The Enterprise encounters an enormous alien ship, one that even the Vulcan database cannot identify. No sooner has Hoshi attempted to hail the behemoth, than the Enterprise finds itself literally swallowed up by the vessel.
Inside the belly of the beast, the Enterprise crew discovers an incorporeal species with the ability to take over human bodies, exchanging their consciousness with that of the humans. A possessed Trip insists that they are simply interested in experiencing what it's like to be corporeal for a little while. When Trip is "returned," the creatures' expression of peaceful intent seems to be verified. But Archer isn't so sure, particularly when a full third of the ship's crew is taken over - with no assurances that any of them will be returned.
CHARACTERS
Capt. Archer: Deals poorly with being in a situation where he's left feeling helpless. He becomes snappish with T'Pol for little cause, and seems terminally frustrated through the episode's first third or so. Once Mayweather (actually given a little bit to do for a change) presents a possible course of action, he snaps back to life, doing an able job of protecting the remainder of his crew while directing Phlox to try to restore those already taken.
T'Pol: Her Vulcan Mental Discipline allows her to resist the creatures' attempts to take her over, and allows her to divine their exact plan. Prior to that point, she is the voice of reason for Archer, noting that the creatures are not necessarily hostile and observing that they actually keep all their early promises. She reacts well to the intrusion by the possessed Reed, defending herself without actually doing any damage to the human.
Dr. Phlox: Along with Archer, he's the first to be truly suspicious of the creatures. An unsuccessful attempt to take him over disturbs him, and leads him to go straight to the captain before Archer is even certain that the creatures should be treated as enemies. When the rest of the crew must shield themselves in the Catwalk (making this the second time that part of the ship has come in handy), Phlox is left to be the episode's "action hero," a role which he fulfilles uncomfortably - adding greatly to the amusement value. John Billingsley is, as ever, good value, and it's always good to see an episode that uses him well.
THOUGHTS
Well, I suppose this episode at least should be commended for trying to do something a little more interesting than just recycling a stock plot to a reasonable standard. It may be a bit of a pity that an intriguing first half turns into a fairly standard "Body Snatchers" riff in the second half. Still, it remains entertaining and engaging throughout.
The CGI representing the interior of the massive ship and the incorporeal beings themselves is beautifully rendered. Some gorgeous imagery, which helps to make the first half of the episode particularly strong. The situation is genuinely mysterious, and neither we nor the characters can be sure if the situation is actually malign.
It becomes much less interesting once T'Pol's Vulcan Voodoo (TM) - which has rules every bit as elastic as Spock's - allows her to ascertain the creatures' full motives. Still, even when it becomes a flat-out action thriller, it remains entertaining. It also makes good use of the characters, with Phlox forced to be the unlikely action hero and a possessed Hoshi being particularly creepy.
In the end, while the episode is not as good as its initial promise, it remains an entertaining installment.
Rating: 6/10.
Previous Episode: Canamar
Next Episode: Judgment
Search Amazon.com for Star Trek: Enterprise
Review Index
No comments:
Post a Comment