TheGodBen Revisits Enterprise
- Thread starter TheGodBen
- Start date
It was a refreshing change of pace to read comments from someone who liked "Bounty." And realized there was another storyline besides T'Pol's.
*rimshot*
If you don't know what we're talking about, Tallis, that's a good thing.
Last edited:
Well, planning on making headway through season 3 asap so hopefully I'll find out soon ^^
In the meantime...
The Xindi
Oh God. What did they do to the theme tune? I'm not a Russel Watson fan at the best of times (there are other singers who can sing in tune without having to use a machine... check me out, all controversial), but what the hell was that? The cheesey teen pop version? I will officially be listening to the normal theme tune on my iPod or something to cover up that horrendous assault on my ears if that's honestly going to be the theme tune for the next 2 seasons...
Before I do the dids and didn'ts, I noticed that this episode had a completely different feel than the others. New atmosphere, new season. Good stuff. Feels similar to the anticipation of the Dominion War in DS9 in that I know we're about to go on a huge and dangerous story arc, but not sure how it's going to pan out: I know there will be twists and turns but I can't fathom out what they'll be. Unless I read the back of the DVDs (which would be cheating).
One other thing that struck me was that in a way this felt like Broken Bow, but condensed into 45 minutes and hitting all the spots that the pilot should have hit. You have the alien that the crew need to hunt down, the unfriendly planet, the firefight to get into the shuttle, Trip and T'Pol taking their clothes off for a change and a big unanswered question at the end. Something tells me that if this had been the tone of the original episode and we'd gone on in the same sort of vein (obviously without the Xindi storyline at that stage) that Enterprise wouldn't have been axed so quickly.
What did I like?
-The Xindi council was quite a nice idea and quite new. The special effect species didn't grate, and the make-up was good for the reptilians. Will be interesting to see where they go.
-The actor playing the gross alien with the breathing difficulties. If his character was named I wasn't listening. Good actor though.
-Reed finally gets something to do, clashing with the MACOs will hopefully be a recurring theme.
-Hoshi wasn't forgotten, even if she was only in one scene.
-The urgence of the atmosphere.
-The fact I had a nice lunch while I was watching it (technically not a feature of the episode, but hey, it's my review)
What didn't I like?
-T'Pol is not supposed to be Shirley Bassey. If she absolutely must change outfit every 2 seconds then it'd be nice to see something other than a palette-swapped version of the original. Also, some explanation of what the hell is going on would be nice. One line even. I understand from reading Memory Alpha that she's granted a Starfleet Commission and the rank of Commander. However, at the moment, as far as the story's concerned she is rankless, a civilian, and still operating as first officer and science officer. I know she's not a rankless civilian, but where's the explanation? There was time.
-Phlox has strict ethics on forcing treatment on patients who don't want it, we saw that a number of times. But apparently it's OK to do it with Trip.
-Poo and lunch do not mix. Especially when Trip ends up with a floater on his chin.
Heading back to my place tonight, so this was either the last or second to last episode I watched with my mum, and it's great to have her there because she questions things quite openly. She liked the special effects, but said that it seemed random at times. I think that's fair dos really.
Mum's 5 words: Their boiler suits are mouldy (I think she's talking about the MACOs)
My 5 words: Keep your clothes on Trip
In the meantime...
The Xindi
Oh God. What did they do to the theme tune? I'm not a Russel Watson fan at the best of times (there are other singers who can sing in tune without having to use a machine... check me out, all controversial), but what the hell was that? The cheesey teen pop version? I will officially be listening to the normal theme tune on my iPod or something to cover up that horrendous assault on my ears if that's honestly going to be the theme tune for the next 2 seasons...
Before I do the dids and didn'ts, I noticed that this episode had a completely different feel than the others. New atmosphere, new season. Good stuff. Feels similar to the anticipation of the Dominion War in DS9 in that I know we're about to go on a huge and dangerous story arc, but not sure how it's going to pan out: I know there will be twists and turns but I can't fathom out what they'll be. Unless I read the back of the DVDs (which would be cheating).
One other thing that struck me was that in a way this felt like Broken Bow, but condensed into 45 minutes and hitting all the spots that the pilot should have hit. You have the alien that the crew need to hunt down, the unfriendly planet, the firefight to get into the shuttle, Trip and T'Pol taking their clothes off for a change and a big unanswered question at the end. Something tells me that if this had been the tone of the original episode and we'd gone on in the same sort of vein (obviously without the Xindi storyline at that stage) that Enterprise wouldn't have been axed so quickly.
What did I like?
-The Xindi council was quite a nice idea and quite new. The special effect species didn't grate, and the make-up was good for the reptilians. Will be interesting to see where they go.
-The actor playing the gross alien with the breathing difficulties. If his character was named I wasn't listening. Good actor though.
-Reed finally gets something to do, clashing with the MACOs will hopefully be a recurring theme.
-Hoshi wasn't forgotten, even if she was only in one scene.
-The urgence of the atmosphere.
-The fact I had a nice lunch while I was watching it (technically not a feature of the episode, but hey, it's my review)
What didn't I like?
-T'Pol is not supposed to be Shirley Bassey. If she absolutely must change outfit every 2 seconds then it'd be nice to see something other than a palette-swapped version of the original. Also, some explanation of what the hell is going on would be nice. One line even. I understand from reading Memory Alpha that she's granted a Starfleet Commission and the rank of Commander. However, at the moment, as far as the story's concerned she is rankless, a civilian, and still operating as first officer and science officer. I know she's not a rankless civilian, but where's the explanation? There was time.
-Phlox has strict ethics on forcing treatment on patients who don't want it, we saw that a number of times. But apparently it's OK to do it with Trip.
-Poo and lunch do not mix. Especially when Trip ends up with a floater on his chin.
Heading back to my place tonight, so this was either the last or second to last episode I watched with my mum, and it's great to have her there because she questions things quite openly. She liked the special effects, but said that it seemed random at times. I think that's fair dos really.
Mum's 5 words: Their boiler suits are mouldy (I think she's talking about the MACOs)
My 5 words: Keep your clothes on Trip
Maybe it would be an improvement if she were. She could sing the theme song instead of Russell Watson.
Now that would be awesome. You reckon they could do a jazz remix?
I love weekends because I can sit down and cram Enterprise down the pipes one episode after another, but for the sakes of not cramming so much info onto at once I'll do a mini review of the next 1 or 2, then we'll be one a day again...
Anomaly
So, Enterprise just became a serial, which is what the writers for previous series were told to avoid...
Interesting episode. The Osarans were cool, I genuinely disliked them for stealing Enterprise's kit. I was chuffed when Archer led a team and they stole most of it back.
I really hope that the coffee Archer spilled in the air stays a regular feature of his ready room for the rest of the season. "Come on in and mind the coffee". I noticed he picked the cup up, so why couldn't he scoop up the coffee? Maybe he didn't want it any more because it was cold.
I also liked how the episode started with a miaowing dog, but they did say things got weird in the expanse
"How can anyone build anything so big?" Well, give me a couple of months and most of the world's lego resources and I'll get busy.
5 words: Archer torturing people? Surely not.
I love weekends because I can sit down and cram Enterprise down the pipes one episode after another, but for the sakes of not cramming so much info onto at once I'll do a mini review of the next 1 or 2, then we'll be one a day again...
Anomaly
So, Enterprise just became a serial, which is what the writers for previous series were told to avoid...
Interesting episode. The Osarans were cool, I genuinely disliked them for stealing Enterprise's kit. I was chuffed when Archer led a team and they stole most of it back.
I really hope that the coffee Archer spilled in the air stays a regular feature of his ready room for the rest of the season. "Come on in and mind the coffee". I noticed he picked the cup up, so why couldn't he scoop up the coffee? Maybe he didn't want it any more because it was cold.
I also liked how the episode started with a miaowing dog, but they did say things got weird in the expanse
"How can anyone build anything so big?" Well, give me a couple of months and most of the world's lego resources and I'll get busy.
5 words: Archer torturing people? Surely not.
Oi, get your own thread! 
This is my franchise and I'll defend it to the full extent of intellectual property law!
The rumours of my death have been sadly exaggerated, although it felt very close when I woke up on Monday night/Tuesday morning with my lungs struggling to take in enough oxygen to breath. After 8 days of rest I'm still not completely over the flu, but it is time to get back to work and stop slacking off.
The Andorian Incident (***½)
To be honest, The Andorian Incident is a very "meh" episode that is buoyed up by two things; there is a twist ending and it features the Andorians. Even before I saw TOS or Enterprise I always wished there had been more Andorians on the TNG series and that is one thing that Enterprise delivered upon. Unfortunately this episode fits under the header of being yet another Trek episode where some main cast members are captured and have to plot their escape, and like so many episodes before it that premise drags. You know the episode is in trouble when you have to stretch it out for five minutes by having Archer beaten senselessly for the second time.
Then there's the twist at the end which is something I've always loved. Knowing the evolved and logical Vulcans from the 24th century means that I was completely willing to accept that they were telling the truth, so to find out that they were lying and built a secret spy-station under a monastery was mind-blowing. And it works so well precisely because it is the Vulcans, if it had been the Bolians or some random alien of the week then it wouldn't have had the same effect, but because it is Vulcans acting illegally and spying on people it worked marvellously against type. And I can understand why Archer got so pissed off and handed over the information, it wasn't a strategic long-term plan, it was just a man acting out of anger and exhaustion.
But the most important thing that this episode heralds is some good old-fashioned universe building. Actions here will have consequences, these aliens will be important later, and Shran will take on a bigger role in galactic affairs. This is the first episode since the pilot to try and define this universe, I just wish it hadn't been yet another hostage episode.
Archer did get himself captured, but since he thought he was going to be visiting a peacful monastery I see no reason to judge his decision to go. He did get beaten up twice though.
Archer Abuse: 4
Transporter: 3
This is my franchise and I'll defend it to the full extent of intellectual property law!The rumours of my death have been sadly exaggerated, although it felt very close when I woke up on Monday night/Tuesday morning with my lungs struggling to take in enough oxygen to breath. After 8 days of rest I'm still not completely over the flu, but it is time to get back to work and stop slacking off.
The Andorian Incident (***½)
To be honest, The Andorian Incident is a very "meh" episode that is buoyed up by two things; there is a twist ending and it features the Andorians. Even before I saw TOS or Enterprise I always wished there had been more Andorians on the TNG series and that is one thing that Enterprise delivered upon. Unfortunately this episode fits under the header of being yet another Trek episode where some main cast members are captured and have to plot their escape, and like so many episodes before it that premise drags. You know the episode is in trouble when you have to stretch it out for five minutes by having Archer beaten senselessly for the second time.
Then there's the twist at the end which is something I've always loved. Knowing the evolved and logical Vulcans from the 24th century means that I was completely willing to accept that they were telling the truth, so to find out that they were lying and built a secret spy-station under a monastery was mind-blowing. And it works so well precisely because it is the Vulcans, if it had been the Bolians or some random alien of the week then it wouldn't have had the same effect, but because it is Vulcans acting illegally and spying on people it worked marvellously against type. And I can understand why Archer got so pissed off and handed over the information, it wasn't a strategic long-term plan, it was just a man acting out of anger and exhaustion.
But the most important thing that this episode heralds is some good old-fashioned universe building. Actions here will have consequences, these aliens will be important later, and Shran will take on a bigger role in galactic affairs. This is the first episode since the pilot to try and define this universe, I just wish it hadn't been yet another hostage episode.
Archer did get himself captured, but since he thought he was going to be visiting a peacful monastery I see no reason to judge his decision to go. He did get beaten up twice though.
Archer Abuse: 4
Transporter: 3
I remember being in this forum back in 03, mere hours after the synopsis for Regeneration was posted on Trek Today. Chaos ensued. Things got really REALLY ugly on here for a while.
Things were continuously ugly in the ENT forum back in the day.
Man, I wish I was around for the majority of ENT's airing. I didn't show up around here until it was officially canceled in February '05. Those were fun times, too.
In retrospect it sounds like fun, but the situation in the ENT forum scared me from registering on this board for a while. Then the urge to be insulted for liking a tv show got too overwhelming, I guess...
No, that was a good thing.
Seriously, I thought that scene was hilarious and it did get the plot forward.Now that would be awesome. You reckon they could do a jazz remix?
I love weekends because I can sit down and cram Enterprise down the pipes one episode after another, but for the sakes of not cramming so much info onto at once I'll do a mini review of the next 1 or 2, then we'll be one a day again...
Anomaly
So, Enterprise just became a serial, which is what the writers for previous series were told to avoid...
Interesting episode. The Osarans were cool, I genuinely disliked them for stealing Enterprise's kit. I was chuffed when Archer led a team and they stole most of it back.
I really hope that the coffee Archer spilled in the air stays a regular feature of his ready room for the rest of the season. "Come on in and mind the coffee". I noticed he picked the cup up, so why couldn't he scoop up the coffee? Maybe he didn't want it any more because it was cold.
I also liked how the episode started with a miaowing dog, but they did say things got weird in the expanse
"How can anyone build anything so big?" Well, give me a couple of months and most of the world's lego resources and I'll get busy.
5 words: Archer torturing people? Surely not.
In all seriousness, you're totally hijacking this thread and its both annoying me and making me feel uncomfortable, its incredibly rude IMO. You can always start your own if you please.
I quite liked The Andorian Incident (great title by the way 
), it wasn't a great episode, but it was pretty good. I think that giving the Andorians an expanded role was a really good idea - they have a good Trek pedigree without us knowing much about them and they look a bit more alien than the standard rubber forehead guys. I had a feeling where this was going, but the ending was still OK and at least it touched on some interesting issues. I don't mind the idea of deconstructing the Vulcans, but let's hope it doesn't turn them into just another bunch of aliens we can lecture on morality, mmkay?
), it wasn't a great episode, but it was pretty good. I think that giving the Andorians an expanded role was a really good idea - they have a good Trek pedigree without us knowing much about them and they look a bit more alien than the standard rubber forehead guys. I had a feeling where this was going, but the ending was still OK and at least it touched on some interesting issues. I don't mind the idea of deconstructing the Vulcans, but let's hope it doesn't turn them into just another bunch of aliens we can lecture on morality, mmkay?
Quoted for absolute truth. This is one thing that I loved about Enterprise. I didn't really love this episode, though, because it was a bit slow, boring, and contrived (although it made the top 5 Enterprise episode list, iirc). But this episode is something you can look back from in the fourth season and still find a point. You can't do that with Broken Bow (even though I found BB to be a very entertaining pilot).
BTW, I see some people commenting on how it was back in the day. When I get a chance to, I'll join in. Unfortunately, I wasn't here from the beginning, so I'll have to wait until TheGodBen gets to the second season at least.
TheGodBen said:Oi, get your own thread!
Many apologies, as stated originally I wasn't intending to take it over, was just enjoying discussing episodes week by week and thought it would be ruder to start another thread to "compete" as well as a waste of time making a new thread for each new episode. I'll be posting no more reviews in this thread now you're back.
Axesoleve said:
I think that's overcooking it slightly... however if I made you feel that uncomfortable I kinda wish you'd contacted me earlier to let me know.
TheGodBen said:
I love that too, and particularly liked the way they followed up in the next episode Shran appeared in. He's one of the most interesting recurring characters in the show in my opinion.
Breaking the Ice (***)
I'm left asking the same question I had the first time I saw this episode; why is T'pol staying on Enterprise? Is it because of the pie? The episode contained a lot of reasons why she should go back to Vulcan and absolutely zero reasons why she wants to stay aboard the ship, but we know that she's content to stay because she ate some pie? Is the pie really that good? Is it a magic pie? Is it a Janeway pi? Oh wait, Janeway pi wont exist for another 200 years so that can't be it.
Can you guess that I'm still taking medication?
Anyway, this is a nice character episode which is a little ruined by the fact that T'Pol just decides to stay with no reason given. Another thing which harms this episode is Captain Clueless. First he orders Hoshi to decode the message T'Pol received and tells her that it is a priority, but then he wastes five minutes of her time on a message to a bizarre school address for this little island. (We call them "primary" schools as opposed to "elementary" and we call the years "class" as opposed to "grade". But hey, it's the future, we're bound to have been invaded by the yanks by then. And at least they went for the name of a real town rather than the mapping debacle I had with Fair Haven.) Later Archer tells Trip to have his important personal conversation with T'Pol and right in the middle he calls her and pulls her away. He's getting in the way of his own orders.
Then he blows up at some Vulcan captain because he's quiet during dinner. If Archer can't handle known traits of aliens he has encountered his whole life then he's probably not the man you want out there representing your whole species to alien races, some of whom have some very big guns.
There's also a story about Reed and Mayweater on a comet and that provides some fun for the show, it is nice to see humans goofing about during a mission. It's endearing. However, Mayweather falls and breaks his foot while climbing out of a 2m high crater, but isn't he the experienced rock-climber?
It seems almost like every time that guy even goes near a rock-wall he ends up breaking something.
I'm left asking the same question I had the first time I saw this episode; why is T'pol staying on Enterprise? Is it because of the pie? The episode contained a lot of reasons why she should go back to Vulcan and absolutely zero reasons why she wants to stay aboard the ship, but we know that she's content to stay because she ate some pie? Is the pie really that good? Is it a magic pie? Is it a Janeway pi? Oh wait, Janeway pi wont exist for another 200 years so that can't be it.
Can you guess that I'm still taking medication?
Anyway, this is a nice character episode which is a little ruined by the fact that T'Pol just decides to stay with no reason given. Another thing which harms this episode is Captain Clueless. First he orders Hoshi to decode the message T'Pol received and tells her that it is a priority, but then he wastes five minutes of her time on a message to a bizarre school address for this little island. (We call them "primary" schools as opposed to "elementary" and we call the years "class" as opposed to "grade". But hey, it's the future, we're bound to have been invaded by the yanks by then. And at least they went for the name of a real town rather than the mapping debacle I had with Fair Haven.) Later Archer tells Trip to have his important personal conversation with T'Pol and right in the middle he calls her and pulls her away. He's getting in the way of his own orders.
Then he blows up at some Vulcan captain because he's quiet during dinner. If Archer can't handle known traits of aliens he has encountered his whole life then he's probably not the man you want out there representing your whole species to alien races, some of whom have some very big guns.
There's also a story about Reed and Mayweater on a comet and that provides some fun for the show, it is nice to see humans goofing about during a mission. It's endearing. However, Mayweather falls and breaks his foot while climbing out of a 2m high crater, but isn't he the experienced rock-climber?
It seems almost like every time that guy even goes near a rock-wall he ends up breaking something.Disillusioned
Commander
Ever wonder how he got to be such a great rock climber when he's supposed to have lived on cargo ships most of his life?
I have noticed though that in any situation, the lowest ranking person is usually the one that ends up getting hurt or screwing things up for everybody.
I have noticed though that in any situation, the lowest ranking person is usually the one that ends up getting hurt or screwing things up for everybody.
I thought "Breaking the Ice" was pretty fun, although Archer's interactions with Vulcans aren't one of my favourite things on this show. This was the first time that I actually found Trip likeable - he's much better when he's awkward and unsure of himself. His scenes with T'Pol were quite nice.
Breaking the Ice (***)
I'm left asking the same question I had the first time I saw this episode; why is T'pol staying on Enterprise? Is it because of the pie? The episode contained a lot of reasons why she should go back to Vulcan and absolutely zero reasons why she wants to stay aboard the ship, but we know that she's content to stay because she ate some pie? Is the pie really that good? Is it a magic pie? Is it a Janeway pi? Oh wait, Janeway pi wont exist for another 200 years so that can't be it.
Can you guess that I'm still taking medication?
Anyway, this is a nice character episode which is a little ruined by the fact that T'Pol just decides to stay with no reason given.
I always assumed it was for "unproper" reasons. You see, T'Pol left me with the impression of a christian woman with a very puritanical background. And as proper vulcans do considerate humans to be sort of vile... similar to how proper christians used to consider all other races and religions to be vile. So to her, these humans are vile... but like a proper preacher's wife who secretly lusts for the poor handsome catholic boy that her husband and she damn into hell in proper sundays... she's sort of drawn towards humans too.
I'm not saying she wants to have wild group sex with Trip, Malcolm and Archer. I'm saying that she's drawn towards humans because it's "unproper". I sort of could have made the same point with evangelical family, who believes that Harry Potter will damn you into hell, where the kids secretly read Harry Potter and have all sorts of guilty feelings. But I just didn't and it's too late now.
In Fusion, there's a flashback where T'Pol goes secretly into a jazz bar... and the way she acts is just like that "sinful christian" way. Pervertedly sexual. Not in whorish-slutty way. Just that she acts like a person who's enjoying something that can be enjoyed in an innocent and pure way, and she feels guilty about, and that guilt turns that experience, which could be purifying and innocent, into semi-sexual perverted experience. bluedana had an interesting post about it - http://trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=3313243&postcount=57.
I see vulcans of Enterprise as prisoners of their imperialistic puritanical envangelical species-ist culture. But T'Pol is sort of finding the inner liberal. Perhaps that was too loaded. What I'm trying to say that T'Pol's coming to an awakening that a vulcan doesn't have to be what the Official Vulcan Identity says that a vulcan should be. And to have an awakening, one needs to already have a doubt and a desire for something different... and that's why she wants to stay with humans.
Ever wonder how he got to be such a great rock climber when he's supposed to have lived on cargo ships most of his life?
Maybe they had an indoor rock wall? Those were some pretty big cargo ships.
I didn't even notice Archer getting in the way of his own orders, but having studies physics for a year, I was really pissed off by the comet's gravity. There should hardly be any to speak off, and they should use lines to prevent themselves from floating into space when they jump too enthusiastically. I was able to ignore it at first though by thinking that they have magnets in their boots that are attracted to ice or something, but then Travis managed to break his leg. Even though he weighed about 15 grams. And when the shuttle (weighing about 400 grams) started caving in the comet, it really seemed like they were going out of their way to annoy me by making even the most implausible explanations wrong.
The physics of it bothered even me, who passed the class because of the pure sympathy of a sweet teacher. What chapped my *ss was the fact that the two of them open the gull wing hatch of the shuttle, climb in, and immediately take off their helmets. Even though all of the heat and atmosphere would have whooshed out of the shuttle.
And as I mentioned in the Worst Lines thread over yonder: "Call the Vulcans and let them know we're about to make a very loud noise." Except, THERE IS NO SOUND IN SPACE!!!
Now, the answering schoolkids' questions scene, I could watch that all day. (Admit it, you always wanted to know where the poop goes. And it's a brilliant solution.) Makes me happy every time.
(and, I would have poked that Vulcan captain in the eye with my fork. What a jerk. Even T'Pol was like, Please stop embarrassing me, Uncle Vanik. Okay?)
Similar threads
