My Review-‘The Andorian Incident’

IF YOU READ THESE SPOILERS YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF IN 'THE ANDORIAN INCIDENT'

Now this is what I expected from Enterprise, an excellent adventure series. The Andorians have been appearing in Trek since TOS, and they have a large fan base. This is strange considering they've never actually been fleshed out that much and have never had an episode to themselves. As such, the Andorians are a clean slate with plenty of fans. Now what writer wouldnt love that?

STORYLINE  

Since Enterprise started I've been getting a bit of a 'TOS for the Millennium' feel. Archer's very Kirk-ish, then there's the Archer-T'Pol-Trip triangle which is similar to the old Kirk-Spock-McCoy triangle. Then you have the technology the list is almost endless. This episode is even more TOS like that most. For one it features everyone's favourite blue skinned, Antennae wearing aliens, the Andorians and for another Archer is in serious Kirk mode this week. 

Director Roxanne Biggs-Dawson (better known to most Trek fans as 'B'Lanna Torres', I might note) says this show has an Indiana Jones feel to it. In a sense I can see that, like Indiana Jones, there are telegraphed plot points which show you immediately what's going to happen, roughly. I already knew half way through that they were going to 1. Communicate with the Ship, 2. Prepare for 3. Flush the Andorians out but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The way the episode starts is typical of Enterprise however, they come along to a planet, T'Pol and Archer come argue over whether to land there and Archer makes a particularly Archer (Read: Stupid) decision. I dont feel it's Archers fault as such. As the first Starfleet Captain he hasn't risen through the ranks like Janeway, Picard, et al. However it does show he hasn't learnt his lesson from 'Strange New World' and I would really like to see one of these decisions REALLY blow up in his face.

THE SHIP  

Nice to see the transporters in use again.

THE CHARACTERS  

It's amazing that despite only having one seen and that being talking to T'Pol (of all people) that John Billingsley and Phlox still manage to make one of the most memorable moments of the show. Phlox's point to T'Pol and invoking IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations for those whose knowledge of Vulcan physiology is below par) is a very good point to make to T'Pol. Kudos to Billingsley. (At the rate Im handing out Kudos to Billingsley he's going to drown in Kudos. And no I dont know exactly what Kudos is either)

The two characters that came out best from this episode, however are Archer and Reed. Archer leads the characters on the planet while Reed leads the crew on the ship. This is a real Tour de Force for both of them. Archer has more screentime but Reed left the bigger impression on me.

As I already stated Archer was in major Kirk mode this week. He takes control, making decisions, sometimes against everyone's advice. His disappointment with the Vulcans at the end is evident which makes sense considering Archer. 

As I said Reed came off slightly better. First of all Im really pleased for him. He FINALLY gets to blow something up :D. Second of all when Archer says "I didn't pick my tactical officer to sit on his ass and do nothing." I was sitting there going "DAMN STRAIGHT!" That is just totally not Reed's character. His nervousness about that transporter but being ready to use it felt convincing with his 'By the Book' attitude. I really want to see what makes Reed tick, his hopes, fears, ambitions.

The character that came off worst was T'Pol. I dont even lay it at the door of Jolene Blalock. It's just that many of the lines from Tholos and the other dialogue seemed to suggest that "Yes, T'Pol does have other attributes, but this is the character we want you to fancy and dont you forget it!!!" Indeed the entire Vulcan race, as usual of Enterprise, came of badly. The Initiate near the end was even emotional. Basically there's not an episode of Enterprise that goes by that doesnt make me cringe in a Vulcan related problem. I didn't actually have a problem with the sensor array, this could be the type of thing which acts on Vulcan History by making them more pacifist. Now if every Vulcan we meet is deceitful and generally nasty Im going to among the first knocking on the door at Paramount studios with a pitchfork.

Shran was great. Jeffrey Combs has had many Trek roles, mostly in DS9, but he had one in Voyager. Although he's had roles I didn't like or even hated (Ferengi Liquidator Brunt comes to mind with the grinding of teeth) but he made a deliciously savvy and manipulative Weyoun for years. Now with Shran he could of dropped into a Weyoun-esque performance but no he doesnt. Weyoun is manipulative and generally pleased with himself. Shran is paranoid as hell and generally violent. Now that could explain many of the Klingons, Cardassians and Romulans we've seen on screen in Trek episodes but Shran seems to be more sadistic with his violence and sees it as more of a useful tool than say Klingons who just beat up people for the hell of it. Well done Mr. Combs.

STAR TREK NOTES.  

The new Andorian look is good but it manages to look good without doing the Klingon-esque complete makeover, well done.

Does anyone know how they get the antennae to move like that? I assumed some kind of animatronic puppet but if anyone knows different please tell me.

Rating (out of 10): 8.5/10. The first very very good episode from Enterprise. Although I wouldnt use the word excellent, the Vulcans negate any kind of excellence, it is ENT's best episode yet. Let's hope they keep up the good work.