Enterprise 3x24 "Zero Hour"

rating: ****

the story: The Xindi conflict's resolution.

what it's all about: Well, this is it!  And finally we see where Archer's bull-headed pursuit of victory has landed him, and that's almost more interesting to talk about than the episode itself.

But let's just acknowledge that seeing the crew defeat Dolim and the Sphere Builders is a terrific and thrilling reward, well worth investing in three episodes to see them beat the clock.  Archer first demonstrates his apparent lack of perspective by pushing Hoshi, who's just survived slightly worse pressuring by the Xindi-Reptilians in "Countdown," to help him destroy the weapon.  Then Daniels appears and at first it seems like a reversion to "Carpenter Street" making the Temporal Cold War arc look cheap, instead of "Azati Prime," which made it look strong.  Fans who think it's a little on the nose for Archer to be outright crucial for the birth of the Federation might gag at this material, and again, it makes the Temporal Cold War look weak if all it ultimately accomplishes is produce Daniels to say how important Archer is, in this instance putting truth to the old adage show rather than tell.  But by the end of the series Archer is once again being given credit for the Federation, and fans complain that we don't get to see his big speech in "These Are the Voyages..."  So I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not fans are happy about Archer's status so much as quibbling about how it's presented.

But the real treat of "Zero Hour" is its twist ending.  In a way, it redeems two other Temporal Cold War stories.  One is from near the start of the series, "Shockwave," which concluded the first season and began the second.  In hindsight "Zero Hour" links "Shockwave" with "Storm Front," the two-part story that opens the fourth season and concludes the Temporal Cold War arc.  Daniels showing up to warn Archer in "Zero Hour" in effect translates "Storm Front" into a rephrasing of "Shockwave."  "Shockwave" is about what happens if Archer is removed from history.  He and Daniels discover a future that has been devastated.  "Storm Front" suggests much the same, only instead of going with Archer and Daniels to the future, we go to the past, WWII.  Our last glimpse of Archer in "Zero Hour" is with Nazis staring down at him, and one of them is an alien.

Now, I began to view "Shockwave" as ultimately disappointing, and "Storm Front" has always frustrated me as a conclusion to the Temporal Cold War arc.  "Shockwave" shortchanges its story by making it too simple too early.  "Storm Front" shortchanges itself by providing no conclusive answers about "Future Guy," the leading antagonist of the bad guys in the conflict.  And yet, as Archer angrily states he's tired of being a pawn in someone else's conflict...he's also admitting what "Zero Hour" makes plain, that he has been a pawn.  The Temporal Cold War is a complex series of power plays.  "Storm Front" illustrates how a faction of antagonists becomes trapped in the past.  I always wanted to believe that alien Nazi was "Future Guy," but I guess that was never really necessary.  Archer's disgust is its own statement, and illustrative of his emerging need to take control of his own fate, and as such embrace his destiny.  But it's also a confirmation that Daniels wasn't kidding when he said Archer was crucial to the future.  Whether or not he ends up captive of the Nazis for a time, we see him isolated from his crew by the end of "Zero Hour," and so it's is Archer and not him and his crew that Daniels is worrying about.  It's his choice to destroy the weapon personally that Daniels worries about, the risk he's taking, and Archer is transported to the past, and the rest of the crew, separately, too. 

In a last desperate bid, Daniels is responsible for transporting Archer and the crew to the past.  Happily, he sets about the circumstances that stop the alien Nazi and also Archer's declaration.  So Daniels has actually helped push Archer out of the conflict.  You kind of need the whole context to appreciate this, and so I give "Zero Hour" most of the credit for this.  It's appropriate for Daniels' ultimate role to be obscure like this, as his first appearance, in "Cold Front," features his rival Silik trying to convince Archer it's not so clear cut about which of them to trust.  But both Silik and Daniels, or versions of them, die in "Storm Front," Silik more obviously as a hero.  So it really does even out.

criteria analysis:

• franchise - The big conclusion to one of Star Trek's biggest arcs.
• series - And the setup to the conclusion of another.
• character - Archer's determination motivates him to the last of his extreme actions.
• essential - Provides the key to unlock the Temporal Cold War.

notable guest-stars:
Matt Winston (Daniels)
Scott MacDonald (Dolim)
Tucker Smallwood
Rick Worthy
J. Paul Boehmer
Jeffrey Combs (Shran)

Voyager 5x2 "Drone"

rating: ****

the story: A futuristic Borg is accidentally created.

what it's all about: "Drone" is often compared to Next Generation's "I, Borg" insofar as both feature a sympathetic Borg drone.  "I, Borg" was an instant revelation all the way around, not only for Hugh's appeal but Picard's shot at intellectual redemption from his experiences in "The Best of Both Worlds."  "Drone" doesn't attempt to make grand statements about the Borg Collective itself, but rather a companion analysis of what it means for Seven to exist outside of the Collective and retain her individuality.  It doesn't hurt that One is as appealing a drone as Hugh was, in his own ways.

The whole episode is an exercise in how much storytelling potential remains in the Borg.  "I, Borg" actually gave birth to a Collective in Next Generation ("Descent") that seemed to have been choked up by the hive mind reassimilating an individual.  The sophistication of the Collective was later expanded, first in First Contact and then in Voyager.  Some fans approach this with trepidation.  They don't like their treasured memories (the definitive "Best of Both Worlds," mostly) tampered with, and don't believe there is anything else to be gained from featuring the Borg in further adventures.

How One is created is itself fascinating, and may be one of the clues as to how the Borg came about (there's an explanation in the books, but as I like to say, I don't put stock in conclusions from the books).  Unlike every other Borg we've ever seen created, he isn't the product of assimilation, but rather technology that has sampled DNA and extrapolated a drone from it.  Some of the technology is from Seven, and some from the Doctor's mobile emitter, which was created from future tech (as seen in "Future's End").  The episode posits that the result is in fact a drone that suggests the Borg's future, and that One's main dilemma is falling into the hands of the Collective.  I find the reasoning a little spotty, as the Collective necessarily assimilates new technology all the time, and whether or not it's advanced for humans (the Vidiians, for instance, have medical technology far in advance of Starfleet's) is well beside the point.  But the drama remains.  If you interpret One's dilemma as merely deciding he doesn't want to join the Collective, regardless of the circumstances, it still works. 

A large part of the reason is does is the compelling guest performance from J. Paul Boehmer, whose last notable appearance was in "The Killing Game" as a Nazi, while he'd appear again in Enterprise's "Carbon Creek" as a Vulcan.  I always liked to think of him as someone the franchise would've eventually given a recurring role to if it hadn't ended the way it did in 2005.  He would've earned it with "Drone."  While Seven puts in a typically strong appearance, Boehmer carries the episode handily, which is a good result for any guest actor and rare enough to celebrate when it happens.

criteria analysis:

• franchise - An essential Borg episode.
• series - Affirms what Voyager had been doing with the Borg all along.
• character - Reflects the course of Seven's evolution nicely.
• essential - Even if you're not already hooked on the Borg, this is terrific drama.

notable guest-stars:
J. Paul Boehmer

Deep Space Nine 7x22 "Tacking Into the Wind"

rating: ****

the story: Worf must confront Gowron over his approach to the war, which seems aimed at bringing the Klingon Empire to ruin...

what it's all about: This is arguably the most accessible episode of the ten-hour final arc of the series, not only because it features a well-known franchise character (Gowron, who first appeared in Next Generation) but his final fate as well, finally elevating a well-established Deep Space Nine character (Martok) to succeed him. 

It's also the most focused and self-contained, in a truly rewarding sense, episode of the arc. "Extreme Measures," which follows "Tacking Into the Wind," handles a similarly episodic moment, but in a less satisfying way.  I mean, it's really hard to compete with Klingon politics, which arguably provided some of the best material of the franchise across several series and movies. 

And it finally gives Worf that truly definitive moment in Deep Space Nine.  Until this point he'd been completely out of place, even managing to retain that status when he found true love with Jadzia Dax, which is somewhat hugely impressive.  This began to change when he bonded with Martok, but until one was in the position to truly affect the fortunes of the other, they remained in a holding pattern. 

That changes in "Wind."  Martok is the source of Gowron's rage, a politician jealous of a warrior, and willing to destroy everything in order to exact revenge against his honor.  The Klingons never really had that full-blown war, either, just like the Federation, just like Star Trek, and so to see how things turn out even for a character like Gowron who had always been a fan-favorite, is to see just how significant the Dominion War really is.  You can ignore, if you like, everything else the war accomplishes, but when even Gowron isn't safe, it changes everything.

Anyway, the episode also has Kira and Damar very pointedly grappling with the irony of their present circumstances, Kira helping the Cardassians mount a resistance movement, and Damar grappling with breaking faith with his people, realizing that he isn't merely defecting from the Dominion but rejecting all the old ways that had once defined him.  With all due apologies to Garak, this completes Damar's transformation into the most sympathetic Cardassian ever.  It's the culmination of everything the series had tried to do with Bajorans and Cardassians from the very start.

Since the start of the war in the sixth season, the series had struggled to find moments like these, always playing it safe, knowing the box had to be replaced more or less exactly as it had always been.  But, with only a few episodes left, finally it was time to break some eggs.  And "Wind" does it in spectacular fashion.

criteria analysis:

• franchise - Classic high Klingon drama!
• series - The defining moment of the final arc, in some ways.
• character - Martok and Damar both make permanent marks.
• essential - The final fate of a franchise icon (Gowron).

notable guest-stars:
Robert O'Reilly (Gowron)
J.G. Hertzler (Martok)
Casey Biggs (Damar)
Andrew Robinson (Garak)
Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun)
Salome Jens (Female Founder)
J. Paul Boehmer

Enterprise 2x2 "Carbon Creek"

**

In a lot of ways, "Carbon Creek" is the "City on the Edge of Forever" of Enterprise.

Okay, call me crazy if you must, but hear me out.  When you strip the mystique and the Guardian of Forever from "Edge of Forever," it's basically an episode about traveling into the past and wondering what kind of impact you might have on the timeline.  "Creek" strips away one gimmick for another, having it be contemporary Vulcans visiting the past by way of T'Pol telling Archer and Trip a story.

It's worth noting that although I'm not terribly wild about "Creek," there do seem to be fans who are.  "Edge of Forever," naturally, is a classic.  It's practically the classic of classics, what many fans consider may be the single episode the whole franchise could pin its entire reputation on.

It's also a pretty thin story, once you strip away its bells and whistles, and that's where "Creek" has the edge.  Aside from the tragedy of Kirk having to sacrifice some broad he just met, the real achievement in "Edge of Forever" is how all the elements come together into a nifty package that makes you thinks and leaves you in awe.  "Creek" isn't quite to that level, but it may be a more satisfying experience.

T'Pol's ancestor (who conveniently looks exactly like T'Pol) is part of an expedition that accidentally gets marooned on Earth circa mid-20th century.  Not wanting to pollute the indigenous population with knowledge Vulcans are still going to keep guarded many years later even when humans are fully aware of them (oh, the ironies), the group attempts to assimilate into the culture, settle in like Vulcans always do, hiding their ears and whatnot (the way Spock does in "Edge of Forever"!), building ordinary lives in the belief they may be there awhile.

That's what the episode spends most of its time doing.  It's a T'Pol episode that doesn't technically feature T'Pol, a fairly bold choice for a young series.  It's also a rare chance to see Enterprise feature Vulcans who aren't suppressing rage over human illogic.

That whole storytelling thing, though, is a pretty important part of "Creek" as well.  It's reciprocated by Archer later in the season (the excellent "First Flight"), and what's more, allows T'Pol to relax and warm into her ongoing stay with humans, marking a better developing point in the mission than the preceding "Shockwave."  I'd go ahead and mark it as a full-out T'Pol episode if it featured her more directly.  Suffice to say, though, no matter how I rate it, "Creek" is worth the visit.

Of course, now that I've gone ahead and compared it to a classic, you may start behaving like some Enterprise Vulcans and suppress some rage of your own...

franchise * series * essential * character

Notable guest-stars:
J. Paul Boehmer

Memory Alpha summary.

Enterprise 4x1/4x2 "Storm Front"

**

The fourth season of Enterprise is generally regarded to be its finest, the year that finally started to tackle all the continuity points fans expected from the series.

Of course, before all that, the show's own continuity had to be acknowledged one last time.  Since the first episode, something called the Temporal Cold War had been a recurring element of the plot, a way to visit the far future while sticking to the past.  At this point in franchise lore, you must remember, each new series had always moved forward.  Enterprise was the first look back, as it attempted to illustrate how Starfleet and the Federation helped create a landscape that seemed fully formed from the moment the original series debuted in 1966 (this, of course, is hogwash: "Starfleet" as a term didn't spring up for years).

The creators of Enterprise thought they were having their cake and eating it, too, but fans were already discontent, had been discontent probably since 1994, when Kirk was killed off falling from a bridge.  They felt betrayed by Star Trek, and so started betraying Star Trek in droves, fragmenting the fanbase until it finally collapsed on itself.  In 2009, the reboot finally came, and by starting fresh, the franchise found its greatest success to date.

That goes to show that the fans who were convinced they knew how everything should be done maybe weren't as right as they thought they were.  They thought the Temporal Cold War was an unnecessary complication to Enterprise, and so "Storm Front" concludes the arc, sending Archer and crew to WWII, because for some reason Star Trek has always loved bringing back the Nazis.

On a purely intellectual basis, "Storm Front" is a worthy culmination of the arc.  Since it was long implied that the whole basis of the Temporal Cold War was the absurd logistics of carrying out a conflict across time, it makes sense that it ends with a questionable amount of satisfaction.  Both Silik and Daniels, key players from the start, appear, but their participation is a far cry from appearances like "Cold Front," the best episode of the arc.  Future Guy, the shadowy instigator of the whole affair, does not make an appearance, unless you subscribe to my theory that he's the alien Nazi Archer defeats.

And that's it.  Archer even states for the record that he never wants to see Daniels again, and wants no further part of the Temporal Cold War.  Message received.  In some alternate version of the series, which would have lasted the traditional seven seasons, you know the arc would have been heavily featured in the finale.

It's a fine adventure, but it's a clear blow-off, skirting the thing it's featuring, and while it's possible to interpret "Storm Front" as more significant than it appears to be, you have to massage the material.  In one way, it's essential to the series, but given its placement and treatment, you can also pretend, as the show itself wants to at this point, that it never happened.  In that sense, how you feel about "Storm Front" remains entirely your decision.

franchise * series * essential * character

Notable guest-stars:
John Fleck
J. Paul Boehmer
Tom Wright
Matt Winston

Memory Alpha summary, Part 2.

Voyager 4x19 "The Killing Game, Part 2"

***

The second half of "The Killing Game" has the benefit of the crew finally coming together and formulating a strategy, while the arc for the Hirogen also comes to a culmination. With the metaphor of the French Resistance during WWII, it's both a period piece and a fond sendoff to the semi-regular appearances of the Hirogen on the series.

It's essential viewing for both the series and the season, and for all Star Trek fans looking to complete their Nazi set.

Franchise * Series * Essential * Character

Notable guest-stars:
J. Paul Boehmer

Memory Alpha summary.

Voyager 4x18 "The Killing Game, Part 1"

***

The Hirogen go out with a bang after a strong fourth season effort in this two-parter that features yet another hostile takeover of the ship, this time with the crew being stuck into elaborate holodeck scenarios that allow the hunters to continuously track their prey, in ways that may prove a new future for the species.

It's essential viewing for the season and the series, a culmination of appearances for the Hirogen throughout the midpoint of the fourth season. Even though "Message in a Bottle," "Hunters," "Prey," and "The Killing Game" can be viewed separately, together they create a cohesive portrait for a Delta Quadrant species where very few others exist. Of course, by nature our crew can't hang around any of them for long, but the Hirogen benefit from more work than even the Talaxians, who are represented by Neelix for seven seasons, were able to muster, with a fairly complete understanding of who they are and where they're headed. Like the Kazon before them, they may not seem so different from Klingon warriors who live on hostile intent, but they've got ambition and nuance that suggests a culture that's living in the moment rather than in tradition.

It just so happens that some Hirogen are trying to come up with new methods other than actual murder to get what they want.

The particular method of holographic hunting the Hirogen eventually decide upon, Nazis, happens to be a franchise staple.

Franchise * Series * Essential * Character

Notable guest-stars:
J. Paul Boehmer

Memory Alpha summary.