Captain’s log: date unknown

Maria and Andre Jacquemetton penned this Phlox (John Billingsley) episode that first aired on 23 January, 2002.

Taking a cue from Next Generation’s Data’s Day, there are letters sent back and forth while the Enterprise is in orbit around a planet that is suffering from a plague. We get to see the beginning of the Prime Directive as things begin to play out through the episode, and episode that puts some tough choices for both Archer (Scott Bakula) and Phlox.

But Phlox discovers something about the other sentient race on the planet. And while there is a dramatic thrust to the plot, there is also a kind of day in the life feeling to the story which is nice, and gives us a glance at how things run on the Enterprise on a day to day basis, and how the alien doctor fits in with the rest of the crew.

In terms of continuity, Cutler (Kellie Waymire) makes another appearance, one that flummoxes the doctor, because she may be making romantic overtures towards him… or just being friendly. Porthos, the captain’s beagle, has a visit with Phlox, and is warned (again) about having dairy products. Movie night continues as well, with a screening of For Whom The Bell Tolls.

I also really enjoy the fact that we see lots of Hoshi (Linda Park) as she puts her linguistic skills, and the universal translator to work, not only to work on her Denobulan, which Phlox speaks, but those of the aliens they have encountered this week.

It’s an okay episode, but I do like the rest of the things that are going on in the story with the character moments.

Captain’s log: date unknown

Fred Dekker pens this episode that sees the Enterprise discover the wreck of a Klingon scouting vessel sinking lower and lower into the atmosphere of a gas giant.

First airing on 30 January, 2002, the episode sees Hoshi (who has gotten a lot of her anxiety under control), T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) and Reed (Dominic Keating) travelling to the Klingon ship (though they don’t know it’s Klingon until they arrive aboard) in an attempt to rescue any crew, learn more about them, and possibly recover the ship.

They are shocked to find that the ship is still sinking into the atmosphere of the gas giant, and that there are survivors (unconscious due to a neurotoxin) and that the Enterprise may not be able to get down into the atmosphere to reach them. The trio is going to have to figure out a way to save themselves, before the pressure crushes the ship.

We get another decontamination set scene by episode’s end, nowhere near as suggestive as the one in Broken Bow, and we also get to see Reed training crew, specifically Hoshi, on a phase pistol.

The Human Adventure continues next week as I explore more of the first season of Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete Series on blu-ray from Paramount Canada.

Boldly go…