Malcolm

[eyeresist]

Interesting. I've been thinking about whether Malcolm would have opened up to Trip, or maybe Travis. Maybe Trip would have reminded him of how they faced death together in a shuttlepod, and said that if Malcolm looked in his heart he would see that his first duty is to his shipmates, not Section 31.

But I'm not sure. What really makes the dilemma work is that Malcolm is the sort of person who'd rather die than fail to do his duty to the utmost letter of the law. If he embraces the warm fuzzies, it would (arguably) be a significant change in his character.

 

[T'Nara]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found the Section 31 revelation "odd". Although I'm not complaining about the increase in airtime! I figured that he took part in that organization because, as he said, he was "young" and found it "exciting". I was just shocked that he took so long to confide in Archer, considering they had served and fought together for three years.

I also wonder how things would've been different had Trip not been away in Columbia- what Trip would have said to him if he was there from the beginning when Malcolm was thrown in the brig.

Malcolm, at least at the start, didn't seem to have much in the way of back-story or personal issues. But somehow the character took off as a fan fave, and was practically up there with the "big three" of Archer, Trip and T'Pol.
The big difference was the performance. The actor managed to project a personality beyond what was simply written on the page. His combination of self-doubt and arrogance, his difficulty with social relations (he usually tries to avoid standing face-on to other characters, and when he does there is a sense that it's a challenge to him). These extra, non-verbal qualities made him interesting to watch on screen, and interesting to write for.
In light of this, the Section 31 revelation in season 4 seemed odd. Malcolm was already an interesting character, and IMO didn't need this sudden extra complication.

Somehow I really really like this darker side of Malcolm - being a spy, a split allegiance, a bit of a ambiguous ethic.
I guess I just like spy stories and this is probably why I like The Good that Men Do, the novel that reinterpret the ENT TATV episode. It's also shown in the Romulan War novels that the war is won not only through the heroics of the Starfleet crew and the allies, but also through the support of the spies.

 

[LoyaulteMeLie]

Travis and Hoshi were both really interesting characters on paper.
Hoshi had a fascination with languages but had dropped out of Starfleet due to the dangers and fear of not living up to her responsibility. She was convinced by Archer that this mission was so important that she HAD to come, but those issues remained with her.
Travis was a weird combination of experience and naivity, having grown up in space and learned a lot about spaceships and aliens that regular Starfleet personnel had no experience of. On the other hand, he was also super-excited to be piloting the first warp 5 ship on a mission of exploration, and almost in awe of his colleagues.
There was no "lack of thought" in developing these characters before production. Despite this, they both turned out to be fairly forgettable.

Malcolm, at least at the start, didn't seem to have much in the way of back-story or personal issues. But somehow the character took off as a fan fave, and was practically up there with the "big three" of Archer, Trip and T'Pol.
The big difference was the performance. The actor managed to project a personality beyond what was simply written on the page. His combination of self-doubt and arrogance, his difficulty with social relations (he usually tries to avoid standing face-on to other characters, and when he does there is a sense that it's a challenge to him). These extra, non-verbal qualities made him interesting to watch on screen, and interesting to write for.
In light of this, the Section 31 revelation in season 4 seemed odd. Malcolm was already an interesting character, and IMO didn't need this sudden extra complication.

That's a really interesting observation about Malcolm not standing face-to-face with other characters - I hadn't noticed it, and will keep an eye out for that!

I personally thought the Section 31 development was good - it gave him something beyond the 'stock stiff-upper-lipped Englishman' role. As I said in an earlier post, it's just a pity that it didn't emerge sooner, it might have been useful to have a character on board who wasn't quite as straightforward as he seemed.

 

[LoyaulteMeLie]

Nice summation of the secondary characters! And for the reasons you listed, I found Malcolm interesting to watch. He was a more complex character than he was given credit for.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found the Section 31 revelation "odd". Although I'm not complaining about the increase in airtime! I figured that he took part in that organization because, as he said, he was "young" and found it "exciting". I was just shocked that he took so long to confide in Archer, considering they had served and fought together for three years.

I also wonder how things would've been different had Trip not been away in Columbia- what Trip would have said to him if he was there from the beginning when Malcolm was thrown in the brig.

If in anyone, Trip would have been the man Malcolm would confide in. In that scene at the end of Shuttlepod One, it's obvious what a big thing it is for him to use the term 'my friend' (kudos to Dominic Keating for managing to infuse so much meaning into that small scene).

I can't imagine for a moment he'd have voluntarily confided in Captain Archer if not forced into it by events. I've always thought that Malcolm looked up to the captain as a sort of substitute father figure, and that scene in the Brig during 'Affliction' is simply heart-rending. Given the fact that the Section's activities are dubious to say the least, and as an ex-operative he'd be in the best place to know HOW dubious they are, he would never willingly have lowered Archer's opinion of him by admitting to have been part of it.

 

[Reanok]

The Enterprise Romulan war books and Relaunch books have a n ongoing story arc that deals with Trip and Section 31 and Malcolm has some intriguing storylines that deals with this too .

 

[LoyaulteMeLie]

The Enterprise Romulan war books and Relaunch books have a n ongoing story arc that deals with Trip and Section 31 and Malcolm has some intriguing storylines that deals with this too .

Indeed. I read 'The Good That Men Do', but I struggled desperately with the idea of Trip joining the Section. Though it was excellently written, and I enjoyed a lot of it, it didn't inspire me to read the others.

 

[T'Nara]

Indeed. I read 'The Good That Men Do', but I struggled desperately with the idea of Trip joining the Section. Though it was excellently written, and I enjoyed a lot of it, it didn't inspire me to read the others.

Yes, from all the characters in ENT, I would say Trip would be the least likely to join Section 31. However, the book is trying to make sense of and fix that stupid decision to kill Trip in a mundane, unreasonable and totally needless scene. So, Trip the spy it is.
I read the next ones in the relaunch series Kobayashi Maru and the Romulan War because they fill the gap in the history and describe how UFP finally formed. I mean, ENT shows how slow and difficult it is to achieve some sort of accord between the different people that finally became the founding members of the Federation. Then suddenly nothing, then suddenly we are at TOS when everything is established. I was so frustrated, until I found the relaunch novels - at least now I know the rest of the story. These relaunch novels are part of my 'head canon' now.

The Enterprise Romulan war books and Relaunch books have a n ongoing story arc that deals with Trip and Section 31 and Malcolm has some intriguing storylines that deals with this too .

And yes, these books also present more stories of Malcolm and I like the way he is depicted in the books.

 

[Willow]

Indeed. I read 'The Good That Men Do', but I struggled desperately with the idea of Trip joining the Section. Though it was excellently written, and I enjoyed a lot of it, it didn't inspire me to read the others.

Read Christopher Bennett's "Rise of the Federation" series. I, also, was uncomfortable with Trip's foray into Secrion 31 (because, seriously, he probably saw so much worse than Malcolm ever did). But, the arc.....progresses...and in the next book (if there is one, and I've gotta believe there is) I think we will see some resolution to that arc.

 

[Willow]

Yes, from all the characters in ENT, I would say Trip would be the least likely to join Section 31. However, the book is trying to make sense of and fix that stupid decision to kill Trip in a mundane, unreasonable and totally needless scene. So, Trip the spy it is.
I read the next ones in the relaunch series Kobayashi Maru and the Romulan War because they fill the gap in the history and describe how UFP finally formed. I mean, ENT shows how slow and difficult it is to achieve some sort of accord between the different people that finally became the founding members of the Federation. Then suddenly nothing, then suddenly we are at TOS when everything is established. I was so frustrated, until I found the relaunch novels - at least now I know the rest of the story. These relaunch novels are part of my 'head canon' now.



And yes, these books also present more stories of Malcolm and I like the way he is depicted in the books.

The novels are TOTALLY part of my canon too! And for us Malcolm fans, it is so nice to see him as a Captain, in command of his own vessel.

 

[T'Nara]

Me too - any idea what day it's going to be?

The podcast is out! Listening to it now.

 

[apollo1984]

I really need to re-read the Enterprise post series novels I only have read the 2 so far but I wanted to finish my re-watch of the show before I went into the novels, a pity really as I am on holiday Friday so I could have got the books finished if I was ready to start them

 

[Reanok]

The only podcast I found at Star trek.com was the Dayton ward interview . T'Nara could you please post a link for the Connor and Dominic interview podcast please thank you.

 

[T'Nara]

The only podcast I found at Star trek.com was the Dayton ward interview . T'Nara could you please post a link for the Connor and Dominic interview podcast please thank you.

http://www1.play.it/audio/engage-th...rprise-stars-dominic-keating-connor-trinneer/

 

[T'Nara]

I really need to re-read the Enterprise post series novels I only have read the 2 so far but I wanted to finish my re-watch of the show before I went into the novels, a pity really as I am on holiday Friday so I could have got the books finished if I was ready to start them

Where are you in the rewatch? The first novel "The Last Full Measure" happens between "The Xindi" and the "Anomaly", so can be read in parallel. Although not strictly part of the story arc from "The Good That Men Do", "The Kobayashi Maru" and "The Romulan War", it introduced the additional characters. For me I like it as it has a lot of Malcolm time, including a backstory from his childhood.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I'm not much of a Malcolm fan. He was too serious, lacked much sense of humor, and seemed too interested in the weaponry. Obviously that was part of his job as head of security, but he seemed to take a little bit of sadistic pleasure in violence and combat. It reminds me of my history classes in college where there always seemed to be a small contingent of male students who had a fascination with studying wars. They cared very little for social or economic history but loved the battles. Always annoyed me.

 

[T'Nara]

I'm not much of a Malcolm fan. He was too serious, lacked much sense of humor, and seemed too interested in the weaponry. Obviously that was part of his job as head of security, but he seemed to take a little bit of sadistic pleasure in violence and combat. It reminds me of my history classes in college where there always seemed to be a small contingent of male students who had a fascination with studying wars. They cared very little for social or economic history but loved the battles. Always annoyed me.

Reed is more serious than the rest of the humans, but he doesn't lack humour - his humour is just different, dry and wry, not open like Trip's or Archer's.
As for liking weaponry; well he is the tactical and armory officer of the crew. He has to like his job or he won't be effective in it.

 

[apollo1984]

Where are you in the rewatch? The first novel "The Last Full Measure" happens between "The Xindi" and the "Anomaly", so can be read in parallel. Although not strictly part of the story arc from "The Good That Men Do", "The Kobayashi Maru" and "The Romulan War", it introduced the additional characters. For me I like it as it has a lot of Malcolm time, including a backstory from his childhood.

I am only mid way through season 2, I needed a few more weeks to get to the Xindi stuff. Guess I can always find time to read it when I do get there.

 

[Reanok]

The later season episodes like Cease Fire and Regeneration are good. Another in between Enterprise book Rosetta by Dave Stern takes place after the Xindi arc and in between some of the season 4 episodes there's a great story arc for Malcolm &Trip help Travis Mayweather's family get money back after a corrupt politician cheated them out the money he owes them I loved this storyline. Hoshi Sato has a wonderful story arc in this book too and it's about her dealing with the aftermath of what happened to her in season 3. I don't want to post spoilers those who haven't watched the season 3 episodes yet but they're important to events in the book.

 

[LoyaulteMeLie]

http://www1.play.it/audio/engage-th...rprise-stars-dominic-keating-connor-trinneer/

Hurrah, I finally listened to it! It was extremely informative and entertaining (though Connor and Dominic always are, they bounce off one another like the good friends they are). I was pleased to hear that it's 'on the cards' that they may be coming to Birmingham for the Star Trek 50 con in October.

 

[Reanok]

Thanks for posting the podcast link T'Nara it was nice to hear Connor and Dominic's interviews. And that they're still good friends in real life.