Sussman Responds to Cogley!

A very entertaining review, Sam. A couple of clarifications I'd like to make:

The Borg removed all useful technology from the crash site. This was the scene as written in the final draft script:

EXT. GLACIAL TERRAIN - CRASH SITE - DAY (OPTICAL)
A Starfleet SHUTTLE is landing near the three Habitat Modules. The modules have been ravaged. The excavation site is gone; the Borg debris has been taken away. The transport ship is nowhere to be seen.

In an earlier draft, we saw the dead drones dematerialize/disintegrate, as they often did in TNG. This shot was cut for pacing and budget concerns. Maybe we should've kept it for clarity's sake.

Phlox's technique may only be effective in the initial stage of assimilation, which was prolonged because of his physiology. In any case, it seemed to us that defeating Borg nanoprobes (and restoring an assimilated person) never seemed to be much of a problem in the TNG era, as Picard, Janeway, Torres and Tuvok were restored without too much trouble.

After their recent experience, it would be pretty clear to Archer and Starfleet that the alien technology was incredibly dangerous. It's my belief that Starfleet would've destroyed any remaining technology and/or corpses.

I have it on good authority that a Drone's first task, when separated from the Collective, is to reestablish that connection. As for the "urgency" of their final communication... we don't know what else the Drones actually said in their message. For all we know, they may have only been reporting their position.

When Enterprise first encountered the Borgified transport, Archer asked T'Pol how many HUMAN bio-signs were on board: she reported there were nine. Later, she made it clear there were twenty-nine TOTAL bio-signs on the transport (the humans plus the Tarkaleans, plus any other poor souls the Borg had run across).

Trip was briefing Archer on the scans they took of the Transport during their first firefight. These scans were already out-of-date as the Borg were continuing to upgrade their ship with technology from the Tarkalean vessel. Maybe the line would've been clearer if Archer had said: "Let's hope they didn't have time to upgrade their weapons... since we last saw them."

Trip was referring to the twelve hours since Enterprise's first encounter with the Borg, not the time since the Borg had left Earth. We kept Enterprise's position deliberately vague. We also never said how long it had been since the transport left Earth. Conceivably, the events in the Arctic could've been weeks or months earlier.

As for the "doubling" of their speed: the Borg left Earth orbit at warp 3.9 (59c on the TOS scale). When they carved up the Tarkalean ship, they took a number of engine components and enhanced their warp drive again, allowing them to reach warp 4.8 (111c). Okay, it's not exactly double... Trip rounded up.

Reed was referring to the hull plating polarization, not the physical hull plates.

In "Q, Who," when their ship was damaged, the Drones entered their alcoves to use their combined abilities to repair their ship. This is why the Drones were beamed back to the Transport.

Enterprise is the only ship in Starfleet capable of intercepting a vessel at warp 3.9 or higher; the rest of the fleet is zipping along at a leisurely warp two.

We're going to reveal in a future show that T'Pol enjoys slurping down a juicy sandworm every now and again; a vegetarian has to get her protein from somewhere.

 

^Hey man, good to see you!

The episode was "entertaining"!

 

Does this mean I just hit the big time?

(Now I have to go back and read your post!)

 

A lot of the clarifications from Mike Sussman were really common sense based on previous episodes and the episode itself.

 

Geee, thanks for taking the time to explain all those things, Mr. Sussman. And congratulations on a wonderful episode (like most of those you've written)! The feel of it was very entertaining and I just kept wanting more and more!

It's great to see that the crew behind Enterprise is really paying attention to all our rants and raves! Gives a sense of closeness between the fans and the production staff. This is one of the truest spirits of Trek: it's like family!

 

first of all, i would like to say thank you for (hopefully) clarifying all this to folks....

i was wondering personally why people couldn't figure some of this out by means of analysing and drawing their own conclusions, but that's just me

but seriously... great ep!

and let me say that i HOPE you're joking because that's gross....

 

Finally! A debriefing from a Commando in Chief!

So we are still using the TOS warp scale eh? Interesting.

And what's this about T'Pol not being a true vegan? Oh my! Oh my!

 

Oh, I can think of a few better places.

 

^^LOL

 

Thank you for dropping by, Mr. Sussman. All in all the episode didn't suck. That's high praise from a Borg hater such as myself. Still, that business of the Borg taking so long to adapt to Reed and Archer's phase pistols really stuck out in my mind.

Really enjoyed "Dead Stop," "Catwalk," and "CeaseFire." Good show.

 

the Borg beaming back drove me nuts! WHY? Now I know. To me, it deflated the tension of the scene. Things were rolling along with Reed and Archers' bombs and then... the Borg leave!

Damn... great time to stick to continuity. Ya can't win Sussman!

 

Tiz a pity that Mr. Sussman had to explain what transpired in Regeneration. To us non trekkers, trekkies, whatever, we understood all the above without his having to explain to Mr.Samuel T. It was as plain as the nose on your face while watching Regeneration.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond! It's fairly rare that the writers of a show (especially one that gets knocked about as much as Enterprise) get a chance to explain themselves in detail.

Cheers!

Alex

 

I want to thank you, Mr. Sussman, for giving the final word on the 2153 Starfleet encounter with that most tenacious of foes, The Borg. You have settled the hash of every crackpot on the board.

 

Do you have any info for any season 3 episodes yet?

 

crackpot... yeah, I've been called that.

 

I still think the episode sucked, and ENT is a boring show. Kissing up to the co-producer ain't gonna get us anywhere guys.

Come on, MikeSussman came up with the story for the dreadful Voyager two part episode "Unimatrix Zero". It's no wonder ENT is so lame. No personal offense meant to you as a person Sussman, but I don't think you are a particularly good writer or storyteller.

 

Thank you Mr. Sussman, for all the fine work you have done and for caring enough to take the time to formulate a response. I , and I'm sure many others, truly appreciate it.

 

... there are lots of other threads sucking up way more!

 

This point-couterpoint with Samuel T. Cogley and Mike Sussman would be the best new feature since the Arby's oven mitt...