chunderfish

I agree that the show is getting better this season but is lacking from character driven episodes. The emphasis on Archer particularly this season has been a bad choice because he has become so one dimensional and therefore less interesting as a character.

But I don't find that I don't care about what happens - I think of all the incarnations of Trek these might be the ones I care most about and that is a tribute to the acting ability of the cast even given the fact that this season they have just been driving the narrative.

I'm afraid I can't figure T'Pol out this season - as a Vulcan I would have thought she would be practical above all else and perhaps , now that she is no longer a member of the High Command, wanting to blend in a little with her shipmates. So her hair would not have been coloured (never heard of a Vulcan doing that!) but perhaps just left to grow out a bit - and as for those in your face outfits I don't think so!! We all know why she is in those! I would have thought she should have no interest in her appearance above being clean and practical and she certainly shouldn't want to stand out out like the sore thumb she does.

I agree with the majority opinion that TV as we know it a thing of the past for our characters. There will be some kind of news and sports programming and an interest in old movies (and acting for that matter - we know that went on in TNG as did musical recitals). The arts have been portrayed as important in every series. Given the Roddenberry vision I think what has disappeared is the trash programming, silly soap operas, reality shows, game shows and movies made just for their effects, violence or sexual content. Humanity has wiped out poverty and one assumes, hopelessness. The need for this kind of escapism no longer exists as people are fulfilled in their lives and pursuing better and higher goals with no need to zone out in front of a TV for hours on end.

Yep - Hayes for me - especially after Harbinger where he was fab. Cole needs to die pretty soon but I really like the other dark haired girl - she's figured in a few eps and really kicks butt - I love her for not being outrageously attractive and having the kind of body that makes me think she could actually do the job.

I take my hat off to you again Jack for getting all this together - especially with your current problems!!** Maybe you ought to change your name to Smack Bauer?

I haven't read a great many of the Trek fics but Dark Mirror is the one that sticks in my mind as being a great story and extremely well written - I have vague recollections of not minding one called Intelivore too and Imzadi was good. Of the ones I've read - Peter David is the author to hit on.

The best Picard episodes are the one where we get to see the awesome talent of Patrick Stewart so they are The Inner light, Chain of Command Parts 1 and 2, and All Good Things. Darmok is wonderful for its great storyline too.

Gotta be Frame of Mind for the acting - and the portrayal of the fragility of mental breakdown - Frakes did a great job. It would be closely followed by Second Chances for me again for the acting against himself and the subtle changes he made for Thomas. Back to Frame of Mind though - seeing Data dressed entirely in black added to its plus points!!!

Well of the choices supplied it's Man of the People that I watch the most (closely followed by Eye of the Beholder) but actually the one I repeat view the most often wasn't on the list - Violations! A super story which is basically centred on Deanna. But what can you say - Marina Sirtis so nailed this character that I find anything that has her as a main storyline all too compelling - and I am female I might add!!

The line from Star Trek III where Saavik states;

 

 

Ponn Farr, Vulcan Males must endure it every 7th year of their adult lives

 

As far as evolution is concerned, given the lifespan of Vulcans is well over twice the lifespan of Humans (close to 200 years), then the Vulcans living in Ent's timeframe would be still living in TOS' time too. Evolution takes longer, given the lifespan of the life-form.

Nice one Stewey - now you've said it I do remember the quote. I guess we can rescue the writers halfway by saying that it doesn't necessarily exclude Vulcan females from going through 'something' every seven years but they have shot themselves in the foot by already calling what T'Pol went through in Bounty her ponn farr.

I am still interested in the biological consequences of this though since I can't understand how a species would be successful with different mating urges. This aspect of evolution would clearly be well in place thousands if not millions of years prior to the period of time Enterprise deals with. So what are the options?

Well I suppose first there could be no urge at all on the female side - they just lie back like damp sardines and think of Vulcan when their mates go through ponn farr because they have 'logically' determined that this must be endured to procreate the species.

Vulcan females could always be ready to mate - but I think the consequences of this are too far fetched. It would mean I think that the females would have developed as always on the look out for the males 'on heat' and there would probably be fights to the death to mate. And multiple matings for a male going through his cycle. Nothing we know of Vulcan bonding supports this idea - as far as we know it's once and for life.

Which means there they are in a relationship with only one going through a seven yearly cycle and the other either not caring or going through that same cycle. I've still got to come down on the side of a female equivalent to ponn farr - I don't think a species would evolve any other way. I can't think of a single example in the animal kingdom where mating urges aren't harmonious - it's just how species propogate themselves and survive from generation to generation.

Phlox is a great character and John Billingsley has done incredible things with him. I've only ever been reduced to tears once by Star Trek and that was his final scene with Sim it ws so beautifully done.

Oh Unicorn Hunter - you seem to take the words right out of my mouth. I find I agree with virtually everything you say. I totally agree that there has been no basis at all for this relationship - there has been no indication at all that either character 'feels' anything for the other. The lead up scene was completely devoid of emotional tension on both sides. And I am sad that the Spock/McCoy dynamic that did work for them may be lost forever.

And whilst agreeing that Mr Trinneer minus his shirt is certainly a wonderful sight to behold, I am furious that the most talented actor on the show has had nothing better to do all season. I know he was amazing in Similitude but that was not Trip - Trip has had no development at all.

If an Enterprise basher is someone that hates the show and wants everyone to know about it then they don't belong here. It's a difficult line to draw - Star Trek attracts an audience that is pretty intelligent and inquisitive and therefore opinions are bound to differ. There is no way any show is going to perfect for everybody but that sort of discussion is great and I have certainly had my thoughts altered and stimulated by boards like this one. I can't understand the mentality of anyone who would want to come to a place like this just to find people to pick on. It's a sad reflection of why Gene Roddenberry's vision for the future of humanity will probably prove to be a misguided one.

I'm really interested in what you have to say Stewey - I think using Spock as a benchmark is an ideal way to see what is wrong with T'Pol. He was half human after all and so has set down a pretty clear guideline beyond which she cannot go. As a full Vulcan she might be interested in studying humans but not at all in exploring her humanity - she has nothing to explore! There is absolutely no basis for what happened in Harbinger and it was written in such a way as to be detrimental to both characters. I am also interested in your point that Vulcan females do not go through ponn farr - could you let me know where that is stated? It seems a bit unfair - I think that even if they don't, evolution would have been kind enough to ensure that they operated on a similar seven year cycle or there would be a lot of frustrated Vulcan females about - wait a minute do we have an answer here??!!

I dislike T'Pol and Unicorn Hunter has obviated the need for me to say why. I agree with everything said in that post - and then some - especially the compatibility issue with Trip which made the whole of that plotline in Harbinger so impossible to believe!!!

I thought the fight and the chat scene were both fantastic. The Reed / Major Hayes dynamic was terrific and I want to see more. This was a great episode for Malcolm but for me it was the chat scene that just pipped the other - I guess it is just a case of whether you are more of a fan of action or good dialogue.

I think Archer is doing a pretty good job of turning against the crew without any help. He has cut himself off from any of the old relationship with T'Pol and Trip to single mindedly go after the Xindi weapon. It's coming over to me as a one man crusade, he makes no reference to his senior staff and became dictatorial from the first episode of this season. On one hand I understand it but on the other it is leaving him isolated with no relationship dynamics going on. I agree they need to develop this dark side if that is the way they want him to go because at the moment it is static and starting to get a little boring.

I was blithely under the impression that cancellation was not an option since the show has really picked up this season in terms of ratings. However I was a bit concerned by a comment Dominic Keating made on a recent chat on startrek.com which seemed to hint that everything was still up in the air.

Unicorn Hunter here are a couple of addresses I have used which I took from quite a list posted if my memory serves me correctly by Moulin Rouge - I'm sure a PM to Moulin would get you more information.

Mr Eric Kim

Director of Programming

United Paramount Network

11800 Wilshire Blvd

Los Angeles

CA 90025

Mr Earl Lester

President

Paramount Studios Group

c/o Paramount Pictures

5555 Melrose Avenue

Los Angeles

CA 90038-3197

Well I gave it 6.5. I thought it was in many respects a wonderful episode - Malcolm getting all the honours. It was such a contrast to the last few weeks, the flitting between plotlines really added a pace that has been missing. I think this served to highlight how detrimental it is to devote too much time to one character over an extended period i.e. Archer.

For me it fell on its bottom though with the entirely ludicrous Trip / T'Pol relationship which I am not even going to dignify by further comment.

I surprised myself and voted for Trip - I was all ready to vote T'Pol because of her breadth of experience in many fields but then I remembered that over the series I have seen Trip sit at every station on the bridge and handle it competently and use a certain amount medical knowledge too.

Gotta go with the one that gets all the screen time! So I voted Archer.

Having said that also full marks to Trip, Phlox and Reed for impacting my imagination with their characters to the extent they certainly have - especially this season where all the subsidiary characters (especially Trip) have suffered for the sake of action and Archer.

I don't think that anything that has been set in concrete has screwed up the timeline (I think we can argue our way around the Borg and the Ferengi easily enough) and I think that anything that looks questionable at present could be cleared up by the end of the Xindi story arc - we will just have to wait and see.

Someone mentioned about the foundation of the Federation not being mentioned in canon. Don't ask me which episode but I seem to remember the TNG crew sitting down to a game of poker and Deanna choosing 'Federation' where 2's, 6's and aces were wild because the Federation was founded in 2161.

I love this whole Klingon ridge argument - of course it's true that Kirk's Klingons were as they were due to budgetary constraints and naturally I think we would all be content to leave it at that were it not for Worf's remarks. Something happened, and I for one would love to see the show made that would explain what went on - it would be a classic!

lets digress for a moment, the VOY episode "The Chute" - a major character changing event for Kim and Paris.....why was it never mentioned again?

 

that is a very extreme and hollow argument....leave the bloody series alone until it is complete....then judge....how dare YOU judge a series based on a work in progress - where you havent seen all the episodes (even if their not made).

Em - excuse me - I don't actually see what point you are trying to make nor indeed why you feel the need to be quite so rude in making it.

And I DARE to make judgements because without making them I would have no opinion to voice and therefore no contribution to make. I love this show and am just trying to join in with the discussion.

And not being able to act doesn't limit Jolene Blalock's screen time.

:laugh: Agreed Agreed!!

As to Travis - well I don't think he gets a lot to develop does he? Having said that Sulu and Chekov didn't get tons but they certainly made their mark. I think the problem is that Mayweather is so 'featureless' as a character - I find I am not really interested in seeing more of him. It's a shame but either writers or Anthony need to inject a little 'oompf' into him to make him a character that we want to know more about.

Well I think that Xindi trench is a pretty big change to the timeline. I can't see how something that catastrophic would not be referred to in the future - and here's a challenge - I bet there's an external shot of Earth lurking somewhere in the other four series where we see Florida, Cuba and Venezuela happily intact!!! (I immediately went to First Contact but the Earth doesn't get round to America).

In fact the whole Xindi undertaking of season three seems so huge that it must have repercussions which of course we never hear of. Having said that, the season isn't over yet and they may have already thought of and answered this problem and yet the only way I can see them doing it is by having the whole thing not really have happened.

Oh yes!!! I too have downloads which are okay - but the quality is poor and of course no extras!!