Janeway Lambda one is a holonovel, or advanced virtual reality adventure, featured in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they are stranded in the Delta Quadrant, far from the rest of the Federation.

In the holonovel, Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), finds a temporary escape from her responsibilities as Voyager's captain by playing a governess, Lucy Davenport, in a Gothic novel set in Victorian England.

Voyager's writing team developed the holonovel as an expansion of the holodeck, which was introduced earlier in the Star Trek franchise, and a futuristic response to the audiobook.

[2][3] In The Next Generation, the holodeck was shown as being able to project "novellike stories", but Star Trek: Voyager expanded on this idea to introduce the "fully interactive holonovel".

[5] Developing the holonovel as a futuristic update of the audiobook, Voyager's writers defined them as computer programs enabling the user to "experience total, physical immersion in the story, with a full spectrum of sensations in every way".

[4] In his book A Vision of the Future, author Stephan Edward Poe wrote the holonovel was intended to provide: "new ways for crew members to learn ... to be their own heroes in self-directed sages, or even use their stories as a safe and acceptable means of released pent-up emotions.

[4] Taylor originally imagined the program as a simulation of Western fiction, in which Janeway assumed the role of a pioneer emigrating to the American West on a covered wagon.

[11] The episode's director Winrich Kolbe collaborated with visual effects producer Dan Curry to create the Gothic novel setting through the use of second unit blue screen sequences.

[7] Their discussion covered minor actions and effects, such as how much rainwater would be coming through an open window, and whether or not the raindrops on Janeway's clothing would disappear when the simulation ended.

Ron Wilkerson, who wrote "Learning Curve" with Jean Louise Matthias, included the holonovel in the script, but was uncertain of the storyline's direction in future episodes.

In her book Star Trek, media studies scholar Ina Rae Hark argued that this decision was taken to make the series more appealing to a male audience.

[10] In the novel, Janeway assumes the role of Lucille Davenport, working for a Lord Burleigh (Michael Cumpsty) as governess of his children Henry (Thomas Dekker) and Beatrice (Lindsey Haun).

[1][15][23] Academic Janet Horowitz Murray cited Janeway's appreciation of the gothic novel with Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart)'s interest in film noir, Lieutenant Commander Data's (Brent Spiner) identification with Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. Julian Bashir's (Alexander Siddig) preference for James Bond.

[1] Murray wrote that unlike the men who find enjoyment in "violent conflict[s] that [are] resolved within a single Star Trek episode", Janeway immerses herself in domestic chores without pursuing a narrative with constant action.

[15] Taylor attributed the holonovel, specifically in "Persistence of Vision", as allowing Janeway to move forward from her engagement to her fiancée Mark Johnson (Stan Iver).

[24] Van Riper cited Janeway as part of a trend in which fictional female captains "recreate home and hearth on the high seas by forming (and maintaining) committed romantic relationships".

[15] Murray interpreted her romance with the fictional Lord Burleigh as a serious "exercise posing psychological and moral questions" for the audience and characters to explore during the episodes.

She likened Janeway with the character Jane Eyre based on their "strong resistance to being bullied, a willingness to stand on principle, and the courage to face fear and isolation head-on".

[23] Referring to Janeway as a "person of Victorian integrity",[25] Murray described the holonovel as opening a channel of exploration that brings her the "benefit of self-knowledge" in order to return her to "the real world all the stronger".

Muir criticized the holonovel as "essentially a time-waster" that "serves no dramatic or character purpose except to enlighten the viewer that Janeway likes Victorian novels".

[30] She criticized Janeway's investment in the holonovel over leading her crew,[31] and questioned her portrayal in the show's early seasons as "isolating herself on the holodeck and holding junior officers at arm's length".

"[33] American studies professor Katja Kanzler interpreted the holonovel as the show's way of adding "ultra-traditional images of femininity" to its "ultra-authoritative female Captain".

National Review's Jonah Goldberg wrote that the frequent use of the holodeck was "an outrage, seemingly conceived for actors and costume designers to indulge themselves at the audience's expense".

[27] Murray expanded on theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss's determination that creating tactile simulations through the holodeck is an example of unrealistic technology to write that Janeway would have been unable to drink tea and hug Lord Burleigh in reality.