Star Trek Enterprise (ENT) Season 2 Guest Reviews

Season 1Season 2Season 3Season 4

 

Carbon Creek

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Hey, hey it's "11:59-Vulcan style!" No, don't be alarmed it certainly isn't that BAD an episode, I actually quite liked it despite it having well...little at all to do with the voyage of Enterprise much the same as the aforementioned 'Voyager' episode was quite pointless too, but while "11:59" was a dull, pointless, yawn-inducing take on the millennium craze (which the story even managed to stuff that up), here we have something much more interesting. Three Vulcans, one of which was T'Pol's great grandmother crash land on Earth in the late 50's and have to live amongst the population, and while of course humour follows it also adequately addresses alot or home-truth's about both Humans and Vulcans. The threat of nuclear annihilation and the self-destructive nature of humanity alluded to multiple times, while the Vulcans also gain an understanding into the inherent empathy of mankind, which is largely thanks to the convincing performance of J. Paul Boehmer who had appeared multiple times in "Star Trek: Voyager". Like Valaras the other week Mestral is yet another refreshing take on the typical Vulcan, he is rational yet develops a compassion and that in turn rubs off on T'Mir (T'Pol's just-as-sexy ancestor) who in an effort to provide a teen money for a scholarship, introduces the Vulcan invention of Velcro to humanity.

And I was very, very grateful that unlike any other episode we aren't put in a position where we have to deal with the ramifications of the Vulcans secret being revealed, of course it wasn't going to be but at the same time I felt myself hoping they would not be exposed so we would have more tired plot devices involving lynch mobs after the 'aliens' who with assistance from more compassionate humans help them out. It's a plot device travelled down too many times and I'm glad it wasn't used here, and the episode is better off for it as it plays off the conflicts the Vulcans face, primarily from each other as they cope with their situation.

And of course there's alot of pop culture references, the Vulcans mistake baseball for some form of combat, Mestral remarks on humanities usage of cryogenics in reference to frozen TV dinners, the unimportant Vulcan complains one child refers to him as 'Moe' due to the resemblance he and the 'Stooge' share.

So a very good episode despite the fact it has little bearing on the ongoing journey of Enterprise, but all the same I'm giving it 6/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable scene: As tasteless as it was I'm certainly not complaining about the silhouette of T'Mir as she changed :)

Rating: 6 (Cameron)

 

Minefield

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Great character building episode here for a character who really hasn't had much to do so far, Malcolm. Till now he's just fired torpedos and enjoyed it and really kept to himself, at least now we have an idea as to why thanks for this episode. Pinned to the hull of Enterprise by a Romulan (I'll get to that later) mine he and Archer attempt to disable it, during which we grow to learn a hell of alot about this person than I think we had in all of Season 1. The side-plot is thankfully kept as ambiguous as possible considering these are clearly Romulans here. Again, like the Ferengi I suppose it wasn't entirely necessary for Romulans to have been used so early in the show (despite the Earth-Romulan war occurring in the 2160's according to canon so not far off "Enterprise's" timeline), but even in doing so their presence was kept as problem-free as I could see.

So a well constructed episode, I liked the interaction between Reed and Archer, too often Archer's always had his buddy Trip at his side to defend him to the death about any issue, but for once we have a member of his own crew, as opposed to say, T'Pol or another Vulcan, openly criticising his command style. It doesn't create any further tension which is a relief as I don't think it would've been necessary to have the pair start being at odds over petty pride. And in the end anyway, Archer's compassion for his crew and inventive thinking still save the day. I also liked the disarming of the mine and the sequence in which the hull plating of which the mine is attached to his detached with Archer and Reed still aboard so we see things from there point of view as well.

So a good episode, very well handled from the point of view of the Romulan incursion, to the acting of Dominic Keating, his monologue about his great uncle's sacrifice was also a little bit stirring, it gets 7/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable coincidence: I almost thought I was watching the Star Trek parody movie "Galaxy Quest" again as we had another young, African-American helmsmen nervously piloting the starship through a minefield, as a similar scene happens in that movie.
• Remarkable continuity: Following on from his short adventure in the 31st century in "Shockwave", Archer recognises the Romulans as belonging to the same group of people of the Star Empire he read about in a book in the future.

Rating: 7 (Cameron)

 

Dead Stop

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Remarkable continuity already from "Minefield" and yes! Once again I am very pleased this show hasn't gone down Voyager's route of ignoring previous episodes, specifically when damage is caused to the ship yet it's patched up by the next episode. Instead here where we could've had a standalone episode anyway, it takes advantage of Enterprises current situation (weighted in reality as well when Trip tells of the extent of the damage, limited to warp 2, no long range communications), and still takes the opportunity to build on the established story with another enjoyable one which is "Dead Stop".

Reeling from the damage caused by the Romulan minefield, Enterprise makes its way to an automated repair station to get patched up relatively cheaply. No surprise that the reason the station is so self-sufficient and offers such a bargain is of nefarious origins, as it's discovered the station just abducts crewmen to power it not expecting anyone to notice the replicated doppelgangers it replaces in their place. Maybe that's where the episode is a bit of a downer due to the predictability but all the same it's still ok, as I said it's nice that the continuity is there, there's great special effects with the station itself and the repairs to Enterprise, and I liked the ending as well with the station repairing itself as Enterprise flies off unaware...

But it can't really make up for some of the more predictable aspects of the plot, I didn't think it was a bad episode, just one that could've been better, so it gets 5/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable appearance: ...somewhat, Roxann Dawson, better known as B'Elanna Torres, directed this episode and also voiced the computer of the repair station.

Rating: 5 (Cameron)

 

Dead Stop

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Part of me likes this episode because again it's the adventure of space and coming across the unknown - be it ship, artifact, or relic. To me Star Trek and any space wandering series should be about stumbling along the unknown and so on and so forth.

What was lazy was the approach - the brains were used as the control computers of the ship, in a rather dingy area of the station, the ease of overriding the security, and the fact that the powers that be cannot leave well alone.

I also so agree with Bernd's point on the writers slipping in 24th century tech here and there.

Not bad, but could have been better.

Annotations

• Remarkable scene: The station itself is a marvel of CGI and I like it a lot. The way the Enterprise was repaired was nothing short of jawdropping - seeing corridor sections fabricated and installed with equal speed was an SFX treat. What is more amazing is when the Enterprise leaves, the damaged station repairs itself.
• Aftermath: What happened to the station? Considering the ease that Trip and Reed overcame its security systems despite its advanced nature surely means anyone can! In addition, Archer could have used this to repair Enterprise after their run ins with the Xindi, after all he did a lot of immoral things there so a few more to pay this station surely would not be a moral problem.

Rating: 5 (Chris S)

 

A Night in Sickbay

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Boy, oh boy, what a near bore, as the title rolled up and further as the plot went on I expected to describe this episode as '40 minutes of staring at a sad Beagle', which would've been hard enough but this episode sure does feel like it went for much longer than that. I suppose it wasn't as bad as I thought or at least when I last saw it, as there's a bit more of a plot behind it than just Archer worrying about Porthos while more screen time is taken up by more of Phlox's comedic character traits but that grew tiresome well, the moment we saw him clipping his toenails, really in my review for Voyager's: "Threshold" I joked that the episode would've been better had it focused on Neelix grooming himself for 40 minutes but after seeing this episode in which about a third of it relies on Phlox and his alien ways to provoke laughter I guess that wasn't the best call considering how tedious it feels and how bad it makes this character look, but he'll have the chance to redeem himself I'm sure. The side story really isn't satisfying either as it reaches the predictable conclusion. Despite his protests it seems Archer has it bad for T'Pol (who could blame him?), and at the prodding of Phlox comes to realise as much, so through a predictable dream sequence, of which I had enough of from Voyager but at least the scene of Porthos's funeral with Phlox delivering the eulogy following on with what he said about sexual attraction with no discernable change in tone was a little original, Archer realises this, talks about it without going into too much detail with T'Pol who acknowledges that no way would a relationship be workable. I guess that's something I didn't really expect, I would've thought T'Pol would've bluntly rejected any notion of some kind of relationship between the pair, but at least she logically accepts the possibility but politely reminds Archer it wouldn't end well.

So this episode in hindsight, more about Archer's fears and insecurities and failings to a degree, immediately we've learnt he's pissed off another alien culture, who ARE 'jerks' as he rightly puts it, is angry with their customs, gets angrier when he learns Porthos's sickness acquired during his time on the planet could've been avoided, then proceeds to get even angrier with Phlox suggesting he has feelings for his science officer. Maybe his anger is understandable to a degree but he could've acted a little more maturely at times, but he does make up for it by apologising his arse off in the final 5 minutes, including that ridiculous tree-cutting ceremony, so at least he's getting more humble as the journey for Enterprise goes on.

So I have to come round to rating it, I'm in two minds, I really would hate to give it a zero. While I do think the whole episode WAS a waste it at least had SOME small insight into the characters of Archer (juvenile in it's presentation as it was) and even Phlox (SOME background information which is nice), MAYBE a laugh, and as shallow as it is, more scene's of T'Pol and Hoshi in the decon chamber, which I personally can't really fault. So it gets 1/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable fact: And remarkable indeed, this episode was nominated for a prestigious Hugo Award for 'Best Dramatic Presentation'!

Rating: 1 (Cameron)

 

Marauders

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I don't care if this episode was inspired by 'The Seven Samurai' or 'The Magnifient Seven', it was still BAD. It felt more like a MacGyver episode borrowing the idea of moving the town to fool the baddies from Mel Brooks's hilarious film 'Blazing Saddles'! But yeah we have a very predictable situation where Enterprise must help the oppressed fight back against nasty Klingons, boring, boring boring. See, I can't even put much more to the review than that, Enterprise wants deuterium, oops, local losers who mine it owe it to the Klingons instead. When Archer sees how they're mistreated he offers to help them fight back, que montage of the people being trained with guns and unarmed combat, till it's put into practice in the final, less than exciting conclusion where all the action takes place, the leader of the group tells the Klingons to leave and not come back, and that's it.

The one thing that surprised me was the dumb kid actually LISTENED and stayed out of harm's way when I've seen just the opposite occur many times before so the hero (in this case it would've been Trip) can dramatically save him...at least it didn't come to that.

So to rate it, I really wouldn't be in a hurry to watch it anytime soon, so it's getting 2/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable dialogue: "You won't hurt me." - "It's not you that I'm worried about." -T'Pol and Ensign Mayweather, demonstrating Vulcan self-defense tactics to the miners

Rating: 2 (Cameron)

 

The Seventh

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I really wish this episode was, frankly, a bit more exciting. From the start we're under the impression T'Pol will spend the episode chasing down someone from her past, but sadly there's barely anything remotely exciting in this episode. Archer, T'Pol and Mayweather arrive on a snowy planet where her quarry, Menos (played by the excellent Bruce Davison) is hiding out, they catch him with ease (Mayweather does so at least he's given something to do!). He and T'Pol have a chat and reminisce about how she actually killed another bounty of hers and had her memory erase the events as it was causing her grief (much like Voyager's "Latent Image"), all the while Menos also plants the seeds of doubt in her mind about his guilt, but turns out that's bull in a meaningless twist which forces T'Pol to follow through with her original plan of taking him in no-questions-asked anyway.

Not much really was gained from this, it was just another case of Seven, oops, I mean T'Pol learning of how the connection to her buried emotions are closer than she would like to admit, and perhaps more light shed on T'Pol realising the duplicitous nature of the High Command, but considering Menos was guilty anyway, I guess that doesn't really count.

So while it's shallow, I do think the plot could've benefited from more action, instead we have an episode which seems to stand still with a meaningless plot twist which undid potentially what could've made the episode a little more interesting and relevant to T'Pol's growth as a character (the discovery that Menos was innocent and the High Command were just rounding up dissenters for simply defecting from Vulcan society). Bruce Davison was great though, he had me convinced as well that his character's plight was undeserved and he truly was innocent though that wasn't the case.

I did want to see a bit more of Trip's small plot on the Enterprise as acting Captain in Archer's abscence, but there wasn't enough for him to do to highlight the problems faced, all he had to deal with was a tasteless joke from Phlox about how an inoculation could induce some undesirable side-effects which I'd rather not mention, and then had to masquerade as Archer to fool the Vulcan Captain, missed opportunity there.

So 4/10, an underwhelming episode which benefitted only from Bruce Davison's performance, definitely could've been better had it been a little more exciting, perhaps the episode was spent hunting down Menos on the outpost, then at the end the revelation that he's innocent with T'Pol letting him go.

Rating: 4 (Cameron)

 

The Communicator

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Considering the subject matter I expected something a little more sophisticated in the style of story telling when we see the ramifications of Trip losing his communicator on an undercover away mission to a pre-warp society, but what we got wasn't too satisfying and instead descends into something less intelligent with Archer and Reed captured by the military and accused of being spies, and that's really it. Archer and Reed say little so we have the military big-wigs trying out the phase-pistol and left wondering about the function of the communicators and scanners they've confiscated, but when Archer is rescued by Trip, T'Pol and Mayweather in their cloaked Suliban ship, with all their technology recovered all that's left is a small military group left with the knowledge of this advanced technology. I suppose as some consolation Archer does contemplate what the ramifications behind the military they encountered now believing the 'Resistance' they believed Archer and Reed were spies for possess such technology are, but that's cold comfort as it isn't like there's at least one more scene back on the alien planet of the military discussing further action on the resistance in light of this development. I may be stretching thing's a bit, but I would've thought that some closure was definitely needed on this story other than leave the military bewildered at what just happened and that's all.

And Archer, wow, for once I did have a problem, his all-too-readiness to sacrifice himself and the depressing 'anti-pep-talk' he gave Reed when they were about to be executed really left me cold, bad Captaincy it seemed despite the circumstances.

So a disappointing episode, I wanted more from it because it was a significant issue not just for Enterprise but for Star Trek as this was yet another introduction of the origin of the Prime Directive. This was something as important as warp drive or Vulcans, and so far there have been SOME instances where it's been previewed like in "Dear Doctor" or a couple of passing lines of dialogue with T'Pol, but here we have the issue of technology potentially culturally affecting a civilisation's development, and all the episode had to show for it was Archer getting captured, yet again, some more angry aliens of the week, yet again, and that's really it. The issue of contamination isn't really addressed much aside from the stunned looks on the faces of the military as they try out the phase pistol. I understand it would've taken time to have developed a story to adequately address this, to see the damage fully realised as we do in "A Piece of the Action", but it just didn't convince here. The B-Plot aboard Enterprise with Trip getting his forearm cloaked was utterly pointless and time-filling at best. Can't really say I enjoyed it too much, the guest performances didn't really do anything for me, the story was lacking, it gets 2/10.

Rating: 2 (Cameron)

 

Singularity

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

This is pretty much my favorite episode of the series so far (though chronologically speaking I have seen better but for the sake of continuity I'll address "Singularity" as such for the time being), sadly though that doesn't seem much of an accomplishment so far considering the underwhelming nature of this series, I held the view that in Season's 3 and 4 "Enterprise" truly took off and became a better show (the show it was MEANT to be in Season 4 especially), and so far that view has only been reinforced so far. But all the same this is still an exciting and entertaining episode that really gives the cast a good chance to have fun with their roles under the circumstances. Enterprise is approaching the event horizon, and T'Pol in flashback recounts the details of the last few days about how the crew begin to become more and more pedantic about their duties to the point of hostility. The intro had me a little nervous at first, I was almost expecting another situation like the 'Voyager' episode "One" where Seven had to navigate Voyager through lethal space on her own and face her own demons while doing so, as my review of that episode indicated I wasn't much of a fan and so I held little hope as soon as T'Pol was revealed to be the only crew member conscious as Enterprise slowly approached it's doom. But thankfully we instead have a much better story which didn't rely on T'Pol roaming the desolate corridors of Enterprise for 40 minutes (which isn't without it's merits I guess with her taking up all the screen-time, hubba hubba), instead we learn that radiation from the impending black hole is emanating radiation which is starting to affect the crew, making them appear increasingly erratic. Archer obsesses over a pre-fact for a novel on the life of his father, a simple request by the Captain for Trip to make an alteration to his chair turns into Trip's quest to build a new chair from scratch, Reed's work on a new tactical alert system (a precursor to 'Red alert' - not 'Reed alert' clearly) turns into an obsession in which he arms himself, becomes paranoid and once more expresses his discontent at Archer's casual approach to the command of Enterprise. Phlox is driven to determine what's plaguing Mayweather, and is about to cut his brain open to find out before T'Pol nerve pinches him, and the least interesting sub-plot to me was Hoshi's turn as Chef where she strives to perfect one recipe.

The acting was wonderful here, all performances were convincing from the subtle mannerisms where a twitch or hint of exacerbation, and the escalation from there on with each character except for Hoshi becoming increasingly agitated about their otherwise menial duties, they were great performances complimented by some great special effects, I really dug the appearance of the singularity and the sequence where Archer is piloting Enterprise through the debris between stars to escape.

So I quite enjoyed the episode, I could overlook the tired storyline and implausible reasoning behind it because I was having fun while watching it which is the least I could say, it was exciting, it was funny, it still had a degree of seriousness to it as well, so I couldn't complain too much.

Rating: 6 (Cameron)

 

Vanishing Point

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

What the hell was this?! At first I wasn't optimistic thinking the episode would be another boring one about two lone Starfleet officers trapped on a hostile world and having to survive for a while before getting beamed to safety at episodes end. But my fears were allayed as it actually took a turn I didn't expect, first off, it's a Hoshi episode, the first one for a while, and in that it does good to talk about the Transporter and how this relatively new piece of technology, one for 40 years now we've seen as almost nothing but dependable, be looked upon with suspicion as to its safety. The whole principle Hoshi sums up about molecules being decompiled piece by piece to be transported to another location, it doesn't sound the best experience but till Enterprise its safety wasn't called into question that often. But again in "Enterprise" we can see how the crew react to its use, it's actually been a very rare occurence in which the transporter's been used it's actually been quite refreshing a change coming off the back of Voyager where it was just another piece of technology, and this time Hoshi's the one with less than a high opinion of it, and the ramifications of using it become serious when she believes herself to be disappearing. It gets to a point where the can pass through walls, where the crew think she's dead, it was at this point I told myself I saw this episode twice before in "The Next Phase" with Ro Laren and Geordi La Forge becoming phase-cloaked and attempt to return to solid form, and then "Coda" from "Voyager", where Janeway 'dies' over and over again to the point where she's trapped on Voyager and everyone believes she's dead, though it's all the work of an alien and none of the deaths ever occured.

So we can see progression, we have the original idea in "The Next Phase", a different take on the story with a twist with "Coda" and now with "Vanishing Point", same principle, there's yet another more ridiculous twist: NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. After hearing voices of aliens who apparently took Trip and Mayweather hostage, Hoshi when invisible discovers the same alien's planting bombs on the ship, she attempts to communicate this to Archer using Morse Code in a scene I really liked, but T'Pol like always had to spoil the situation and distracts Archer from this. Hoshi attempts to stop the aliens and in an attempt to pursue them steps onto a transporter platform of theirs, only to find herself re-materialise on Enterprises transporter platform less than 10 seconds from when she was initially beamed from the surface at the start of the episode. And all that transpired, the whole DAMN 40 minutes was nothing more than a case of extremely short term transporter psychosis! The whole thing didn't happen, the grief shown by the crew when the thought they lost Hoshi, which convinced me apart from Archer informing Hoshi's father, the guilt by Trip who allowed Hoshi to be beamed up second leaving her at the mercy of a less than 100% optimum transporter, none of it meant a thing which really, really pissed me off.

It was like they had a good idea but had no way to wrap it up with only a few minutes left, I too was wondering about the aliens, how they got on Enterprise, why were they planting bombs, and so on, but the answer is none of it needed to be explained because none of it happened.

I would love, LOVE to give this a lower ranking than I will, but up till the last minute I was really interested in the story, I know it wasn't the most original at all, but I liked how they talked about the transporters and almost adequately addressed the reason people fear them even till the 23rd and 24th centuries as Bones and Pulaski show, and of course, I really, really liked Hoshi running around exposing her sexy little midriff for the episode. So it gets 4, it actually had the potential to be a little better, but it all but abandoned all it had going for it in the end and I can't let that go.

Rating: 4 (Cameron)

 

Precious Cargo

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Hmm...what to say about this one, well it's basically "Elaan of Troyius" again without any external baggage like the Klingons that the Original Series episode featured, it's just Trip's misadventure with another uptight monarch (who happens to be the beautiful Padma Lakshmi, who I happened to used to have a poster of which once adorned my wall, ha!), after he opens a chamber 2 pirates were using to keep her in stasis. As one pirate makes off with the ship the second one remains trapped on Enterprise, which made for an amusing but what I felt unnecessary sub-plot which purposefully dragged. Pretty much out of the blue, Archer and the crew conspire to trick the pirate into believing a perilous fate awaited him if he didn't co-operate, involving a scene where Archer grimfully tells him that T'Pol, who had been 'appointed' to oversee his case, is especially harsh on ill-discipline and had 6 crewmen killed for minor infractions since the journey began. I did laugh but at the same time I couldn't help but wonder where this whole idea came from, and that the dragging of scene's was just done to pad the episode out, because the A-plot really lacked substance. I could see the funny side of it all, and could see a mile away that Trip would land some sweet alien tang from Kaitaana, so that makes it really difficult to gauge for a rating.

I enjoyed it, but it was very predictable and a bit too silly for its own good at times, so I'll go and give it a 4.

Annotations

• Remarkable quote: "Well, we started out with 83 crewmen on board. We're down to 76." -Archer about T'Pol's supposed strictness about unbecoming conduct for an officer.

Rating: 4 (Cameron)

 

Precious Cargo

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

This episode is just awful ... everything has been done before and nothing of any relevance actually happens.

So out of all the characters to concentrate on they chose to do Tucker (again!) and out of all the character to give a romantic story they choose Tucker, see "Unexpected", "Oasis" and a few others. No one strikes me as interesting and everyone just remains normal (as in T'Pol, Tucker & Archer do something but no one else does). The first ten minutes of plot are both gripping and rather interesting and save this episode from the abysmally poor standard of recent episodes ("A Night in Sickbay" comes to mind). As soon as Tucker is stuck with the woman you just know that he'd take her down a few rungs and she'd fall for him. The scenes in the escape pod continues Enterprises trend of showing character in sexual positions for no good reason ... and then they crash and out of the blue start snogging, strip to underwear and probably have sex ... and Star Trek is supposed to be sophisticated. Then they get rescued just because it happens to be the end of the episode.

Oh and one annoying factor is when Kaitaama says she has limited contact with men and Tucker remarks that she "must" have never been a date - did she say she was heterosexual? Another annoying thing about how Star Trek writer don't seem to be a big fan of gay characters or tolerance.

The B-Plot has some good moments but wait ... you seriously expect the pirate to believe that they kill people on board ... that makes no sense. The only decent thing is that the writers resist the urge to put T'Pol in her usual tight outfits and give her something different to wear.

So this is a bog standard Enterprise episode that sucks. Pointless love story - check, only Tucker, T'Pol and Archer do things - check, lack of inspiration - check, shuttle crashes - check, M-Class planet nearby - check, first 10 minutes good but the rest bad - check.

Simply put this was a pathetic attempt to fill in an episode gap with a pointless love and shuttle crash story.

Annotations

• Nitpicking: For someone who never had real contact with men she sure gets him to sleep with her pretty quick.

Rating: 1 (Darren Carver-Balsiger)

 

Precious Cargo

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Groan.

Tell me where you have heard this before - the Enterprise comes along a freighter; said freighter is in need of assistance; Enterprise sends its ONLY chief engineer over; aliens look dodgy, ugly, dark and raise requests not to look into certain parts of their ship because of "sensitive" items; by accident Trip makes the discovery of their secret and.... have a wild guess what happens next.

Or alternatively, look to TNG: "Samaritan Snare", VOY: "The Chute", "Revulsion", "Think Tank", "Repentance", ENT: "Fortunate Son", TNG: "The Perfect Mate", DS9: "The Passenger", "Invasive Procedures" or TOS: "Elaan of Troyius."

Well to cut it down from the hour long episode to just five minutes, in a nutshell, the aliens have abducted a princess and were transporting her for ransom in some sort of cryo tube. Trip "The only ever interesting one™" is the one who makes the discovery and surprise, surprise there is a fight, Trip gets kidnapped and one of the villains escapes leaving the other to face the Enterprise crew; and despite the sophistication of the Enterprise over the freighter, said ship out classes them yet again.

Top this series of clichés with a new lot - the princess is a spoilt but sexy sort, Trip frees her, they resent each other, have to share a VERY cramped escape pod, crash land on a hot swampy world, and yep you guessed it, at some point they ‘get it on’. Trip is her knight in shining armour, beats the remaining hood just as his friends find him.

In his undies.... yeah,....

2/10 for some good visual effects but everything else is just meh.

Annotations

• Unremarkable acting: Padma Lakshmi who plays the kidnapped princess Kaitaama is famed for being married to Salman Rushdie - famed writer of the Satanic Verses. She starred in a couple of TV programs but mainly does reality TV on cooking. Explains why she is such a poor actress...
• Remarkable SFX: The only good part was trip by the window seeing the dodgy freighter closing in - superb CGI. Also the close up detail of the freighter as it escapes and engages its impulse engines. Two points.

Rating: 2 (Chris S)

 

The Catwalk

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I don't mind to say much about this episode which is good because there isn't much to say except it's a decent and original episode which I liked. I liked the realism presented as the crew had to take refuge in the nacelles to protect them from being bombarded from radiation, and unlike Voyager, this time the ships trusty Doctor did NOT have a miraculous inoculation to protect the crew from the effects with. The takeover, while predictable and I'm tiring of the limit-less amount of aliens that inhabit the Alpha Quadrant but whatever, the aliens however were quite interesting in their own right, the commander of the band who were taking over Enterprise was a wonderful nemesis and I wish a little more could've been learnt about him and he be reused again but I know that won't happen. Still, I enjoyed it and would probably give it 6/10.

Rating: 6 (Cameron)

 

Dawn

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

The same premise as "Darmok" leaves nothing surprising about this episode, Trip is marooned on a hostile world while having to engage in a battle for survival with an alien in the same position, but the 2 are forced to overcome the communication barrier and work together to escape. Meanwhile Archer and a ship from the same species of aliens of which the alien on the planet with Trip is a member of too work together to find their stranded crewmen.

I liked it, it was clever in the way Trip and the alien, Zho'Khaan at first fight each other, then make peace, only for it to happen again and again until they finally learn to communicate, while onboard Enterprise T'Pol points out Archer's handling of the situation with the aggressive Arkonians was more than the Vulcans could manage in a century of communication, this is well personified by the ordeal of the pair on the surface, and is a very 'Trek-like' message to send about co-operation. So for that, and the engaging plot on the moon, I'm giving it 6/10.

Rating: 6 (Cameron)

 

Stigma

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Wow, certainly one of the most intelligent scripts so far sees Star Trek for only the third time deal with the issue of homosexuality albeit again through the prejudices of another alien race. It had been done before in "The Outcast" in The Next Generation, and again in DS9's "Rejoined" but the added element of a disease carried by select members of society is added here as a further allegory and the episode is largely successful and continues to be relevant for that. Since Star Trek began it has been largely prophetic and optimistic of our future, a future where bigotry and intolerance will be done away with, so even now in the 21st century (2003 this episode was made, 2009 I reviewed it), it's still quite depressing homosexuality is still as big an issue as it continues to be made of in this day and age, and prejudice and bigotry are still commonplace, where equal rights are still beyond the grasp of the status quo for those members of society who do not conform to what those in power believe to be the 'right' way to live. Archer makes this not nearly explicit enough to a group of Vulcans, who deem T'Pol to be unfit for duty due to her experience in "Fusion" where a mind-meld was forced upon her and as a result contracted a neurological disease. I find the issue of using mind-melds and the ramifications to be dwarfed by the issue presented here in this episode that once more the Vulcans are shown in a less than flattering light and it's refreshing that instead of pissing and moaning about their attitude, Archer finally has something he can throw in their faces as something Humanity has accomplished that Vulcan has yet to. Instead the Vulcans present a parallel to 20th century ideals which determine that anyone who acts in a contrary manner are second-class citizens and are not deserving of treatment when afflicted by a disease which can sadly become prevalent in their society. T'Pol realises this, as does another Vulcan of note who would be and is eventually considered an outcast for his actions In an effort not to encourage prejudice T'Pol refuses to point the finger of blame towards a 'melder', but the other Vulcan allows the truth to surface whereupon he's removed from his position, though T'Pol wants to lend him support in the end. I may as well address the use of mind-melds as the form of contracting the disease. Hmm. It probably wasn't the best decision as we're very familiar with mind-melds by now as a common practice that's just as Vulcan as pointy ears and the famous Vulcan salute, so it was strange that not only would mind melds be practised by outcasts only a century before Spock would openly perform it infront of Kirk, but that it would also be a carrier of a neurological disease. But to be honest it was probably the logical choice for a way for Pa'Naar syndrome to spread so I can't complain too much.

For that alone this episode is excellent, it's the most profound and the most relevant episode of Enterprise yet and for that it should be commended.

And the side-plot was also welcome, where on the one hand we have the drama of T'Pol's story, on the other we have an enjoyable subplot with Phlox's wife coming aboard Enterprise to help Trip work on a medical microscope, she soon develops an attraction for Trip and he has to deal with it as best he can. I appreciated the change of mood here and thought both stories were well balanced, and I liked the further insight into Phlox's life, and hell, I found his wife to be very attractive as well and couldn't help but chuckle as Phlox was disappointed that Trip didn't act on the advances of Feezal, and I did laugh with them as they both laughed at Trip who turned down his last chance to get some of that sweet alien tang with Feezal.

So certainly one of the better episodes offered up, it's Star Trek back to it's root's talking about the problems that still exist today that we would be better off without. A very well written and engaging main story, an entertaining side story which doesn't keep the whole episode from being depressing, a nice guest appearance (Melinda Page Hamilton as Feezal = HOT), makes for a great episode.

Rating: 7 (Cameron)

 

Cease Fire

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Ugh, too... much...action! I know my reviews tend to sway when I believe a story benefits from a lot of action or is worse off for it, but I believe that's the case with "Cease Fire". Admittedly I did miss the first 10 minutes but for about another 20, 25 minutes after was nothing more than shooting and explosions on a planet contested by Vulcan and Andoria, where Archer is charged with bringing Soval to meet with Shran to negotiate. And that's the plot right there, it really lacked a lot of substance cause the majority I saw was just gunfights with a few breaks in between to reflect on the situation and that was it. And that all kind of sucks considering it's part of this ongoing arc on the rivalry between Vulcan and Andoria with Enterprise constantly getting stuck in the middle, so when it comes to those parts of the episode, like Trip putting Enterprise between the Vulcan and Andorian vessels to keep them at bay, and the negotiations at the conclusion of the episode which Shran notes wouldn't have been possible without Archer's actions, that was good, but the majority of the episode was boring, mindless violence which it would've been better off easing up on. 5/10.

Remarkable appearance: This is yet another one of Suzie Plakson's many prominent guest roles in Star Trek. She had previously played Dr Selar and K'Ehleyr in The Next Generation, and the female Q in Star Trek: Voyager.

Annotations

• Remarkable exchange: "Captain, your presence here has not been... overly meddlesome." - "...I think he likes you, pinkskin." - "I wouldn't go that far." -Soval, Shran and Archer.

Rating: 5 (Cameron)

 

Future Tense

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Another case of too many questions and too much mystery works against this episode, Enterprise picks up a pod from the 31st century which both the Tholians and Suliban are after, but before Enterprise is boarded by the Tholians, Trip manages to (improbably) activate a temporal beacon and the ship, the technology removed, and the pilot, a human, is whisked away back to the future, and all seems well.

But it seemed so pointless, nothing of consequence in relation to the war occured, no party is better off, the mystery behind the pod is still there, T'Pol is still doubtful on the possibility of time-travel. So the whole episode seemed to little consequence which is why I really can't rate it too highly other than some clever moments. There were a couple of nice scene's the battle between the Suliban and Tholians, Phlox telling of how Denobulans once believed they were the only intelligent species in the galaxy to contradict T'Pol's belief that time travel is impossible, and the recurring moments near the time pod though I hoped they would've amounted to more. So it gets 5/10, it could've had some sort of point to it, but at the end of the episode, nothing really changed or developed as a result.

Annotations

• Remarkable PUN: "This gives a whole new meaning to the term 'space exploration'." - Reed, remarking on the fact that the interior of the time pod was much larger than it looked from the outside...

Rating: 5 (Cameron)

 

Future Tense

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

What a bizarre but interesting episode.

The crew discover a pod adrift and typically take it aboard, only to find a human corpse within it. As they dig deeper, more questions are raised than answers. Then all hell breaks loose; Suliban in a seriously big ship; the return of the Tholians, numerous temporal mucking about and battles/SFX galore.

I have no real idea what this episode is about, but I can only assume that it was to set up the Star Trek we know that is yet to come - the obvious references to the dead pilot pointing out the interspecies matings that will come to pass. As Bernd pointed out, the crew do not have immediate technobabble solutions to what is going on which makes it a nice twist!

However, despite its overall goodness, it does leave you in the air.

Annotations

• Remarkable fact: When the crew bust into the damaged pod, they discover that the interior is bigger than the exterior. I felt that they ripped it off the TARDIS from Dr Who - actually according to writer Mike Sussman "my idea of the ship morphing into a police call box was immediately nixed by the producers!" Imitation is the best form of flattery...
• Remarkable ships: Suliban recovery ship, Tholian vessels - especially at warp!
• Typical continuity error: Phase cannons can now fire at warp.

Rating: 7 (Chris S)

 

Canamar

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I didn't like this episode, it was oh so boring. Archer and Trip are falsely imprisoned for smuggling and while en route to a prison colony, a take over occurs and the pair go along with the ruse before mounting a rescue. Bar the action sequences at the end I wasn't at all interested in the episode at all, the characters were one-dimensional, the plot thin and predictable, it's getting a 4 anyway though.

Rating: 4 (Cameron)

 

The Crossing

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Eh, I was quite close to writing this off at first, non-corporeal aliens + alien takeovers are something used very often on The Next Generation and Voyager before, so I wasn't too keen on the plot of this. It relies heavily on both but still manages to entertain. A bunch of non-corporeals take over Enterprise and the crew take refuge again in the cat-walk which protects them from being taken over. Eh, it was better than I expected I admit. There's a nice scene from Connor Trinneer as a possessed (so to speak) Trip explaining the nature of the corporeals to Archer, and while it may have been a bit of plot-recycling to put the remaining crew back in the catwalk where they're shielded from the alien intruders, it still adds a small dimension of realism.

Something I did find unlikely was the non-corporeals, they spent long enough in their vessel but hadn't found any other non-corporeal species to inhabit, considering the ridiculous amount of aliens of the week we've seen so far on Enterprise, I find it a weak excuse for them to suddenly happen upon the crew of the Enterprise at the most convenient time. I suppose it's better than the normal excuse with the aliens having evil scheme's doing them on a whim, oh well.

So anyway, it wasn't quite as bad as I expected but it didn't turn into anything spectacular either. 5/10.

Rating: 5 (Cameron)

 

The Crossing

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Another good idea served up half arsed.

The Enterprise is swallowed up by a "gigantic blue manta" at warp. They discover that the ship is full on non-corporeal beings who, surprise, surprise, takes over the mind of the crew to "experience" new sensations. A fact I scoffed at since they also boasted that they evolved from such simple beings to this...

However, Archer does not believe them and low and behold is proven right. The aliens want their ship because the one they are in is failing, and so on and so forth.

This episode is a typical rehash of the "alien taking over the human" plot but the twist that almost saved it was the alien ship, and how Connor Trinneer acted as the possessed alien. It would have been better if the aliens just possessed the people and then moved on.

However once again they have to be a threat, once again humans are "ideal" for their needs and once again a not too bad plot is ruined by predictability with leaded performances - and what taints it for me more was Archer's attitude to the aliens when they first meet - blatant aggression and suspicion; and this man is an explorer!?

4/10 for a good idea and visuals ruined by acting-by-the-numbers and blatant predictability.

Annotations

• Remarkable SFX: The aliens' ship - internally its like V'Ger, and has a genuinely alien feel. A superb piece of CGI - and I liked how the non-corporeal beings were done. Utterly alien but understandable. Two points.

Rating: 4 (Chris S)

 

Judgment

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

This is a great episode which makes the full use of the talents of J.G. Hertzler, better known as Martok, as he portrays an advocate defending Archer from crimes against the Klingon Empire. Right from the start we're thrown into the midst of the story, with Archer captured, so as a result we see the proceedings of the case. It's a nice touch as the story told by Duras has an aggressive Archer commanding the 'Battle Cruiser Enterprise' and declaring 'Death to the Empire' too, and also with that and the trial which I did find interesting despite the obviousness of the situation that Archer wasn't going to be executed, we too get a long overdue addressing of Klingon society as relayed to us by Kolos.

Kolos's line "You didn't think all Klingons were soldiers?" couldn't be more true. For a long time now this society had only one facet to it with only a few detractors like Worf, who tried to embrace his heritage but was always an outcast, B'Elanna, who was ashamed by her background and rejected a lot of it for most of her life. And other one off characters like K'Ehleyr or Kohlar from Voyager episode "Prophecy" who were characters willing to give peace a chance, but otherwise they have been a race with only one persona to match. Kolos here sensibly sheds more light on this species, about how he's a lawyer, his father a teacher, mother; scientist. And also reminisces about how far Klingon society has fallen from it's truer more honourable days, and gives a sincere speech relaying that message to the court.

So a well scripted episode I found, of course, there's clear parallels to "The Undiscovered Country", but as it was all so blatant I doubt it was supposed to be anything other than a homage.

What I didn't like was Rura Penthe, first time I saw this episode I wasn't unimpressed. I understood this show didn't have a budget to construct a set or enable a location as well as was done in TUC with Rura Penthe, so as a substitute we have a cheap, unconvincing polystyrene set. But on the other hand I suppose we cam always explain this away as this being only the early stages of the mine being worked through.

But aside from that, I greatly enjoyed this episode, it was well executed, J.G. Hertzler was wonderful in the role he had, it was a role which served a greater purpose than to defend Archer, but to help get a better understanding of a culture which has been sorely lopsided. The only failing of this, and as I said in my review of "Sleeping Dogs", that no matter what this 22nd century Klingon world will change for a while in the 23rd when they become unrecognisable. I suppose here was another opportunity to capitalise on the obvious difference. Had the Klingons here looked like the did in TOS it could've worked in favor of the message of Kolos would've further worked. The Klingons we know of Kirk's time weren't the same decent, honorable people familiar from TNG and DS9, not the same kind of people Kolos talks about. So again, perhaps it was a mistake to keep the Klingons with their familiar looks and attitudes. But I digress. 7/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable dialogue: "You didn't believe all Klingons were soldiers?" - "I guess I did." - "My father was a teacher. My mother, a biologist at the university. They encouraged me to take up the law. Now, all young people want to do is to take up weapons as soon as they can hold them. They're told there is honor in victory — any victory. What honor is there in a victory over a weaker opponent? Had Duras destroyed that ship, he would have been lauded as a hero of the Empire for murdering helpless refugees. We were a great society, not so long ago. When honor was earned through integrity and acts of true courage, not senseless bloodshed." - "For thousands of years, my people had similar problems. We fought three world wars that almost destroyed us. Whole generations were nearly wiped out." - "What changed?" - "A few courageous people began to realize... they could make a difference." -Kolos and Archer

Rating: 7 (Cameron)

 

Judgment

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I vaguely remember this episode - but after reading Cameron's review, it came back to me - and in reflection is a sad testimony to the way Trek was being done by Bed & Breakfast - Berman & Braga.

The overall story is treated with the skill of a drunken surgeon, but there were flashes of brilliance, mainly from J.G. Hertzler, especially references to the way the Empire was being perverted - people swallowing glory dreams like narcotics, joining the ranks of the military for ambition, whereas those who do not are frowned upon.

Heck - here was an opportunity to show the Klingons as a race - not a bunch of cookie cutter cretins - that some did not go around killing people or looking for a fight, an opportunity to show that this race were more than just heavy metal rejects with big guns, a fetish for knives, and a passion for killing people because they looked iffy.

But no, flashes of originality and brilliance are quashed by rehashes and servings of Star Trek VI and numerous other Star Trek leftovers. Again brilliant ideas are squandered, the neat speech by Archer is a head turner - but alas the rest of this episode erases the significance of it.

All to appease a bunch of stalwart Trekkies who refuse to see any changes in the status quo.

5/10 for good but not good enough.

Shame, utter shame.

Rating: 5 (Chris S)

 

Horizon

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Hmm, finally something of substance to involve Travis but really it doesn't seem to be ABOUT Travis, yes it deals with him 'coming home' to find he's a source of derision for his brother after their father dies and his brother assumes command of the cargo ship Horizon. So really it's just about Travis's loser brother who has serious command issues but when the ship is threatened does the forced character development come into play and he gives in and ok's Travis's upgrade to the ships weapons which proves their salvation.

I admit it was satisfying to see this much of Travis's life, it doesn't get much more real for a character to see where they come from, but it didn't really tell us much we couldn't infer already except for the revelation that Mayweather had in rebuked a life aboard a cargo freighter to join Starfleet and his father and brother begrudgingly accepted the decision and even secretly respected it. But that's it, his brother as I said is a jerk thrust into a position he's too arrogant to deserve but, as I also said, quickly learnt that to be a better Captain is to be more open to other's opinions and suggestions. Travis's mother doesn't add much but what you would expect from such a character. Nora doesn't add a lot either but to be a reminder of the innocence of his past aboard the Horizon.

And Travis, it was a shame he couldn't really do much more than asked, I admit his somber performance in Enterprise's "sweet spot" after learning of his father's death was quite convincing for what it was, but he quickly gets over it and shows little more emotion for the remainder of his story but to get a little irritated at his brother's attitude towards him.

The story on Enterprise I actually found a little more interesting, with T'Pol being convinced to go to movie night to watch "Frankenstein" only for her to believe the movie was an apt commentary on humanities fearful view of outsiders and that she should believe it be recommended viewing for all Vulcans who visit Earth ;)

So in rating, it seemed a good episode, even though there was more on offer it was nice to explore a bit more of Mayweather's character, it's just a shame I believe Anthony Montgomery isn't the best actor and can't convey much in the way of emotion. And the secondary plot was a refreshing change of tone away from the family drama on the Horizon. So it gets 6/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable foreshadowing: Travis suggests that families should be allowed to live on starships, a bemused Reed in reply recommends having a psychologist aboard as well.
• Remarkable quotes:
  • "This Dr. Frankenstein, his technique is not dissimilar to a practice on B'Saari II." -Phlox
  • "Captain, I'm reading bio-signs on the planet. To quote Dr. Frankenstein, "It's alive." -T'Pol

Rating: 6 (Cameron)

 

Horizon

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Talk about recycling - I know Star Trek has a habit of taking previous ideas and plots from previous ideas and plots and trying to put new spins or ideas into them (sometimes with great results) but this is way too far. It's "Fortunate Son" - the remake!

It's exactly the same plot - only tweaks are that this is personal to Travis, and Star Fleet in the form of Enterprise does not intervene - but all the other elements are there; freighter in peril, pirates, Star Fleet know how getting them out of a tight spot, Boomers vs Star Fleet mentality....you get the idea. What is worse is that this episode is done far less exciting than "Fortunate Son". Everything is done too neat and too quick - the crew beat the pirate with such ease, and then return Travis to the Enterprise not worried or concerned despite repulsing a pirate who may have friends...

Here they could have explored the multi generation angle, the Boomer society, and expand on Travis - what made him ideal as the best helmsman for the job (to be honest I have never seen him do anything amazing) - but it became nothing more than a bottle CGI carbon copy episode with a side plot on T'Pol's attitude to Earth culture - big deal.

6/10 for some nifty CGI but could have been higher if they were bolder and for good efforts by the actors.

I wish B&B would stop taking the P with these actors - its a crime and a shame.

Annotations

• Remarkable ship: The J-Class freighter - the design is SO TOS in looks, especially the Bussard scoops on the nacelles
• Nitpicking: The re-use of the Akritirian ship as the pirate marauder - in this world of CGI and the budget Trek has - this is all they can come up with?

Rating: 6 (Chris S)

 

The Breach

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I had the misfortune of being incredibly tired when I started watching this episode, and by about the 30th minute I was close to unconciousness, that's not a commentary on the episode, just signs of another big weekend. Having just finished it off it just reinforced the message abut racism and the divide between peoples that takes centuries to heal, I suppose the relationship between the Denobulans and Antarans is most equitable with the long-running feud between Palestine and Israel. Once again in true Trek fashion this episode tries to show that bridges can be built if people are willing to give peace a chance, a message likely to fall on deaf ears sadly. Anyway, the episode seems fairly evenly divided between the conflict of Phlox and Hudak, a wounded Antaran rescued from a damaged ship in orbit of a planet from which Enterprise has been asked to rescue three Denobulan scientists from a planet whose society is on the brink of war. Meh, the conflict on the planet itself is irrelevant, maybe a little too much time was given to the rescue. I'm surprised as I've seen other episodes of any Star Trek series where such a storyline would be omitted almost entirely, maybe that would've worked in the episodes favor here. We just get scenes of Reed, Trip and Travis rappelling down caves, and arguing with the Denobulans, it didn't feel all that important or interesting to invest so much time in. On the other hand the story on Enterprise was much better, John Billingsley is particularly compelling in the role as Phlox revisits demons from his peoples, and his own past, while he tries to treat a fatally poisoned Antaran who refuses Phlox's treatments due to his own prejudice. Archer's bullying wasn't appreciated, we didn't really need his threatening of Phlox I thought as Hudak would eventually agree to the treatment anyway, so Archer's comment about how relieved he was not to have put Phlox in irons left a bad taste in my mouth.

Well, I liked it for that plot at least, the rescue of the annoying Denobulans could've been gone without, there was good interaction between the focal character of the episode and his patient, 5/10. Would've benefitted with a better side plot though.

Rating: 5 (Cameron)

 

The Breach

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

The episode was an interesting one - certainly one of the better ones in the series, both the main plot and especially due to the acting of the main characters (the doctor and his patient, this week's guest). [Overall, Billingsley was sadly under-used in the series.]

There are a number of things that I didn't like - or rather, found annoying. [Not just the usual Mayweather "Ow! My leg - again!" incident - he'd be better off just staying in his pilot's seat rather than being *allowed* to go anywhere! :D] Mainly the misuse of various personnel - the fault of the writers, perhaps.

As the Chief Engineer, Tucker should have been on the alien transport vessel, along with some of his department, working with the alien crew to help repair the ship's warp core and engines. It would have been interesting to see them doing this - along with seeing the alien ship and crew and how they all got along. [Cooperating, in contrast to the tension in Sickbay.]

But no - he goes down to the planet on a caving expedition to rescue the Denobulan geologists... despite needing Mayweather to teach/guide him on climbing, and not knowing the likeliest place to search for them (Malcolm helped him with that). Couldn't they have found a geologist amongst the science department personnel on Enterprise? One who, as a geologist, would be more familiar with where to look for the Denobulans - as well as being, most likely, accomplished at caving/climbing? What about some of Malcolm's security department - if they're anything like most military forces, they'll have a spread of skills to cover mountain and arctic/jungle/desert warfare conditions. Wouldn't some of their personnel experienced in mountaineering/climbing have been of more use?

Their equipment doesn't seem to be very good. What about helmets for protection? Where the front part (covering the forehead) could generate the full spectrum of light (infra-red through ultraviolet) instead of that awkward looking shoulder/backpack lamp. Even suitable visors, to protect the eyes from dust, could have been sensitive to various wavelengths (IR through UV) to help them see in the dark (perhaps through being also able to act as night vision/image enhancers). A breather, again to protect from dust and/or hallucinogenic spores, etc, in the air. Even the mention of their suit/coverall being capable of generating power for their equipment through the wearer's movements. Any or all of these would have shown that their technology was more advanced than today's.

Even on board ship with the Antaran patient, some of the human crew could have helped Phlox with breaking down the preconceived notions of his patient. Since it's a major reason for their mission, wouldn't they be *interested* in seeing/meeting the aliens from the transport ship, regardless of their being crew or passengers? [It might have helped perk up the patients - all these "aliens" coming to visit them.]

A word from the captain could have resulted in their dropping by and telling the Antaran about human history from various perspectives and showing how clinging onto attitudes about other nationalities/cultures was (is!) counter-productive, etc. Hearing such varied stories would have appealed to the patient, if only due to his being a exomythologist. Hoshi might have dropped by to exchange language lessons. Most especially, T'Pol could have "shone" here with her Vulcan objectivity about other cultures, as well as pointing out the cultural benefits of their Medical Exchange Programme, of whom Phlox is a example...

So much missed opportunity to make the episode more compelling. And original.

Rating: 6 (James)

 

Cogenitor

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Oh my, what a disturbing episode, the bleakest by far which leaves an empty feeling inside. However this isn't for the worst and the direction taken in conveying such a feeling works in this episode's favor. It was very unsettling for the Vissians referring to the Cogenitor as 'it', and telling of how 'it' remains in a room with only one meal a day, Trip rightly equated the Cogenitor to a pet or less than, but did they justify his interference in the Vissian culture? Is what the Vissians do right considering the Cogenitor is capable of more? Its certainly an ethical dilemma, so I found I could understand both Trip and Archer's reactions to the situation.

A great episode in all, a somewhat controversial script which didn't shy away from that and took a dramatic turn in the end to show to the extreme the damage that could be done. I liked the script, I really liked the acting, especially from Bakula, I'm not going to comment on Archer's interference with other cultures up to this point in the show because I just am not as knowledgeable, but I don't think anything he's done was equitable to a conscious decision by Trip made on a whim which he had no right in making as T'Pol pointed out.

The Vissians themselves otherwise I have to problem with, of course there's Andreas Katsulas (RIP) who plays the captain of their vessel, and the couple who 'own' the Cogenitor at the time who make the point that it truly isn't Archer's place to judge their culture. But the Vissians are still a pleasant race which is refreshing as Trip mused when they weren't bombarded with weapons fire THIS time round...

Well I'm falling asleep so better wrap it up. Well it touched me in a way few other Trek episodes have, the ending may have been a bit much just to prove Archer's and T'Pol's point, but that's what had to have been done to leave a lasting impression, which I believe it did.

Rating: 8 (Cameron)

 

Regeneration

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Oh no, oh boy, oh here we go. Regeneration. The Borg, shit, we HAD ENOUGH OF THE BORG FROM VOYAGER!!! Grrrr...ok I got the way so I can finally give my two cents on this controversial and almost needless episode. So for them to pop up here again was...interesting to say the least.

Now thinking back to the film "First Contact", the idea that any Borg could've possibly survived the destruction of their sphere at the hands of the Enterprise was unthinkable but we have to live with that. The idea that the remnants of the sphere would lay undiscovered is unlikely, but in the century since the sphere crashed on Earth, I could understand exploration of the Arctic circle for wreckage no one knew was there took a back sea to the rebuilding of civilization, so I can live with that.

No one knowing about the Borg by the time Picard encounters them, eh...It didn't seem like Starfleet attained much information about the drones to research some kind of defense against, and of course, just like in "Acquisition", the mysterious antagonists didn't reveal their identity.

The problems I have though, well Phlox's magical resilience to the nanoprobes of course! Perhaps the Tarkaleans as well. We could nail that down to the nanoprobes being damaged after being frozen for so long. Oh the phase pistols, having so much effectiveness against the Borg, when in the 24th century only a few shots could be fired before they adapted, there was well more than half a dozen shots which managed to effect so much damage to disable a number of drones, unlikely.

But there are some things I found myself liking, for one thing the atmosphere created a better sense of suspension and tension far better than anything Voyager managed to do when they abused the Borg again and again, seeing this all unravel from a 22nd century point of view was nice too, instead of the usual terms of 'assimilation', 'collective' and such being bandied around, our crew have no idea what they're doing, yeah we do, but it the writing did present a more realistic interpretation of unfolding the events instead of the same old, same old.

But it does feel the same eventually, there's a few drones wandering in unison menacing the Starfleet officers on the Enterprise, as well as on the Borg-converted ship searching the same familiar looking corridors, awash in a green mist to deactivate a crucial piece of technology much like in "Dark Frontier". The mission succeeds in the nick of time before the away team is beamed back, and the Borg ship is destroyed with ease.

Plenty of homages and allusions to previous Borg-related instances, like Archer pointing out Cochrane's rendition of the 'real' events of first contact, Reed remarks on the strength of the Tarkalean-Drone's shields saying they might as well have been firing holographic bullets at them. The Ship is seen cutting into the hull in a circular manner, and of course, Archer mentions the subspace message telling of Earth's location would be received in the Delta Quadrant sometime in the 24th century. Phlox also mentions the Bynar as a species who utilised bio-mechanical implants.

And there's the issue of the paradox, I've talked about this extensively elsewhere and have theorised it's either a predestination paradox, a singular timeline with an altercation later in the timeline impacts on what came before, hence the future events occur then impact on the past. Or as I've recently thought out this emergence of the Borg into 2063 creates a second timeline, no not something so radical as Abrams-Trek, but the Borg emerging in 2063, then after being defrosted in 2153 gave away Earth's location gives reason to why a Borg ship was destroying Federation and Romulan colonies as was indicated in "The Neutral Zone". In the first timeline we can theorise the Borg were just doing reconnaissance work, took the outposts of both species for analysis and returned to the Delta Quadrant not finding anything worthy of assimilation, only to be conned later in "Q Who" into believing Humans had the ability to travel faster than they first imagined. In this new timeline initiated by the Borg giving away Earth's location, the Collective received the message, and that accounted for the lone Borg ship in the Neutral Zone analysing the Federation's technology in preparation for an attack. It all seems a bit moot now, but at least the events don't damage things too greatly in my mind.

Viewing it without all that in mind I still find myself excited by the episode, it had good direction, an engaging score, just a shame about the Borg, it seemed so unnecessary and so, so flawed. For the first time in a while the Borg actually were menacing and insidious, and intelligent, but they were still too easily bested by people 200 years behind the times, it's like taking a primitive musket, and using it to kill many people wearing kevlar vests, I just couldn't buy it.

Not much more I have to say on it, not the greatest of episodes, certainly not justification for using the Borg, I'm going to give it 4/10, it has problem of course, would've rather it not be made, but it was, I had to watch it, and judge what we were given, another action spectacle which would've been better off with different antagonists without the extra baggage that the Borg bring.

Rating: 4 (Cameron)

 

Regeneration

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Had this episode been called - "Desperate times, Desperate measures", it would be the greatest ironic joke afloat. I prefer a more honest title - "Jump the Shark".

This episode has red alert all over it - in other words "this series is in deep trouble - let's get a popular theme back in to boost the ratings!!!!"

The Borg.

We are nowhere equipped to defeat most of the races out in space at this time - let alone the Borg - yet we do!

Sorry, by this point, I no longer cared about the Borg - gone were the omnipotent threat to all concerned that I liked to be replaced by a bunch of robo zombies that happened to have a "sexy cyborg" in their midst - Seven of Bloody Nine - which I despise.

To be honest I cannot really rate this episode in any regard - it's a pathetic attempt to get ratings nothing more. This to me was really the beginning of the end of this drivelling series - rehashed ideas served luke warm - the net result is that you feel sick watching it and have no real desire to return for seconds.

Annotations

• Remarkable insults:
  • The battle with the Borg. We "forget" about them, and all records! Infact it transpires that they send a message to the Delta Quadrant that will take over 100 years to get there for a response - just in time for Jean-Luc and Co to meet them. So if they had these records, would we be ready for them?
  • References by T'Pol over the encounter of the Enterprise-E crew by Mr Cochrane. The Enterprise-E crew have created history! So, the Borg that fell to Earth - did Star Fleet forget? This is a plot gaff the size of a black hole!

Rating: 0 (Chris)

 

Regeneration

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Wahey - the Borg are back ... and it's on Earth. Oh wait, its supposed to be on Enterprise, what? what? why?

Okay unlike most people I have very little problem with the Borg being here but its the execution that totally fails. I knew the Borg were in Enterprise as someone told me when I first started watching them about three months ago and this was how the thoughts went around in my head - "Right, Borg on earth. Wow! First Contact reference and it makes sense ... hopefully they won't find out about the Borg. This could be interesting - imagine that. They may give them a different name or be intrigued about them ... oh boy, this looks good." Two months later I'd finished watching series 1 and thought forward to this episode and thought "I seriously believed B&B would treat continuity with respect!?!".

Okay, the first 10 minutes are amazing. The beginning is dramatic, action packed, relatively lacking in continuity errors (apart from the obvious) and is totally believable so just the first 10 minutes is worth 8/10. The rest is bullshit. Here's my problems:

1. They practically learn everything about the Borg that it took all of TNG & VOY to learn.
2. Phlox stops the nanoprobes - WTF! How come Voyager had so much trouble in "Unimatrix Zero"?
3. Reed discovers weapons deadly to the Borg that takes ages for them to adapt too - wish Voyager could have them.
4. For some reason the Borg are heading in Enterprise's direction.
5. Why do the Borg bother travelling at warp - what about their transwarp coils in the crashed ship (isn't there a transwarp conduit near Earth from VOY "Endgame").
6. Why does it take them so long to send a message to the Delta Quadrant - surely they've had communications since leaving earth.
7. How does the transport ship's mass increase so much?
8. The crew treat the Borg like super-villains. How come? They surely need to know more about them.
9. They never use the teleporter but use it for no reason - usually they wouldn't bother getting to the other ship if it had been any other enemy.
10. "Holographic bullets". A "First Contact" reference but "holographic" + "22nd century"?
11. Archer throws the assimilated Talarians into space and says he had no other choice - explain all the other times he could have done it but didn't? Plus he didn't know what the Borg were up to in there so why did he decide to kill them?
12. They fired weapons at warp.
13. Archer wants to save the humans but is willing to kill the Talarians.
14. He suddenly changes his mind after seeing the human Borg but I thought he thought the Borg were super villains so why did he think the humans would be fine anyway?
15. Archer says that the Borg will invade earth in the 24th century but they were leaving earth in this episode and weren't invading anyone where did he get that logic from?
16. Phlox's "immune" system slows down assimilation - wow, the first species that can do so - how strange it's on Enterprise.
17. Archer finds out that people from the future defeated cyborgs in the past the 21st century but does immediately think of Daniels or the temporal cold war or the 31st century and T'Pol does not say that time travel is impossible.
18. If the crew have things from the future in Daniel's quarters why don't they go check them to defeat "the cyborgs of the future" like in "Cold Front", "Shockwave" etc.

Now for the biggie - the "records" problem. The records from these events should be easily found in the 24th century. Now - here's how this continuity error could have been avoided. Archer and Co could meet the Borg and not learn much about them and give them an incorrect name (metaltrons or something) and then in the 24th century it is entirely plausible they wouldn't realise what this event was and make the connection. However that doesn't work due to the amount of "Borg"-ish behaviour used in this episode. Now it is plausible that Picard didn't look in the records at this event and it is possible but it is unlikely but this is gone with the Zefram Cochrane records found by Archer for three important reasons. 1) - It shows that just looking up cyborgs brings up loads of records, 2) - The Zefram Cochrane records can be viewed by Picard so he can make that connection and 3) - Geordi La Forge and other TNG crew-members were fans of Cochrane so would have no doubt looked at his records at some point anyway. Basically it is a big continuity error.

Okay in conclusion, beginning - 8/10, the rest of the episode - 0/10 so overall 2/10. The beginning gets both points.

Annotations

• Remarkable error: the entire episode

Rating: 2 (Darren Carver-Balsiger)

 

Regeneration

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

I must admit I have mixed feelings about "Regeneration". On the one hand, it was an entirely enjoyable episode if only for the constant eye-candy inherent with Borg episodes, and on the other hand, I am disappointed the writers even considered placing the Borg into a 22nd century environment.

I'll begin with the good points, the few of them there are. The whole story does tie in nicely to "Star Trek: First Contact" creating an unusual time paradox, and as previously mentioned, the visual effects cannot be faulted. I even enjoyed seeing the Borg roaming the decks of Enterprise as a kind of "what if" scenario that so many fans speculate on.

However, this does not excuse the one fact die-hard fans would be aware of: first contact with the Borg occured in Star Trek: The Next Generation and no convenient omission of the word "Borg" is going to change that. Are we seriously supposed to believe that Starfleet couldn't put 2 and 2 together and come up with "Borg?"

Furthermore, we see the wreckage of the Borg Sphere as if it had just crashed on the planet, and the drones themselves are hardly covered in ice, yet we are meant to believe they and the wreckage has been there for 100 years? Yeah, right!

And if that weren't enough, the writers really went too far by having Phlox invent a "cure" for assimilation, something that is still impossible (bar-Species 8472's natural resistance) in the 24th century. Did the writers suddenly think "Oh wait, we can't kill off a main character"?

Overall, I would consider this a great stand alone episode, something which I am not afraid to admit. However, in the context of the rest of the series, I cannot give it more than a 1/10 for blatant violation of Trek canon, and that is only due to the VFX eye-candy and the Borg themselves.

Rating: 1 (Liam)

 

First Flight

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

Well it's a pleasant enough episode giving a nice insight into the NX program's history and a little of Archer's personality, a more ridged one discovered which is complimented nicely with a convincing performance from Keith Carradine. I struggle to think of much more to say about it really. I liked it, it was a good episode which adequately showed a plausible precursor to Enterprises launch while adding some nice touches like Forrest still being a Commodore and the meeting of Commander Archer and Lieutenant Tucker. Some nice VFX and the design of the NX-Alpha and Beta ships were realistically modelled on Cochrane's 'Phoenix'. And that's really all I have to say, I struggle to think of more to add but that's really it, a nice exploration of Archer's character a little where he learns he needs to change his attitude if he ever wants to be Captain and we have seen that a little so far this series, and it also was a convincing storyline about the NX project's origins. 6/10.

Annotations

• Remarkable quotes:
  • "You remember what Buzz Aldrin said when he stepped onto the moon?" - "No." - "Nobody does. Because Armstrong went first." -Archer and Ruby
  • "When the first warp five starship is built, its captain won't be able to call home every time he needs to make a decision. He won't be able to turn to the Vulcans. Unless he decides to take one with him." -A.G. Robinson, to Archer

Rating: 6 (Cameron)

 

First Flight

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

When I saw the read up, I said to myself - AT LAST!! We can now see the Chuck Yeagers and the Bell X-1s of Star Trek, the stuff Bed and Breakfast were promising in this series. Yet once again, utterly disappointed.

Basically, T'Pol and Archer are on a survey mission when John learns of the death of a close friend back on Earth - one A.G. Robinson. On cue he reminisces to T'Pol (I have no idea why anyone would be civil to a race that regards ANYTHING emotional as "weak and illogical") how they were involved in the NX program, how the original vehicles for it failed, the arguments they had, and so forth.

I like the idea of it all, but its delivered in such a clumsy half arsed fashion - a trait that is continuous in Star Trek: Enterprise.

First is the competitive nature of the two leads - we see a more rigid and naive Archer against an obnoxious Robinson. The pair's rivalry descends into immaturity. I expect competition, but from what hear from the likes of the legendary Charles "Chuck" Yeager, test pilots don't piss about. They know how dangerous the job is - yes they like to be the first, but never at the expense of lives, nor do they test the plane beyond the limit and 'lose control'. They are professionals. Here they are portrayed as macho idiots which is insulting and idiotic, they bicker like an old couple, and their clashes near endanger the program where Commodore Forrest should have fired both but for reasons that are not sound, he keeps them on....

Then there is the NX program - it's nice to see an evolved version of The Phoenix in the form of the NX Alpha, but considering the age of Archer at the time, how did this ship evolve into the NX class? It's like building a dingy then within ten years a full fledged super tanker! I would like to have seen some history there.

The final insult is that we see ONLY THE US have a warp program. No other nation.

I was hoping to see more freaky designs - look to the 1950's and 1960's for weird experimental aircraft, and some innovative people. Instead it's a prequel to the prequel, we see Trip and Commodore Forrest and how they come to pass in Archer's life, some snide references to Vulcans again and the Vulcans wincing on human use of warp travel, bitter squabbling that in the end evolves into typical friendship, and that's about it.

What a bloody let down.

5/10 for a bold idea badly done.

Annotations

• Remarkable ship: The NX series of test ships - and its launch mechanism, reminiscent of the slingshot rails of Fireball XL5 and When Worlds Collide!

Rating: 5 (Chris S)

 

Bounty

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

For it half being T'Pol wearing next to nothing it's still an awfully boring episode, nothing special which I almost thought would've been more at home on an episode of Voyager, but only due to the continuity does it fit here. Even with the backstory of Archer being wanted by the Klingons, that really doesn't come into play much until the final few minutes, till then it's nothing but hearing about Sklaar's sad story about losing his freighter, but there wasn't much emotional resonance generated from that for me to care one bit. Archer does the usual routine trying to ply him from his decision through subterfuge and sympathy, but they combine to hatch a plan where the Tellarite gets his money from the Klingons, and Archer manages to escapes.

And of course, on Enterprise T'Pol is going through Pon Farr, complete exploitation of the character of course making maximum use of Jolene Blalock's body, she does play the part with credibility, but none of it served any kind of purpose than to have her writhing around in a hot sweat, not that I'd usually complain, but there are things on the Internet that can satiate such desires, don't lower the character to this point for no good reason at all.

So an all round bad episode for me I felt, the acting wasn't remarkable but from Blalock but like I said, her going through Pon Farr was nothing but unnecessary but for giving us an excuse to witness her sexuality taking over, I did at least find the scene's with Phlox attempting to rebuke her humorous. And Archer's plot being captured wasn't compelling or exciting. 1/10.

Rating: 1 (Cameron)

 

The Expanse

Synopsis

Date not given: Synopsis in main ENT listing

Commentary

When I first saw this episode I winced because I knew what inspired it to be made, despite no real, blatant declaration: the attack on the Twin Towers in New York on the 11th of September 2001 - the day that, so far, has changed the 21st century.

At the time, Hollywood did not know what to do - prior to this, the industry was awash with mega disaster stories; hell there was even a TV series called Seven Days that involved such events occurring but thanks to a time travelling device salvaged from the infamous Roswell crash, history could be altered to prevent such things from happening.

Of course that never happened. 9/11 unfolded to its horrifying conclusion and the net result was Hollywood stalling, then realising that to show support it started to do stories around, similar, and involving that day.

Despite the motives, and the peer pressure (anyone who thought such ideas were tasteless at the time got hounded) the net result has been a lot of rather crass and horrid references of that day in various programs. Things like Lost, Flash Forward, Heroes, The West Wing, and this.

Watching this a second time made me sick and angry. It felt - despite its intentions - vile.

The scene with Trip and Reed at the aftermath of the Florida attack is TOO Similar to Ground Zero; the aliens, the Xindi (which sound like "Hindi",) a ‘reference’ to people over near Afghanistan and that region of territory; the grief of Tucker’s sister’s death (only him no one else aboard ship), how Archer/the US was going to "get them", it just felt wrong.

It was like a mockery of what has occurred for real used for drama. Loss is a personal thing and we all deal with it in our own way, for a bunch to get involved who reside in the world of entertainment, it's just crass - no matter how noble the reason. Many will call me insensitive and worse - but bear a thought to those who lost loved ones there, to see that day re-enacted for drama sake.

Think about it. Really.

I remember one woman who can never watch the 9/11 video footage - because every time she saw it, she saw her son being murdered. Imagine it.

Aside of this there is the rest of it and once again Star Trek history is blown to hell. The Klingons now have BOPs better designed and armed than the ship that will come in "Star Trek III"; the arrival of photonic (sic) torpedoes IDENTICAL to the ones in the future (whatever happened to the crude nuclear weapons used against the Romulans?) - even down to the impulse engine arrangement; troops; the Suliban backer "knowing" of the Xindi plan but for reasons that only exist in bullshit not telling Archer everything, well armed and designed Earth ships that for reasons unknown we have ONLY JUST SEEN - and looking rather sophisticated for their time; the arguments with Soval, a clear rip off scene from "Event Horizon" showing the crew of Vulcans who ventured into the Delphic Expanse killing each other and worse; the Xindi (why not Klingons or Romulans?) which we have NEVER heard of nor of their attack on Earth considering the level of destruction and death that was yielded (seven million dead), that Enterprise goes ALONE into an unknown region of space to find an enemy they no nothing about, and this Delphic Expanse. I utterly agree with Bernd and like he points out, from now on they will do the hell they please.

As a result this is a crass episode with rules of the past ripped up for expedience and to exploit the benefits of modern SFX, with nothing interesting or new, influenced by a situation of terror and sorrow for drama and plot. In a nutshell it showed nothing but a lack of respect for anything with merit and as a result was boring at best and a pompous insult at worse.

They have made an episode that will live in reference to that day - not a bad thing on one side, but its also a reminder how horrible and ill-planned things have got since.

It has been nine years to the DAY since the attack - Mr Bin Laden is STILL not found, there is more concern over book burning the Qur'an by some pastor in the US and some fight over building a Mosque at Ground Zero, the US are STILL in Afghanistan, just left a wrecked Iraq claiming a "victory", and Al-Quaida is still active.

Star Trek should have kept out of it, but like The West Wing at the time, it got involved to show support for the victims and to show support to the US its War on Terrorism, that they will beat the terrorists, but instead got transformed into tasteless propaganda. A fact further strengthened by the ideas yet to come in this story arch, hoping/imagining that will be the outcome in the world; that they can do what they want, torture to win, invade anywhere, and win the day by rallying all against the evil.

Instead it has been not as clear, clean, and reprisal free in the real world.

2/10 for the SFX alone.

Annotations

• Interesting thought: Had 9/11 not occurred I wonder what would have been the finale for the second season and the outcome of season three...
• Technical nonsense:
  • The new "photonic" torpedoes can "knock the com array off a shuttlepod without scratching the hull, or put a three-kilometer crater into an asteroid." Can anyone really see a 2 metre long missile being capable of yielding an explosion that small? Against a shuttle? Seriously?
  • "Photonic" torpedoes capable of being fired aft - in a special hatch on the "warp retainer" pod. On the Enterprise, the ship has 8 missile hatches - four forward, four aft, but only the forward bays have forward tubes for these new missiles...

Rating: 2 (Chris S)

 

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