Enterprise 12-Feb-02 (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

I just watched it tonight (on tape); this was the weakest episode to date. I've enjoyed all the episodes so far, but this one just left me cold.

Right from the start, I couldn't accept the plot contrivance that Tripp and Reed would so quickly conclude and accept that the Enterprise was destroyed. For me, that was far more implausible than all the iso-linear, giga-quad, temporal singularities of the past twelve years.

Ignoring the fundamental plot flaw, the rest of the episode was a pleasant buddy, character-driven show.

 

[Nigel McN]

Ken, they took a shuttle from one shuttle bay to the other to inspect it, the launch bay was open to space and an entire door needed to be replaced, part of the shot is from the interior looking out, there was a fair chunk ripped out.

I also had no problem with the use of bum, a fairly casual english term.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Another example of dramatic license taken back during TOS was all the dialogue about "not having enough fuel to maintain a steady orbit." Well, once you've attained orbit, that's where you'll stay unless some external force--atmospheric drag, which is still possible at a few hundred miles altitue--perturbs your orbit. Then, the orbit decays and the object reenters the atmosphere.

Again, once you're in orbit you'll remain there--potentially forever.

 

[Bryan]

I would just like to take this opprotunity and ask (if it hasn't been asked before): Has every guy on the ship had his "moment" with T'Pol yet? Jeez.

As far as the episode, it had weak and good points. "Bum" was an OK term to use. It's natural for his accent to say that, though it still sounded strange to these ears. Using the term "Stinky" on the otherhand made me cringe, but this is how dreams are... very embarrasing and stupid at times. Include with that the fact that sometimes you wake up and think dreams were real.

 

[PaulHeroy]

No, he's saying that "real time", i.e. instantaneous video communication is not plausible. It takes ships days/weeks/months to get places at warp speeds, but data is shown as getting there instantly (or nearly so).

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

No, he's saying that "real time", i.e. instantaneous video communication is not plausible. It takes ships days/weeks/months to get places at warp speeds, but data is shown as getting there instantly (or nearly so).

I quite agree, Mr. Marconi! This "Wireless" idea of yours is preposterous! Why, we all know that it takes a stout steamer WEEKS to cross the Mighty Atlantic! The idea that these 'waves' of yours could cross the air, although I'm sure you'd say they use aetheric principles, INSTANTLY, is simply ludicrous!

/me removes his tounge from his cheek and strolls away.

 

[Jon_B]

A fairly good episode. I would have to agree with Steve Enemark that the episode might have been better if they did not show the enterprise until the end.

The whole "stinky" thing made me cringe too. :b

Jon

 

[Robert Standefer]

I need this delivered by autogyro to the Prussian consulate in Siam!

-Rob

 

[Mike Soltis]

Another example of dramatic license taken back during TOS was all the dialogue about "not having enough fuel to maintain a steady orbit." - - - - Again, once you're in orbit you'll remain there--potentially forever.

I must respectfully point out things like oh, Skylab ???
Not every 'orbit' is going to be stable. Here I would have to assume 'stable' orbit would be an orbit which would not decay, and unless it was geosynchronous orbit, it would either be expanding outward or collapsing inward. Even the ISS will expend fuel to maintain a 'stable' orbit.
Also, we accept unquestionably FTL travel, but NOT communications ? ? ? Please refer to James Blish's short story "Beep" for one theory on FTL communications.

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Not every 'orbit' is going to be stable. Here I would have to assume 'stable' orbit would be an orbit which would not decay, and unless it was geosynchronous orbit, it would either be expanding outward or collapsing inward. Even the ISS will expend fuel to maintain a 'stable' orbit.

The only 'stable' orbits are the ones at LaGrange points; that generally means using the gravitational force of one object to offset another's. There are something like 5 Lagrange points around Earth; a point between us and the Moon, a point opposite the moon, with the Earth in between, a point leading the moon, a point trailing the moon, and one I forget.

 

[Mike St.Louis]

Also, we accept unquestionably FTL travel, but NOT communications ? ? ? Please refer to James Blish's short story "Beep" for one theory on FTL communications.

Can you summarize what the theory is?

When I was watching this episode I started thinking of 2001 (don't ask me why). I always remembered in the movie that Poole and Bowman had to wait for earth communications to catch up with them.

 

[Andrew Beacom]

So what exactly was the problem with the word "bum". Did some of us think the word was inacurate? Or were we disappointed that a non-american phrase was used?

The characters English and it's certainly used by Brit's in that context. As a Brit myself I'll admit that the more accurate statement would be "nice arse" but it's close enough to "ass" to never get past the censors.

But then I still don't get why some words or phrases are allowed but "ass" and "damn" get nailed.

 

[Jaro_F]

Just a short thing to say:
How have people on the enterpise ever been able to see the 'signal' from the pod? ha?
This was in 'natural' media, not transmited or anything, simple explosion flash or some sort of burst of energy, by definition not going any faster then speed of light! It would take months for it to reach the enteprise...

 

[Mike Soltis]

The basic theory behind the FTL communication in the aforementioned story 'Beep' was basically that they had discovered a certain type of subatomic particle that would experience 'sympathetic' vibrations with other similar particles instantaneously throughout the cosmos. Thus the particles would be oscillated to form a message at one end of the galaxy, and the same message could be received at the other end instantly.

This is not the entire crux of the story, it's actually quite an excellent read if you like short sf in the vein of Heinlein, Clarke, Asimov, Bear, Le Guin, etc etc etc.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

How have people on the enterpise ever been able to see the 'signal' from the pod? ha?

This was in 'natural' media, not transmited or anything, simple explosion flash or some sort of burst of energy, by definition not going any faster then speed of light! It would take months for it to reach the enteprise...

That would only be true if the Enterprise' sensors were passive. It is assumed that their sensors are active and send out FTL signals that also return FTL, which is why they turn them off when they don't want to be detected by another ship. The difference between active and passive sonar.

Chuck Anstey

 

[Jaro_F]

ok they have it all covered!

 

[Mark Wolverton]

Well, I'm not crazy about this show. I watch it but its not great. Also am the only one that caught the fact that they used mashed potatoes to seal a hole. There is something very wrong with that.

 

[Hugh Jackes]

Maybe the something wrong was in the mashed potatoes. Ever try to eat those TV dinner mashers? Ugh.

 

[Jaro_F]

mashed potato thing was such a wrong thing to use that I just deleted if from my long term memory immediately, it was so wrong I just dropped it out of my mind
Not to say anything about that the paneling or whatever it is that they were sealing was most probaby not outer hull so why seal it at all, it would have leaked all over (around) the place anyway...

 

[Nigel McN]

its amazing how many people think they sealed the hole with mashed potatoes, rather than just use it to clog the hole until they could get the 'valve sealant in storage bin 3' which you then seen malcom apply in the next segment.