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STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE 5/12/'04 "The Council" (1 Viewer)

Rex Bachmann

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episode title: "The Council"
episode number: #74
original airdate: 5/12/'04
director: David Livingston
writer: Manny Coto
synopsis: "Archer and Hoshi stand before the Xindi Council as T'Pol and Reed lead a team into the heart of a Sphere."


Another week, another episode, as Enterprises's days dwindle down to a few . . . .
 

Ric Easton

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USA Today had an article today reaffirming that this might be the end of the Trek franchise for awhile. If it is... then at least I think Enterprise is going out on a high note. For the most part, I have enjoyed this season and think that the show has improved quite a bit.

I think us Trek fans have been pretty fortunate to get another 17 years (24 seasons) from a show that was supposed to fade away back in 1969.

Ric
 

John Swarce

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Good episode. Seems like Enterprise is in the home stretch and going out with a bang. The Reptilians' taking of Hoshi created a big "huh?" for me at first, but then I figured out they needed her to decipher the last code.

Year three of all the Star Trek series is usually the one where they get off the ground, so maybe there is hope yet (but I won't hold my breath!);)
 

Rex Bachmann

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rating: no "ho-hums" this week. This one held my attention, at least. Nothing really original, but the confluence of the various threads worked out as well as can be expected for this show.

(a) The scenario that the producers have set up basically has mammalians, humanoids, arboreals, and(?) aquatics (not sure whether they're supposed to be mammals or fish, or what) against nonmammalians (reptilians and insectoids).


(b) I like the fact that the sphere-builders ("Guardians" to the Xindi) are all-female, or at least their leadership is. That angle would be quite interesting, if exploited correctly, but I don't imagine the producers of this show will have the courage or imaginativeness to do so.

And they exchange a lot of palaver about the number of timelines for the event diminishing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that under quantum theory every possible outcome--every one that can happem---does or will happen in its own domain of reality.

(c) "Do we really need this?"-department:
a Vulcan axiom: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few---or the one."


Ric Eastonwrote (post #3):


That's been extensively covered in the previous week's thread.
 

Nelson Au

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The Sphere builders have become desperate, they know there's a good chance that Enterprise was going to succeed in convincing the Council, so they convince the two races that they know will do their bidding.

I enjoyed this one a lot too. The characters are all having a chance to contribute and move the story along. Reed feeling for his fallen comrades, Trip seeing that Degra is not so bad after all and feeling for him and Hoshi translating at the Council.

The death of Degra and Hoshi's kidnapping resonated strongly with me. The last segment was gripping.

I agree, Spock's line from Star Trek 2 could have been left on the cutting room floor. But I can see it as a nice wink at the audience as well as a nice way to help Reed.

I hope UPN will keep Enterprise for a fourth year and that it continues this level of work if not better.
 

BobV

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Just an excellent episode. This season, and especially the last half, has been some of the best Trek I have seen in over a decade.
 

Will_B

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This week's episode was ok but it seemed like it was just serving to bridge last week's episode with next week's (even the secondary story, the one about the sphere, was just setting up another episode). They had certain plot developments to cover, and this episode serviced them.

I'd almost have preferred if they'd just used a "captain's log" to summarize the episode in 10 seconds: "We made it to the council and chatted them up a bit, but the alien races had mixed reactions. Now, we wait for their decision". Cue opening theme song, and then start the episode.

T'Pol should have slapped Reed. A senior officer becoming unglued at a time like that? Seemed odd. Then again hearing George Bush's speech coming from a lizard was kind of funny too.
 

Ken Chan

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There was a line that Degra said early on that made me think, "Well, he's dead". And then of course the red-shirt MACO guy.

It's awfully disingenuous of time-travelers to talk about "destiny".
 

Mike Broadman

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I can't believe that the Archer and his Xindi allies fell for the Reptilians' ploy. Yeah, all of a sudden they became open to Archer's evidence. Ok.

I will say this for Enterprise- sometimes, it really does look gorgeous. The battle scene around the launch of the Xindi weapon was real pretty.
 

Ric Easton

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Sorry! It was a new article. I thought last weeks discussion ended with the results of the "save these shows" poll. Though admittedly, I didn't look at it again before I posted. My mistake!

Ric
 

Michael Harris

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When "Enterprise" was launched I was living overseas without access to American TV. Upon my return I only caught it a few times and really did not get into it despite the fact that I've liked almost all the previous Trek shows (yes, even "Voyager") but when I started reading the positive buzz for this season on forums such as this I gave it a second look and now I am hooked and regret that I missed the first half of the season.

If "Enterprise" has to end here then at least it appears it will go out in style.
 

TheLongshot

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It was ok, but as others have said, this is a bridge episode. It was all basically setup for the finale.

I found it odd that no one thought the reptilian turnaround was suspisious, considering all the uproar of bringing Archer into the councel chamber.

Personally, I think it would have been nice if Enterprises allies ended up being some of the more "alien" Xindi races, rather than starting with the mamillians. I think it would have made things a bit more interesting, and maybe would have defied expectations a bit.

Jason
 

Jack Briggs

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Rex, odd. I had been watching a PBS National Geographic documentary about Mayan culture, and switched to Enterprise when my attention drifted for some reason. I lasted not quite five minutes before switching back to PBS.

Ric, do you have a link to the USA Today story? The topic of possible cancellation came up in last week's thread, but I don't remember any mention of a piece in USA Today. Thanks.
 

Ivan Lindenfeld

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I would love to own this season on DVD and look for subtleties. There was one in this episode when the main Reptilian dismissed his inferior (near the beginning) and the guy wouldn't leave. WTH was that? Is he a spy for the Guardians?

I was really invested in the Degra/Trip reconciliation but it telescoped Degra's murder. But the fact that I FELT something is a good thing for Enterprise.

Altogether I am glad we are getting one more season. They can pack all of the stuff in that we NEED to see leading up to TOS.

What's that you say? How do I know we are getting one more season, at least? Because Viacom is a corporation, not an enclave of artists. Syndication is, forgive me, paramount.

And if ratings do pick up, then maybe we'll get more. I love the fact that the threat of shelving the franchise has forced the Trek creative team to improve.

Two more small comments: Hoshi in danger? Who cares?! She's the forgotten one this season. But, if we need a plot device, so be it.

The Xindi weapon is pretty cool and I like the fact that my eye could resolve details. You never could with Borg spheres. It seems very real. EVen if it went into a time portal headed toward Earth ala the Borg in First Contact.

"Countdown" preview up at startrek.com yet? My PVR didn't get it.
 

PhilipG

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Another good episode. :) When I recall how bad seasons one and two of TNG could be, and how much better later seasons were, I have high hopes for Enterprise. I think that the looming cancellation fears are actually working to our advantage, in that they're now trying to mix the show up a little. :emoji_thumbsup:


LOL. I thought exactly the same thing, on both counts.

Funniest bit: saying that the aquatic council member was "rich". What does that mean exactly? That it owns a lot of fish? Or lots of arable sea space perhaps? Just how can that particular sub-species have developed any sort of technology?
 

todd s

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I hope if they are given one more season. They use it to show how the Federation was formed. Which is what this show was suppose to be about.
 

Ric Easton

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Jack,

Here's the story. It was posted on the 11th but appeared in Wednesday's paper. Better hurry, I don't know how long it takes for them to archive it... Then you gotta pay to read it!

Ric
 

Nelson Au

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Jack,

Here's the link to the USA Today Story I posted in the other Enterprise thread regarding possible cancellation and the impact it will have on the $200million in revenues Star Trek generates for Viacom:

USA Today

It's too bad you're and some others are not finding the 3rd year of interest. I think what I find here is that the people who stuck with it or gave it a chance and resampled shows and were able to follow the arc and have invested in the story and characters for the whole year, are responding to that now as Judgement Day approaches. There's been a positive buzz for the last group of shows. Sure, there were a few diversions along the way that felt like S1 and 2 shows, the bits with Trip and T'Pol they've addressed recently with an emotional conclusion. I'm looking foreward to see how it ends.

Bakula joked that the season finale could have an alternate ending where he wakes up on Shatner's couch. Where in he'll be flipping burgers at McDonalds with Wayne Brady.

PS: I see Rick beat me by seconds! One note about the ratings, they're still low, but they're not dipping nor going up by a lot. The positive spin on it is that they're steady with a slight bump for The Council.
 

Mark Maltais

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Season 3 has always been a magic one for trek. This episode is really starting to take the franchise up a notch.
I for one did not expect Degra to get killed the way he did and the way the reptilian told Degra that his whole family was next was pretty cool. Had a "Jack Bauer" type tone to it....real cool

:emoji_thumbsup: :emoji_thumbsup: :emoji_thumbsup: :emoji_thumbsup:
 

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