Captain’s log: date unknown

Brannon Braga and Rick Berman pen the first episode up this week. Debuting on 6 November, 2002, this Arher (Scott Bakula)/T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) story that ends up being a bit of a thriller.

The pair engage in the pursuit of a Vulcan fugitive, Menos (Bruce Davidson), who one eluded capture by T’Pol several years ago. T’Pol is initially reticent to open up to Archer about her orders from the Vulcan High Command, but when he learns that she needs a shuttle, and a pilot.

This chafes at the trust that has begun to develop between the two, but then T’Pol tells him what is going on. She served in the Security Services, and was sent to recover six fugitives that had gone ‘native’ and were surgically altered to blend in with the population he was working within. He is, in fact, the Seventh target, she has blocked one, something she remembers over the course of the episode – in fact, the memory was forcibly removed from her mind by the Vulcans.

She asks for Archer’s help, and that admission is the one that wins him over.

Travis (Anthony Montgomery) comes along as the pilot but is given the short shrift when it comes to action and dialogue in this episode.

But Menos is not everything the High Command and Ministry of Security are saying of him. Or is he? T’Pol begins to have her doubts.

In terms of continuity, Trip (Connor Trinneer) has come to enjoy water polo, thanks to Archer’s introduction, and he also makes use of the captain’s chef and dining room while he’s away. He’s also forced to pose as the captain when he has to interact with the Vulcan High Command. He’s also not quite as good as making command decisions as he thinks he is.

A solid episode, even if the acid-snow buildup thing doesn’t quite work.

Captain’s log: date unknown

Andre Bormanis penned this episode from a story by Braga and Berman. It first aired on 13 November, 2002.

When Reed (Dominic Keating) leaves behind his communicator on a pre-warp planet, he and Archer return to the planet to recover it, and end up being captured and accused of being spies.

With their capture, their captors learn that they aren’t like them, and this may cause even more problems with the civilisation, one that is on the cusp of a war that could threaten the entire population.

Meanwhile back on Enterprise, Trip and Mayweather try to figure out a way to activate the cloaked Suliban pod they have aboard in an attempt to rescue Reed and Archer.

It’s an okay episode, and the rescue of Reed and Archer is well-orchestrated and filmed, but it’s not quite as fun a tale as it could have been.

Thursday the Human Adventure continues as I delve deeper into season two of Star Trek: Enterprise. The Complete Series is now available on blu-ray from Paramount Canada.

Boldly go…