The Communicator

[Trekwatcher]

I have always been a big fan of the 2nd season episode, "The Communicator." I love the fact that Reed gets some good screen time, and lots of interaction with Archer, plus I like the way the episode is inspired, so to speak, by the ending of "A Piece of the Action" wherein McCoy leaves his communicator in Bela's office, and they speculate about the damage it could cause. I also think that this episode, set before the 2160 installation of the Prime Directive, is interesting as it shows how even attempts to minimize contamination can have effects (as T'Pol discusses later in the show).

Do others think this is a great ENT episode as well? Thoughts?

 

[Captain X]

I thought it sucked. basically Reed is made to be the moron twice just to make Archer look good by comparison. That story Archer told the aliens would've done a lot more damage than that communicator would've, and if the situation on the planet was as bad as was to be believed, it should've resulted in a war because one side thought the other had vastly superior weaponry than they did, and that they'd already been attacked.

Basically this was another example of how screwed up the more modern interpretation of the PD is, which is even more screwy because in ENT they weren't even supposed to have the PD yet.

 

[Kegek]

It's kind of a bland, serious version of "The Piece of the Action." Perhaps best characterised when you contrast that delightful use of idiom in the TOS episode's title with this episodes bland, matter of fact title.

Wasn't too bad, though, and it was an interesting idea.

 

[ialfan]

I really liked the episode. Much better than Civilzation which was enterprises other attempt with a prewarp civilization first contact gone bad.

 

[Pensive]

ialfan said:
I really liked the episode. Much better than Civilzation which was enterprises other attempt with a prewarp civilization first contact gone bad.

But that one had Archer doing a Kirk-like flirt session with the local hot alien chick!

 

[bluedana]

I'll buy you a drink, Trekwatcher, because I think The Communicator is a very good episode. I don't think it casts any aspersions on Malcolm, since it was clear that the communicator wasn't lost through incompetence. It could have happened to anyone.

As for the story they told, this was one of the first rock-and-a-hard-place dilemma episodes. Archer picked the lesser of two evils: create a cold war situation. The alternative was to risk throwing the entire civilization's belief system completely off balance. Being pre-warp (and apparently not even space capable), knowing that aliens were among them would have triggered a panic at the very least (War of the World broadcast, anyone?), and if they were similar to the most fundamentalist believers here on Earth, their world view would be totally destroyed.

The other things I like about this episode: the quiet conversation between Reed and Archer in the cell, each trying to be brave, and then Archer literally begging for Reed's life at the gallows. I liked how they gave the captain an actual breaking point (which was revisited in the fourth season).

I was never very fond of A Piece of the Action because, in playing it as a comedy, TOS gave off a kind of "gosh these folks are dumb" vibe that rubbed me the wrong way. Kirk was very tricksy, while Reed and Archer were willing to die to protect the society.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I didn't think it really reflected badly on Reed, but I thought it was a stupid episode anyway. Pretty much anything they could have done would have been better than what they did (including ignore that they lost it).

 

[Captain X]

It reflected poorly on Reed because he was the one to lose his communicator and didn't notice until they were back on the ship. Sure, it could've happened to anyone, but it happened to him. Not Hoshi, and definately not Archer. Later on, Reed brought up the super-soldier tripe that was going to get them killed and disected. Sure, Archer started it, but later on he gave Reed some crap over it. Before either of them opened their mouths, those aliens seemed perfectly capable of grasping the idea that Archer and Reed were aliens, and they didn't really start to freak until Archer started pulling shit out of his ass. That planet was already in a cold war situation, and he only made it worse by giving them the perception that their enemy was developing advanced technology and weaponry. What do you guys think would happen when they demand answers from their enemy and get denial in return?

It's also moronic to die like that to "protect" these people. They've already done enough damage, they should just get their people and go. Is their technology really worth two lives when the technology would still be in the hands of those aliens they're supposedly protecting? The worst that coud've happened if those aliens had by some miricle managed to reverse engineer that communicator would be that it would advance their communications technology. But when they went back down there, the aliens then had two sets of phasers, scanners, and communicators, which actually makes the prospect of reverse engineering those things better, because they can take one apart and keep the other one working. So after they got captured, there was no doubt that they had to get it all back, but still, how can any sane person place the value of equipment below that of human life? What the hell ever happened to "no man left behind"?

 

[The Habs Fan]

Pensive said:
But that one had Archer doing a Kirk-like flirt session with the local hot alien chick!

Any episode with a hot alien chick is a good episode

 

[Nebusj]

Trekwatcher said:
Do others think this is a great ENT episode as well? Thoughts?

It's sick, twisted, despicable, and evil. ``If we leave this communicator behind the people of this planet might learn there exist intelligences from outside their star system which occasionally visit. I know! Let's distract them by setting off a world war!'' Thank you, Curtis LeMay, but could we get some input from the people who aren't homicidally insane?

 

[commodore64]

Let's face it -- A Piece of the Action wasn't that great. I mean other than Spocko saying, "check" and Kirk taking on a bad Chicago accent, there's not much to this episode. Oh, and it has the dude from Mel's Diner. It's just ... fun.

Communicator is a deeper piece about whether to lie to a culture and have them believe you're the enemy or change their entire paradigm.

I liked Communicator. I've never been crazy about it, but it beats out many episodes in ENT in my opinion.

 

[Kegek]

commodore64 said:
Let's face it -- A Piece of the Action wasn't that great. I mean other than Spocko saying, "check" and Kirk taking on a bad Chicago accent, there's not much to this episode. Oh, and it has the dude from Mel's Diner. It's just ... fun.

Actually, I found "A Piece of the Action" rip-roaringly hilarious. One of TOS's strengths versus the other series is it never took itself too seriously - it took itself seriously enough to give us solid drama and intriguing sci-fi, but also lightly enough to give us a spate of classic humour.

Communicator is a deeper piece about whether to lie to a culture and have them believe you're the enemy or change their entire paradigm.

Damn Kuhn. Seriously, if I hear one more reference to a paradigm shift...

Er, where was I? Oh, yeah...

Now, "The Communicator" is certainly taking itself seriously so, despite the fact it uses a premise similar to "A Piece of the Action" (and in particular the last few lines of dialogue) it's not that fair to compare them.

But I still think "A Piece of the Action" is better, regardless. It succeeds in what it's trying to do more than "The Communicator" succeeds in what it is trying to do.

 

[DanCPA]

I always liked this episode. Nice continuity with the cloak ship.

Personally, I would have liked to have seen Enterprise voluntarily interfere with a culture. Help them out willingly only to go back 2 years later and see the serious destruction of a culture... Maybe a nuclear war came of there interference!

 

[commodore64]

Actually, I found "A Piece of the Action" rip-roaringly hilarious. One of TOS's strengths versus the other series is it never took itself too seriously - it took itself seriously enough to give us solid drama and intriguing sci-fi, but also lightly enough to give us a spate of classic humour.

I liked that it was cheesy too, but ... that's just it. It's cheesy. That's like comparing Amry of Darkness to Braveheart. Sure, they were both about dudes from a long time ago, but one is meant more seriously than another. (I'll let you figure out which.)

I think if I'm in a silly mood, I'll put on Piece of the Action. If I'm in a mood where I want some thought provoking material and a paradigm shift (that was really just meant for Kegek), then I'll possibly watch Communicator or Stigma (also meant for Kegek).

 

[Pensive]

Tom Riker said:
Any episode with a hot alien chick is a good episode

So then you admit to liking ENT!!! (T'Pol=hot alien chick)

 

[pookha]

if they had told the aliens the truth it very easily could have been kept from the majority of the population.

see if archer had told them who they were and the rest of the episode had preceded as was with the rescue there would have been no proof to back up the story.

instead of very possibly pushing this society over the edge because they now believe the other side has weaponry they have no chance of matching in a traditional fight they may have just pushed them into a first strike situation.

but if archer tells the military leader who they are and after they are gone he might just try and cover it up to keep from looking silly since his proof went away.

really the only hope archer had of not being partly responsible for pushing them closer to open conflict is that in the end the leader did believe (after second thought) they were from another planet after all.
especially if i remember that tpol was seen by them.

and i really liked piece of the action. even though the fun it lingered that this society had been screwed up due to the book being left behind.

and i dont see how the iotians were made to look stupid .
especially considering what was said about them.
yeah some of the thugs were stupid but probably chosen for that reason if they were basing stuff on a book about the mobs.

and if one remembers the ending


kirks solution wasnt perfect but it did bring the iotians in line to report to the federation and open the door for the socialogical specialists to come in that kirk seemed to drop off after he had to take action with some civilization ie return of the archons and apple.

 

[Kegek]

commodore64 said:
I liked that it was cheesy too, but ... that's just it. It's cheesy.

Cheese is fine by me. I love "I, Mudd" too, and that's so cheesy it makes "A Piece of the Action" look like a noir.

I think if I'm in a silly mood, I'll put on Piece of the Action. If I'm in a mood where I want some thought provoking material and a paradigm shift (that was really just meant for Kegek), then I'll possibly watch Communicator or Stigma (also meant for Kegek).

Gaaaaaaah!

Ahem. Tastes vary and all that.

 

[pookha]

Tighs Eye said:
I always liked this episode. Nice continuity with the cloak ship.

Personally, I would have liked to have seen Enterprise voluntarily interfere with a culture. Help them out willingly only to go back 2 years later and see the serious destruction of a culture... Maybe a nuclear war came of there interference!

you could have possibly seen that if they had done a follow up to communicator.

really there were episodes were i wish we got to see the long term results of archer's decisions, one being communicator and detained the other.

both situations could have resulted in things getting worse depending on how things went after ward.

 

[DanCPA]

I too would have loved a follow up to Communicator... Maybe a Columbia episode in Season 4

 

[bluedana]

instead of very possibly pushing this society over the edge because they now believe the other side has weaponry they have no chance of matching in a traditional fight they may have just pushed them into a first strike situation.

Or perhaps they take the other option open to them and pursue peace.

but if archer tells the military leader who they are and after they are gone he might just try and cover it up to keep from looking silly since his proof went away.

Or the military leader becomes even more paranoid, this time because he knows that at any time, aliens might be walking among them and observing them, indistinguishable from the general population, with unknown intentions and far superior technology.