Enterprise 02/04/03

[Sagan Darkside]

As for them changing that much. In what for them in one generation?

It is a ST common theme that humans change all alien societies they touch: Klingons, Ferengi, Cardassians, Founders, Borg, etc etc.

Why should Vulcans be immune?

SD

 

[myrdden]

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.

Point taken. I should have chosen better words.

But I am still not sold on the mind meld taboo and the episode still doesn't do anything for me (excpet for the Trip sub-plot) Maybe next week's episode will suit me better.

Myrdden

 

[Ranger REG]

Somebody! Pinch Me!

Okay, NOW I'm impressed with ENTERPRISE.

It was nice of them to do a take on disease and the social stigma that goes with it, albeit many years late, but it does serve as a reminder. It was also nice of them to make the story does not end with T'Pol career save but serve as part of that story arc.

Now if they could follow through by showing indication of social change within the Vulcan society.

Overall, I still don't like ENTERPRISE, but if they can do more of these types of episode, I can be swayed.

 

[Mark]

Re: Somebody! Pinch Me!

Now if they could follow through by showing indication of social change within the Vulcan society.

Yup and while we're at it, let's have the ship take a trip to Vulcan and figure out who's holding back the Humans and who is on our side. I'm tired of them portraying Vulcans as of a single mind on the Human development issue. Time to sort this out!

 

[Umbran]

Considering the time period- it was rather clever since no other show would touch the subject with a stick.

Toucing a subject that nobody else will touch is gutsy or brave. But there was nothing at all clever about how they went about it. It was a blunt instrument of moral meassage, not a rapier of wit. And, in it's time, it needed to be done. I'm rather fond of "Last Battlefield", in that sense.

As for our various wish-lists... Well, I think we shall have to wait a while. Enterprise has to move carefully, because it carries a pretty heavy burden - the future of the Star Trek franchise. If they slip and drop the ball, it's not clear that it could be picked up again.

That's a problem with television - good shows require a certain amount of risk taking. In order to do something people really love, you risk doing something they'll hate. And Enterprise is in a poor positin for risks. So, my guess is that Enterprise will remain a good, decent show. I don't know if it will ever be a great one - if it does become one, it'll take time and care. We shall have to wait and see....

 

[Darius101]

I am wondering why the vulcans are so Romulan like in this series? That is just one of the things that has bothered me since last season.

T'Pol is a sub commander? Couldn't they have made up some type of different clasification? We have not ever heard of a Vulcan Military and we know from the different series and movies that the Vulcan Science Academy is in charge of exploration and science on Vulcan.
Hmmmm...(eyebrow raised) Facinating......

 

[Ranger REG]

Actually, it's the Vulcan High Command who is in charge of the Vulcan fleet of ships. It is akin to Earth's Starfleet Command.

The Vulcan Science Academy is similar to Earth's Starfleet Academy. I would not be surprised if this institution creates the many officers that operates the Vulcan High Command's starships.

 

[Darius101]

Vulcan high command is a new contivence that is in place in Enterprise. The old series had a different system I believe.

I can think of a number of episodes where they contacted the Vulcan government ...how about in STIV ? Gotta go to the video to check more out about this.
Darius

 

[Orius]

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

It was a thinly veiled issue episode, the issue in question being AIDS.

The subplot with Tripp and Phlox's wife was fun though. How come all the alien women want Tripp?

 

[Orius]

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.

Yeah, Travis actually got 5 minutes of airtime this episode! I'm beginning to think he's just there as the token black guy, which is really low for Star Trek. They've done much better wrt ethnic and racial diversity in the past.

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.

Yeah, but the thing with melding here really messes with consistency. Melders are a minority and a minority facing a lot of predjudice as well? How do they explain Sarek then? Did he benefit from some early Federation affirmative action programs or something? It's kind of hard to swallow the "melders are a small minority" bit, when most of the Vulcan characters we've seen in Star Trek could meld, including major characters (Sarek, Spock, even Tuvok).

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!

Yeah, it is kind of interesting seeing the Vulcan as a bunch of hypocrites. Although IDIC is supposedly a cornerstone of Vulcan philosophy, Enterprise Vulcans don't show it. Remember the scene in "The Andorian Incident" where Phlox sort of bluntly remind T'Pol about it? That was one of my favorite Enterprise moments.