I'm of two minds on "Marauders"... what are your thoughts?

[Quinton O'Connor]

btw Jeff O'Connor it's nice to see you back. I remember you from some years ago on this forum and you were always a lively poster!

Haha, thanks! I have such a weird history with TrekBBS; I'm super-active for a few months and then I disappear for a few years. It's happened... what, three times now? I don't know what the deal is, but that's how it's gone thus far. I'll probably make a few more threads, start an "I'm rewatching ____ and thought I'd review episodes as I go" topic as I always do, maybe actually finish one this time, and then disappear again until 2018.

I hope not, though. I should... like... experiment with actually sticking around. It'd be fun, maybe.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

It is fun, you should stick around. If you are getting bored dip into the hidden forum or just start posting random stuff in Misc.

I took a long break one year when I was in Azeroth which I regret. Mainly because there's more people interaction on this BBS than Azeroth afforded me, despite knowing folk there. Now I'm more inclined to dig in here rather than pop around between internet communties.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I think that's part of my problem. I've... I don't know, would the term "I've established myself" be appropriate in this case? Well anyway, I've "established myself" on multiple forums over the years -- GameFAQs, BioWare Social Network, NeoGAF, TrekBBS, GateWorld, SaveFarscape (now we're reaching into the distant past, of course) -- that's so many digital spaces. I flutter around between them like... like... like some kind of... e-bird... I guess you could say I twitter to and fro, really, although that'd be a horrible pun so don't actually say that.

I should just pick somewhere and become a moderator or something. That'd center me.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I found that the quickest way for me to lose interest in anything is to become a moderator. I don't enjoy being The Man.

 

[Goji]

I'm playing the post once or twice a month in totally random threads game, myself.

 

[Mach5]

A Night in Sick Bay was mostly awkward, cringeworthy, and borderline offensive. It actually made me feel uncomfortable.

Offensive how? Because Porthos peed on a tree?

Well, for one, yeah. Archer's behavior at the beginning of the episode is appalling. This is the guy who was supposed to represent mankind, make contact with alien cultures on mankind's behalf, yet he behaves like an egotistical, selfish, arrogant asshole towards the people he came asking help from.

You bet your arse I find that offensive.

I'd rather have a slightly off-colour set up than a morally offensive ending like Dear Doctor.

Don't get me started on Dear Doctor. I would have fired the entire writing staff over that atrocity.

(inb4 Christopher launches another proton torpedo at me - this was just hyperbole, keep your shirt on lieutenant )

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Archer's behavior at the beginning of the episode is appalling. This is the guy who was supposed to represent mankind, make contact with alien cultures on mankind's behalf, yet he behaves like an egotistical, selfish, arrogant asshole towards the people he came asking help from.

The first time I watched it I assumed he had an as yet unrevealed alien virus/parasite that was making him act like that.

AND THEN HE DIDN'T!

 

[eyeresist]

Archer suffered from this:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IdiotBall

 

[Ithekro]

Wasn't the first time he's had dealing with these people. They rubbed him the wrong way the first time, and this just got him even more upset/annoyed. I imagine Kirk would be just as upset even without having a dog.

 

[Christopher]

I can give Archer a pass for acting like an idiot in response to the Kreetassans, because it was about his dog. People can get very irrational about their pets.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Then they either a. shouldn't be starfleet captains or b. shouldn't take the object of their irrationality with them on earth's first long range mission to the stars.

If you want to be irrational about your dog do it at home, in your park.

 

[Mach5]

Then they either a. shouldn't be starfleet captains or b. shouldn't take the object of their irrationality with them on earth's first long range mission to the stars.

If you want to be irrational about your dog do it at home, in your park.

This. Starfleet captains are supposed to be held to a higher standard, represent the best of us. And this one was a pioneer, which some use as an excuse for his arrogance and naivety, but if anything, this fact should have made him more cautious and humble.

Now, if you were the head of Starfleet, and were supposed to pick an officer to command Earth's first deep space mission, manage a crew of 80 people and pretty much act as an ambassador for all Mankind, what qualities would you seek in that officer?

Remember the grilling Pike gave Kirk in STID? "There's greatness in you, but there's not an ounce of humility." He pretty much ripped him and his ego to shreds, and the poor guy didn't even give any gazelle speeches.

Season 1&2 Archer was a bloody douchebag. He did evolve into a decent figure of authority later on, though.

 

[eyeresist]

I can give Archer a pass for acting like an idiot in response to the Kreetassans, because it was about his dog. People can get very irrational about their pets.

Yes. Hence the way movie viewers are fine with people being tortured and exploded, but if a dog gets kicked they are outraged.

I thought Archer re Porthos was not nearly as ridiculous in ANIS as he was in Strange New World when the crew plus dog gallivant on the first planet they come across with zero precautions. For some reason people remember Sick Bay but forget this one.

 

[Nebusj]

I can give Archer a pass for acting like an idiot in response to the Kreetassans, because it was about his dog. People can get very irrational about their pets.

I'm not certain that's quite supported by the plot as we get it, actually. Archer is baffled by the Kreetasians taking offense before he knows that Porthos has gotten infected. As the sequence of events does seem to be that the landing party was left to wait, then Porthos peed on the sacred trees, then the landing party was kicked off the planet ... well, it's hard to see why the gang had no idea what might have set them off. More mysterious is that even T'Pol doesn't seem to know.

It would be helpful to salvaging Archer's and the episode's reputations if it were clearer what exactly did happen. Archer does talk about being forced to wait twelve hours before getting kicked off, in which case it's much easier to see the Kreetasians as being the instigators of general jerkiness. But among other things then was Porthos holding it in for twelve hours or did the gang just get lucky the first couple times he had to go?

 

[Ithekro]

The Kreetassans seems to be the most easily offended species in the quadrant. Kirk would have been annoyed with them as well for making him wait twelve hours, or beng offended by seeing him eat, or any of the half dozen other things they were offended by a human crew. Captain Picard would probably even be irritated by them enough to want to jab them with some retribution via verbal sparring. Picard would find something that would cause them to have to apologies to him via legal means.

 

[Mach5]

The Kreetassans seems to be the most easily offended species in the quadrant. Kirk would have been annoyed with them as well for making him wait twelve hours, or beng offended by seeing him eat, or any of the half dozen other things they were offended by a human crew.

Perhaps.

Captain Picard would probably even be irritated by them enough to want to jab them with some retribution via verbal sparring. Picard would find something that would cause them to have to apologies to him via legal means.

No.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I think it's telling that we never see the Kreetassans in the 23rd and 24th centuries.

I think it's telling.

 

[eyeresist]

The Klingons punched them all in the face, to death?

 

[Christopher]

I established in my novel The Buried Age that Onna Karapleedeez, a prominent Starfleet captain who was killed off-camera in TNG: "Conspiracy," was a Kreetassan female.

Of course, the ones you really have to watch out for are their shapeshifting archenemies, the Skrulltassans.

 

[Romulan_spy]

I recently re-watched "Marauders" so the episode would be fresh in mind before I commented in this thread. Like a lot of Enterprise episodes, "Marauders" is fun and enjoyable, with some nice moments (like Trip and the kid), but overall quite average and forgettable. There is nothing that really makes the episode "pop", to elevate it to a great episode.