***
Continuing the Klingon Duology from "Affliction," this is indeed the story that finally explains the smooth- versus ridge-headed mystery that popped up between the original series and every other incarnation of Star Trek.
Phlox gets more interesting stuff to do as he is forced desperately to solve a problem that would have made the consequences of the Klingons becoming obsessed with the Augments from earlier in the season, but again his thunder is stolen by Reed's reluctant involvement with Section 31 (as the shadowy Jack Bauers of Deep Space Nine fame) and a thrilling Speed-like action sequence wherein Trip comes back to the Enterprise as it connects to the Columbia at Warp 5 so they can undo Klingon sabotage.
That sequence absolutely steals the episode. It's one of the most exciting moments in any Star Trek episode or movie (perhaps yet another indication of just how desperate the series had gotten to win viewers back, which...didn't happen).
I would almost, almost give the episode the full-recommendation treatment based on that alone. The historic value of the Klingon Duology also makes it worth viewing...but again, I really wish Phlox had been given better material, and he's technically at the center of events. The fact that Reed and Trip steal the episode from Klingons crewing up their genetics and metaphorically going bald is what makes it easy to say, "Close, but no cigar."
Still, if you're game, definitely watch.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
John Schuck
James Avery
Ada Maris
Eric Pierpont
Memory Alpha summary.
The internet’s only comprehensive fan source for the complete film and television experience.
Showing posts with label Ada Maris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ada Maris. Show all posts
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Enterprise 4x15 "Affliction"
***
On the surface, this Klingon Duology is of immense importance to the franchise thanks to finally explaining why Klingons were smooth-headed in the original series but ridged in later incarnations (y'know, aside from the obvious).
"Affliction" kicks off the two-part story by tying into events depicted in the Augments Trilogy from earlier in the season, explaining rather handily that the Klingons were embarrassed by their brief encounter with genetically enhanced humans, and so pursued their own version of the program, creating Klingon Augments. Or trying really hard to.
They need Phlox to do it. That makes the Klingon Duology in name the Phlox story of the season. Except there's not a lot that makes it a Phlox story other than the fact that it technically features everyone's favorite Denobulan. That's mainly what brings both episodes in the story down a peg in my book, because it's disappointing, given that Phlox was a favorite character of mine and previously one of the best-used characters in the series.
There's other character work in the episode, though, and if roles had been reversed, could easily have boasted both efforts to full-recommendation status. The first is Tucker's transfer to the Columbia, under the command of Hernandez, previously featured in "Home." Aside from another great bit of continuity from the season, the development ties directly into Trip and T'Pol's constantly troubled relationship (that's the whole reason why he's no longer, at this point, engineer of the Enterprise, leaving the unimpressive Kelby to fill his boots).
And Reed receives perhaps some of his best material as a previous association with Section 31 (the covert ops group first seen in Deep Space Nine) proves to be an exceedingly uncomfortable conflict of interest.
In the past I've had a hard time digesting these episodes. There's just so much going on in them, a trend that works better in a later duology. But it's hard to deny their extreme importance. "Affliction" continues the fourth season ball rolling in very unusual but rewarding fashion. If only Phlox had had a more significant part!
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Ada Maris
Eric Pierpont
Derek Magyer
James Avery
John Schuck
Seth MacFarlane
Memory Alpha summary.
On the surface, this Klingon Duology is of immense importance to the franchise thanks to finally explaining why Klingons were smooth-headed in the original series but ridged in later incarnations (y'know, aside from the obvious).
"Affliction" kicks off the two-part story by tying into events depicted in the Augments Trilogy from earlier in the season, explaining rather handily that the Klingons were embarrassed by their brief encounter with genetically enhanced humans, and so pursued their own version of the program, creating Klingon Augments. Or trying really hard to.
They need Phlox to do it. That makes the Klingon Duology in name the Phlox story of the season. Except there's not a lot that makes it a Phlox story other than the fact that it technically features everyone's favorite Denobulan. That's mainly what brings both episodes in the story down a peg in my book, because it's disappointing, given that Phlox was a favorite character of mine and previously one of the best-used characters in the series.
There's other character work in the episode, though, and if roles had been reversed, could easily have boasted both efforts to full-recommendation status. The first is Tucker's transfer to the Columbia, under the command of Hernandez, previously featured in "Home." Aside from another great bit of continuity from the season, the development ties directly into Trip and T'Pol's constantly troubled relationship (that's the whole reason why he's no longer, at this point, engineer of the Enterprise, leaving the unimpressive Kelby to fill his boots).
And Reed receives perhaps some of his best material as a previous association with Section 31 (the covert ops group first seen in Deep Space Nine) proves to be an exceedingly uncomfortable conflict of interest.
In the past I've had a hard time digesting these episodes. There's just so much going on in them, a trend that works better in a later duology. But it's hard to deny their extreme importance. "Affliction" continues the fourth season ball rolling in very unusual but rewarding fashion. If only Phlox had had a more significant part!
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Ada Maris
Eric Pierpont
Derek Magyer
James Avery
John Schuck
Seth MacFarlane
Memory Alpha summary.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Enterprise 4x3 "Home"
****
If there's one episode of the series that fans of the series absolutely must watch, this is it.
After the dramatic events of the Xindi arc from the third season and the complications of the season premiere, the crew is finally able to begin coping with what's happened to them. In a lot of ways, this is Enterprise's version of "Family," the Next Generation episode that followed "The Best of Both Worlds." Picard had been through a terrible ordeal. As the title of that episode suggests, Picard (not to mention Worf) has family matters he has to handle, especially an older brother who has long been jealous of him and once again breaches the logic of adventuring through the stars, something that has new relevance now that he's just survived being assimilated and causing the deaths of thousands.
For Archer, it's a time to perhaps rethink his prior attitudes about space travel as well. As the first deep-space captain and son of the man who developed the Enterprise's warp engine, he's long fought a sense of entitlement (see: "First Flight") and boundless enthusiasm for the resulting mission that brought him into pioneer territory every day. But the Xindi experience was different. He had to remain strong for the sake of success, and that took an incredible amount of willpower. Now he falls apart.
It doesn't help that an old girlfriend of his pops up. Erika Hernandez will return in later episodes, but for now she's a rare opportunity to glimpse Archer's life before the NX-01. Much of this season spends time revisiting past associations, actually.
The episode also features foreshadowing for another story later in the season. The unexpected fallout of the Xindi crisis was a newfound xenophobia on Earth, something Phlox experiences firsthand. Now, if you've ever watched the series, you know Phlox is one of the most lovable characters in the franchise. And yet he is not loved in "Home." That's a darn shame.
And besides that, arguably the most important element of the episode is T'Pol returning home. Again, there's further ramifications of this, too, throughout the rest of the series. Part of it reflects back on her relationship with Tucker, especially the knotty complications of the previous season. She learns that her mother (like Worf's brother Kurn in "Sons of Mogh") has suffered the consequences of her actions in previous episodes, and the only way to resolve them is to marry the man she was once betrothed to (something that was gone over in the first season).
The only problem is, Tucker still has feelings for her, and so the episode ends bittersweetly with the engineer biting his tongue as the wedding is conducted.
I said at the start of this recap that you should really watch this episode if you love this series. You will probably also love this series if you start with "Home." You'll want to know the rest of the story, because this is one of those continuity stories that explains exactly what to love.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Ada Maris
Memory Alpha summary.
If there's one episode of the series that fans of the series absolutely must watch, this is it.
After the dramatic events of the Xindi arc from the third season and the complications of the season premiere, the crew is finally able to begin coping with what's happened to them. In a lot of ways, this is Enterprise's version of "Family," the Next Generation episode that followed "The Best of Both Worlds." Picard had been through a terrible ordeal. As the title of that episode suggests, Picard (not to mention Worf) has family matters he has to handle, especially an older brother who has long been jealous of him and once again breaches the logic of adventuring through the stars, something that has new relevance now that he's just survived being assimilated and causing the deaths of thousands.
For Archer, it's a time to perhaps rethink his prior attitudes about space travel as well. As the first deep-space captain and son of the man who developed the Enterprise's warp engine, he's long fought a sense of entitlement (see: "First Flight") and boundless enthusiasm for the resulting mission that brought him into pioneer territory every day. But the Xindi experience was different. He had to remain strong for the sake of success, and that took an incredible amount of willpower. Now he falls apart.
It doesn't help that an old girlfriend of his pops up. Erika Hernandez will return in later episodes, but for now she's a rare opportunity to glimpse Archer's life before the NX-01. Much of this season spends time revisiting past associations, actually.
The episode also features foreshadowing for another story later in the season. The unexpected fallout of the Xindi crisis was a newfound xenophobia on Earth, something Phlox experiences firsthand. Now, if you've ever watched the series, you know Phlox is one of the most lovable characters in the franchise. And yet he is not loved in "Home." That's a darn shame.
And besides that, arguably the most important element of the episode is T'Pol returning home. Again, there's further ramifications of this, too, throughout the rest of the series. Part of it reflects back on her relationship with Tucker, especially the knotty complications of the previous season. She learns that her mother (like Worf's brother Kurn in "Sons of Mogh") has suffered the consequences of her actions in previous episodes, and the only way to resolve them is to marry the man she was once betrothed to (something that was gone over in the first season).
The only problem is, Tucker still has feelings for her, and so the episode ends bittersweetly with the engineer biting his tongue as the wedding is conducted.
I said at the start of this recap that you should really watch this episode if you love this series. You will probably also love this series if you start with "Home." You'll want to know the rest of the story, because this is one of those continuity stories that explains exactly what to love.
franchise * series * essential * character
Notable guest-stars:
Ada Maris
Memory Alpha summary.
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