Enterprise 02/04/03

[myrdden]

Plot Synopsis

T'Pol conceals a secret from Archer that once revealed could lead to her recall to Vulcan.



Opinion (with spoliers)



I found this episode to be boring, uninspired and completely derivative from previous series episodes. It was pretty predictable from start to finish and did little to capture my attention. The portrayal of the Vulcans has really baffled me. I always saw Vulcans as impassionate and arrogant while rational and enlightened beings. This episode makes them appear narrow-minded, bigoted and devoid of logic.

And the whole controversial mind-meld didn't impress me at all. Mind-melds are abhorrent? Pretty much invalidates lots from the original series and movies (ST II or III anyone?).

The show makes some very obvious comparions with real life which are so NOT subtle that I found it amusing (in a bad way). This episode completely reminds me of the TNG episode where Riker falls in love with a gender specific person from a gender neutral world. I swear some of the dialogue is the same.



On a better note, the sub-plot with Tripp and Phlox was pretty good in my opinion. I liked the interplay between the two and finding myself liking Tripp more and more as a character.

I rate this episode a 5/10 - only because I like Trip and Phlox.

Myrdden

 

[Mark]

Excellent. Thanks for the insights getting the ball rolling with a new thread. I'm looking forward to getting back to some new episodes. I'll jump back in after I catch the show.

 

[myrdden]

Excellent. Thanks for the insights getting the ball rolling with a new thread.

No problem. I am curious what others think of this episode as it didn't impress me much at all.

Myrdden

 

[orbitalfreak]

I missed this episode because our local UPN station was broadcasting an LSU/North Carolina college basketball game.

I'll have to catch the repeat this weekend...

 

[Dinkeldog]

Gee, and I really liked it.

It is too politically charged, though, in my mind for any discussion I would have here. So, I started this thread at Nutkinland. Hopefully we can keep it out of Bad Fur Day.

 

[Mark]

SPIOLERS!!!!!
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The plot was not suppoed to be subtle in the least. I think their point is that the time for subtlety and double standards is over. Once the nail has a good start, it's time to bring the hammer down early and often until the point is driven home.

Excellent episode.

The subplot, however was quite subtle. What they seem to have done is use that as a mirror for the Riker episode you mention above. If it hadn't been for you mentioning it, and my reading the spoilers, I admit that I may not have noticed.

I think the minor exchanges that kept the rest of the crew in the episode were also very clever. Hoshi taking a chance to tease Trip, but then pulling back when he deisplayed discomfort...even though she had no idea why...was cute. Travis getting injured in another of his reckless hijynx capers, aprropriately slipped in so we not only don't forget him, but we also don't forget that he may be the biggest adventurer of the lot. Malcolm given advice with one side of his mouth while he grins at Trip's predicament with the other. I'm surprised that they didn't take the opportunity to to have Phlox introduce crew member Cutler, but that would likely have side-tracked the episode.

Anyway, as said, when you have your demons on the run, like bigotry, you have to confront it at every flare up until it is extinguished. I commend them for taking at least one episode to address Aids and take the right attittude about not allow it to lurk in the shadows.

As to how they can justify using Mind Melding as a metaphor for alternative sexual behavior, and claiming that in the era in which the show is based that it is perceived as abhorant? I have no trouble believing that we happen to be peering into that universe as the last vestiges of bigotry are being stomped out. It certainly helps to explain how humans can be so prominent in the Federation eventually. Since it is unlikely that by the time of TOS we'd have advanced beyond our betters in technology, we have only our diplomacy and human nature to set us apart and perhaps allow us to take a lead role in the Feds.

Every episode involving Vulcans in any depth always has to do with how they are supposedly so "in control" and almost every time it turns out that they are not. Let's face it. That's the big myth. That's the big secret they all carry. They're just a bunch of big liars!
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END OF MY SPOILERS!!!!

 

[Umbran]

A few thoughts...

Is the episode derivative? Perhaps. But since the things it's derived from are over a decade old, I'm not so sure that's a sin. Eventually, everything old is new again. It certainly isn't like we humans have grown to the point where we no longer need to hear the message.

Now, as for some of your other complaints, consider this - perhaps the Vulcans aren't static. You talk as if you expect the vulcans of the current series to be exactly the same as Vulcans from TOS, or TNG. Why? If humans are supposed to grow and change over time, why shouldn't the vulcans?

In this show, we see the galaxy as it was when humans were fledglings. Nobody has even heard of them. By the time of TOS and TNG, humans are a major, dominant force. We should expect that during that rise, humans would have some impact on other cultures. So, just as humans grow and change, so do their closest partners, the vulcans.

Oh, and if you think back to the relationship between Sarek and Spock, stretching from TOS through TNG, vulcans are not always "enlightened". Sarek was stubborn and narrow minded for a long time.

Last note - don't equate "logical" with "reasonable" they aren't the same thing. Vulcans pride themselves on logic, not on reason.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Salutations,

It seems to be the Enterprise stereotypical episode- what is going to threaten T'Pol's place on the ship this week?

I think this will be my last time watching this show. I am getting really tired of being lectured at/insulted when looking for entertainment.

SD

 

[Dinkeldog]

Sagan, Star Trek has always been about lecturing. At its best, anyway. That or tribbles. Tribbles are always nice.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Sagan, Star Trek has always been about lecturing. At its best, anyway. That or tribbles. Tribbles are always nice.

Tribbles are nice, but I would disagree Star Trek was always about lecturing.

Under Roddenbery (spell?) - there were a lot of stories that parallel modern social issues, but that was true with all his writings- from westerns to scifi.

Even during his reign, he was at least; somewhat clever about it or at least not insulting in his tactics ("you really need to get over your human morality").

After Roddenbery's reign ended (through his death) - the shows shifted far from that. Sure, there was the occasional episode, but the series took up entertainment.

The final straw for me was the preview for next week's "timely" episode- or however they phrased it. Sure, it is timely, but modern problems are complicated enough without them trying to muddle the issues with a simplistic hour long lecture from women in skin tight clothing.

How am I doing skating around the political side of things?

SD