This episode is an alternate timeline story featuring an appealing story about Archer and T’Pol living together after a catastrophe. Archer cannot form long-term memories, so each day is new to him. T’Pol is his caretaker for 12 years until they can finally fix the problem that is affecting his memory. Her understated yet evident affection for Archer is wonderfully played. I like subtle emotional acting, and I liked seeing their relationship explored.
I really like B’Elanna Torres, and I like the relationship between her and Tom Paris. This episode was the beginning of their commitment to that relationship. The whole reason I like this episode is the moment that happens right at the end. Before that, it’s about B’Elanna struggling with her Klingon-ness and whether she should do the ritual for the Day of Honor. It’s also about Seven of Nine learning to be part of a different kind of collective where people care about each other and make sacrifices. The end is a typical trapped-in-an-elevator scenario, except that they’re in spacesuits floating in space. Will they be rescued? Will they profess how much they mean to each other? I like it when rascal Tom shows his sweet side and gruff B’Elanna reveals her soft side.
I love Quantum Leap, and when I saw that Dean Stockwell (“Al” from QL) was a guest star, I was thrilled. This episode does not disappoint. The fantastic chemistry between Stockwell and Bakula is still there. Plus, it was nice to get to know the Suliban as real intelligent beings, not creepy, super-enhanced beings with delusions of grandeur.
Again, I am not a fan of the Xindi season, but I really like how this episode changes Archer’s obsession with attacking the Xindi nto an obsession with taking care of young Xindi insectoids (they’re so cute!) in the hatchery. Under the influence of an insectoid chemical, he becomes the caring man I like instead of the angry man full of vengeance. Eventually, the crew is able to stop him from endangering the whole ship and revealing their location to the Xindi. And he still asks about the hatchlings to see if they’re okay. I love my caring Captain Archer.
I love T’Pol’s whimsey throughout the telling of this story, and I like the Vulcans being the fish out of water. We learn that the Vulcans visited Earth in the 50s and that at least some of them saw value in earthlings and even came to care about them. I liked seeing Vulcans shown in a better light than usual in the Enterprise series. I am charmed by this episode.
I am not a big fan of The Trouble with Tribbles. It’s all right, but I don’t like the insulting way Kirk treats Nilz Baris. However, this episode was entertaining, especially Dax’s childlike enjoyment of the whole thing. And it brings a more serious note to an episode that is otherwise a bit too silly for me.
This is a great episode, and I’m a bit surprised it didn’t end up higher in the ranking. It’s so touching how these logically thinking proto-Vulcans try to deal with seeing technology more advanced than their own. Some use logic, and some go back to less logical thinking. And then the feelings of loss at moments in the story are real and allow those characters to grow. Really well-written.
I was not a big fan of Lwaxana Troi when she first appeared. I found her annoying and over-the-top in a way I did not enjoy. But episodes like this changed my feelings toward her. David Ogden Stiers is so different from his M.A.S.H. character, and he is just lovely. Their relationship is touching, and the emotions they go through as their cultures clash take me through all the feelings. And then the resolution is tough and yet honest.
In this story, which starts out focusing on Wesley’s learning how to command a team, we see Data form a friendship with someone on a planet in trouble. His friendship with Sarjenka ends up causing a dilemma for the crew: do they help a pre-warp civilization survive or not? Data, the android with no feelings, is the one who forces the others to have compassion for this girl and her planet. The relationship between Data and Sarjenka is sweet and poignant. He leaves her sleeping with the Elanian singing stone in her hand. I’d love to know what she thought when she woke up, and I want a singing stone too!
I inexplicably like Neelix (I don’t usually dig comic relief characters), and I liked his relationship with Kes. I also inexplicably like Tom Paris (not a fan of “rascal” characters usually), but his affection for Kes is well acted and believable. And to resolve the tension between Neelix and Tom by having them care for a baby alien is a winner.
It’s obvious that Gene Roddenberry had a thing about interactions with gods or god-like beings. I’m not sure what that was all about, but it turns up in this episode as long-lived aliens who might’ve been progenitors of humans or at least mythical gods. There’s also the contrast of power in the hands of good vs. evil. But my favorite aspect of this episode are the intimate moments between Sargon and Thalassa. Diane Muldaur is wonderful, and I find their intimate moments endearing, especially when they must depart into oblivion; it is poignant and gets me every time.
A lot of my favorite episodes of Enterprise revolve around Trip. In this one, he sees someone who is left out and has compassion for them. The tragedy is that his honest care results in tragedy and shines a light on the difficulties of dealing with other cultures without understanding them first. I feel for Trip and for the cogenitor, so it breaks my heart that it doesn’t end well.
