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Jul 22 | Comicmix posted the second part of their extensive interview with Star Trek The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton.
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By O. Deus / 07:39, 31 January 2005 / ENTERPRISE Reviews
Synopsis: Enterprise is sent to escort the Tellarite ambassador to a peace conference with the Andorians only to find themselves in the path of a mysterious ship sabotaging the talks.
Review: "Babel One" looks set to be the first episode of the first great three-part series, not only in this season of ENTERPRISE but of STAR TREK as a whole (which admittedly is not that difficult since there isn't all that much solid competition.)
Many of "Babel One"'s elements are admittedly not original. The peace conference and the enemy out to sabotage it for example are a staple of STAR TREK. STAR TREK VI's plot, for example, hinged around a peace conference and a staged attack using a prototype cloaked ship. ENTERPRISE's own pilot, "Broken Bow", revolved around Enterprise transporting a Klingon home while being ambushed by Suliban with special abilities. So did the season's closing episode.
But discarding the question of originality, "Babel One" is a strong episode that sets out the relationships between the alien species that will make up the Federation, features strong characters, decisive moves by Archer, cinematic quality direction, top notch special effects and a story that moves quickly and efficiently. Despite its status as a prequel to the Original Series and an episode that focuses heavily on Original Series species', including some we barely ever saw outside TOS, in many ways "Babel One" more strongly resembles a TNG episode. Indeed in its focus on diplomatic measures and alliance building, the conspiracies of the Romulans and the blend of humor and suspense makes "Babel One" far closer to TNG than any other series.
The camera work on "Babel One" at times moves into gimmicky range and is rather flashy but it's also enjoyable to watch especially during some of the Andorian fight scenes or Shran jumping down to the deck from above. The special effects are also excellent. The angle of the Tellarite shuttle's arrival is well done. Romulus is simply spectacular and the Romulan ship is massive and eerie in a way that suggests cinematic quality effects. Even the production values are well done with the Romulan ship's corridors appropriately spooky and alien.
T'Pol is flat this week again, though she really is given little to do, but the rest of the cast turn in solid performances. Archer is edgier now, and seems more willing to snap at Trip. Trip and Reed are recovering their relationship again and the actors play off each other cleverly and naturally. There's even a reference to "Shuttlepod One" in their banter. The one weak note is struck by Brian Thompson, best known from the X-FILES, who is hired primarily because of his size. Whatever menace he has is ruined however whenever he opens his mouth and he is rather unsuitable for a Romulan commander, as Romulans are expected to be clever and devious, rather than large and bombastic. Thompson would have worked well enough as a Klingon, but as a Romulan he's the dumb kid trying to play 3D chess.
From the clever Hoshi and Archer dialogue training at the start of the episode (though does Archer really need Hoshi to teach him how to insult people?) to the introduction of the Tellarites, the episode moves smoothly to intrigue and suspense and revelation. It's simple and yet ENTERPRISE's past seasons are littered with episodes seemingly incapable of mastering cohesion or style. Jeffrey Combs as Shran is an always welcome character and while his relationship with Archer is still often acrimonious, he clearly is letting his guard down more. Archer for his part clearly has a certain camaraderie towards Shran despite their endless clashes. It's a good thing too, as a character that has often come off as a weak and unprofessional starship Captain.
Shran reveals that like Archer he was also the commander of the first ship of its class and his revelation about Talas seems to tie in with Archer's own possible thoughts about T'Pol. And aside from telling us more than we needed to know about Andorian mating practices, this is the only weak point about the plot. T'Pol mentions that her 'divorce' from her non-husband is official and now suddenly her status is up in the air again. Reed seems to know that she and Trip had something together, though it's not clear how. Long after that storyline seemed to have been dropped, Archer is displaying an interest in T'Pol again. The camera angles in their scene together as Archer asks if "they're moving too fast" are a particularly odd touch.
Of course T'Pol had left her husband in "Kir'Shara" yet suddenly ENTERPRISE has defaulted back into its old folly of 'There's Something About T'Pol.' STAR TREK has not had a good history of crew relations. ENTERPRISE has had a thoroughly awful one. While some may pine away for the glory days of season three when T'Pol began losing her mind and giving Trip massages to help him stop stressing over the few million dead back on earth or "A Night in Sickbay" in which Archer worried desperately over his dog and T'Pol in that exact order of importance, the rest of us would rather watch reruns of Welcome Back Kotter translated into Norwegian than another painfully contrived attempt at romance. Let alone some abomination such as a storyline in which Trip and Archer fight over T'Pol. Personally I'd rather sit through The Passion 2: The Christening than Archer and Trip yelling over which of them will have the chance to spend the rest of their lives annoying each other to death. ENTERPRISE has an opportunity here, to explore interspecies relations minus the innuendo. Hopefully it will not waste it again in the hopes of luring a few fans with yet another pointless relationship or T'Pol in skimpy outfits. It did not work in season three or any other season. It will not work now.
"Babel One" is a strong episode at a time when ENTERPRISE desperately needs one. It contains many of the basic ingredients that can save the show and can make itthe series it was meant to be, about building the Federation and bringing us into the era of Captain Kirk's Enterprise. Many people accuse critics of Enterprise of hating the series. I cannot speak for everyone but I hope that ENTERPRISE survives. I hope to see a fifth season and a sixth one after that. I don't believe that will happen, though, without improvements in quality and without a shift in focus. "Babel One" is what ENTERPRISE needs to be doing if it is to have a fifth season.
STAR TREK is a great universe and it would be a terrible shame for it to die here and now. Much as when the fictional Enterprise is in peril, the power to save it lies with the writers. They can decide ultimately if it lives or dies by working hard enough and well enough and making the right choices to save the series. Ultimately it is not the fans or UPN who will keep ENTERPRISE alive, it is its writers. People like Manny Cotto, Mike Sussman and Andre Bormanis among others have shown they're capable of producing good and even great episodes. In their hands rests the future of the franchise.
Next week: Archer vs Shran, but where's the referee?
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| ENTERPRISE Mission Schedule | Logs by Season: 1 2 3 4 | ||
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I knew that goofy looking Romulan looked familiar!
You know, supposedly Enterprise had some budget cuts this season. But based upon the effects we saw in Babel One, you can't tell at all. I think this is the best we've seen these ships look ever in this series.
I only hope that "United" and "The Aenar" are as good as Babel One was.
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Quote from O. Deus:
"Babel One" is a strong episode at a time when ENTERPRISE desperately needs one.
No, it isn't. The lack of creative storytelling aside: Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and, as you hint, this episode is plagued by familiar and further ridicule of a Starfleet First Officer and Commander, a Vulcan, and the lead female character. The disgrace of T'Pol continues from previous seasons. Her dramatically lame divorce, and the reminder that she shagged a most immature Human for no reason but a drug-induced ratings grab, yet she somehow cherishes that, with another example of Tucker and Reed being used to highlight B&B's juvenile and degrading fascination with tits and ass.
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