STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE 09/10/'03: "The Xindi"

Nelson Au wrote (post #120):


The issue is why "human matter" is unaffected by the phenomenon. Are the carbon atoms in human beings somehow exempt from the distortion in the normal laws of physics? If so, what about "nonorganic" carbon material? How different is carbon---or whatever the key material may be---from all the other elements that are affected? Etc., etc., etc.

No, there's a whole lot more wrong here than any one detail. That's the problem.


[Missed this the first time around. Couldn't resist.]

Glenn Overholt wrote (post #116):


Well, then the show is (almost) a raving success. You trade on the name ("Enterprise"), you carry the baggage. No escape.

Kind of missed the point we were refering to, ie. which is the superior officer.. But, to your point, they would probably refer to their rank, at the very least, higher or lower, ie "Captain, commander" etc..

Sorry, still can't dig the themse song. The words are just so awkward and cheesy.

The visual montage in the opening credits is really beautiful.

Who said that human matter was unaffected? Certainly they did not in the show, it is something that you are assuming. I don't really wanna argue the point, and I really don't want to argue with a resident 'Einstein' either ... but, if I remember correctly, they did allude the fact that if they stepped forward, any closer, they actually would be affected by the anomoly. In other words the anomoly 'began' just forward of the entrance to the room. This is the way my little peabrain took it anyways.

Would anyone who taped this episode be willing to mail it to me? I'll pay for shipping here and back to you.

Bah. They clearly said that one guy was caught up in it, banged up, and was in sickbay, and Trip stopped Archer from going too far into the bay and getting caught up.

Besides, the whole point is that in the Delphic Expanse, wierd shit happens. It's the future equivalent of 'here there be dragons.'

My family and I have recently finished the first and second seasons of ENT on DVD.  What a gem of a series.  Each time I see these episodes, I love the series more and more.  I watched them when they first aired, but seeing them on DVD is an infinitely more enriching viewing experience.

Last night, we watched the season-two closer (The Expanse) and the third-season opener (The Xindi).  Although I saw these episodes about four or five years ago, seeing them on DVD without commercials and other on-screen (e.g. logos) obstructions was a revelation of sorts.  This series is far better than I thought, and I am one of those whom liked it from the start.

The sharp edge in The Expanse was very apparent from the get-go.  The tension Archer feels for what happened to his home world, and what Trip has had to go through, are well done.  I felt both actors expanded their range in these two episodes.  (Side note: This is one time that I am pleased that the Klingon story was put to rest relatively early.  Although I love Klingon episodes, they were easily the B -- and maybe the C -- story in these two episodes.  I'm happy that was resolved as it was.)

We're really looking forward to the third season arc again.  This time, it will be fun watching it under more ideal conditions.  The first time I saw this arc my family and I were on our 20-month camping adventure.  We were watching the series on VHS tape, taped from a friend's machine at SLP speed, on a 13" television, and with the sound of a generator not ten feet from the television.  Not exactly the best of circumstances in which to watch a television series. ;)

 I cannot believe its been off the air for 5yrs already.  I am still made a Brannon & Braga for taking a great concept and ruining it.  When they left during the last season the show was finally doing what it was supposed to be..About the founding of the Federation.  It would have been a great season had it not been for B&B coming back and interferring with the finale and making it a Riker/Troi reunion fest.   :(

I am in the midst of watching the series now too on DVD, and am currently in the 3rd season. I always liked the show more than Voyager (which I never liked) but it always lagged far behind TNG and DS9 of the modern Treks (except for the 4th season which I would put up against the best TNG or DS9 ever offered). Re-watching the series from the beginning, I am pleased to say how much more I am enjoying it now. It really was a well made show, despite the occasional poor writing and the gratuitous attempts at luring an audience (yes, TOS had plenty of sex too, it just didn't seem so juvenile).

Separated by many years now, I can look at the 3rd season more objectively. I objected to it when it aired, a mere two years after 9/11, as an attempt to cash in on the nation's sorrow and anger, as well as what I saw as an acceptance of the Bush administration's agenda, which I detested. Watching it again now, I still think the timing of these episodes (beginning with the attack on Earth) was classless on the part of the producers, but the stories and the cast pull it off with grace. I am continually impressed with Scott Bakula's Archer, who remains true to Roddenberry's ideals throughout the show. In the 3rd season's The Shipment, we see Archer reject violence on a people who were not directly responsible for the attack, although they had an inadvertent hand in it. That's not Dick Cheney's Star Trek.

I still think the 4th season is the best and what the show should have been all along (a real prequel to TOS), but the other seasons hold up well. I especially enjoyed Archer's "Right Stuff" flashback with Keith Carradine. I would encourage anyone who resisted the show in its initial run to try it again. Maybe I had Trek fatigue at the time, and the fact that the show was hard to watch didn't help - I recall that the widescreen, high def video never looked right on my TV; it was always grey where it should have been black and had shadows where none belonged. Also, UPN's dreadful promos influenced the way I saw it. (I'm going to go ahead and nominate UPN's promo department as the worst in television history.)

Sam,

I don't see the political overtones of ENT.  But then again, I have very little use for politics, and would not be looking for them.  (Either way, it is probably best that we not discuss it here, I think.)

I watched Anomaly last night.  In my estimation, another first-rate episode.  Would that Archer had that much of an edge to him more often!  (Methinks he took a page out of Sisko's book. ;))  I loved how he handled the Osaarian.  The controlled anger of the approximately 7,000,000 deaths on earth really seems to have embraced Archer during that scene.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to watch this show on DVD rather than on television.  The viewing experience is enhanced greatly when watching the show on DVD.  The distractions are not there, the sound is excellent, and the commercial breaks do not interrupt the flow of the storyline.

Did anyone notice the music score for Anomaly?  It sounded like a mix of TNG and Trek films in parts.  I did not catch who wrote the music, but it was almost as if the pallet had been discarded in favor of an entirely new matrix.

I agree about the DVD viewing. Since the show was produced in high def, it is likely to be the next Blu-Ray release after TOS, and has been rumored as such. (We all know how TNG, DS9 and Voyager were produced with video tape elements which would involve significant re-doing to release in high def.)

I watched Twilight last night, which was a nice twist on the cast-in-an-alternate-future story. Bakula is the most important member of the cast, although Blalock and Trinnear sure do their parts as well.

Anomaly was a very good episode, and the effects work was impressive for an hour of television; wait til you see Impulse on DVD in a few episodes.

I don't know that the political connection was intended as part of the 3rd season (but I'm not sure it wasn't either), although the similarities to 9/11 are too significant to ignore. I think the producers said "Let's make the show topical" and launched the Expanse storyline. Of course, Battlestar Galactica made the connection to 9/11 too, and presented a relentlessly grim world (and did so successfully IMO; it's one of the greatest shows in TV history, thank you Ron Moore). That Enterprise was able to make the connection and not be as grim allowed it to preserve some of that trademark Roddenberry optimism.

I watched Extinction last night.  This is one that really didn't grab me the second time through.  I think it was too much like Genesis from TNG, or the de-evolution episode in VOY (I think that was Threshold).  Maybe I've just seen those episodes a few too many times. ;)

Well, I watched that one a week or two ago, and I was bored when it started, thinking it was the same thing from the TNG episode and others. But the thing that sets this apart is the ending. Archer insists on saving the virus that changed them, in hopes of finding a way to preserve the race that was trying to save itself. In that, it became more than TNG's monsters of the week, or Voyager's silly take on the same thing (generally considered The. Worst. Episode. Ever. for changing Janeway and Paris into salamanders! Salamanders! Reminds me of a terrible TOS book I once read in which Kirk and Chekov are turned into - and spend most of the book as - crabs. Stopped reading the books at that point.).

"Archer insists on saving the virus that changed them, in hopes of finding a way to preserve the race that was trying to save itself."

Sam,

That's a good point.  In fact, when Archer is discussing his decision with Phlox to 'preserve' the race via filing the virus away, I recalled that that ending was quite powerful (both the first time I saw it and again last night).  What I particularly liked was how he persuaded Phlox to agree -- at first, Phlox dissented with regard to Archer's decision.

To me, that discussion was consistent with the attitude of the show from the beginning, which is that these characters have an overall sense of optimism about what they will find on their mission. Being the first crew to venture out, Archer seems to have an inherent respect for other races and always seems to feel privileged to be part of that larger group of space-faring peoples. Not that later shows didn't, but being first, it seems Archer feels "we have to get this right." That, and the sense of wonder the crew has when they find something new, is among the best things about the show, and why I believe Roddenberry would have approved.

We've recently watched Rajiin, Impulse, and Exile. I had forgotten about the almost continuous strobe-like effects of Impulse. I loved the episode, but the flashing lights were to me a distraction. But since they only do this once, I can live with that. This episode doesn't have a' Halloweenish'-like title to it, but I think having zombie Vulcans qualifies to some extent. ;)

The first time I saw Rajiin, I was surprised by the near-twist at the conclusion of the episode. The second time through, I remember that she was a Xindi plant, but I still enjoyed the episode. In some respects, her hypnotic power (I think it was the eyes -- even T'Pol could not break free of it) reminded me of the 'Salt Vampire' in The Man Trap from TOS.

Exile was a bit unnerving to me. Although it was a good vehicle for Hoshi, I think the writers went a bit far with the intrusion. It seemed that she was constantly being badgered throughout the episode by the alien (not to mention by the alien's arrogant presumption). I felt for her, and it was at times disquieting. Perhaps this is precisely what the writers of the episode were striving for when they wrote it; if so, they succeeded. :)

I recently watched North Star.  I enjoyed the episode very much.  It was only the second time I had ever seen it.  It was obvious that several of the actors loved doing a western-themed episode.  I thought the way that Capt. Archer was directed (and where and how he was seated) during the initial conflict with Bennings and one of the Skags was very well done.  I chuckled when I saw the slowing turning head, complete with the brow of the hat turned downward to almost cover the eyes.

 

I liked the premise (particularly the reasons why the townspeople were on guard against the Scagarans), and I liked what appeared to be nods to various western scenes in the episode.  The 'baddies,' especially Deputy Bennings, played their parts well.  One of these days, I am going to do an evening of western-themed Trek episodes (e.g., Spectre of the Gun, A Fistful of Datas, and North Star). I wish DS9  and VOY  had done similarly-themed episodes.

 

Did anyone notice the overall visual tone/color of the episode? It was somehow different, almost as if it were done behind a hue screen. I don't think it was -- maybe the brownish and darker colors were a result of the time of day it was filmed. (There is commentary on the special features for A Fistful of Datas  with regard to the filming crew nearly running out of sunlight; I don't know if that was the case with North Star.)

I enjoyed North Star too; more than I thought I would. I liked that it wasn't just another planet with striking similarities to earth, but that there was a reason why it was so similar. I'm up to Harbinger, and the episodes up to this point have been good. Harbinger is perhaps infamous for the pairing of T'Pol and Trip, but the dialogue in their scene together was very sharp; well written and performed. Glad I have been able to get back to this show and watch it again. I didn't enjoy it as much the first time, and admit there were many weeks when I only half-paid attention to it when it aired.

Sam,

Watching it on DVD truly is a different and positive experience for me. I now enjoy much about the show that I wasn't all that enamored with the first time around.  In some cases, I was missing much of what was there both aurally and visually.

On another note, the music score to Desert Crossing remains my favorite heard in ENT to date, with the music heard in Cold Front a very close second.  (The latter episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill.)

We recently watched Chosen Realm, Carpenter Street, and (last night) Proving Ground.  I didn't care too much for Chosen Realm, as I found the Triannon (sp.) to be too arrogant, and a bit annoying.  I was pleased that they got their (albeit unintended from the perspective of the ENT crew) comeuppance.

I loved Carpenter Street.  When the episode first aired, I was pleased that it was taking place (in part) in Detroit, Michigan.  I thought they had some of the overall 'look' of the city down rather well.  I loved the fast-food sequence, and the concept of the blood types being obtained for the purposes of the Xindi.  I wasn't aware that there were eight blood types.

Proving Ground was first-rate.  Jeffrey Combs truly plays whatever role he portrays in Trek (e.g., Weyoun, Brunt, Shran, or various other Ferengi) wonderfully.  I really like what the writers have done with the backstory of the Andorians.  The conflict with the Vulcans meshes nicely with Gav's animosity towards Sarek in Journey to Babel, and watching this conflict between the Andorian Imperial Guard and the Vulcans improve over time (thanks in large part to Shran) is very well done.  How they became members of the Federation despite their feelings toward the Vulcans is very interesting, and IMO could easily have filled another season of ENT.

I'd agree on those reviews of those episodes. The Andorians were a highlight of the series; I recall reading that if the show went to a 5th season, they were going to try to get Shran on the Enterprise somehow and have Combs be a regular.

I saw Doctor's Orders and Hatchery this week. Didn't care so much for the former (another "what is reality?" episode), despite the always good Billingsley; liked Hatchery - easily Trek's most direct tribute to Ridley Scott's Alien.

Sam,

No kidding?  I'd never read that about Shran being a regular.  How I would have loved to have seen that!  It would have been interesting (canonically speaking) to see how TPTB would have worked that into the series.  Spock was of course in TOS, and in TAS, having aliens as regulars was expanded a bit with Arex and M'Ress.  Combs would have been a welcome addition to the regular cast IMO.

I agree with you regarding the Andorians being the highlight of the series.  I can't really recall Doctor's Orders very well, but that's on the disc we are currently viewing, so it's right around the corner. :)

This week we've watched Strategem, Harbinger, Doctor's Orders, Hatchery, Azati Prime, and Damage.

The intensity of this season is quite noticeable. I haven't seen some of these episodes in three or four years. Watching them a second (and in a few cases, a third) time reveals much that was lost on me the first time around. The episodes leading up to the final six or seven-episode arc contain IMO some of the finest writing of the series.

The 'duel' between Reed and Hayes in Harbinger was a very well put together scene. This had to occur, and I'm pleased that it did. (The dressing down of both by Archer was priceless.) For me, Reed has been extremely protective of his turf ever since Hayes came on board. Reed has in some cases been slightly annoying, which was another good piece of writing and helped to develop his character somewhat. I think Hayes has, for the most part, been on an even keel with Reed, and has tried hard to make the relationship work. From my perspective, Reed has been more difficult to convince of just about anything. (I appreciated the suggestion Hayes made to Reed regarding a weakness in the enemies' ship, and more than this, Reed's acceptance of the suggestion. It turned out to pay dividends when they went into combat and struck the segment of the ship suggested by Hayes.)

I enjoyed Hatchery. There is always a fine line (often times a semi-mutinous one) when subordinates question a superior officer, and what occurred in this episode was no different. T'Pol, Trip, and Reed were all extremely cautious about how they proceeded. I thought that T'Pol did the right thing about suggesting that Phlox be brought into the mix after the Captain started acting very strangely. One thing that I believe should have been done was to have Archer report to Sickbay whether he wanted to or not. Phlox was almost willing to go the extra step and try to restrain Archer, but when the Captain ordered one of the MACOs to his side, the Doctor and Trip relented, albeit begrudgingly.

Azati Prime is my favorite episode from the third season. I haven't looked it up, but I can't imagine the episode was cheap to produce. I recall that when I first saw it a few years ago, the damage caused to Enterprise was all but insurmountable. Knowing in retrospect what occurs after this episode lessened for me the blow to the ship somewhat. The tensions that were running high on the Xindi council were conveyed well, I thought. (I do want to slap around a few Reptilians every now and then, however.) And am I the only one that has grown to appreciate the work of Scott MacDonald in Trek over the years? Whether he's a TNG Romulan, Tosk in DS9, a human in VOY, or a Reptilian Xindi, that 'Zotarian' voice is unmistakable.

The ethical dilemma presented to Archer in Damage was quite challenging.  I'd be interested to hear what others thought regarding how he handled it.

I thought that the Xindi choosing to construct the weapon underwater was a stroke of genius. And although I've read much criticism of the TDB on other Boards, I thought that introducing them at the point that they did in the series was not a bad idea. I also like the subversion between various members of the council, and the coversion of the TDB with the Xindi.

One slight nitpick: I wish we got to see the Aquatics and the Insectoids more than we have. They're scarcely seen in these episodes (unless one counts Hatchery, where they are but babies).

You've caught up to me, Scott. I have watched through Damage (well, the first half; I conked out from sheer exhaustion last night). I agree that the final bunch in this season are among the best of the season. Azati Prime was the best so far. With so many competing interests, it was interesting to see that the story was much more complicated than originally believed.

The underwater sequences have been very good. A few weeks ago, I saw the James Bond movie Die Another Day on Blu-Ray (one of the two weakest Bond movies IMO) and we commented on how bad the water effects looked in the scene where Bond "surfs" to safety. Upon seeing the underwater scenes in Enterprise, I thought how strange it was that better water effects happened in a TV show on a smaller budget. This show made a lot out of what they had. (Supposedly, the budget was cut dramatically for season 4, and that ended up being the best year the show had.)

I have to rewatch the 2nd half of Damage and on from there.

Sam,

Coincidentally, I too watched a Bond film that contains underwater sequences just the other night -- Thunderball.

The ethics applied in Damage were tough for me to swallow.  I was hoping that the crew would eventually return and give back the warp coil/core to the ship from which it was stolen.

I must be suffering from a brain-fart but what is "TDB"? 

Kevin,

Trans Dimensional Beings.

Watched the second half of Damage and all of The Forgotten last night; good stuff. Yeah, the choice in Damage was brutal, and not at all what you expect of Starfleet. The only similar thing I can think of in all of Trek is Sisko's actions in In The Pale Moonlight (one of DS9's best). Sisko's decision had much greater consequences - essentially misleading an entire people into war - than Archer's stranding of one ship, which was mitigated by the fact that he gave them enough supplies to survive in the Expanse and make it home, albeit in 3 years time. I don't recall if that ship is revisited in the remainder of the season. But still, Archer's decision was difficult for him, and I can't think of what other choice he had. If he didn't act, his mission would have failed and billions would die. Very interesting to see a story with our crew being the antagonists and seeing a terrible act - which in another episode might have happened to them - from such a desperate perspective.

The Forgotten was a good story as well; I enjoyed Trip's development.

"Damage" was the type of ep and writing that I loved so much in DS9. Yes, it strayed from Roddenberry's vision but it was much more [i]human[/i]. The fact the captain was played by Casey Biggs, whose character turned out to have a huge role in the DS9 universe, just drove the fact home.

Kevin,

I loved Biggs in his role in ENT -- that unmistakable voice.  And of course, as Damar he was superb.

"Very interesting to see a story with our crew being the antagonists and seeing a terrible act - which in another episode might have happened to them - from such a desperate perspective."

Sam,

Well said.  That's the kind of thing I was thinking of when watching the episode.  I had a very uneasy feeling in my stomach during Archer's anguish over making such a decision.

E2 was a compelling episode.  I found it a bit interesting too how Lorian discusses (with Karyn Archer) his plan to steal the injectors from Enterprise so he can meet Degra.  Although the ethics of this decision were not explored per se, it was intriguing that this occurred just an episode or two after Archer's decision to take the warp coil by force.

BTW, I too enjoyed The Forgotten.  I'm not finding T'Pol's addiction to Trellium to be nearly as distasteful this time around.  When I think back to her being violated much earlier in the series, my compassion overrides my initial uneasiness with her decision to continue.  That being said, I'm pleased that she met with Phlox, and that he is monitoring her situation very closely from this point onward.