Rewatching Enterprise

[Roundabout]

On a lighter note, I had mixed thoughts about the T'Pol/Tucker neuro massage sessions in season 3. I guess the writers were going for sex appeal. I wondered what happened to that lovely MACO Amanda, the woman who was involved in that love triangle with Tuck and T'Pol. She was in that one episode. But I don't remember seeing her again.

Speaking of relationships, I thought T'Pol and Archer could have had a deeper relationship if she had not gotten involved with Tucker. The story in "Twilight" gave me the impression that had things gone differently, T'Pol could have been with Archer. T'Pol was Archer's caregiver for all those many years when Archer had that form of memory loss. They almost seemed like husband and wife.

Also, that was the one episode whose ending confused me. When I first saw it, I thought it was a trick that the temporal cold warriors played on Archer. But the events in the episode did happen, and the time line got reset at the end of the episode, or something like that. Still not too sure.

 

[sekundant]

Fine actor, probably would have done a good job.

Maybe..but I cannot even imagine Trip someone else as CT. Apropos I am saying this as someone whose two of least favorite episodes are Trip-centred episodes (Precious Cargo and Dawn). I think it is difficult to find an actor/actress who is so good at drama and comedy at the same time.

 

[Phoenix219]

The Andorian Incident - now this is the kind of stuff this show needs to do more of. Great episode. Definitely makes use of the prequel setting. First contact with the Andorians, suberfuge from the Vulcans.... some jokes about what "proper procedure" should be (foreshadowing what is later standard protocol).... the Vulcan monastery could have seemed more alien, and the catacombs seemed like something out of Indiana Jones, but it was fun, and it worked. The secret base has *very* TOS style railings - did that bit of design architecture actually come from the Vulcans? Not sure I'm liking this "humans smell" bit concerning the Vulcans - it seems a bit out of place. They implied that the transporters are loud and slow, even if this isn't obviously shown. Still not entirely sure why that the whole bit with the little figurine, the statue and the tunnels was really all about, or what they needed to figure out that their equipment couldn't..? All in all a good episode. Always nice seeing the brash, confident captain, vulcan science officer and good ole country boy get away together for an episode, while the second stringer with an accent commands the ship. (aka, nice to see some TOS formula overlying the aging TNG/Voy formula) even if its just minor trappings and aesthetics.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

Really enjoying reading these impressions of different episodes. The details are taking me back to when I first watched.

 

[Phoenix219]

Really enjoying reading these impressions of different episodes. The details are taking me back to when I first watched.

It basically is my first watching - I'm an 80s kid that never gelled with TNG, and have stuck to TOS, STC, Orville and DSC up until recently. I've seen a handful of ENT episodes, and read countless threads, but actually watching the series proper is brand new to me. I almost made a new thread for my rundown, but decided to just piggyback this one. I've done each episode I've watched so far.

 

[1001001]

The Andorian Incident - now this is the kind of stuff this show needs to do more of. Great episode

One of my favorites for sure.

 

[Phoenix219]

Breaking the Ice: A shuttle pod gets stuck, and has to call Vulcan Space AAA to get pulled out. Some fanservicy references to Vulcan marriage rituals from TOS, Archer acting like a prick, Vulcans acting like pricks, and a generic ground story. Making the snowman felt like an Orville moment, which was a smile. I would have prefered to see more on-the-surface adventuring and character moments for Mayweather and Reed. There was no real sense of danger and no set-up to the "climax." There was no payoff to the Vulcan story, either - why WAS he there? Yet they ended up needing him to bail them out anyways, which is .... why the Vulcans were there. So Archer was right accusing them of spying, but the spying is for their own good, reinforcing the stifling parental overlord status that makes Archer feel that way to begin with, yet the episode proves they still needed the oversight. T'Pol manipulated Archer into getting the help, which was the right choice in the moment, but really proved a whole lot of nothing on any sides, making it all ultimately pointless. I was expecting a "Pitch Black" moment where the sun starts scorching the surface and they run to the shuttle while limping or something. Still enjoying the sets, the older looking buttons and panels, the shuttlepod, the grappler. Terrible rendition of a comet but thats a whole different conversation I'm not having here.

 

[Phoenix219]

Its even funnier then I thought. They literally got their car stuck in the snow and had to call Space AAA for a tow. Lmao.

 

[sekundant]

but really proved a whole lot of nothing on any sides, making it all ultimately pointless.

For me Breaking the Ice is one of the most important early episodes which tells the audience why we needed a prequel. Interaction of two species made the story, that is the whole point, imho:
-For the humanity (and for every single human being) Vulcans are important, not only because of the first encounter. (Well, it makes them very essential part of the human history/identity). Even humans try to show their emancipation and independence, under pressure their behavior look like rather rebelling adolescences to their supreme patriarch. And it is a good thing, we all went this through to become an individual.
-For the Vulcans, we see first time a Vulcan who was not involved with humans or human culture before and he is not interested in. Humans are not for him relevant for his culture/history/life.
So, Human/Vulcan relation is an asymmetrical relation, we knew that from political/technological aspects, now we can release it from the individual aspect too.

Another personal notice about Breaking the Ice: Trip's character deepening. I thought for the first time that he is more than a superficial, roué, hillbilly comic figure. His creaked voice, as he told T'Pol about his failed relationships, his fallen shields made him a real person for me.

And not the forget.. pecan pie..

 

[Reanok]

Breaking the ice is one of my favorite season one episodes .I really liked the Trip&T'Pol storyline in this show about the letter and how it made her to start to trust in Trip for keeping her secret.

 

[Phoenix219]

Civilization - I actually really enjoyed this. It used a lot of well worn Trek tropes, but did a very good job at building a setting that was brand new *to the characters* and just different enough for the viewers. Just like the underworld aspect of the drug runners/killers in the second episode, a bit of a sense of lawlessness and wild west disorder out in space is in play. There was no one to keep a random species from using their tech to mine and poison a planet with no consequences. Using shuttles all the time definitely helps set the time period, and yet at the same time reminds me of how many more narrative beats it can open up, just like the Orville.
Once more, it seems like later Starfleet protocol is directly taken from Vulcan policies. I liked that it was Trip that told T'Pol to cover her ears (and shades of countless Spock-ears in an alien analogue to Earth's past in TOS). I liked that the transporter is more limited, and had to transport the reactor to the pad before redirecting it into deep space. No site to site transport yet! Problematic universal translators that are still separate devices - nice touch. Archer got the girl! Some fist fights and action! Definitely felt like a TOS throwback, and in a good way. Not sure the writers knew what a "neutron star" was at the beginning, though. Hoshi's expertise was again accentuated, which was nice. I liked both Trip getting ready to take command to save Archer, and T'Pol already being one step ahead. They are so far doing a very nice job of giving us the impression it really is a new frontier, and a first time. Even though Archer has seen a tractor beam before, he's not that far ahead of the aliens-of-the-week - he doesn't have one either! I just learned of the Malurian / TOS connection as well, which is a nice bonus, although sucks for the non-piratey-invasivey members of the Malurian race. This show has a decent soundtrack, sans title theme.

I watched my next TOS (rewatch) episode afterward (patterns of force, actually), and totally bought that the ship was newer, sleeker, with a crew more confident in its exploration and its procedures for dealing with other planets and the types of trouble that could happen.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

I really enjoyed "Civilization." Nice little moments for all the characters, and a chance for Archer (and Bakula) to show his charming side. Beautiful production values and costumes too-- our people looked great in their native dress. And yes, Archer got the girl.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I just started Season 4 of my, I think 5th rewatch.

My relationship to T'Pol is very weird.. I ADORED her my first couple watches, then I rewatched and found her terrible, just awful, so much twitching, just so bad.. and now I adore her again. I cannot figure myself out!

Anyway E2 is still one of the top 10 Star Trek episodes ever and it is still very wonderful

Looking fwd to all those epic 2 and 3 parters in season 4.

 

[1001001]

Looking fwd to all those epic 2 and 3 parters in season 4.

In a Mirror, Darkly is one of my Trek Top Ten.

 

[Roundabout]

I really enjoyed "Civilization." Nice little moments for all the characters, and a chance for Archer (and Bakula) to show his charming side. Beautiful production values and costumes too-- our people looked great in their native dress. And yes, Archer got the girl.

I, too, loved the costumes in this episode. It was like a Renaissance faire planet. Hoshi wearing that hooded cape made me think of Red Riding Hood. The episode had romance and good action as well.

The episode had a number of charming little moments like the one in the girl's lab. She asked Archer to help her mix some exotic concoction that she was making. Archer looked at the smoky concoction with wonder as though he thought she just created a cure for the epidemic that the locals were inflicted with. But it was nothing more than tea that she was brewing for him.

Anyway E2 is still one of the top 10 Star Trek episodes ever and it is still very wonderful

"E2" reminded me of DS9's "Children of Time".

It was amusing that of the 5 main human characters (alternate timeline T'Pol paired up with Trip), the alternate timeline Reed was the only one who couldn't find a mate. For those who don't like Reed, I am sure it was a very funny moment when he admitted to Hoshi that the alternate Reed didn't end up with anyone and that the Reed family line came to an end in that alternate timeline.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

Anyway E2 is still one of the top 10 Star Trek episodes ever and it is still very wonderful

Truer words were never said. I adore it.

 

[Reanok]

E2 is one of my favorite Enterprise episodes.

 

[Delta Vega]

Started a rewatch of Season 3 tonight after a four month hiatius to take in Discovery
"The Xindi" was a decent taster for the story to unfold, good performance from Stephen McHattie and an introduction to T'Pol,s new outfits, and the MACOs
"Anomaly" introduced us to the new "on the edge" Archer, with the airlock scene, a better than average episode
"Extinction" had the premise of a decent story, but the actors must have felt really silly acting out the transformation scenes, where they became the Locaq (sp)
Looking forward to another three maybe tomorrow.

 

[sekundant]

I have a feeling I read/watch some similar story to Extinction, but I am not sure. No, I don't mean TNG's Genesis. I am not saying it is plagiarized from somewhere, I watched the all episodes of ENT only for 2+ years before, maybe someone did the story after ENT again, and I read/watched. Does anyone have any idea?

 

[Roundabout]

^
TNG's "Identity Crisis" had a similar storyline to "Extinction". That's the one where Geordi morphed into a bluish looking alien.

Oddly enough, "Extinction" was directed by LeVar Burton.