Plot – Star Trek is all about space exploration and seeking out new life and so heading to a rogue planet that is uncharted and exploring is possibly the most authentic episode of Enterprise to date.
Apparently hunting went out of vogue on Earth over a hundred years ago, Archer alludes to, although I wouldn’t say he is particularly concerned with the fact that these people are murdering the indigenous population of the rogue planet.
Character – Early scenes of Enterprise discovering the rogue planet play out like episodes of Voyager; inoffensive but completely unmemorable characterisation on the Bridge (in Hoshi and Mayweather you could swap for Chakotay and Harry Kim, for T’Pol swap Tuvok) as the latest scientific miracle turns up on their doorstep. Comparing their exploration to the boy scouts is very apt because that is exactly what it feels like, a group of over excited children stumbling on exciting discoveries in the woods. I certainly wouldn’t suggest they come across as seasoned professionals going about their work.
Production – I love new tech on Trek and the eye software that allows them to see in the dark is really nifty. Bizarrely the scenes set on the rogue planet manage to create an atmosphere (the lights are turned right down and smoke is constantly being pumped into the forest sets) but contain absolutely zero suspense.
Worst moment – There’s a very odd scene where Archer gets a strop on because it’s okay to hunt wild boar but it’s not okay to hunt a sentient species. That’s double standards, surely? It should be all or nothing in this case and how Archer goes from wry amusement when he looks down on the hunters for their savage sport to outright disgust because the woman he fancies is in danger from them really showcases this character at his basest level of stupidity. The more time I spend around Archer, the less I find I like him. Scott Bakula tries to make this material work (look at the gleam in his eyes when he realises who the woman is) but he is fighting an uphill battle throughout the episode. It’s like the creators of this show went out of their way to make him incompetent in the first two years of Enterprise and I cannot fathom why they would do that.
I wish they hadn’t done that – A Siren calling out to Archer in the night? As soon as the hunters suggested that the hunted should not be underestimated, I feared that they might take the sexy feminine victim approach that TOS would have been all over. I rather thought Star Trek was better than that at this point in its history. There are far too many scenes of Archer being enraptured by the Siren in the night, scenes that I’m sure are supposed to get the heart thumping but thanks to a fairy-tale score lack any tension of any kind. They are repetitive too, playing out across several acts with nothing added to make you want to experience Archer chasing the beautiful lady once again. This really is Star Trek for simpletons, lacking any dramatic worth. Doesn’t it make Archer look really stupid for falling for the charms of this woman? Surely anyone with a grain of intelligence would recognise that a hunted victim would try and garner as much sympathy as possible.
A reason to watch this episode again (or not) – This isn’t just vanilla Enterprise but vanilla Trek. There isn’t an original idea in the pot and whilst the director finds some interesting ways to serve it up, it still tastes bland and unseasoned. Enough with the food metaphors, Rogue Planet might be the reason that you are drawn to Star Trek (exploring the unknown, sexy women in the forest, banter amongst the crew, a new alien race) but it certainly isn’t mine. I prefer the franchise to be more character focussed and to have a grittier edge to it. Gene Roddenberry probably would have greenlit this episode but that doesn’t mean it is any good, just that it buys into his approach with the Original Series and The Next Generation. With DS9, parts of Voyager and even later Enterprise you have a franchise with much more dense plotting and vivid characters. These first season Enterprise episodes represent a step back for the franchise, in more far more ways than the fact that this is a prequel series. The occasionally visual flourish impresses, and I did like the fact that this flirts with being an ensemble show but on the whole this is one to skip. Archer seems especially green.
** out of *****
Clue for tomorrow's episode:
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