decides who they want to for its ranks and then scour the time zones in search of candidates.

Once on Voyager Planet, they go through a rigorous training and re-education process to be brought up to speed with history at the Academy. All of these fascinating plot theories could've been explored if Voyagers! enjoyed a longer run on television.

In Voyager From the Unknown Bogg tells Jeffrey:

"Where's Columbus kid? Where am I? What'd I do wrong?"

"It was Control Computer's idea to come into Dayton!"

Those are new lines of dialogue! The downside was that Meeno already went through puberty. So the overdubs sounded awkward. It was a shame they couldn't have produced 2 new adventures. Or one movie to tie up loose ends from the show. But Jon-Erik already moved on to Cover Up and less than a month later came his tragic accident.

Because the show lasted 1 season, memorabilia tie-ins were hard to find. No Bogg and Jeff action figures, play-sets, and toy omnis, no coloring books or snazzy tin lunch-boxes. (That'd would've been absolutely amazing!) There was only ONE single tie-in book written for Scholastic, yet its the company that co-produced Voyagers! It didn't even have pictures save for the cover. Scholastic produced one illustrated poster to promote Voyagers! in schools. Not many people have that.

Where was the love and support? Apparently Jon-Erik tried to save the show, going cross country to make appearances and guest spots on the radio. Meeno appeared at conventions, James Parriott and his team did their best to create interesting episodes. "Cleo and the Babe" was produced in honor of the World Series, but that monster of a game proved to be the show's down fall when Voyagers! was pre-empted for over 13 weeks between March and June, 1983.

So what's left for a true Voyagers! fan besides the unofficial stuff us fans like to create?

Click to: Listen to the Voyager From the Unknown Theme music

The most fascinating aspect of Voyager From the Unknown is the beautiful artwork by Jerry Gebr seen in the opening and closing credits. It envisions Planet Voyager as a vast, unexplored wasteland with a futuristic complex designed to house the Academy.