Was just thinking about how it could have been if they had made all that Voyager went through actually visible on the ship and crew.
Panels and tubes and all sorts of obvious replacement parts (probably traded for or scavenged from space debris) that make the ship look like you ran out of the right pieces on a lego build.
Casualties being actually addressed beyond the usual "oh fuck somebody died". Mourning being shown.
Things breaking beyond repair: "sorry, I can't fix your replicator. You can come over and use mine tho." "Yeah that light has been flickering for weeks now., just ignore it" "Oh you have to press this screen really hard for it to actually work. B'elanna said she'd take a look at it but I guess she's been busy."
People walking around with scars (forget about dermal regenerators for a bit ok?) and eyebags. Hairs greying decades before their time. Uniforms obviously mended by someone who has never held a needle before in their life.
I honestly wish we got to see this ship becoming the generational ship is was meant to become only for it to get home and not become that. It would make those moments where Ransom is all "you wouldn't understand your ships all shiny look at mine" hit so much harder as well.
Like, his line have to be different. Could be about her ship making a home of itself while his is falling apart and yet that home is covered in scars. Reminders of what all has happened to them over the year. (Random thing but there is a moment in Discovery where they get told a similar line. A "if youve been through it like we have" type thing and its honestly interesting to look at these moments in Trek).
Anyways, they could have done such simple things without having to drastically change the set or take from the shows "everything is pretty see shiny ship" that clearly dictated the magically fix Voyager after every EP. Like, just have them open up a panel and the bioneural gel pack isn't blue but a purple or something and B'Elanna having to explain it's from such and such planet they traded, helped supliment their gel pack supplies and has greatly helped her figure out repairing them better.
The officers mess (where Janeway's captains mess was at) that we see now constantly as the crew mess after Neelix got his kitchen isn't the only community area on Voyager. Like, there is enlisted mess and just lounges in general. Imagine them using that same set but to show another spot converted for movie nights or game nights.
The plants Kes started turned into a whole arboretum so that there is somewhere on the ship the crew could go an relax. Many also go and just help with the fruits and vegetables there.
Naomi not being the only kid on the ship (could be the main one we see but even just hinting at a baby in someone's arms in the background, or a toddler running around with Naomi and so on would tell us there is more) and not just when the Borg kids are present. And then this also leading to like pictures everywhere. Tuvok and Chakotay in Janeway's ready room as she has a stack on them on her desk or in a basket behind her that collects them constantly. A stuffed Flotter beside them telling us her ready room has become a place the ships children know as well as the crew.
A permanently cracked wall panel in engineering that B'Elanna knows how to use but she's yet been able to repair because every time she did in the past it got destroyed right after. Since she stopped repairing, the crew has a weird belier that it keeps them safer so she won't let anyone touch it. Its become a comfort for all those who see it.
I could go on and on but honestly for crew scars I can see how easily they could be kept at bay but it's because all the emergency kits and medical stuff is constantly a priority and if ever low certain people have become known to refuse medical (even when not low). And it's them you see marked up more. Janeway with lines on her hands from plasma burns, a scar in her, perhaps one on her neck - other marks beneath uniform that get revealed, signs of all she's gone through in the DQ. Tuvok with a line through one of his lips, plasma burns etched into his flesh, just signs of the various tortured he's undergone throughout the DQ not to mention injuries on ship. Chakotay tends to use himself as an example and go get healed up but he has a visible scar through his tattoo. Just ... Senior staff having at least one visible mark. (Tuvok and Janeway the most as they will avoid sickbay even on a good day)
All of this! I want the scars, the trinkets, the hints of a lived in, loved in, lost in, home away from home. Maybe a memorial wall to honour those that they lost from both crews - started in the first couple of weeks out there by person unknown- Maquis and Starfleet mixed together- the first sign this crew would become something other than antagonistic towards each other.
