A Night in Sickbay

[number6]

Which could easily have been done in a different manner that didn't further harm his already strained credibility as Captain.

There was nothing strained about it. He was the first Captain, the prototype. That was the point. This was a big stumble for him and he had to learn from it.

OK, fine. For the defenders, let me say this: It was a stumble that should have occurred in season ONE. By now, he should be a lot better at this. He's always telling T'Pol to be open-minded to how humans think and feel, yet he trashes the social customs and practices of other species.

Honestly, what was SFC thinking when they named this petulant brat humanity's ambassador to the quadrant?

There's no written rule of law that dictates what season that should have happened. Season One for all intents and purposes was an introduction to the characters and to the new ship.. Season Two delved deeper into the characterizations and gave them some purpose. Season Three they were given a life or death mission, and Season Four we see the seeds of the founding of the Federation. I don't think ANIS was out of place in season two as it was certainly a character study of Archer, how far he's come and how far he needs to go. And we do see how much he learns in Season Two that gives him the confidence to be what we see in season four.

I don't need to defend what I like. I do think explaining the intent of the episode makes me appreciate it more.

I think the anger for this episode is so over the top as to be disturbingly laughable.

 

[Rush Limborg]

I don't need to defend what I like. I do think explaining the intent of the episode makes me appreciate it more.

I think the anger for this episode is so over the top as to be disturbingly laughable.

Honestly? You have not seen over-the-top, disturbingly-laughable anger until you have skimmed a thread in TNZ.

Particulary a thread in which I am the OP.

Trust me--this is nothing.

 

[number6]

I do frequent TNZ. Agreed this doesn't touch that, at least most of the people here aren't completely insane.

 

[Rush Limborg]

I do frequent TNZ. Agreed this doesn't touch that, at least most of the people here aren't completely insane.

Brother, I hear ya.

 

[Aikiweezie]

Even though Archer was a doofus in this episode I have to admit that when I watched the rerun of it a few days ago on HDNET I laughed out loud several times. And I don't laugh out loud easily. I think they could have made it a funny episode if they wanted to without Archer acting like an ass. Like "Unexpected" for instance.

 

[bluedana]

Even though Archer was a doofus in this episode I have to admit that when I watched the rerun of it a few days ago on HDNET I laughed out loud several times. And I don't laugh out loud easily. I think they could have made it a funny episode if they wanted to without Archer acting like an ass. Like "Unexpected" for instance.

Oh, Unexpected has its own issues if you look at it a certain way and take it too seriously. Take the bat scene out of ANIS (aka, Archer's Terrible, Horrible, No Good Day), and I have a good giggle each time I watch the episode, just like I do with Unexpected, sans that "humiliate Trip on the Bridge" scene.

One person's "heh, funny," is another person's "OMG! What were they thinking?! They've ruined the franchise!"

[Saavik voice]Humour. A difficult concept. [/Saavik]

As numbers6 said, I don't need to defend what I like.

 

[buckeyenation]

A nice, light episode without being too cheesy.Loved the dreams Archer kept having about T'Pol, especially when Phlox is giving Porthos' eulogy. i liked the fact that it was a low key kind of episode, and didn't really play the funny up too much. All in all, I think it was episodes just such as this that kept me into Enterprise.

 

[Aikiweezie]

Even though Archer was a doofus in this episode I have to admit that when I watched the rerun of it a few days ago on HDNET I laughed out loud several times. And I don't laugh out loud easily. I think they could have made it a funny episode if they wanted to without Archer acting like an ass. Like "Unexpected" for instance.

Oh, Unexpected has its own issues if you look at it a certain way and take it too seriously. Take the bat scene out of ANIS (aka, Archer's Terrible, Horrible, No Good Day), and I have a good giggle each time I watch the episode, just like I do with Unexpected, sans that "humiliate Trip on the Bridge" scene.

One person's "heh, funny," is another person's "OMG! What were they thinking?! They've ruined the franchise!"

[Saavik voice]Humour. A difficult concept. [/Saavik]

As numbers6 said, I don't need to defend what I like.

I think the funniest line in "Unexpected" was when Phlox told Trip "You'll soon be putting those nipples to good use." The crewman serving them dinner has a priceless look on his face!

 

[indranee]

Um.. yeah. That was the point of the whole episode.

Acher learns a serious lesson in diplomacy in an otherwise light hearted episode.

Which could easily have been done in a different manner that didn't further harm his already strained credibility as Captain.

yeah, but it wouldn't have been as much fun for me and as irritating for you now, would it?

either way, this episode's not boring. for that, I give it a thumbs up.

 

[indranee]

Even though Archer was a doofus in this episode I have to admit that when I watched the rerun of it a few days ago on HDNET I laughed out loud several times. And I don't laugh out loud easily. I think they could have made it a funny episode if they wanted to without Archer acting like an ass. Like "Unexpected" for instance.

Oh, Unexpected has its own issues if you look at it a certain way and take it too seriously. Take the bat scene out of ANIS (aka, Archer's Terrible, Horrible, No Good Day), and I have a good giggle each time I watch the episode, just like I do with Unexpected, sans that "humiliate Trip on the Bridge" scene.

One person's "heh, funny," is another person's "OMG! What were they thinking?! They've ruined the franchise!"

[Saavik voice]Humour. A difficult concept. [/Saavik]

As numbers6 said, I don't need to defend what I like.

I think the funniest line in "Unexpected" was when Phlox told Trip "You'll soon be putting those nipples to good use." The crewman serving them dinner has a priceless look on his face!

IMO, the second half of Unexpected was hilarious. ANIS wasn't that funny. I kinda understand why some people hate it. if you do a cross-referential graph, I think the haters of ANIS are mostly Archer haters. so I'm not surprised.

 

[JiNX-01]

... if you do a cross-referential graph, I think the haters of ANIS are mostly Archer haters. so I'm not surprised.

I wasn't an Archer hater. I just wanted him to be a grown-up. You know. An adult who takes responsibility for his choices and puts the welfare of his ship -- and by extension his crew -- ahead of his personal issues.

 

[indranee]

this isn't reality. it's fantasy!



you wanted Archer to be realistic. I wanted drama. it's simple logic. I got the drama. you hated it.

 

[number6]

I don't think that Archer was unrealistic. C'mon.. You're the first Starship Captain on a deep space mission and it's been months since you've been out of the ship and it's been even longer since you've gotten a little somethingsomething.. None of the shows had really dealt with the issues of stress, cabin fever or sexual tension in this way before and let's face it, Archer was having a pretty bad couple of days. The whole episode is completely plausible.

 

[Admiral Shran]

this isn't reality. it's fantasy!

[Marlon Brando's voice] "This is no fantasy - no careless product of wild imagination. No, my friends.... These are matters of undeniable fact." [/Marlon Brando]

 

[commodore64]

I wanted drama. it's simple logic. I got the drama.

Agreed, and the drama wasn't over the top, in my opinion. No one wept ridiculously or got angry in a way that felt silly ... and in the end the main character became better -- a better person, a better captain. Huh, an episode where the main character grows. Campbell would be proud.

 

[Anna Yolei]

... if you do a cross-referential graph, I think the haters of ANIS are mostly Archer haters. so I'm not surprised.

I wasn't an Archer hater. I just wanted him to be a grown-up. You know. An adult who takes responsibility for his choices and puts the welfare of his ship -- and by extension his crew -- ahead of his personal issues.

I watched an episode of DS9 today....it's in season seven and Sisko tells Kira she's going to have to work with Damar to free Cardassia (and by extension, the rest of the Federation and her home world) from the Dominion. She initially balks at the idea for teaching the very people who occupied Bajor the tactics they used to drive them out before, but Sisko reminds her that there's more at stake that old woulds.

Granted, the stakes are not as high as the fate of the free galaxy, but the reason I think this episode gets so much hate isn't even because of the writing is that much worse than what we'd seen for Archer, but because he's been shown so many times to be petty and childish.

Like number_6 mentioned, the issues of cabin fever and being in too small a space for an extended period hadn't been adressed on previous Trek series. I get that, and truth be told, I don't have a problem with him having thoughts about T'Pol (and not just because I shipped this pairing once upon a time). But putting that in with an episode about Archer bithing that the aliens got mad at something he could have just as easily avoided by not bringing his dog to work when dealing with a species that is known to flip out at even the slightest offense is just full of fail for me, no matter how I slice it.

 

[indranee]

I don't think that Archer was unrealistic. C'mon.. You're the first Starship Captain on a deep space mission and it's been months since you've been out of the ship and it's been even longer since you've gotten a little somethingsomething.. None of the shows had really dealt with the issues of stress, cabin fever or sexual tension in this way before and let's face it, Archer was having a pretty bad couple of days. The whole episode is completely plausible.

no, I meant, on the whole. most people say they hate ANIS because they think it's an episode that makes absolutely no sense in terms of characterization and episode placement.

to me, it's basically come down to Archer, though. if you like his character arc from the beginning to the end, you like ANIS because it shows his progress in fits and starts -- rather realistic. none of us are on a straight road to perfection, if ever. if you hate Archer from the get-go, or are not an Archer/T'Pol fan (i.e., the kiss/dream sequence sickens you), you'll hate ANIS. it's pretty much personal preference. ANIS does not bring out analysis, at least on this board. it's all about the knee jerk

 

[WildWoman]

I liked it because it just showed more sides to the characters. Granted I didn't like some, but they seemed more 'real' through this episode. Instead of just another soldier doing what they're told and then everything is hunky dory.
I enjoyed the ep.

 

[madison]

It's been a long time since I've seen this episode. I never did take to Archer. I prefer Picard or even Sisko.

I totally love Phlox! Any episode with lots of him in it is a good one to me. Don't get me started on "Loving the Alien in Star Trek".

I always thought that Porthos went out of his way to piddle on T'Pol's shoes... I know I would... if I was a him.

Madison

 

[The Sneeze Police]

I like ANIS. It is not an episode that I skip when I rewatch the ENT DVD's...and believe me there are a few episodes that I skip for every series.

I tend to like ENT episodes which feature a decent amount of Phlox time. I am fond the Archer character, so Indranee's assessment is at least correct for me in regards to the good Captain (although I prefer the T/T dynamic in general).