Borderland

[2takesfrakes]

As with every episode in the entire franchise, there are problems with it, but I really like this particular installment of -ENTERPRISE-. Brent Spiner's quirky acting needed to be toned down, some, but I understand wanting to distance this performance from his portrayal of Dr. Soong, or even Data, for that matter. I just wish he weren't so annoying about it.

Some of the jockeying for leadership stuff amongst the augments seemed forced... very staged and awkward. And with all of these supermen, why are most of them door guards and order-taking flunkies? It almost breaks the illusion, but the performances amongst those who actually have lines are very good. I LOVE the Orion Syndicate stuff. The green linebacker who loves lifting T'Pol up, like a doll, and carrying her around was really good!

One of my favourite parts is when Reed & the MACOs are facing the augment leader. When the Augments rescue their "father" from Enterprise, it's very well done. I don't care for the entire arc of this story, but I do love "Borderland, in particular. What are your thoughts on this particular show? Does it do it for you?

 

[FlipORican]

I agree that Brent Spiner probably decided to may Dr. Arik Soong a bit more quirky than Dr. Noonian Soong or Data. However, Dr. Noonian Soong also seemed a little quirky in the episode 'Brothers'. I also like the fact that its obvious that Dr. Arik Soong had a hand in inspiring Dr. Noonian Soong to become a Earth's foremost robotics scientist. This episode also gave us more inside into the Orion slave trade. As for the Augments jockeying for leadership, especially over Dr. Soong, it was to prove that these genetically enhanced humans had big egos and a superiority complex.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Agreed, for the most part. Nevertheless, there were too many augments, probably. Only a couple were jockeying for power, the rest were content to stand guard, await instructions or just there to find things to do, in a moment, to keep the staging lively. What? Only 2 out of 12 augments think they're hot shit and aught to run the show? I seriously doubt it would be like that. There was a lot of talk, though, about "Father's wishes" ... "what Father wanted" ... so, it's strongly implied that's the glue that bound them, together.

But, I don't know ... Khan's flunkies only took orders from him, because they swore an oath to him. And why they'd done that, who the balls knows? But theirs seems to have been ban "employee" type relationship, with their leader. I suppose being "brothers" and "sisters" made the Augments in "Borderland" agreeable to taking orders, without question. But then there's that whole sleeping with Persis thing ... so they can't really consider eachother 'family.' It's not at all cut and dry ...

 

[FlipORican]

Well, it was established when Archer talked to Udar, the augment left behind, about his parents in the following episode 'Cold Station 12', which clarifies that each augment had different parents. So they were not technically brothers and sisters in the bloodline sense, but in the fact that there were all augments and had all undergone genetic manipulation. However, event though they all were augments they were still individuals with their own ambitions, desires, and abilities. Thus, now all augments are genetically made to be a leader among their peers, but perhaps only to normal humans, and that leadership among their peers would be based on the one augment that is considered and respected as the more superior one of the group.

 

[F. King Daniel]

On my first viewing I missed the part about them all having different parents, and was thus squicked out by the augment-on-augment stuff.

They were all raised together by Arik, so even if they're not related by blood it's still a bit gross.

 

[2takesfrakes]

A little Hamlet goes a long way ...

 

[saladdays]

. I LOVE the Orion Syndicate stuff. The green linebacker who loves lifting T'Pol up, like a doll, and carrying her around was really good!

I think you are actually talking about WWE wrestler Paul Wight, aka Big Show.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Am I? Cool, then ... I liked that guy, he was well cast ... a lot of fun to watch.

 

[saladdays]

Am I? Cool, then ... I liked that guy, he was well cast ... a lot of fun to watch.

Yeah, he was billed in the credits as just "Big Show," kind of like how The Rock used to be billed in movies and shows before he started using his real name.

 

[2takesfrakes]

"The Big Show" was an impressive sight! Truly, a Mountain of a Man! When he lifted Jolene and swooped her from side to side, so that all of the buyers could get a good look at her, I did wonder for a quick second, whether she were actually on wires. Obviously, he could lift her, but that might involve gripping her too tight, around the waste, or something like that. It might've been deemed more appropriate to use wires, but it didn't seem like they were using them. He just dangled her over the railing, as if he were the late Michael Jackson, or Steve Irwin.

 

[eyeresist]

I don't care for the Augments arc. The Augments look silly, like something from an 80s music video (e.g. Duran Duran's Wild Boys), their performances aren't great (about soap opera level), and the show has a cramped look compared to previous seasons, presumably because of reduced budget. I did enjoy the Orion slave market, though it felt a bit fan servicey. Spiner was fine.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Yes, The Augment costumes are typical of costume designer Robert Blackman's output. I suspect that he was sought because he's agreeable and efficient. But his designs ALL suck ass. It's just a matter of degrees, usually. Otherwise, I know Persis is used to not wearing make-up, because she's right out of Lord of the Flies, but ... she needed to be dolled up, a little more, considering how the boys in her clique keep fighting to the death over her. She's cute, but a little more sweetening would've made her desireability a more likely motivation. But none of this ruins the episode. If it wasn't so open-ended, it would've done just fine, on its own - and become a fan favourite.

 

[saladdays]

"The Big Show" was an impressive sight! Truly, a Mountain of a Man! When he lifted Jolene and swooped her from side to side, so that all of the buyers could get a good look at her, I did wonder for a quick second, whether she were actually on wires. Obviously, he could lift her, but that might involve gripping her too tight, around the waste, or something like that. It might've been deemed more appropriate to use wires, but it didn't seem like they were using them. He just dangled her over the railing, as if he were the late Michael Jackson, or Steve Irwin.

As Big Show is used to picking up people weighing much more than Jolene Blalock, I'm assuming it was probably relatively easy for him to hold her like that, and without hurting her. Still, as you say, it was quite a feat to make it look so effortlessly.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I really hate to admit this, but I never really noticed, before, that the Orion Men had facial piercings. I don't know how that got past me, but I've only noticed this relatively recently. I found that to be curiously fetishistic, but I do like the badassery of most of them. The Orion in Bound who tried to tow the Enterprise home, like a prize was especially cool. The Augments in Borderland were even more badassed than Orion Men, but they didn't wear it as well. They came across more as Ninjas or something like that. Like Khan, he'd crush a phaser, even knowing the thing might explode in his hand, just to show his annoyance. I mean ... woe!!! But these Augments weren't about brute strength, so much, as they employed Martial Arts and so on. I did like it, though, when Archer was grabbed by the throat, even with a warning. That was cool!