Reviews for Enterprise Episodes:
The First Season (2001-2002)
Disclaimer: Enterprise belongs to Paramount, and I have no intention of infringing on that right. I am merely posting my opinions on the episodes, as a fan of the show who wishes to share her thoughts with other fans.
Note: These reviews are my opinion, and that is that. The star rating system is out of a perfect score of 5. Anything at or above 4 usually means I liked the episode. Anything at or above 3 means it's tolerable. Under 3 means it leaves something to be desired.
I've also written up an end-of-season review of Enterprise, to be found here. It contains brief comments of each episode, but also focuses on the big picture of Enterprise's first season as a whole. This includes an ill-fated attempt at comparing Enterprise's first season with the first seasons of the other four series.
5/24/02--Review for: "Shockwave" (Archer is yanked out of his timeframe and causes the destruction of Earth)
Wow! This episode was a triumph in every way, and I daresay one of the best so far. I won't give it the top spot, since the TCW is still far from my favorite Enterprise plot arc. However, even as someone who's not obsessed with the TCW, I have to admit "Shockwave" was damned good.
Unlike a lot of stories this season, "Shockwave" was fast-paced, with a lot of dialogue and action. It also sports the best teaser of the whole season (I kid you not). Everyone seemed in character this time, and Archer strikes me as more focused and powerful than ever before.
The plot is only slightly confusing so far, but I am cautious when rating this, as the next season's opener may prove to be such a cop-out that it actually drags "Shockwave" down. Most cliffhangers, even the good ones, have followups that are generally not considered to be as good. Even "The Best of Both Worlds," which many consider to be the best two-parter, had a stronger first half than the second. Episodes like "Descent," "Time's Arrow," "Scorpion," "Unimatrix Zero," and "Redemption" all have first halves that are stronger than their followups. Even mid-season 2-part episodes like "Unification" can suffer from this. Mind you, the exception is, not surprizingly, Deep Space Nine. It had shows like "Improbable Cause"/"The Die is Cast" where the second half was equal to or even stronger than the first. Most fans agree that "A Time to Stand" and "Rocks and Shoals" are quite worthy of following the excellant "Call to Arms." So, let's just hope "Shockwave II" follows this pattern.
On to the cliffhanger itself. It was excellant. I would put it at third best, right behind "Call to Arms" and "The Best of Both Worlds." Voyager never had a cliffhanger that even touched this. Way to go, Enterprise, now you're beating Voyager not only with the character development, but with the cliffhangers as well!
Rating: ****3/4 This rating could go down (or possibly up) after I've seen the second part. But that won't be for four months, so don't hold your breath. In the meantime, look out for my fanfic and regular essays...on Enterprise and other things.
5/15/02--Review for: "Two Days and Two Nights" (The crew pays a visit to Risa; all of them get into trouble, but the only one to enjoy it is Hoshi)
The track record for Risa episodes hasn't been too great; with this one, it just got a little better. We knew we were going to be treated to a more light-hearted episode this week, and that's certainly what we got.
Now, don't imagine I'm going to let this off too lightly--there is still such a thing as 'staying in character.' Now, how did everybody do? Um...do I have to answer that?
Archer did well in this one. In fact, this is one of the rare times when his part of the story was my favorite. The twist of the alien woman really being a Tandarin (see "Detained") was nicely done. For a moment, I thought they were going to make her a Suliban, but they way they went was much better.
Mayweather stayed in character all right...okay, so I don't know if he did or not. It's not exactly like we know the guy is it? Just kidding. The story with his injury and Phlox coming out of hibernation was well done. Phlox's reaction to his premature awakening was interesting, to say the least.
Trip and Malcolm got into trouble--and they were asking for it, big time. They were acting pretty silly in the bar scene, but most of that was after a few drinks of alcohol. Reed in particular doesn't seem to be able to hold his liquor. I'll go easy on them though, since these guys obviously needed a good vacation. But it was great seeing them stripped to their underwear for their over-eagerness.
In contrast, Hoshi had a lovely time on Risa (a rare thing, it seems). Actually, let's think about this: why would anyone want to go to Risa? I mean, if you're not being dragged into a search for an ancient artifact or getting your clothes stolen, you're being seduced by an alien spy (be it Tandarin or otherwise), breaking your leg (and having an alergic reaction to the medicine), or getting rained on when the weather control net is taken over by a bunch of looneys. Doesn't sound like the best of vacation spots to me!
Rating: ****1/2 for a nice bit of harmless fun. Took off points for a few awkward moments, but overall a nice job of a light episode.
5/8/02--Review for: "Desert Crossing" (Archer and Trip pay a visit to some terrorists on Tatooine; Trip gets thirsty)
This episode is a direct continuation of "Fallen Hero," and before I go any further, I'd just like to say a few things about continuity. Enteprise has done a terrific job of preserving continuity between episodes. In fact, the last couple of episodes have been tied heavily to each other, as well as episodes from the past like "Detained" or "Silent Enemy." The planned shore leave on Risa has been hinted at for two episodes in a row now (in fact, when I saw the teaser for "Fallen Hero" and Trip in his Hawaiian shirt, I thought they were skipping ahead and showing "Two Days and Two Nights"). In other words, these three episodes (the two this week as well as next weak's) are kind of a mini-arc. When the crew finally gets to go to Risa next week, we're going to feel a little more sympathy with the crew, since they've been delayed from it twice now. It's just nice little touches like this that make me have some faith in the reviled Berman and Braga.
Now, on to the actual review. I'd like to say "Desert Crossing was an excellant episode. Instead, I'll just say average. The guest star did a great job, as did the regular cast. The plot setup was good, with the situation of the two different castes on the planet. However, the execution was a tad on the slow side, and there was too much emphasis on Archer and Trip in the desert, trying to survive. No offense, but it just wasn't that interesting to me. I suppose they were trying to build a bond between the two, but frankly they did a much better job with this sort of thing with Trip and Malcolm in "Shuttlepod One." So, in other words, this show was a waste of potential. The plot could have been a lot faster-paced and more interesting. Instead, we get 15 minutes of watching Trip die of thirst and heatstroke. I'm sorry, but it just got a little boring.
Rating: ****1/2 for a slightly better episode than the first of the double bill. However, it was not outstanding enough to rate very highly. In the end, it gets the same rating as "Detained," even though I enjoyed that one better. Go figure; in this case, the guest star made the episode. Here's hoping next week's comedy outing gets better.
5/8/02--Review for: "Fallen Hero" (T'Pol's childhood hero is accused of some crime and Enterprise has to help her escape)
I'll be brief and to the point: average episode.
This was not the bore-fest that "Rogue Planet" and "Terra Nova" turned into, but it wasn't as good as many episodes of Enterprise. The plot was somewhat thin, and some of the conversations dragged on too long. I liked the guest actress who played Valar, but she wasn't utilized very well. So, apart from a few great moments (most of them involving Reed), this episode didn't do much for me. I did love everything Reed did in this episode, from the battle scenes to his little conversation with Trip in Engineering ("I like firing back better" or something along those lines). Oh yes, and the sequence with the ship going to Warp 5 was great. It was nice to see that it had some trouble with this velocity.
Rating: ****1/4 for a pretty mediocre episode with a few great moments.
5/8/02--Review for: "Vox Sola" (a giant squid infests the cargo bay and tries to eat Archer and Trip)
Okay, this review is going to be kind of short and is subject to change. The reason is, I've only seen this episode once, and that was while lying in a hospital bed, still doped up from surgery several hours before. In other words, I saw it, but I may as well have been recovering from 10 Vodka martinis at the time for all I remember. I remember there was this slimy white thing in the cargo bay, and Reed invented a dodgey forcefield, and Hoshi and T'Pol were working together on a language based on calculus or something. Oh yeah, the slimy thing trapped Archer and Trip and some other people (redshirts, I presume), and Reed was the only one who escaped, and he shut the door on a tentacle, and he wanted to torture the tentacle but Phlox wouldn't let him, and then...hmmm...did anyone die? I honestly can't remember. Okay, maybe I need to watch it again. But I remember really liking it. So....
Okay, this is me, back after having viewed the episode again. Damn, this was a pretty good one! You don't see a lot of pure sci fi in Trek these days, but that's what this one had to offer, and it was very cool. The creature was realized very well, and the whole cast did a great job with their parts. I enjoyed seeing Archer and Trip watching the water polo match, as well as the others settling down to watch the weekly movie. Everyone seemed 'on' in this one, especially Reed, Sato, Phlox, and T'Pol, who were the main heroes of the story. These four all worked toward their solutions to the problem, and in the end a combination of solutions was needed. I liked the character conflict Reed had with Phlox and Sato--very realistic and interesting. Overall, a very nice episode.
Rating: ****1/2
5/8/02--Review for: "Detained" (Archer helps some nice Suliban to escape a detention camp)
Whoa, sorry this is so much overdue, but 'real life' has been getting in the way lately (I won't give too many details, but let's just say the words major abdominal surgery come into play). This goes for "Vox Sola" above as well. From now on, I hope to be on time.
Okay, it's been a couple of weeks since I've seen "Detained," but let me tell you right now: I liked it. A lot. And I'm not sure why.
I was not a fan of Quantum Leap, so Dean Stockwell didn't set me alight here. After all the hype about the screentime between him and Bakula, I was somewhat disappointed with the actual result. In fact, of the three major guest stars in this episode, Stockwell impressed me dead least. Dennis Christopher and Christopher Shea both turned in excellant performances--and by the way, they're both Vorta ;-). In comparison, both Stockwell and his character (Colonel Grat) just seemed run-of-the-mill. I found the Suliban much more interesting. Dennis Christopher played the first sympathetic Suliban since Sarin in the pilot, and he did a great job. Chris Shea played a more wary character, and also did wonderfully. Man, I could just see Keevan under that Suliban makeup! (I miss both the Vorta and DS9, obviously). Of course, Shea outshined Anthony Montgomery in the scenes they shared, but that's okay (the guests often outshine certain members of the regular cast).
The plot of "Detained" was quite obviously supposed to parallel the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and it did so fairly well, without too much of the sledgehammer. The writers went out of their way (as they often do in Trek episodes) to point at a different situation (in this case, the Japanese-Americans who were held in camps during WWII), in order that the episode is somewhat distanced from current events. This was done fairly well. The episode's resolution was good, with good action and drama. The best part about the last quarter of the episode was Reed in Suliban makeup (I think he looks really cute). Dominic is a great actor, a fact of which I am more convinced every time I see him. He gets a great look on his face, just before he blows up a wall. You get the feeling this guy really enjoys his job!
Apart from Reed, the only major players from the regular cast were Archer and Mayweather. Oh dear. You've got to realize, I consider these two to be the two biggest weaknesses in the cast, but in this episode I enjoyed their performances. Archer did well opposite Stockwell, even if their chemistry wasn't as stellar as the propaganda said. He also played well against Dennis Christopher, and Montgomery did equally well against Shea. In all, impressive performances.
This show wasn't perfect. Someone has pointed out that if it had been written by DS9's writers, several things would have been different. Some of the detained Suliban would have been from the Cabal. Even some of the non-Cabal Suliban would have sympathized with them. Someone--possibly Dennis Christopher's character--would have gotten killed in the escape. All-in-all, it would have been a lot more gritty and 3D. As is was, we got a nice clean resolution in the end, something which Enterprise is becoming notorious for. Of course there are exceptions ("The Andorian Incident"-"Shadows of P'Jem" is the most obvious one), but this show would be even better if it took a few more risks.
Rating: ****1/2 It would have been up to ****3/4 if some of the suggestions from the above paragraph had been used. However, as it is, "Detained" is still a very good episode with some nice guest performances and a good current events allegory.
4/3/02--Review for: "Oasis" (the crew discover Odo and Kes on a crashed ship)
This episode kept up the interest level, the plot was pretty good, and there was some nice interaction between some of the characters (namely Trip and T'Pol). There was a mild amount of mystery surrounding the inhabitants of the ship, but I guessed beforehand that Odo (um, I mean the guy who looks like Odo) and his daughter Kes (oops, I mean the girl who kinda sorta resembles Kes) were different from the others. The idea of holograms had also crossed my mind.
The fact is, I liked this episode. Having said that, the plot was a direct rip-off of the second season DS9 episode "Shadowplay." Now, I don't have a problem with taking elements or ideas from previous Star Trek episodes and weaving them together in a new way with new characters to tell a new story. Heck, Trek has been doing that since the days of the Original Series--there's almost no way you're going to be able to come up with a completely original story each time. There's always going to be familiar things cropping up, just by random chance if nothing else. However, when the entire plot is a shadow (no pun intended) of a previous incarnation, I tend to groan a little. It would have been nice to change the story from that one. The twist of father/daughter was nice, but it was still a little too close to "Shadowplay" for comfort.
I also think this plot bears a distinct resemblance to a TNG episode: "Survivors." You know, the one where Kevin Uxbridge kills everyone on the planet by mistake, then recreates his house and his wife and tries to live a normal life? This is basically the same thing, except Odo (bear with me, I can't remember the character's real name from this episode) doesn't have superpowers...he just has the ability to create sentient (sorta) holograms. I have no problem with Enterprise showing advanced technology like this, but they should do it sparingly--we humans are starting to look pretty darn primitive next to everyone else.
Rating: ****1/4 Nice episode. Not the most original, but executed very well. Not one of Enterprise's best so far, but definitly not its worst either.
3/27/02--Review for: "Acquisition" (Balok, Neelix, and Weyoun board the ship disguised as Ferengi and steal everything)
A lot of positive and negative anticipation has been surrounding this episode for weeks. Some said that Enteprise was too early for the Ferengi...that TNG's "The Last Outpost" was supposed to be their debut. Well, I'm not going to debate that point here. Let's just say that I don't have a problem with the Ferengi on Enterprise, and leave it at that.
This episode was very, very cute, and quite worthy of the label 'Ferengi comedy episode.' DS9 perfected these episodes, and Enterprise has done quite well with the concept. The plot was simple, but that's just fine, since we were treated to a good dose of entertainment. This is exactly what Enterprise needed after "Rogue Planet," which many considered to be lackluster. I certainly enjoyed "Acquisition."
Most people will have recognized 3/4 of the guest cast, if they know their Trek. Ethan Phillips (the mean, trenchcoat Ferengi) is obviously Neelix from Voyager (and a hologram from ST: First Contact). Clint Howard (the short, funny looking one in the red tunic who was carrying Porthos around) was the alien Balok from TOS's "The Corbomite Maneuver" (but he was just a little kid back then). I don't know about Matt Malloy (the Ferengi in the background)...maybe he's been on before, but I sure can't remember him.
Finally, there's Jeffrey Combs (the uncertain, somewhat nice Ferengi) who will be known to anyone who's seen DS9 and most who've seen Enterprise. He's making quite a mark on Enterprise, with the Andorian Shran and now this Ferengi, Krem...and the best part is, he's doing a damn fine job of it. The guy can act, there's no doubt about it--and this character is quite different from any of his others. Here we have a character who we can sympathize with (although if you think about it, a lot of Combs's characters were that way). But with Krem, there's an uncertainty that is different from Shran, Weyoun, or Brunt. One of my favorite parts of the episode was Krem's fascination with T'Pol. There's one scene where she tricks him by giving him some oomaks and then finishing him off with the nerve pinch--great stuff!
Rating: ****3/4 This was one of the best episodes so far, and certainly their best attempt at comedy (don't get me wrong, I liked "Unexpected," but this was better).
3/20/02--Review for: "Rogue Planet" (the crew find a rogue planet, and Archer stops some hunters from killing some shapeshifters)
For the first 20 minutes or so, I thought this was a really cool episode: a neat sci-fi concept (the details of which will be debated for weeks at the Trek discussion boards) and good character interaction between several of our regulars. The problem was, it fell off after that.
Maybe if Archer was my favorite character I would have liked this better. He's still growing on me, but as of yet not nearly as interesting as Trip, Reed, or Sato. The second half of the episode focuses almost entirely on Archer, with little other than 'Yes, Sir' from the others. Okay, I guess I can live with that. But the plot wasn't really all that interesting. The effects and ambiance of the planet were terrific, but the mysteriuos woman was predictable and boring.
As a whole, this episode was not a miss...but maybe not quite a hit either. It was more interesting to me than last week's "Fusion," but didn't deal with the same deep issues that "Fusion" did. That is, issues that haven't been dealt with in a more interesting fashion before (I'm not the only one who noticed the similarity of "Rogue Planet" to DS9's "Captive Pursuit"). As I sat back and watched the second half of this, I almost found myself wishing I was somewhere else. That hasn't happened very often since Voyager left the air....
Rating: ***1/2 The base mark is low because of the boring plot, but kudos for the cool 'hydrothermal vent on a planetwide scale' concept. I'm also judging this as the whole episode, not just the second half. If I graded the halves, it would be like this: first half ****, second half ***.
3/14/02--Review for: "Fusion" (T'Pol is mind-raped by an emotional Vulcan)
This episode is the biggest single source of contention between fans since "Dear Doctor." Actually, it may be even bigger.
First, I'll say that the mind meld and its apparent history has upset many, many fans...but I am not necessarily one of them. I did find it to be a bit of a jolt, since I (like most) thought the mind meld was in common use on Vulcan since the time of Surak. However, I am not going to get my knickers in a twist about it. However, I do think it was a foolish move by Berman and Braga, considering the amount of negativity that has surrounded it. I'm guessing they lost a few more hardcore fans with this little outing....
But that's not the reason I'm giving this episode below four stars (the first one of those since "Terra Nova." The reason is, plain and simple...it was boring. Yes, just like the aforementioned "Terra Nova," I found very little excitement here. Yes, I know there was a strong anti-rape message in this episode, but I still think they could have done it better. I actually like the idea of the mind meld rape, since this particular usage of the meld hasn't really been addressed before. The 'bad' Vulcan was well played, but the plot was still boring.
The B plot was okay; I liked the interplay between Tucker and the nice Vulcan. There wasn't enough of this plot, though....
Rating: ***3/4 Whereas "Shuttlepod One" (see below) was the perfect example of a bottle show done right, this one was what they usually turn out to be: a drag. It could be that Jolene Blalock isn't a strong enough lead to carry the whole show...but I suspect that she would have done okay with another main cast member to play off of. As it was, she had only herself for most of the episode, and it didn't work out so well.
3/14/02--Review for: "Shuttlepod One" (Trip and Reed are stuck on a shuttlepod and get on each others' nerves)
This was one of the best examples of a "bottle" episode that I've ever come across (and no, that wasn't meant to be a pun, folks).
The plot was simple: Reed and Trip, travelling in a shuttlepod with communications down, see wreckage on an asteroid and think it's the Enterprise. They argue about optimism vs. pessimism and write letters for the rest of the episode, until they find a bottle of alcohol and get drunk. Tucker tries to blast himself out of an airlock, but Reed pulls a phase pistol on him. Oh yeah, did I mention Reed's wet dream, involving a smiling Vulcan called "Stinky?" In the end, the Enterprise comes and rescues them and everything is okay.
Now, with the above plot, this easily could have been a stinker (again, no pun intended). But instead it was a gem, carried almost entirely by Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer. The interplay between their two characters, Reed and Tucker, was first rate. Character conflict is what elevated DS9 above the rest of them...could it be that Enterprise is nearing that greatness? Of course, it still has a long way to go to rival DS9's best, but it's already beating DS9's first season...let's hope it keeps growing, unlike Voyager, which seemed to stagnate after the first 2 seasons.
I won't try to hide the fact that Reed is my favorite character on this series. Tucker is also up there at third on my favorite list (right behind Hoshi). So you can imagine, I like it when these two get under each others' skin. They seem destined to be the new Bashir and O'Brien....
Anything to dislike about this? Well, I must admit that Reed's dream was a bit out of place...but just a bit. I liked the intoxicated Reed talking about T'Pol's bum, although I'm glad he didn't say that when he was sober. I am a bit bothered by Trip's dismissal of T'Pol as "a Vulcan"--it was his tone of voice that put me off. Also, I'm not sure what kind of love life Reed really has at this point, given the contrast of the countless women he wrote to in this episode vs. his reaction to Hoshi in "Silent Enemy." Maybe he got burned in those relationships, and that makes him the shy one now....
Rating: ****3/4 Same "The Andorian Incident," meaning that, in my book at least, it's one of the very best so far.
2/6/02--Review for: "Shadows of P'Jem" (T'Pol and Archer get kidnapped by Coridon terrorists, and Shran and Tholos help Trip and Reed to rescue them, despite the interference of some trigger-happy Vulcans)
I guess I have to say that this episode left me a little perplexed...perplexed as to why exactly it is that I liked it. The plot was simple, and most of the characters didn't get a great deal of development (except maybe T'Pol). The bottom line is, this episode really shouldn't rate very highly...but for me it was one of the most enjoyable so far. I guess I should list some of the reasons....
Continuity. Yes, that evil word that both unites and divides Trekkers the world over...but it is relevant here because this episode was basically the sequel to "The Andorian Incident," and perhaps the second segment in an ongoing arc for the future. The writers are showing that they can tie episodes together, with skill equal to that with which they crafted "Broken Bow" and "Cold Front." At the same time, the word "consequences" also has meaning here. Unlike a lot of Trek stories, which move on from a "resolved" situation to the next week's plot without a look back, here we see the consequences of "The Andorian Incident" unfolded for all to see. T'Pol and Archer are both getting blame for that "incident," and hopefully both learn something. Archer was bound to make plenty of mistakes in his 7-year mission (or however long it turns out to be), and this is just one example.
Vulcans. Again, we see that they aren't perfect...guess what? THAT IS NOTHING NEW. I would hardly call Valeris's actions in STVI perfectly logical and the Vulcans in DS9's "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" were galaxy-class jerks...and yes, it makes sense that not every Vulcan behaves well. No society is perfect, and cultures DO evolve over time. Why shouldn't the Vulcans make mistakes? Logic doesn't always lead in the right direction, just like any other creed that has been followed in our twisted and mired history. So I am not bothered in the slightest by the behavior of Enterprise's Vulcans. In fact, I would be MORE bothered if they WEREN'T a pain in the *ss for Archer and company. Humans and Vulcans could not help but be at odds, with such differences in their philosophies...and since we are seeing these shows through the humans' eyes, the Vulcans are bound to come out looking bad. I'm sure if this was a Vulcan show (bear with me and pretend that the Vulcans actually exist and would demean themselves to produce a TV show :-D), we would see that there are perfectly logical reasons for their behavior, and the humans wouldn't exactly come out smelling of the roses. There...am I done ranting yet? Sorry. On with the analysis.
Jeffrey Combs. Ah yes, the marvelous character actor who is famous for bringing to life Weyoun and Brunt (as will as Tyron and Penk, who were one-episode characters). Now his focus is on Enterprise, and he's doing a terrific job with Shran, the Andorian first seen in the aptly named "The Andorian Incident." Combs brings complexity to a character who may not have started out that way. The payback of rescuing Archer makes perfect sense if you think like Shran does, and their parting words make me look forward to the next episode with this particular Andorian.
So, I guess I liked the episode because it was a continuation of "The Andorian Incident," with the return of Combs as Shran, and some nice consequences for our good crew. I have to mention the scene where Archer and T'Pol are tied up and struggling to get free...a lot of people found this embarassing and just plain offensive. I actually thought of it as more of a comic relief scene than anything else, and it worked quite well as that (though it wasn't quite as funny as the mess hall scene in "Silent Enemy").
Rating: ****1/2 for a good episode with a forgivably simple plot and some other nice features.
1/30/02--Review for: "Sleeping Dogs" (Reed, Sato, and T'Pol get stuck on a sinking ship)
Wow! I really wasn't sure about this episode when I read about the plot beforehand; it isn't the most complicated or interesting plot in the world. However, I enjoyed this episode tremendously, and I easily count it as one of my favorites so far.
I think what stood out most for me as I was watching this was the character interaction. This time, we had the trio of T'Pol, Reed, and Sato interacting with each other, and I think it did all three characters some good. In particular, Hoshi's relationship with each of the others was able to develop. She and T'Pol have grown to understand each other more, and the moment between them in the galley was nice. Likewise, Hoshi and Malcolm seem to be understanding each other better (look back to the mess hall scene in "Silent Enemy"). Both of them seem to be growing well as characters, and their relationship with each other is also strengthening. I loved the teaser scene, with Malcolm teaching Hoshi how to shoot straight.
One of my favorite aspects of this episode was that Hoshi really contributed a lot, and seems to have gained some self confidence and bravery (certainly more than she had in "Fight or Flight," for instance). She does this without sacrificing the fundamentals of her character, and the effect is very good. I'm sure that those who complained about the lousy job that she was stuck with in "Silent Enemy" will appreciate her work in this episode.
Now, for me the character growth was the most important aspect of this show. The Klingons played a peripheral role, and so did Archer, for most of the episode. If the sinking ship had belonged to a different species, would the plot still have worked? I think it would have, with a little tweaking of course. But the Klingons were still a nice touch to this episode.
Finally, the last scene was just a nice conclusion for the three main characters and the trials that they had been through for the last hour. No, I'm trying not to say too much about the decon room...goodness knows we had enough of that in the pilot...but I will say that Malcolm is one lucky guy.
Rating: ****1/2 for what is, in my humble opinion, one of the best character episodes yet.
1/23/02--Review for: "Dear Doctor" (Phlox and Archer make controversial medical, fan-inflaming decisions)
I thought when I read the promo that this might be one of those boring episodes with an ethical dilemma that has an obvious outcome. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by both the plot and the outcome of "Dear Doctor," which makes me think that the writers have a little boldness afterall.
Phlox is a character that we knew very little about before this episode, and like Malcolm Reed in last week's outing, Phlox gets his first real plotline here. Like Reed, Phlox was a bit of an enigma both before and after his day in the spotlight, and is likely to remain so for at least a few episodes to come...but that's just fine. We did learn quite a bit about his culture, amid vague references to mating practices and the revelation that Denobulans have multiple marriage partners ("polygamy" doesn't even do it justice). It's good to see that the Enterprise writers aren't trying to fit Phlox into a human mold: we begin to see that his culture and mindset are genuinely different from that of his crewmates.
Archer's decision not to interfere with the aliens' disease is interesting, and it's sure to be controversial. For some reason, I just keep hearing Captain Picard shouting "Who are we to determine the next course of evolution for these people?" as Archer struggles with the decision in a pre-Prime Directive universe. The dilemma is real, and Phlox's position was clear, but I didn't expect Archer to take the way that he did. I'm not saying that I approve or disapprove--I'm fairly certain, however, that I wouldn't make a very good Starfleet captain. When it comes to such dilemmas...better you than me, Jon.
I also enjoyed the concept that there were two species coexisting on the planet, and I liked the analogy that Phlox used--humans coexisting with Neanderthals. There's actually still quite a debate going on about whether Neanderthals contributed to the genes of modern Europeans, but I digress (it's just interesting that NOVA showed a program on this very issue the night before this episode of Enterprise!).
Some of the lighthearted elements of the episode were a nice relief from the more serious plotline of the dying race of people. The crush that Cutler has on Phlox may or may not be continued into the series...I for one would be intrigued to see what they can do with it. Obviously, the woman isn't put off by the fact that Phlox already has three current wives, and that he doesn't particularly enjoy physical contact. Hey, if that doesn't put her off, I say go to it! I also enjoyed the scene where Hoshi was trying to learn the Denobulan language, with Phlox helping her out--it was a nice touch for both characters. The basic format of the episode, with Phlox dictating letters to his pen pal, will remind a lot of people of "Data's Day," but that's just fine--it worked really well for telling this story. Oh, and by the way, the Star Trek tradition of giving a character a big episode and then completely ignoring him in the next is carrying on: Reed only gets about 10 words in the whole episode (one of the few gripes that I might have about it, but this was Phlox's day, afterall).
Rating: ****1/2 for a nicely done and well-balanced episode that really did make us think about the issue at hand. No matter what you think of Phlox or Archer's decision, this episode made you think about it...and that's a victory in itself.
1/16/02--Review for: "Silent Enemy" (Reed kicks some @$$ with the phase cannons while Hoshi finds out his favorite food)
Well, it's the new year, and Enterprise is back!
First of all, let me say that I loved this episode--in fact, I thought it was one of the better ones so far. Let me explain why.
I have been waiting for several months for Malcolm Reed to get an episode, and it has finally happened. The result: he's still enigmatic, and we don't know much more about him than we did before, except that he's extremely shy--especially around women (which we already knew from the personality profiles provided by the show's creators). But the interesting thing is, it doesn't matter that the man is still a mystery. That's part of what makes his character interesting at this point, and can provide very rich ground for future episodes and character development. You don't want to know everything about the characters before the first season is over with; you want to find out more and more about them as the series progresses. That's why I predict that Malcolm will get more real development in the future than Mayweather, for instance. Sure, all of the characters have hidden aspects, but having one character who is such an enigma is a really bold and positive move for the writers.
I also liked the scene with Hoshi in the mess hall, trying to find out what Malcolm's favorite food is. It was well played by both actors, and I think it could serve as a stepping stone for further development of both characters. It's the kind of cute moment that we've seen quite a lot in Enterprise, and it's a nice touch to the episode.
Now, in my opinion, that was the A-story. What many people think is the A-story is actually the B-story, and it was not the absolute best that I've ever seen, but it was still quite good. The weapons installation was handled well, and Reed again got a little development. The argument with Tucker was well done; it's nice to see some bickering going on between the senior officers, showing that they're not the polished version of humanity that we see in later series. As for the aliens, I loved their spaceship, but the aliens themselves were somewhat unspectacular. However, I don't think the aliens were the most important part of the story, so that is okay. Oh yeah, and the effect of the phase canons blowing up the lunar mountain was cool!
Rating: ****1/2 for a nice episode with a good amount of action and humor. Kudos for finally giving an episode to Reed, and the moment between him and Sato in the mess hall, but I take off the rating just a bit for the lackluster aliens, as well as for trying to stick two plots together that, other than the central character, had absolutely nothing in common with each other.
11/29/01--Review for: "Cold Front" (weird, unexplainable stuff happens when Silik sneaks on board)
A lot of people get pissed off when loose ends are left swinging in the wind at the end of an episode. If you're one of those people, you were probably infuriated by the ending of "Cold Front." However, if you enjoy a good mystery that's likely to keep us hanging for the rest of the season, if not longer, then you probably ate this episode up.
I enjoyed this episode a great deal. Yes, I found it to be a bit confusing, and I still don't know how much of the truth Silik and Daniels were telling. I like to think that Daniels was the bad guy, just because I like plot twists and complicated villains. Of course, I could be totally wrong.
This episode had a moderately well-done B-story and just a sliver of a C-story. The B-story was about the culture and religion of the visitors, basically. We learn a bit more about Dr. Phlox and his travels, though he's still not quite a fleshed-out character. The C-story is hardly a story at all--just some cute character interaction between Reed, Sato, and Mayweather. These are, of course, the three 'junior officers' who have to stay on the bridge throughout most of the episode while the other four get to have all the fun. But at least they got some dialogue this episode. I loved it when Mayweather got to sit in the captain's chair (I wonder, when does Sato get command?). It was really funny when Reed came back in and caught Mayweather in the act. The whole interaction of these three characters was very nicely done, and I hope to see these relationships evolve as the series goes on. They have just the right combination of conflicting personalities (Reed's stoicism, Sato's impishness, and Mayweather's optimism) to make their interactions interesting.
Overall, the episode was tied together very well, loose ends and all. Robert Duncan Macneill did a great job directing this, and all of the actors (especially the guy who plays Silik) were fantastic.
Rating: ****1/2 for a very nice episode with a little bit of everything.
11/22/01--Review for: "Fortunate Son" (some Nausicaans mess with a cargo freighter...and vice versa)
This was the first real shot at a "Mayweather" episode, and it did a pretty good job of giving us some character development from our "Boomer" helmsman. We finally get to see another side of his personality--not always the cheerful, optimistic guy we'd seen before.
I also enjoyed seeing another side of space travel--the cargo runs. This is an interesting facet of Star Trek that we've never really seen up close before.
Now, that said, this wasn't one of my favorite episodes. I found it to be a bit boring, and also rather predictable. I did like seeing the Nausicans again (where have we seen them apart from "Tapestry" anyway?), but I think that everything in the show could have been used a little better. I expected a little more suspense during the scene when Archer, Reed, Phlox, and T'Pol are stuck in that decompressing cargo section--but what we got was an easy, boring solution to the dilemma. Oh well...I'd better stop griping now, because overall, I enjoyed the episode--just not quite as much as the other Enterprise episodes so far.
Rating: ****
11/16/01--Review for: "Civilization" (an outsider poisons the natives and Archer stops him)
Okay, let me start off by saying that so far there has not been an episode of Enterprise that I disliked. But yes, some are better than others. "Civilization" is one of those ones that is a tad on the predictable and boring side, when compared with the rest.
The conclusion was obvious from the moment we first heard of the problem--namely, that this alien guy was setting up shop on the planet and polluting the water supply, thus making the locals ill. But it's not always necessary to have a convuluted plot for an episode to work. So, how were the characters? I'd have to say just so-so. Archer was the main character in this episode, and he did get a little bit of meaningful development. I think he's going to be even more Kirk-like than I thought before, judging from his smooching of the alien woman. The other characters didn't have much stuff in this one, except Hoshi, who got to play with a bunch of new languages.
Rating: ****1/4 Overall, a fair episode; no real nitpicks, so there's no mandatory deductions...however, the base mark is not terribly high.
11/9/01--Review for: "Breaking the Ice" (Tucker reads T'Pol's love letters while Reed blows up a comet)
This was an interesting episode, if a bit splintered. That's okay, though, since the A and B stories were used well. The question is, which was the A story and which was the B story? You tell me; the title of the episode applies to both. The story of T'Pol's secret letters could have been boring, but the chemistry between Tucker and T'Pol was so compelling that it made it worthwhile. I'm taking bets now that they'll have slept together at least once by the end of the series (no, just kidding--but it's an amusing thought, to say the least).
The other plot thread involved a large comet (and yes, it must've been large, because Reed and Mayweather had no problems walking around on it like it had near-Earth gravity). Anyway, nitpicks aside (for now), this plot held some great moments, mostly of the humorous nature. I loved the snowman, and it's good to see that these guys can have some good, honest fun. The incident with the sinking shuttle was as predictable as anything I've ever seen, but it was still fun to watch.
Now, just a few nitpicks (you know I have to do this), and most of them involve the comet. First of all, I already mentioned the gravity situation; unless Reed and Mayweather had some kind of gravity boots (which I believe are magnetic, so they wouldn't work in that situation anyway), that comet must have been either very big around or incredibly (and I mean incredibly) dense. The size was given in the episode: 82.6 km. This is not as big as our moon, so why do Reed and Mayweather walk around like it's normal Earth gravity? I guess that leaves the theory that it's incredibly dense. The second nitpick is the snowman. Yes, I loved the snowman and I'm glad they put it in, but would there really be snowman-building material on this comet? For those of you who prefer the direct question, would there really be "snow" of the right density, and would that snow have the right kind of moisture content to make a snowman? This is outer space we're talking about here; would the snow have any non-frozen moisture at all? The third nitpick is the way the ice broke up once the sun hit it. I'm no expert, but I would have thought that it would have melted some on the surface--though maybe the reason it cracked the way it did had to do with the explosion they set off (note: this is the second episode in a row where Mr. Reed got to blow something up :-). Finally, I have a possible nitpick about the whole T'Pol subplot. There are certainly others who know more about Vulcans than I do, but is it wise (or possible) to postpone a marriage? Doesn't that mess up the natural Vulcan mating cycle?? Oh well, I guess maybe we'll find out....
Rating: ****1/2 I knock off a bit for the nitpicks, but overall a very good episode.
10/31/01--Review for: "The Andorian Incident" (some Andorians take control of a Vulcan Monestary...and Archer and company walk right into it)
I am still tingling from watching what is probably the best episode yet in the new series. I loved every moment of it, from the Vulcan catacombs to Reed, Sato, and Mayweather debating on the ship to Jeffrey Combs's menacing Andorian to the wonderful plot twist at the end. Everything was in place here: a great setting, a thoughtful plot, and a great antagonist--and all working very well together.
I had read that Roxann Dawson (the director) had described this episode as similar to Raiders of the Lost Ark. I found this difficult to believe at the time, but now I see what she means. The catacombs are quite Indiana Jones-ish, as are the action sequences. There's a lot of excitement in this episode.
The plot was quite clever; though at first it appeared to be a straight shoot-em-up and rescue mission, it turned us around at the end, making us realize that the situation is much more complicated than it had appeared. The Andorians are still quite menacing, obviously, and not exactly what Archer and his crew would call friends. However, we also see a darker side of the Vulcans--one that even T'Pol was surprised to discover.
Back on the ship, Lt. Reed had command, and we finally get to see a smidgen of character development from him. The bickering that went on between he and Sato was terrific (more like this in the future, please). We also get to see the transporter in use for only the second time--and some pretty nervous officers surrounding it. Makes sense to me! The action sequences were great too--this is our first really great shoot-em-up phaser fight in a long time.
I loved the way the Andorians looked--much better than in the past (er, or is that future?). The way their antennae moved with their emotions was very well done. I also liked their phasers (blue light is very cool). I really hope that the Andorians become to Enterprise as the Klingons, Dominion, Borg, and others were to the other series. Of course, I'm a great fan of Jeffrey Combs, and I have enjoyed all of the characters that he's brought to life on Star Trek (count 'em; there's five now, spanning three series--Tiron, Brunt, and Weyoun from Deep Space Nine, Penk from Voyager's "Tsunkatse," and now we have Shran the Andorian). He turned in his usual excellant performance here, with a much more physical villain than the others that he's played. I certainly hope to see more of this particular Andorian in the future!
Rating: ****3/4 for the best one yet!
10/30/01--Review for: "Terra Nova" (while checking out an abaondoned human colony, the crew finds some stone-age cave dwellers who speak like children)
I enjoyed this episode, but not as much as the others so far. It was as different from last week's show as DS9 was to Voyager. "Terra Nova" was much more serious, dealing with issues that make us think about the connotations of Archer's decisions. The scene with Archer and T'Pol arguing about whether or not to uproot the Novans and take them back to Earth was very well done.
Having said that, I'm a little disappointed that poor Malcolm Reed didn't get any character development. Okay, sure, we know that he's got a keen knowledge of weapons and that he doesn't like raw armadillo meat--but when are we going to get some character development? Mayweather suffers similarly; other than his enthusiasm, what do we really know about the guy's character? Oh well, I guess they'll get their episodes in the future...we just have to be patient.
I think the whole stone-age cavedwellers theme has been used and overused on Trek. I have heard criticisms that this episode is a rip-off of Voyager's seventh season offering, "Friendship One." Yes, the plots are quite similar; however, I still enjoyed "Terra Nova" much more than I enjoyed "Friendship One." Whether this was because of the cast, the directing, or what, I'm not sure. I was pretty disgruntled with Voyager by the seventh season, so maybe I just didn't give "Friendship One" the chance it deserved. On the other hand, this could be one of those times when the copy is better than the original...then again, it could just be that "Friendship One" didn't have Malcolm Reed in it....
Rating: ***3/4
10/23/01--Review for: "Unexpected" (Tucker gets pregnant)
Contrary to the title, most fans of the new series expected something of that *ahem* nature to happen to Trip. What was unexpected was that this show was actually quite good. One wouldn't think that a plot from "Red Dwarf" could work in a Star Trek series, but I guess one would be wrong about that one....
The episode started out with a funny teaser, treating us to one of the reasons why sonic showers were invented (Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to find that the crew had pulled a prank on the captain, there, but I digress).
I'll come to the point: I liked this episode. It wasn't just funny--at times it was bordering on hilarious. I had heard that the producers wanted this series to be more light-hearted, and this is the best evidence for that yet. The whole plot could have been handled so badly, but it wasn't...both writers and actors did a very credible job of bringing out the humorous side of things, while keeping at least their toes on the ground.
Rating: ****1/2 Keep it up, guys!
10/10/01--Review for: "Strange New World" (Tucker sees rock people and gets mad at T'Pol)
Strange indeed. This episode kept us guessing for awhile about just what exactly was going on. I actually suspected that it was the humans hallucinating, rather than T'Pol lying, from the point where the human woman saw T'Pol talking to the two aliens. Conner Trinneer (Tucker) did a great job of showing madness. I can already tell this guy is a top-class actor, and I look forward to his contribution to the show. I also liked that way that T'Pol was portrayed in this episode, and Sato's contribution to the situation (I guess it can really help to understand Vulcan). The sparring between Tucker and T'Pol was first rate; obviously this character conflict is going to be one of the major plot threads that runs throughout the series.
Rating: ****1/2
10/10/01--Review for: "Fight or Flight" (Hoshi screams when she sees dead people)
This story revolves around a couple of basic instincts in humans. The title could be a metaphor for Lt. Malcolm Reed ("Fight") and Ens. Hoshi Sato ("Flight"). No, I'm not saying that Reed is one of those "Worf" characters who likes killing things all the time, but he is the security chief, after all. His sworn duty is to protect the ship and her crew by using force. At the same time, we have Hoshi Sato. Sato is unused to combat, and so when danger hits, her first instinct is to flee. This episode gives both characters a lot of time (along with the captain, who actually didn't get as much meaningful dialouge), with Reed constantly struggling to bring the ship's targetting systems up to spec, and Sato fearing death, and even questioning whether she is suitable for the Enterprise mission. It is ultimately Sato who gets the better character development, however; at this point, Reed is a professional Starfleet officer doing his duty to protect the ship. No doubt we'll see more development from him later.
Besides the metaphor of these two officers, "Fight or Flight" is also basically the show's plot. First they flee, then they return and fight. The question of which course of action to take dominates the debate between Archer and T'Pol in this episode. Frankly, I agreed with T'Pol; is it worth risking the lives of the whole crew just to find out what happened to these guys? Come on, we all know that the Enterprise wouldn't have stood a chance if the friendly ship hadn't shown up at the end. The weapons were down (and Reed was unhappy about it); the only possibility left open to them was negotiation, and that particular avenue only worked with the "friendly" ship, not the juice-sucking baddies. But then again, I suppose there was some good character development. I've always been an advocate of strong character episodes rather than insanely complex plots, but the plots should at least make sense!
One more thing. I am about to get a bachelor's degree in Biology at my university. I know I'm not the world's greatest expert on ecology, but even a first year student knows the dangers of transplanting a species from one area to another. We see this problem with the feral rats and cats in Australia and New Zealand. We see it also in the United States, with the Africanized honey bees. Therefore, imagine my incredulity when I see Sato placing "Sluggo" on a planet different from the one she got it from. Suppose Sluggo is pregnant, or better yet, a hermaphrodite? Suppose the crew returns to this planet a few months later and finds it overrun by cute little slugs? Sorry for this tirrade, but as a student of science, I feel it's my responsibility; please writers, be more careful in future.
Rating: ****1/4 I take off a bit for the feral slug problem, but kudos for a generally excellent 2nd episode, and showcasing my two favorite characters early on :-)
10/10/01--Review for: "Broken Bow" (The crew of the Enterprise NX-01 must return a Klingon to his people)
This was the two-hour premiere of the new series, and it seems to have gotten the series off to a good start. We are taken far away from the super medicine and reliable (fairly reliable, anyway) transporter beams of the 23rd and 24th centuries. This show is about exploration, even more so than the now defunct Voyager.
Along those lines, I think that what the Trek community needs most right now is a fresh start. For those of you who enjoyed Voyager, fine. I enjoyed it too, for part of its run, and I can sympathize with your sentiments. I enjoyed DS9 and TNG much more than Voyager, but I acknowledge that those too must be left behind for now. Enterprise must be its own show, with its own universe to build. It is much farther away from the other four series than Voyager ever was from Earth.
The new race of aliens, the Suliban, may have some potential, though I personally don't find them to be all that menacing (a good villain should be more than just a CGI bag of tricks). The guy who talks to them from the future actually looks more interesting (how many other people can sense Romulans lurking around?).
As far as plot goes, this isn't bad for a pilot. I've seen better ("Emissary" and "Caretaker") but I've also seen much, much worse ("Encounter at Farpoint," "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and "The Cage"). Most of the actors seem to be fitting into their roles fairly quickly (remember the state everyone was in in "Encounter at Farpoint"). I'm already warming to Dominic Keating's Malcolm Reed and Linda Park's Hoshi Sato. I'm not sure if I like the captain yet--he just seems to be a little crude in his language and actions (though I love it that he brought his dog along!). The same complaint about language and behavior goes for Tucker, the Chief Engineer, even though he's kinda cute. I think I'm going to like Mayweather (the Conn officer). The doctor could be interesting, though at times he reminds me just a little too much of Neelix (imagine Neelix's strange alien delicacies that he's always trying to force on the crew; now imagine Dr. Phlox doing the same thing with strange alien medical practices). As for T'Pol, the ship's resident Vulcan, I'll have to reserve judgment until I see how she's exploited in later episodes. The scene with T'Pol, Tucker, and the space gel did not have to be so...well...you know what I mean. Again, I see Voyager's influence, with a character that could be very Seven-like. I just hope they remember that she's a Vulcan....
This series is going to have some differences that aren't so popular. The gel scene mentioned above is probably going to aggravate a lot of fans (though I'm sure there will be some who like it...). Another point of contention is the opening theme music. One thing that has made Star Trek great in the modern era is the beautiful musical themes. Now, sweeping orchestral music has been replaced by a vocal rendition of "Faith of the Heart." Is it worth it? The creators probably wanted a different look and feel for the series, starting with the opening theme. I've heard so many negative reviews about the theme music, I wonder: will they ever change it? My prediction: probably not. I'm betting that fans'll get used to it--maybe even me, in time....
The rating: ****1/2 for a great effort at a pilot episode.
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