ENTERPRISE – Season 3 Review
Page 1 of 10RATINGS:
A+
“Twilight”
“Similitude”
“Proving Ground”
“Azati Prime”
“Damage”
“The Council”
“Twilight” was the first reset-button episode of the series. It involved Archer losing his short-term memory and T’Pol helping him cope. It was a highly entertaining episode even though we knew he would regain his memory and everything would be reset at the end. It showed how T’Pol and Dr. Phlox were/are loyal to Archer.
Cloning was the subject of “Similitude” and although it was not as controversial as Voyager’s “Tuvix”, it did engender lots of discussion. Some felt that Archer in effect *murdered* Sim while others thought he had no choice. In any case, this was one of the best episodes of the season and very well-directed by LeVar Burton (“Geordi La Forge” of TNG fame).
The best of the Andorian-centered episodes so far, “Proving Ground” featured one of the coolest Andorians to date, Shran, played by the lovable Jeffrey Combs (DS9’s “Weyoun” and “Brunt”). We see the Xindi testing their new weapon and not working as Gralik, the Arboreal in “The Shipment” had sabotaged it. Everything clicked in this episode from the sharp writing, the great makeup, the impressive f/x, the music, the direction to the acting. One great, funny line came from Talas (“Molly Brink” who does a great job) when she tells Reed: “It’s not the weapon, it’s the soldier who wields it.” I love double-entendres.
One of the things that stood out in “Azati Prime” was Jay Chattaway’s great score and the visual effects of the underwater scenes of the weapon being built and the space battle. Here we find out finally that it is the Sphere-Builders who are behind all this; that they are the ones who told the Xindi that Earth would destroy them in the future. Enterprise is nearly destroyed and Archer is being held by the Reptilians. What will happen next?
“Damage” follows and we find the ship is still in bad shape. The attack on the ship by the Reptilians is stopped by the Council and Archer is returned thanks to the Aquatics. We find out why T’Pol has been acting so erratically since Archer’s capture; she is addicted to Trellium-D. Archer steals a warp coil from the Illyrians. Many fans will view this act by Archer as immoral but is it in the end? One of the Illyrians happens to be played by none other than Casey Biggs (“Damar” from DS9), another treat for the Niners.
“The Council” features one of the most dramatic scenes yet in a Trek series, that of Degra’s