"Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real thrill

[Quinton O'Connor]

Got up to 2x23 on my big revisit the other night. The friend I'm watching the show with hasn't reached "Star Trek: First Contact" on her TNG-viewing homework so I went ahead and gave her as spoiler-free an explanation for this episode's basis as possible. She didn't have any trouble picking up the pieces.

Anyway, I went into this one with twelve years of built-up apathy about the notion of ENT tackling the Borg. I couldn't for the life of me recall my actual opinion of "Regeneration" when it first aired, because I'd bumped into so many posts complaining about the very premise since that time. "It's the Ferengi episode all over again." "Is Rick Berman trying to kill Trek?" "Oh great, the prequel show is channeling TNG. Again. Absolutely disgusting." "Does UPN want to relaunch Voyager? Is this some kind of aborted backdoor pilot to get Enterprise off the air?" "Look, it's Enterprise sucking again." I'd seen it all. Ad nauseum. I'd forgotten everything about the episode itself.

"Regeneration" is pretty fantastic, I say. Once again, ENT showcases how solid its soundtrack can be with a sweeping score perfectly befitting the events depicted. Phlox gets a subplot that's the stuff of true horrors, the poor guy. Bakula gets to channel some of his best "I'm haunted, just haunted by the decisions I've made" expressions pre-Xindi. Everything that this episode could have gotten fatally wrong -- the plethora of moments it could and maybe even should have collapsed under the weight of its immense so-called "fanwank" ratings grab -- comes together in a way that dispelled all doubt from my mind. It's played straight, and it's played well, and it gives us the Borg at their most terrifying. Wow.

I could just feel the spirit the cast and crew put into making this work. And I love how it starts off with the research team, and then briefly moves to Admiral Forrest, and only then, organically, shifts to the NX-01. I also love that ending, although I'm sure (well, as with most everything about this episode, no doubt) it's a pretty controversially-penned piece. "The Delta Quadrant! 24th century! Craziness. Craziness! Wink! Nudge!" Yeah, I can totally see how that'd make some viewers mad. I kind of adored it.

Enterprise dared to touch the Borg and it could have blown up in their face. For me, it's shocked me with a top-ten-in-the-series placement. I almost feel bad for forgetting how intense and well-crafted "Regeneration" really is.

I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts. This one compelled me to make a discussion topic for the first time since "Marauders". That's not to say there haven't been some very chat-worthy episodes in-between, but I wanted to hold off until I hit one that triggered another surprising reaction.

 

[Richard Baker]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

One of my favorite parts was the progressive assimilation of that ship- every time the Enterprise encountered it the ship was larger and more powerful. They had originally intended it to end up looking roughly spherical but I am glad they didn't.

In 'First Contact' I wanted to see some external evidence of the Borg assimilation of the secondary hull but we never did. ST-E finally did show, and show well what would happen if the Borg really got serious.

Another nice touch was knowing how dangerous the Borg were and watching people who had no idea what they were dealing with try to grasp the nature of the threat. I kept wanting to shout at the TV for them to stop talking and run!

 

[eyeresist]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

I agree that the transformation of the Borg ship was great to see. Also, there was a real feeling of high stakes due to the unrelenting nature of the enemy and our heroes' ignorance of same. The narrow spaces of the NX-01 made things more tense than the hotel comforts of the starships they previously attacked.


(Of course, we have actually touched on this quite recently: http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=273064 )

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

It was my turning point in ENT, I absolutely loved it. Really showcased the great visuals of this series too.

THE THING

Nice homage.

So very impressed at the end when I realized they'd never said the word "borg" in the entire episode. Still a mystery, one for the files.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

The progressive ship assimilation is another terrific aspect. They must have had Doug Drexler working overtime that week and it totally paid off.

NX-01's tight corridors are a great place to go Borging, and never actually say "Borg" while you're at it. That ship was just built for Borg episodes... the irony.

 

[eyeresist]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

THE THING

Nice homage.

For some reason, the opening reminds me of the beginning of The Mummy (1932).

"He went for a little walk!"

 

[F. King Daniel]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Loved this episode. The first time ENT had me on the edge of my seat. Although yeah, Archer's bit at the end about the 24th century was as subtle as a full grown gorilla in playschool (but not as bad as Brent Spiner's "It may take a few... Generations " in season four)

 

[eyeresist]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Neither is as on the nose as "Perhaps we will need some kind of ... directive."


With love I say it, with love!

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

That directive thing happened twice, even! As I said in my other thread, my friend replied to the TV both times with, "that'd sure be prime."

 

[eyeresist]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

^ Trip shoulda said that.

 

[Gaith]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Always liked "Regeneration", especially given its lack of any Borg Queen mention. I've long had the idea to make a silent-movie black-and-white fan edit version, with only a few inserted dialogue cards, letting the visuals do most of the storytelling...

 

[feek61]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Your review makes me want to watch it again. I really liked the episode but for me it had a problem and maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt the fact that Phlox was able to overcome his "affliction / infection" didn't quite ring true. Still a good episode.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

^ Trip shoulda said that.

He really should have.

Always liked "Regeneration", especially given its lack of any Borg Queen mention. I've long had the idea to make a silent-movie black-and-white fan edit version, with only a few inserted dialogue cards, letting the visuals do most of the storytelling...

That'd be pretty badass, I think. I'd love to see it.

Your review makes me want to watch it again. I really liked the episode but for me it had a problem and maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt the fact that Phlox was able to overcome his "affliction / infection" didn't quite ring true. Still a good episode.

Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. That did feel a bit off, the way it climaxed with him placing himself in the chamber with a horrified look and then simply popping back out later and informing the captain he was fine. It's a fairly small mistake relative to the oddly-fatal missteps some other would-have-been-perfect Trek episodes have pulled, I think, but it could have been handled with more... finesse.

 

[Skywalker]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

I also thought this had one of the show's more effective scores. This was one of two episodes scored by Brian Tyler (he of recent Avengers: Age of Ultron fame), though I don't recall his other contribution being as memorable.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

I also thought this had one of the show's more effective scores. This was one of two episodes scored by Brian Tyler (he of recent Avengers: Age of Ultron fame), though I don't recall his other contribution being as memorable.

Just looked him up on IMDb. His other episode was "Canamar" so I guess he was brought in to help out specifically with the second season. He hadn't quite "broken out" into the mainstream yet at that point from the looks of things, although he was responsible for Sci-Fi's Children of Dune miniseries that same year. He did an excellent job there as well if memory serves.

A real coup for the producers, getting the future Mr. Age of Ultron.

Edit: Oh man, he did Assassin's Creed: Black Flag two years ago, too. That game has a phenomenal main theme.

 

[t_smitts]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

That directive thing happened twice, even! As I said in my other thread, my friend replied to the TV both times with, "that'd sure be prime."

I know they said it in "Dear Doctor". What was the other one? Was it "The Communicator"?

One of my favorite parts was the progressive assimilation of that ship- every time the Enterprise encountered it the ship was larger and more powerful. They had originally intended it to end up looking roughly spherical but I am glad they didn't.

In 'First Contact' I wanted to see some external evidence of the Borg assimilation of the secondary hull but we never did. ST-E finally did show, and show well what would happen if the Borg really got serious.

Another nice touch was knowing how dangerous the Borg were and watching people who had no idea what they were dealing with try to grasp the nature of the threat. I kept wanting to shout at the TV for them to stop talking and run!

"There's no reason to assume they're hostile."

"I don't believe they're a danger to the crew."

Famous last words, huh?

I remember being miffed at the time at the idea of bringing in the Borg, as they had with the Ferengi before, just out of principle, but it retrospect it was really well done and I think I've figured out why.

With the arguable exception of "I, Borg", the Borg work when they're scary. They were scary in "Q Who". They were scary in "Best of Both Worlds". You can debate whether or not they were scary in "Descent", but they were definitely scary in "First Contact". One of Voyager's many sins was that they ran into the Borg (and either defeated or got away from them) so many times that they weren't scary anymore (Ron Moore himself has pointed this out).

An interesting way to make the Borg scary again was to put them in a scenario where none of the characters know who they are and thus aren't as cautious as they should be, leading to some nice "don't wake them up!!!" moments from the audience, and making the Borg scary again.

Your review makes me want to watch it again. I really liked the episode but for me it had a problem and maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt the fact that Phlox was able to overcome his "affliction / infection" didn't quite ring true. Still a good episode.

I believe it was sort of implied that Denobulan physiology was naturally resistant to the Borg nanoprobes, but that they would eventually adapt, as the Borg always do.

Yes, it begs the question of why no one in the 24th century seems to be aware of the Omicron radiation treatment, or for that matter, why Reed didn't think to use it at some sort of weapon against the Borg, though I suppose you could just chalk it up to the Borg later adapting to that treatment too (or that assimilation in most species is far too rapid for it to be practical, as we saw with poor Lt. Hawk).

Evidently John Billingsley and his wife Bonita Friedericy (who, as we know, played one of the unlucky researchers here) recorded a commentary for this episode for the blu-ray set, which I'd love to hear. The blu-ray sets are a little out of my price range, but I suggested the guy at one of the local video stores (yes, a few of those still exist) get them in and he sounded receptive, so here's hoping.

There seems to be a consensus here that this was a really great episode. I would agree. In fact it's actually the second in a trilogy of three of the best episodes of the season (preceded by "Cogenitor" and followed by "First Flight", which I talked about in another recent thread).

Considering what a mess this episode could've been, it's that much more impressive that it so well done, though I don't think they should've pushed their luck by having the Borg show up again. Actually, one of the ideas Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens pitched for season 5 involved some Starfleet medical technician (played by Alice Krige) somehow being turned into the Borg Queen. Of all the season 5 idea I've read about, that was one of the few I didn't care for (it's way too Earth-centric, and makes no sense for a species that originated on the other side of the galaxy).

(And yes, the soundtrack for this episode is perfect).

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Hey, great post, t_smitts! Lots of cool stuff in there I wasn't familiar with. Man, the writers really had so much of a potential fifth year mapped out so well, given the odds they must have recognized were so thoroughly stacked against them. I guess that never prevents you from doing your job and being prepared for good news, though. Here's hoping some of those ideas can at least be put to page in the relaunch novels over time.

I had a couple of issues with "Cogenitor" that kept me from thinking it four-star material (truth be told, I'd hoped to like it that much more, given everything positive I've heard about it in all the years since I saw its premiere) but there's no denying that finish was anything short of supreme. That Enterprise was willing to "go there" proves to me there was some willingness on the part of the creators of the first two seasons to be unexpected, to be more aware, and thought-provoking, than they're typically given credit for. The friend I'm watching with was shocked. We knew (and I may have remembered, given distant memories and all that) that this couldn't end well, but damn.

Looking forward to "First Flight" -- we're probably capping off the second season later tonight. I'll look up that recent thread once we're done.

I know they said it in "Dear Doctor". What was the other one? Was it "The Communicator"?

Erm, prooobably. I don't remember. I'll look it up later by consulting script archives.

 

[Willow]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Your review makes me want to watch it again. I really liked the episode but for me it had a problem and maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt the fact that Phlox was able to overcome his "affliction / infection" didn't quite ring true. Still a good episode.

I just finished my rewatch I was coming on here to say basically the same thing. It seemed he was infected a lot longer than the scientists...long enough to come up with some kind of cure. There was a quick mention about his "immune system", yet I don't recall any other species in later Borg contacts having immune systems strong enough to resist the nano probes for any length of time.

Oh well. I still enjoyed the episode. It was definitely a treat to see our heroes struggle with what the audience knows is one of mankind's greatest enemies.

 

[t_smitts]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

Your review makes me want to watch it again. I really liked the episode but for me it had a problem and maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt the fact that Phlox was able to overcome his "affliction / infection" didn't quite ring true. Still a good episode.

I just finished my rewatch I was coming on here to say basically the same thing. It seemed he was infected a lot longer than the scientists...long enough to come up with some kind of cure. There was a quick mention about his "immune system", yet I don't recall any other species in later Borg contacts having immune systems strong enough to resist the nano probes for any length of time.

Oh well. I still enjoyed the episode. It was definitely a treat to see our heroes struggle with what the audience knows is one of mankind's greatest enemies.

Well, to be fair, how many species, besides, humans, have we seen go through the assimilation process, really?

 

[at Quark's]

Re: "Regeneration" revisited: Color me impressed, this one's a real th

There was a quick mention about his "immune system", yet I don't recall any other species in later Borg contacts having immune systems strong enough to resist the nano probes for any length of time.

Species 8472, perhaps ?

But I agree that the Phlox cure seemed about the only weak point in the episode. I never felt this episode to be that far-fetched: it's conceivable that with their advanced nanotechnology, some borg could be re-animated after a century in that polar ice, and they were shot out of the sky by the Ent-E. (Which begs the question: shouldn't the ent-E have checked more thoroughly that no debree potentially "survived"?)

As I could buy into the Borg being in an ENT episode, I could also buy into them being defeated by Archer, where TNG had a much harder time of it: (possibly only) 2 recently thawed drones (perhaps with residual damage) and a bunch of very recent assimilees, in a transport ship that wasn't even armed a few days ago just aren't on the same power footing as a fully functional cube, filled with hordes of fully functional drones. The real threat of course being they could quickly become that, if left unchecked.

This episode made me wonder though:

1) How long would it take before a drone is fully functional and has full processing power ? It probably doesn't coincide with the moment the drone-to-be- starts behaving assimilated, right ?

2) If only a few drones from a collective survive, how much knowledge do they have ? Just the sum of their individual knowledge ? Or do they somehow retain all "relevant" knowledge of the collective ?