'Enterprise' and Star Trek Cognoscenti, Welcome!

[sunlion]

Speaking of Malcolm's parents . . .

I watch an old British comedy called 'Allo, 'Allo about occupied France. It's a very broad farce and I won't get into all the details, but one of the characters is a gay Nazi, played by Guy Siner. So I was watching Enterprise and Malcolm's dad looked familiar so I got online and looked up the cast and he was played by Guy Siner!

We have an on-going joke in my house that everything in life is somehow related to Star Trek. Usually my husband will say something and I see the connection, but this is the first time it's been something in my life, and the first international connection. What a trip! (Augh, trip, Trip, can't even say that any more in this context!)

 

[deb25]

Sunlion:

You are so right! I often watch a movie or show and have a minor player look so familiar. I rack my brain and often he/she was a guest star on some incarnation of Star Trek.

It reminds me of something called "The 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon", which claims that everything can be related back to Kevin Bacon in six steps or less. I find Trek to be the same.

 

[sunlion]

Okay, it's a new episode tonight and guess who's not watching it!

There's a special on about the White House and hubby had a really rotten day, plus he so seldom asks for specific programs, how could I turn him down? I hope I can catch it later in the week when it plays on another channel.

 

[deb25]

Ok, my new episode is taping as I type. Will probably watch it tomorrow and ring in.

 

[mr. cat]

This new episode was the most heartwarming and at the same time thought-provoking one I've yet seen. Since, however, some of you who may read this have not yet viewed the episode I shall present a censored version of my report.

The episode features [CENSORED]. He is called upon to [CENSORED] when Enterprise encounters a [CENSORED]. The [CENSORED] ask for [CENSORED], which is granted by Captain Archer. Thus, [CENSORED] and two other members of the Enterprise crew [CENSORED] and begin to [CENSORED] the [CENSORED]. [CENSORED] discovers the startling fact that the [CENSORED] are in on an inevitable path toward [CENSORED]. Although he finds a [CENSORED] for the [CENSORED], ethical considerations force him to confront the captain and suggest [CENSORED] be allowed to [CENSORED]. In the end, the captain agrees with [CENSORED] and a [CENSORED] is given the [CENSORED].

An interesting sub-plot involves a budding relationship between [CENSORED] and one of the crew. It's rather touching to see the two attempt to [CENSORED] each other! All in all, this is the episode I've most enjoyed.

=^..^=

 

[sunlion]

Let me guess, you worked for the secret service security office in a past life . . .

 

[adymarie]

I really enjoyed this episode! I feel that there was some great character development. (plus Porthos was in this one!) I found it interesting to here what was going on in Flock's opinion as expressed by his letter to his colleague. That was a good tool to provide us with more insight. I've to say - Flock is my fav character.

 

[deb25]

I taped, I watched, I enjoyed.

This series is coming into its own. I like the emphasis on Dr. Flox. I have been intrigued by him from day one. He runs rings around T'Pol. And because it is pre-Prime Directive days, you just didn't know if Archer was going to do the right thing or not.

Mr. Cat, thanks for the censored review. I know I wouldn't have been able to not read it. Then I would have hated myself.

 

[mr. cat]

Indeed, Dr. Flox via his ethics and subsequently Capt. Archer by his authority surely made thoughtful decisions regarding how far to go in helping the people on that planet. As you pointed out, their meeting of minds was all the more striking given the absence of standing orders (such as the future Prime Directive). In that regard, both Archer and Flox acted in concert to set a precedent — and a rather good one too, judging by regulations adopted many years later.

Dr. Flox seems "a man for all seasons": able to appreciate different species, willing to face challenges, professional at all times yet exuding an "open door" attitude, et cetera. And I love his menagerie!

:martian:

=^..^=

 

[sunlion]

I won't even have a chance to see this again until Saturday and y'all are making me so impatient! lol I'm dying to see the menagerie, I remember him using healing creatures on an earlier episode. Of course, lots of us cat people believe strongly in the healing power of animals!

 

[lotsocats]

I really liked the last episode. It was the best one yet!

Hey....what's the deal with the way T'Pol sits in the captain's chair when she's in charge of the bridge? Is it that her corsett is so tight she can't sit all the way down????? Oh well, at least the colligen injections in her lips are finally beginning to shrink!

oooh, I'm soooo petty! (Okay,truth is...I'm soooo jealous!

)

 

[deb25]

I'm sorry, the more I watch this show, the more I think T'Pol is way over board. Seven of Nine looked more natural, and she was part machine, for God sake! Those lips drive me insane, and exactly when is she going to lighten up? I am hoping that maybe next season she softens a little, as this season she just gets on my nerves. I grew up liking Vulcans; I think at one point I wanted to be one when I grew up. T'pol gets a big "thumbs down" from me.

 

[mr. cat]

As you may know, all too many web sites devoted to Vulcans are either extinct or dormant (red-X disease is present). However, I suggest those interested in things Vulcan check out the Vulcan Language InstituteÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] site. It's copyrighted through this year and there's not a red X to be found! Mainly, however, it's very interesting — fascinating, I might say.

:indiffere

=^..^=

 

[sunlion]

Thinking of T'Pol compared to Spock:

Do you suppose it has to do with our perception of what is acceptable behavior for men compared to women? I mean, we don't seem to mind a man being a little cold (though Spock had a sense of humor, which I don't know if these current producers got about him) but we expect women to be interested in relationships more than logic. I think that's why her costume is so form-fitting, too, since she doesn't "act like a woman" we need to be reminded that she is one. (when I say "we" I mean people in our culture, not just this little group here)

Another example might be, on TNG, counsellor Troi could not have been played by a man, even though there must have been male betazoids and there's no reason to assume men can't be empaths, because we would have wondered if he was gay. Or even that distinction between angry men and *itchy women which is so common in daily life. I think if T'Pol was any less rigid, it would be hard for her peers to take her seriously, but as she is, we find she doesn't live up to our standards of womanly behavior.

One thing I used to enjoy about original Star Trek was that many of the episodes gave you food for thought. It wasn't always in the stated story line with it's too-obvious object lesson, but it was there. And I think Enterprise have that effect too.

 

[lotsocats]

I think that the problem with T-Pol is the same one that (oh my, I just forgot his name....hmmmmm) the Vulcan on Voyager had in the first season. Whereas Spock had many subtle facial expressions and that great eyebrow, T'Pol is completely blank! Her eyes regester absolutely nothing. It is as if she is a machine spewing lines! If she were to study tapes of Leonard Nimoy doing Spock and then try to follow his lead, I think she would not be so unappealing.

So....since I initially had a similar negative response to the Voyager Vulcan (I can't believe I've forgotten his name!), I don't think its a gender thing. But, who knows???

 

[mr. cat]

Indeed, T'Pol does not register emotion via body language and facial expression. But, that's the way Vulcans are supposed to act! Spock was a singular character, in that he had human genetics as well as Vulcan. Tuvok from Stark Trek: Voyager was "all Vulcan," as is T'Pol. Anyway, it's only human to react toward Vulcans the way Leonard McCoy did!

:indiffere

=^..^=

 

[deb25]

Tuvok (and I can see lotsocats slapping her head as she reads) was an awesome character. He didn't have the human mix that made Spock unique, but he still managed to have a personality of his own.

I so have to agree with lotsocats: T'Pol sounds like she is reading lines off a cue card. YOu can be Vulcan without being wooden. Flox is a character that is obviously different from a human, but he gets it out in a way that gives you a sense of uniqueness.

Either T'Pol can take an acting lesson or 2, or perhaps go the way of Lt. Yar?

 

[lotsocats]

Could you hear the echo from my head slap?!

Yes! Tuvok! I didn't like him at first, but as he grew into the character, I really came to appreciate him and to consider him an asset to the crew and the show.

I agree with Deb. There have been many Vulcan minor characters who, even though they are "emotionless" they are not wooden and you can see their personness (is that a word?) in their eyes. But, T'Pol is a bored board who can't sit down in a chair.

 

[deb25]

Don't worry, lotsocats. We won't drum you out of the thread.

 

[sunlion]

I like Flox, but he could easily be terminally cheerful. He smiles almost too much, but every now and then it slips so perhaps he is nervous or has learned that the smile has significance to humans.

I might get to like T'Pol in the next season, if they give us some more background on her. I'm thinking, her comments to Flox suggest she might have had some kind of romantic involvement with a human. Remember they have that 7-year cycle - Pon Farr, right? - and she's pretty far from home after all. Plus there are a bunch of guys who'd like the challenge of melting the ice princess, so I'm sure she got her share of , um, attention. I know it was only 2 sentences, but it showed a lot of insight and I think even a female perspective. (How many of us remember, from our dating lives, all those guys who were only interested until the novelty wore off or they, ahem, achieved their goal? Not just for ourselves but our female friends too.)

I have no idea what I would have done, if I were Archer. I mean, hte urge is to help, though getting swamped like that would have frustrated me no end. How can you not alleviate the suffering? But how can you contribute to the subjugation of another species? Did he tell them they were going to die out, that it was genetic and probably irreversible? I wonder if I would want to know that.

But I like that it asked a "big question" about life and interfering. In the long run, what difference does it make? If the idea is true - that if 2 humanoid species are evolving side by side on the same planet, only one makes it to warp capability - then they are not really changing anything. The current dominant species will continue to weaken and the other one will continue to strengthen and they will overthrow them eventually anyway. It might even work to their advantage by giving them a chance to evolve further before they are dominant so they are stronger for it, kind of like keeping your child home an extra year to mature before starting school.