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First Flight
Updated:
A reader pointed out that the bar 602 existed near the university Rick Berman
attended.
This is why, after 10 years, I still like to watch Star Trek on a regular basis.
After last week’s “swashbuckling” (to use the dreaded Braga/Berman phrase) Borg-action episode Regeneration, this weeks first out of the double bill of Enterprise episodes that night, could not be any more different from last week’s and offers a thoughtful character piece exploring the choices Archer made to become captain.
This is why, after 10 years, I still like to watch Star Trek on a regular basis.
After last week’s “swashbuckling” (to use the dreaded Braga/Berman phrase) Borg-action episode Regeneration, this weeks first out of the double bill of Enterprise episodes that night, could not be any more different from last week’s and offers a thoughtful character piece exploring the choices Archer made to become captain.
The basic premise: Shortly after Archer
received news from Starfleet that an old friend has died in an accident,
T’Pol and Archer are teamed up in a shuttle mission to explore a dark
matter nebula.
With the somewhat lackluster “Astronomic Phenomenon of the Week™" as backdrop and a slow start with a somewhat awkward teaser (could you please cram some more technobabble into the first two minutes of an episode? Seriously, are you trying to scare viewers off deliberately or make them watch the episode?) the episode gives all of the cast members involved and guest star Keith Carradine as A. G. Robinson an opportunity to shine.
Scott Bakula’s performance as he tells Trip he wants to go on the shuttle mission alone is top notch. The dialogue about technical aspects of the mission says one thing, but the acting conveys a feeling that is not mentioned in the dialogue. Clever writing and good acting like this is what the show needs more of, not flashy FX and event episodes.
Bakula’s portrayal of a younger version of Archer also came across as very believable. The differences between the younger and older Archer were both believable and easily distinguishable which helped differentiate the two interwoven timelines of the episode. It would have helped though if we were told how long ago the whole thing happened.
Seeing Bakula portray two characters in the same episode, be it one the younger version of the other, awakened fond memories of Quantum Leap, the show that made him a star among SF fans. The man is obviously able to act if he is given the right material. Now all the makers of the show have to figure out is how to make Archer a more consistent character and not a different type every episode to get away from the Janeway-esque “Archer of the week” effect that undermined the otherwise believable character.
Guest Star Keith Carradine also was a pleasant surprise. His portrayal of A. G. Robinson made him both likeable and a worthy opponent to Archer at the same time. The only regret I had when the episode was over is that the character was killed off, which will mean we will never (never say never in Star Trek though, right Spock?) be seen again.
As he was also up for the command of Enterprise he would probably have gotten the command of one of the next ships build. Seeing Archer and him team up on a mission would have been quite interesting, to say the least.
Hopefully the writers will realize that the whole concept of a small Starfleet in which all command track members should know each other at least in passing has some potential for future episodes. On TNG the storylines of old colleagues popping up always had some interesting storylines in store. At least most of the time.
The whole concept of a prequel episode of a prequel show might be a little odd, but the sense of adventure that comes across when the warp project is depicted easily makes up for this. The tone in which the entire episodes message of “taking some risks to get out there” is precisely what the creators of Enterprise have been promising all along but most of the time fail to deliver.
A nice continuity touch was the character of Ruby actually showing up in the bar scenes as waitress. She was fondly remembered by both Trip and Reed in last seasons “Shuttlepod One,” and seeing her here helps build the sense of a world being depicted.
It is somewhat ironic though that she surfaced in this episode as one part of the episode almost exclusively set on the same shuttle set in which Trip and Reed first mentioned her.
The explanation of how Trip and Archer met for the first time was also quite well executed. The line of Archer promising him a post on the ship he commands, should he ever get one, out of thankfulness for the help Trip offered, laid the basis for the friendship that the two have been shown to have for the last two years.
The only chance that was not taken was the exclusion of Soval as one of the Vulcans. While the Vulcans present had the needed “hovering over your shoulder” and “I told you so” attitude needed for this episode, the inclusion of Soval as one of them would have raised the things at stake even another notch and given him and Archer even more backstory for future episodes.
All in all a very well executed, well written and acted, not to mention very well directed (By LeVar “Geordie” Burton, no less) episode that shows the potential Enterprise has to tell good stories that explore the human condition without the need of explosions.
Although the explosion of the prototype ship was pretty neat to look at.
Coming up next: The producers show us Jolene Blalock’s acting talents and more shuttle sets in “Bounty”
Update:
Reader Fred Schepartz send in an eMail pointing out the following real life connection between Berman and the 602:
I have some inside info about the episode you might find interesting. The 602 Club is actually based on a real bar by the same name that used to exist here in Madison, Wisconsin. Apparently, Rick Berman used to hang out there when he went to the University of Wisconsin back in the 1960s.
I've been wondering about a Madison connection ever since Shuttlepod One aired last season. My curiosity was further piqued by the reference to Cyrus Ramsey, the researcher from Madison, during the Hoshi dematerializing episode. (Vanishing Point)
Also, I don't know if you noticed, but when Trip was throwing names at Ruby, one of the names he mentioned was Cyrus. Now, apparently, the mystery is solved.
I loved the 602 Club and was broken hearted when it closed in 1994. I was really hoping that my bar was the one referenced.
Read a newspaper article on the connections between Berman and the 602 here in the Madison County's The Capital Times.
With the somewhat lackluster “Astronomic Phenomenon of the Week™" as backdrop and a slow start with a somewhat awkward teaser (could you please cram some more technobabble into the first two minutes of an episode? Seriously, are you trying to scare viewers off deliberately or make them watch the episode?) the episode gives all of the cast members involved and guest star Keith Carradine as A. G. Robinson an opportunity to shine.
Scott Bakula’s performance as he tells Trip he wants to go on the shuttle mission alone is top notch. The dialogue about technical aspects of the mission says one thing, but the acting conveys a feeling that is not mentioned in the dialogue. Clever writing and good acting like this is what the show needs more of, not flashy FX and event episodes.
Bakula’s portrayal of a younger version of Archer also came across as very believable. The differences between the younger and older Archer were both believable and easily distinguishable which helped differentiate the two interwoven timelines of the episode. It would have helped though if we were told how long ago the whole thing happened.
Seeing Bakula portray two characters in the same episode, be it one the younger version of the other, awakened fond memories of Quantum Leap, the show that made him a star among SF fans. The man is obviously able to act if he is given the right material. Now all the makers of the show have to figure out is how to make Archer a more consistent character and not a different type every episode to get away from the Janeway-esque “Archer of the week” effect that undermined the otherwise believable character.
Guest Star Keith Carradine also was a pleasant surprise. His portrayal of A. G. Robinson made him both likeable and a worthy opponent to Archer at the same time. The only regret I had when the episode was over is that the character was killed off, which will mean we will never (never say never in Star Trek though, right Spock?) be seen again.
As he was also up for the command of Enterprise he would probably have gotten the command of one of the next ships build. Seeing Archer and him team up on a mission would have been quite interesting, to say the least.
Hopefully the writers will realize that the whole concept of a small Starfleet in which all command track members should know each other at least in passing has some potential for future episodes. On TNG the storylines of old colleagues popping up always had some interesting storylines in store. At least most of the time.
The whole concept of a prequel episode of a prequel show might be a little odd, but the sense of adventure that comes across when the warp project is depicted easily makes up for this. The tone in which the entire episodes message of “taking some risks to get out there” is precisely what the creators of Enterprise have been promising all along but most of the time fail to deliver.
A nice continuity touch was the character of Ruby actually showing up in the bar scenes as waitress. She was fondly remembered by both Trip and Reed in last seasons “Shuttlepod One,” and seeing her here helps build the sense of a world being depicted.
It is somewhat ironic though that she surfaced in this episode as one part of the episode almost exclusively set on the same shuttle set in which Trip and Reed first mentioned her.
The explanation of how Trip and Archer met for the first time was also quite well executed. The line of Archer promising him a post on the ship he commands, should he ever get one, out of thankfulness for the help Trip offered, laid the basis for the friendship that the two have been shown to have for the last two years.
The only chance that was not taken was the exclusion of Soval as one of the Vulcans. While the Vulcans present had the needed “hovering over your shoulder” and “I told you so” attitude needed for this episode, the inclusion of Soval as one of them would have raised the things at stake even another notch and given him and Archer even more backstory for future episodes.
All in all a very well executed, well written and acted, not to mention very well directed (By LeVar “Geordie” Burton, no less) episode that shows the potential Enterprise has to tell good stories that explore the human condition without the need of explosions.
Although the explosion of the prototype ship was pretty neat to look at.
Coming up next: The producers show us Jolene Blalock’s acting talents and more shuttle sets in “Bounty”
Update:
Reader Fred Schepartz send in an eMail pointing out the following real life connection between Berman and the 602:
I have some inside info about the episode you might find interesting. The 602 Club is actually based on a real bar by the same name that used to exist here in Madison, Wisconsin. Apparently, Rick Berman used to hang out there when he went to the University of Wisconsin back in the 1960s.
I've been wondering about a Madison connection ever since Shuttlepod One aired last season. My curiosity was further piqued by the reference to Cyrus Ramsey, the researcher from Madison, during the Hoshi dematerializing episode. (Vanishing Point)
Also, I don't know if you noticed, but when Trip was throwing names at Ruby, one of the names he mentioned was Cyrus. Now, apparently, the mystery is solved.
I loved the 602 Club and was broken hearted when it closed in 1994. I was really hoping that my bar was the one referenced.
Read a newspaper article on the connections between Berman and the 602 here in the Madison County's The Capital Times.
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Total entries in this category: 9
Published On: Sep 20, 2003 02:05
Total entries in this category: 9
Published On: Sep 20, 2003 02:05