Star Trek Enterprise

Detained

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Tue, 03/09/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which there is Dean Stockwell.

What Happened

Venturing into the territory of a system at war with the Cabal, Archer and Mayweather are captured and held in a detention camp. After getting to know their fellow prisoners, however, Archer decides to help free these Suliban.

The Good

  • Archer makes a good apology to the Suliban. He figures out on his own that Colonel Grat is not being straight with them.
  • Trip and T'Pol talked to each other like adults and professionals and skipped the "cold-blooded Vulcan" and "illogical human" speeches.
  • Mayweather gets a nice speech, that's only a little over the top. It's about time that he got some kind of airtime.
  • "Your case is about to be dismissed." How can Malcolm be so cute and yet so lame?
  • Nice ambiguity in the ending. They'll get away from the prison, but who knows what may happen after that.

The Bad

  • "Why are you writing it down?" Dumb question, Mayweather. There could be any number of reasons that Sagan's keeping a journal - none of which are really your business. Except for the one where the whole conversation is just a set-up for Sagen's change of heart and dramatic sacrifice.
  • "You'll all be spending time in isolation." Am I the only one who sees the logic flaw here? Unless they have an isolation chamber for each and every prisoner.

The Cliche

  • Just once, they'll skip the scene where everyone complains about the prison food, and the galaxy will stop rotating.
  • If your shuttlepods are going to get captured that often, I wouldn't put all that information in the computer, if I were you.

Best Lines

Sagen: "Why did you bring them here?"
Suliban: "Maybe I'm tired of talking to you."

So What?

Some shows get the guest star and then try to come up with the story. Enterprise created an actual character for Dean Stockwell to play, one that makes use of his talents. It becomes more than just an excuse to stick him and Scott Bakula in the ad together.

Fortunate Son

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Mon, 03/08/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which Mayweather gets some attention.

What Happened

Assisting a cargo vessel attacked by Nausicaans, Archer insists that the cargo crew hand over a prisoner rather than try to gain revenge on the pirates who injured their captain.

The Good

  • Trip: "Things are changing. Ryan's going to have to figure that out."
    Mayweather: "Maybe he already has. He just doesn't like it." Smartest thing said all episode.

The Bad

  • Mayweather offers too much information when he comments that T'Pol's estimation of the crew on the cargo hold wouldn't include newborn babies. 'Cuz we really need the exact number, why?
  • The non-human bio-sign was someone's pet Teneebian skunk? Look, Archer isn't that stupid.
  • "What gives you the right to take prisoners?" I can understand him questioning the right to beat up on the prisoners, but taking them? Never mind. He is that stupid.
  • Most boring gunfight ever.
  • So, Mayweather's argument basically boils down to "do the math and put down your guns"?

The Cliche

  • Of course Ryan was hiding something. Just once I'd like to see a scene where the hero offers help, the sneaky bad guy refuses and the hero just leaves.
  • Cute scene between T'Pol and the children on the ship without forcing her to get in touch with her maternal instincts.
  • Isn't it lucky how the crew of a cargo vessel - that had never set eyes on Enterprise before - knew just what to aim for to knock out the long range sensors? Maybe they should rethink their policy of giving tours to everyone who comes aboard.
  • Now they can read the bio-signs on the ship and know there are four Nausicaans onboard, but before they had to wait until T'Pol was onboard and took tricorder readings. Wouldn't one of the first things they did on this rescue mission be to scan the ship to see if there were any life-signs that indicated survivors?

What Did We Learned?

Back-story on Mayweather, who had a couple of not-so-bad scenes. At least they didn't saddle us with the Parents Suck story (though I can see it coming). Porthos' IQ, however, continues to exceed Archer's. Optimistic and trusting is one thing, and I know poking your nose in where it doesn't belong is part of the job description for a Starfleet captain, but some of his dialogue...

Acquisition

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Sun, 03/07/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which there are Ferengi.

What Happened

Intergalactic pirates overpower the crew, forcing Archer, Trip and T'Pol to outwit them before they walk off with everything -and everyone- on board.

The Good

  • Any excuse to put Trip in his underwear.
  • T'Pol: "I assume you have an explanation."

The Bad

  • There has to be a more efficient way than big canvas bags to move their loot.

The Cliche

  • Typical Lack-Of-Honor-Among-Thieves, exploited by the crew.
  • Fun fight between Trip and Archer as they snow the Ferengi.
  • Poor Crem. Even Archer orders him around, and he's the prisoner.
  • Nice climax. Good use of the Vulcan nerve pinch and Trip Briar-Rabbiting them into the trap.
  • Awww. Crem gets his ship.

Best Lines

Ferengi, looking at Porthos: "It's a lower life form, stupid."
Other Ferengi: "Not necessarily. Look at his ears..."

T'Pol: "Not that interesting? No sense of humor? Always complaining?"
Archer: "I'll make it up to you."
T'Pol: "How?"
Archer: "Five bars of latinum?"

What Did I Think?

A little slow to start, but fun once it gets going.

Sleeping Dogs

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Sat, 03/06/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which Reed is rather useless.

What Happened

Hoshi, Reed and T'Pol are trapped on a Klingon ship, finding the crew unconscious and the vessel sinking into the crushing atmosphere of a gas giant.

The Good

  • Snarking with T'Pol? Hoshi did grow a spine.

The Bad

  • T'Pol: "Other than keeping Ensign Mayweather up at night, I don't know what we expect to accomplish here." You and me both.
  • They're near death and Reed pulls out his lame Trip imitation?

The Cliche

  • Why is it the first thing they always do is take off their helmets? I can understand after they've been stuck there awhile, but this is like fifteen seconds after they climb onboard.
  • Reed is pretty lame for a security officer. Everyone beats him up.
  • Because she's read the script, pt. 1: How did the Klingon woman know that the name of the ship was Enterprise? She had no translator and I doubt she reads English.
  • Because she's read the script, pt. 2: Hoshi doesn't know the difference between "hull" and "wall," but "photon torpedo" and "fusion manifold" she knows?
  • "The one time we need the engineer..." Well, duh.
  • Hoshi can't run around the ship alone, but it's okay for them to leave Malcolm by himself? Statistically speaking, he's much more likely to get beat up.
  • Because she's read the script, pt. 3: I know they're on this Hoshi having a spine kick, but why was she the one coming up with all the answers? Reed is the weapons geek.

What Did I Think?

Nice as it is to see Hoshi continue her journey from 'fraidy cat to competent officer, it really shouldn't come at Reed's expense. They couldn't have knocked him unconscious or something?

Dear Doctor

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Thu, 03/04/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which Phlox makes everything better.

What Happened

Enterprise is asked to find a cure for an epidemic, but when Phlox discovers that the "sickness" is really natural evolution clearing the way for another species to become dominant on the planet, he questions whether they should interfere.

The Good

  • Anything involving Porthos is a plus.
  • Phlox: "Movies lost their appeal when people discovered that their real lives were more interesting."
  • Nice scene with Hoshi and Phlox. It's good to see that the writers haven't forgotten that their little friendship.
  • Good scene with Phlox and T'Pol. Note to self: Never discuss my love life with a Vulcan.
  • Good scene with Archer and T'Pol discussing the aliens' request for
    warp drive technology. It touched on his recurring issues with the
    Vulcans and made sense in the story.

The Bad

  • "We'll just see where it goes." So it doesn't bother Phlox's little friend that he's married? (Actually, we find out later that there's no reason why it should, so maybe this counts as foreshadowing?)
  • The man is dying and all Archer can summon up is a manly pat on the shoulder?

The Cliche

  • Why is it we never see any other species besides humans accused of"interference." At least Phlox takes the amused tolerance route, as opposed to T'Pol's constant sighing over how Archer sticks his nose into everything.
  • Phlox trusting Archer and Archer living up to that trust is more interesting than Phlox trying hide things from Archer for his own good. Neither character winds up looking like an idiot.
  • "Until they draft that directive..." Yes, we understand they're building a case for the Prime Directive in the future shows. Did they really need to reference the vocabulary?

So What?

Good, solid show.

Season Three

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Wed, 03/03/2010

Season Two

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Wed, 03/03/2010

Season One

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Wed, 03/03/2010

The Communicator

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Wed, 03/03/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which we learn that Reed really shouldn't be left in charge of things.

What Happened

On his first away mission, Reed leaves his communicator on the planet. It is found by the military, who arrest Reed and Archer when they return to pick it up. Accused of being spies, then exposed as aliens, the crewmen are about to be executed, but T'Pol, Trip and Mayweather rescue them.

The Good

  • Reed is volunteering to write the report? Geek. (I mean that in a good way.)
  • And the beating doesn't muss their make-up? Oh. It did. Okay.
  • Archer tells them that the shuttle-craft was an experimental suborbital craft and Reed says that they are genetically enhanced soldiers. That's not such a bad cover story.

The Bad

  • Trip asks if he can come down to the planet with them to retrieve the communicator. You know, I really think that Reed is going to be enough trouble.
  • The "Alliance"? Did I miss something? Is this Firefly, now? Where's Nathan Fillion?
  • And perhaps they have the room bugged as you are talking about being from another planet and that your shuttle-craft is parked nearby?
  • Oh, hell. Reed is on his death kick again. What a downer.

The Cliche

  • Getting captured in the first place. Their captors keep asking if they've made contact with the Alliance. I wanted Archer to say, "NO. But considering the way you've been treating us, we'll look them up the first chance we get."
  • Poor General. That's the sort of event that paranoid conspiracy theories are made of.

Best Lines

Phlox: "I suspect your appendage will eventually rematerialize on its own."
Trip: "Eventually?"

What Did I Think?

I suppose that something would get left behind sometime. They are such klutzes.

The Seventh

Submitted by thinkwatchthink on Tue, 03/02/2010

Enterprise Episode Review

In which T'Pol needs new friends - ones that don't rearrange her mind.

What Happened

T'Pol is sent to retrieve a Vulcan fugitive, a man who claims that he is innocent of the charges against him.

The Good

  • The pushy alien threatens Archer, who simply says, "I couldn't agree more," and walks off. Cute.
  • T'Pol's discussion with Archer, telling him how she asked them to do the ritual to remove her memories of Joscen's death. They skip the evil government conspiracy crap.
  • "Your mission is to return him to Vulcan, not determine whether he's guilty or innocent." Only useful thing Archer said all episode.
  • To give Archer credit, he did get out of Menos' trap pretty handily.

The Bad

  • If she's on a highly classified mission, why is Archer making it sound like it's just so ridiculous that's she being secretive? The others are taking their cues from you, pinhead.
  • "Does this look like a prison to you?" They have a bar full of people drinking and gambling; you'd think they'd have a drunk tank or something.
  • "We're here to take you Vulcan." I have a tough time believing in the "evil awful Vulcan" routine we get so often on this series.
  • Trip pretending to be Archer. First, how would the Vulcan know Trip looks "young," and second, the Admiral's message (water polo scores) was stupid.

The Cliche
  • Menos appeals to their emotions and weaves a sad sad story. His line, "It's a hologram of my family. It won't hurt you," has a nice double meaning.
  • Just shoot Menos, already - it's set on stun; you can always let him go later.

What Did I Think?

Jolene Blalock gives another fine performance, but can someone shut Archer up, please? Why couldn't she just go off with Mayweather? It isn't like he's got anything better to do.

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