Date: November 4, 2021

Season 1, Episode 19

Music Video of the Day:

Interstellar News: Work was a little less busy today so I got the chance to see a dear friend’s new place. Post-dinner, I got to do another panel for my good friends on the American Sci-Fi Classics Track, celebrating Hocus Pocus. Professor Zoom and Thor got to make an appearance, it was a good evening… though I am hella tired.

TL;DR: A ship of Ferengi gas the Enterprise and start looting the place. Tucker is the only one awake, at first, because he was in the decon chamber. Archer is woken up by the Ferengi so he can tell them the location of “the vault” and T’Pol is woken up by Tucker to try to lure the Ferengi into a trap. The Ferengi, of course, are outsmarted and leave with nothing.

Favorite Quote:

Archer: Rules of Acquisition?

Krem: That’s rule number forty five. I’ve memorized all a hundred and seventy three, including the most important one. A man is only worth the sum of his possessions.

Archer: Back on my home world that kind of thinking almost destroyed our civilization.

Krem: You should’ve managed your businesses better. 

Ferengi wisdom comes in a book.

“No deal. I’d rather you take the women and go.”: I don’t know why, but I absolutely loved this episode and I laughed almost the entire time. From the Ferengi just completely tossing the place, to realizing it’s Ethan Phillips (who played Neelix) and Jeffery Combs (who has played everyone) as two of the Ferengi, and finally Tucker running around in his underwear for the first half of the episode – I was in stitches. For as many characters as Combs has played in Trek, including Brunt the Ferengi, I totally bought that he was green and just starting out.

I love how Archer tries to play along, he’s quite good at improv, and he promises to show them the “vault” and even negotiates with them. When that doesn’t work, he does his best to get into Krem’s head and start sowing some dissent. I cackled so hard when Tucker pretended that Sato was his wife and he got into a fake fight with Archer, I wonder how many times they had to film that scene. I also loved how T’Pol even got in on it by fake hitting on Krem. The fact that neither of them cracked a smile when Krem asked her to “stroke his lobes” is a credit to them both as actors. I couldn’t even type that without laughing.

There are a few small things that keep this from being a perfect episode. We supposedly make first contact with the Ferengi in “The Last Outpost“, and since this show happens waaaaaaaay before that – there’s a continuity issue. There’s also the fact that they say NOTHING about all of the females being clothed, though I do love that the crew is a good mix. But then there’s the whip that Ulis uses, which is a nice throwback, and the fact that Muk is so taken by Porthos. Speaking of my favorite beagle, Porthos is the absolute worst watch-dog ever. Despite these few small issues, I absolutely enjoyed this episode and give it 9 hours of cuddles with Porthos.

TA Out!

Date: November 3, 2021

Season 1, Episode 18

Music Video of the Day:

Interstellar News: Today was another incredibly busy day at work. I had a doctor’s appointment this morning and then went into the office for two virtual meetings and about 50+ emails. I’m close to being at the end of busy season, and it feels good. During dinner we watched Hocus Pocus, as I’ll be on a panel tomorrow evening dedicated to its anniversary.

TL;DR: The crew encounters a planet that has broken its orbit. It also happens to be the once-every-four-years hunting ground of the Eska (who are sort of like Hirogen or the aliens from “Captive Pursuit“). As they share a meal, Archer keeps seeing a beautiful woman. The “animals” the Eska are hunting are telepathic shapeshifters and they reach out to Archer for help. With the help of Dr. Phlox, Archer deploys something so the creatures can’t be found by the Eska any longer.

Favorite Quote:

Archer : Do Vulcan captains have their portraits hanging at the High Command?

T’Pol: Vulcans are revered for their accomplishments, not for the way they look.

Tucker: Except for the really important ones, who get mummified.

Archer is uncomfortable having his portrait commissioned.

“What are the chances you’d encounter a half-naked woman who you think you know dozens of light years from your home world?”: This was an interesting episode. In reading back through my “Captive Pursuit” post, Sisko was stuck behind the Prime Directive and couldn’t do much. Here, Archer has no such directive but he’s also trying to make friends and not enemies. It doesn’t take more than a minute to realize the hunted are sentient and that the Eska are being less than truthful – but the crew still helps where they can. Dr. Phlox is always on top of things and he’s so very compassionate. I did love the bit at the top where Tucker and Reed were comparing their merit badges in the dorkiest dick-measuring contest ever. This episode doesn’t leave much of an impression on me, though. It’s a cool bit of technobabble with a planet that’s no longer in orbit, and it’s interesting to meet a new species and have them discuss their traditions with the Enterprise, but it’s just some naked woman running through the woods and Archer being absolutely un-captainly running after her. I think that means it’s only 5 stuffies for Porthos to look longingly at, but can never destroy.

TA Out!

Date: November 2, 2021

Season 1, Episode 17

Music Video of the Day:

Interstellar News: It was an incredibly busy day at work. I’m so thankful the husband person took Monday off and did all of the laundry – because there was no time to do anything but put out fires all day. I managed to watch TWO episodes of Enterprise, though I barely have anything left to offer for today… so today’s post is going to be short.

TL;DR: The Enterprise encounters a ship of hippie Vulcans who do not repress their emotions and are not vegetarians. Tucker and Kov, their engineer, get along fine – asking each other questions about the other’s race – but Kov’s father is dying and wants to talk to him one more time. Archer encourages T’Pol to keep an open mind. She spends a lot of time with Tolaris who winds up physically and mentally assaulting her and Archer. The Vulcans leave and nothing bad happens to them… sigh.

Favorite Quote:

Tucker: “You probably don’t know this, but regret is one of the strongest emotions and one of the saddest. I have a feeling you haven’t had a brush with it yet, but it sounds to me like you’re pretty close. That’s something you might want to avoid.”

Tucker imparting some wisdom on Kov.

“Just because they smile and eat chicken doesn’t mean they’ve learned to master their emotions.”: I absolutely hate how there’s once again an episode where a female crew member is somehow assaulted and there’s no justice, no punishment, and no sign of any consequences. The bit about Tucker and Kov is wonderful, as well as the “lesson” on regret… but it’s all spoiled by the dude who can’t keep his mind in his meld. Dr. Phlox, at least, gives wonderful advice when he tells T’Pol to ease into things that these folks have been at for years. It was advice that she should have told to Tolaris, not that he would listen. But nothing bad happens to Tolaris and even Archer just gets thrown into a locker for his trouble. Such absolute bullshit. No treats for Porthos on this episode, it’s just one more bad assault episode that I won’t rewatch.

TA Out!

Date: October 25, 2021

Season 1, Episode 16

Music Video of the Day:

Interstellar News: Today began with some bad family news. It rained very hard almost all day and I feel like I wrote about 1000 emails just today. Not a great start to the week. I’m sure you never read any of these posts, but this one is for you Melissa. I hope you are at peace and have reconnected with your father and my mother, as well as our cherished grandparents.

TL;DR: Reed and Tucker return early to find Enterprise destroyed, except they really just took on some damage and are helping the Tesnians get home. Reed and Tucker are running out of air, so Reed ties up “loose ends” while Tucker tries to figure out how to get them out of this mess. They argue, get drunk on bourbon, almost freeze to death, and blow up their engine just in case someone is out there looking for them. Eventually, they wake up in sick bay.

Favorite Quote:

Reed: What would you know about being a hero? It takes nothing but a coward to crawl up inside a hole to die.

Tucker: Then go ahead and shoot me, but you better hope we don’t make it, because if we survive the first thing I’m going to do is bust your ass back to Crewman Second Class for insubordination.

Reed: Be my guest. I could use a little less responsibility. Now, get down here.

The absolute sass of Tucker and Reed!

“I don’t suppose you have a sextant handy.” “I left it with my slide rule.”: This episode boils down to The Odd Couple — in space! Tucker is an engineer and doesn’t believe in giving up. He’s constantly trying to work on the problem at hand, which is at odds with Reed who is both pessimistic and practical. He’s already analyzed it and feels he shouldn’t waste time, so it’s better to dictate letters home and get his affairs in order. How many times do people get to know when they’re going to die? It’s very Vulcan of him and annoys Tucker to no end. I think their arguing went on for too long and I just was bored of it after the first few minutes. My favorite parts were when they worked together – using mashed potatoes to plug a hole or getting wasted on booze. Reed’s dream about T’Pol was also interesting, not sure if that will be important later or if they’re all drooling over her because she’s in “that outfit” and they all see Sato as their little sister. Anyway, I give it a nice 4 mile hike for Porthos — gotta work off that cheese buddy!

TA Out!