Here's a big fat one because I've been so lazy!
Series: The Original Series – Season Three
Episode: “The Tholian Web”
Trek Installment # 158
Grade: B
Viewing Date: February 20, 2010
After last episode’s debacle, I was very glad to have this one. An interesting sci-fi phenomena (a starship sinking into another universe) coupled with a biological effect (the crew going crazy) and injected with some great drama (Spock vs. Bones, plus Kirk’s death) makes for good television.
I always felt like the Tholians were one of the most interesting Trek species and it bothered me that we never saw them again (well, we do, but you know what I mean). I think their web is a little over the top, but other than that, they’re a very cool and nicely alien species that deserved more than what they got.
Compounding that, the drama of Kirk’s death is well-felt. Spock and McCoy’s antagonism was nicely played out. There are a number of scenes here that parallel earlier moments in their relationship – notably McCoy getting Spock to have a drink with him in “The Evil Within” and his questioning of Spock’s command in “The Galileo Seven.” In fact, I argue that Spock’s command style has at last evolved to its strongest now – his logical proceedings coupled with his more emotional outreaches, such as greeting Chekov and Uhura and taking the time to hold a wake for the captain.
A fine, fine episode.
I wonder what happened to the Defiant . . .
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Series: Enterprise - Season Four
Episode: “In a Mirror Darkly Part One” and “In a Mirror Darkly Part Two”
Trek Installment # 159 & 160
Grade: B
Viewing Date: February 20, 2010
I’m combining these because, mainly, it the closest “Enterprise” ever has to a movie and they work better together than separate. Revisiting “Enterprise” after two and a half seasons of TOS is a little strange. It’s even stranger to watch the mirror universe versions of the characters I’ve enjoyed.
But don’t get me wrong – I love these characters and just how different they are. Archer’s over-acting is on high and he’s super-evil. T’Pol’s bitchy, but not snobby. Hoshi’s a manipulative ho. Reed is, well, still basically Reed. Trip’s an asshole. Phlox makes everyone his bitch. And hey, Soval’s a nice guy!
I also liked that we had an actual explanation as to how the interspace rift was created and just what happened to the Defiant. These two episodes serve as a great homage to TOS without being a parody. I appreciated the detail put into the Defiant set. But at the same time, it did feel out of place when compared to NX-01 and the Avenger.
And while it was great seeing the Gorn again, he also just comes off as odd when compared to “The Arena.” Same goes with the Tholian. Now, of course, we’re going by visuals here and I certainly didn’t expect the rad CGI version to be replaced with the mini-Godzilla (or vice versa [and yes, I know I said otherwise before, but I’ve changed my mind]). But, at the same time, I dunno, it just didn’t feel exactly Gorn to me.
Maybe I’m over-thinking it, though. Like I said, the set looks fantastic and at times, more detailed than TOS. I appreciated seeing the captain and the Redshirt laying in the same position they were in just the previous episode (I’d imagine that would smell pretty bad). And the activation of the bridge was really neat.
The plot itself is rather epic, with some nice twists and turns. It really gave us an impression as to what the beginnings of the Terran Empire’s space conquest was like – just “Enterprise” did the same with the Prime timeline. Nice little side stories add some fun and depth to the two-parter and made for a decent overall storyarc.
I think the best way to sum it up is to basically state that while things came across as out of place at times, the episode itself was fun and nicely epic. The details and some of the smaller scenes were what made this episode. Soval’s chiding T’Pol about her “live long and prosper” and seeing where the Jefferies Tubes lead to and even learning the fate of Prime Archer and Hoshi – all of these gave the episode texture. And while yes, it was a little much and it feels awkward, it was fun.
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