Star Trek: Enterprise
"Rogue Planet"
Air date: 3/20/2002
Teleplay by Chris Black
Story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Chris Black
Directed by Allan Kroeker
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
"With respect, captain, I wonder if you would be so determined to find this apparition if it were a scantily clad man." — T'Pol
In brief: Well-intended but underwhelming, labored, redundant, and built on a completely illogical foundation.
"Rogue Planet" goes to great lengths to create and uncover a mystery whose solution is predictable, and whose reason for being is downright illogical. By the time the "mystery" was uncovered I was wondering why it had been allowed to be a secret in the first place, let alone a secret for so long. There's no rationale except for the fact the writers must try to entertain us with it. A few lines of dialog would clear everything up, but the guest characters — for reasons that are artificially imposed by the writers — don't divulge key information until late in the game, at which point I was wondering why they chose now to finally divulge that information. Meanwhile, the central subject of the mystery — a strange woman — intentionally creates confusion where it is not warranted.
Worse yet, this is a story that steps perilously close to being a total yawner, with the first three acts belaboring the same points repeatedly. It ends with your typical Star Trek respect-all-life moral — a reasonable message boringly conveyed. At the very least, the story is inoffensive and respects its emotional undercurrents, misguided as they may be.
The rogue planet (no star system so therefore no daylight, which begs the question — glossed over with useless pseudo-science — of how it can plausibly support so much plant life) is an always-nighttime hunting ground for a species called the Eska. They use this planet for safari purposes. Archer and his team come across three Eska (Conor O'Farrell, Eric Pierpoint, Keith Szarabajka) during their initial survey, and camp out with the hunters in the interest of cultural observation. One little character bit I appreciated was that of Lt. Reed taking an interest in the actual hunt action, for strictly tactical educational purposes, of course.
About here is where the central mystery begins. Archer starts seeing a beautiful, mysterious woman (Stephanie Niznik) who calls to him and says she "needs" him. She tells him he is not like "the others." Vanishes ominously. When Archer tells the others what he has seen, they write it off as hallucinating or dreaming. Meanwhile, Reed and the Eska go hunting and one of them is attacked with alarming swiftness and surprise, leading to eventual speculation that there's more here than meets the eye. But of course we already knew that, because if you're even remotely paying attention you know where this story is going from the moment the mysterious woman shows up.
Unfortunately, that's about all there is to "Rogue Planet." Acts two and three are drawn out and redundant, as Archer, convinced there's a mystery here that must be solved, is drawn into the forest where he again sees the woman, who has cast a strange spell upon him, and who again vanishes at the convenient time when T'Pol and Trip come near, lest they see her themselves and be convinced that Archer isn't imagining things.
The solution is that the woman is one of a race of shapeshifters indigenous to this planet. They can read minds, which is useful in defending themselves from Eska hunters who consider them to be the best hunting trophies. It's also useful in reading Archer's subconscious and predicting that he might take a moral stand against the hunters, which is why she has come to him asking for his help.
The problem is that the events of the story's construction are purely illogical if you step outside its need to create this artificial mystery. If the mysterious woman wants Archer's help, why doesn't she just ask for it and explain what she is? Why go to the trouble of speaking in riddles and ominously disappearing, prompting everyone else to think Archer is crazy? The simple answer is that because if the woman didn't create a mystery, this story would have little else to do and would be over in about 20 minutes instead of 60.
Similarly, we have the Eska writing off Archer's sightings. But they know about the shapeshifters and their abilities. Why don't they explain what they know? The obvious answer would seem to be because they know Archer would disapprove of their hunting of a sentient species — but no, because near the end of the story they lay all the cards on the table voluntarily. What makes them decide to do this, when nothing about the situation has significantly changed? This answer is also simple: because the story had 15 minutes left and it was time to uncover the mystery so we could now deal with its implications, leading Archer & Co. to help the shapeshifters by sabotaging the Eska's technology.
Aside from all the silly mystery plotting, "Rogue Planet" has a few good points. I liked the cinematography in the darkened setting. Allan Kroeker does a good job of managing space and motion on what is undoubtedly a few tiny sets. I also appreciated the sentiment behind the idea of reaching deep into Archer's subconscious and finding the image of this fictional woman, who has been in his memory since childhood and whom he hadn't thought about in years. It's an interesting idea with some nice psychological elements, employed by the plot, alas, in absolutely the wrong way.
The lesson here is in the tradition of enlightened Trek but far too derivative and obvious: Hunting sentient species is bad, and we should help those who are in need.
Perhaps another lesson to be learned here: The next time your life is in danger and you need help, go to the cops, but be sure to send them on a convoluted chase where the clues eventually lead them back to your actual problem. I'm sure they'll find the exercise a whole lot more interesting that way. Or not. Hopefully you won't be dead by the time they figure out the game you're playing.
Next week: Ferengi — just what the doctor didn't order.
Previous episode: Fusion
Next episode: Acquisition
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57 comments on this post
Sat, Sep 13, 2008, 5:34am (UTC -5)
Wed, Oct 1, 2008, 5:19am (UTC -5)
I know...cheap point!
Sun, Aug 22, 2010, 5:58pm (UTC -5)
Odo: I'm asking Commander Sisko for permission to go into the gamma quadrant. Dr. Morra thinks he may have found a clue to my past in some planetary ruins.
Bashir: Wait, I seem to recall reading the entire library of Captains Logs since the first warp flight one night for some light reading. It seems to me that - ah, yes. Computer, bring up the memory alpha page on changlings. You come from a scientifically improbable planet about five minutes away from here.
Odo: I've wasted my life feeling alienated for no reason.
OR:
Odo: I've come all this way, only to learn that my people aren't just a part of the dominion... They ARE the dominion!
Sisko: Wikipedia says there are also changlings on some random planet about 3 days east of here. Apparently, people hunt them.
Odo: Great, so either I'm from a planet of war mongering douches... Or a planet of pussies who live in the dark and let red neck aliens hunt them for fun. I'll just stay here, thanks.
Sorry, that comment brought out the deep space nerd in me! :)
Sat, Sep 18, 2010, 3:27am (UTC -5)
I agree wholeheartedly.
Mon, Nov 8, 2010, 6:23am (UTC -5)
Picking hairs, maybe. And I am usually good at suspending disbelief. But it was an unnecessary, implausible setting. Why not just a regular planet? The again, TOS had countless shows like this. I just kind of expect more nowadays.
But the lady was hot. And interplanetary hunters are cool. I found the anti-hunting morality play mildly offensive. I'm not one, but I'm aware that hunters are largely conservationsists (anyone notice the turkey is not extinct?). It's dumb liberal hollywood morality stuff like this that causes so many real riffs in our country.
Sun, May 1, 2011, 5:02pm (UTC -5)
I did like the idea of it basing itself on something it read from Archer's mind (even if I did think we were in for an homage to Red Dwarf's "Camille", and there was definitely a sense of that when she turned back into Blob) but everything else was just so half-arsed.
Still patiently waiting for something to be done really well.
Oh and it seemed like a parody of itself sometimes. Archer: "Have you ever known me to do something foolish?" - hahahaha what is this... Episode 18? Um.... about 18 times, Jonathan.
Wed, Oct 5, 2011, 8:48pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Nov 11, 2011, 12:39pm (UTC -5)
Ah, not even 10 minutes into it and the gloves come off: We're on an anti-hunting crusade this time around. "Hunting went out of style of Earth over a hundred years ago." Sure it did. And we're all 7umus-scoffing vegetarians. You know, I used to sneer at those Tea Party nutjobs who forever ranted on about the "liberal media" and "commie Hollywood," but I'm beginning to think they have a point.
I see El Capitan clearing the path later trodden by Good Kirk Humping. THe only difference being that whereas Kirk actually got some bootie, Archer is having to content himself (no pun intended...hehehe) with wet dreams.
Altogether, a lackadaisical and deeply uninspiring show, on a par with dime-a-dozen ST: T.O.S. exploits in/with the surreal. In fact, if I closed my eyes, Archer could just as well be Kirk.
Bleh. Next.
Fri, Nov 11, 2011, 1:05pm (UTC -5)
I guess that's because back then the point of the plot was not to peddle some politically-correct agendum.
So, what's on next week: Anti-guns, pro-choice or a reprise of the capital punishment? Funnily enough, I'm actually pretty liberal, but this kind of blatant propaganda really grates on me and actually pushes me in the opposite camp.
Thu, Nov 17, 2011, 12:45am (UTC -5)
Resequenced proteins, I believe. (And maybe they see a difference between hunting and growing on a farm; the former has the possibility of causing extinction.)
Mon, Jan 30, 2012, 2:33am (UTC -5)
So it's perfectly ok to breed animals to eat, but no hunt them in their natural habitat.
Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 6:59am (UTC -5)
Bah!!
Mon, Nov 5, 2012, 5:29pm (UTC -5)
Hated Archer's ever-sanctimonious anti-hunting lesson as well as Reed's ass-kissing. "I promise not to kill anything, sir."
Wed, Nov 7, 2012, 12:28am (UTC -5)
Although I did find the idea of given the wraiths a defense kind of... neat. Would have been more interesting though if the wraiths had attacked those cornered hunters. Hopefully as something more intriguing than tentacles. Then Archer would have had some consequences to deal with - his new defenses being used to set ambushes! Oh my!
@Michael: I also noticed Phlox's eagerness to interfere in "nature's course" this time around. On a 2nd viewing 'Dear Doctor' relies way too much on the faulty science. I still think that Archer made the right decision, hell even my wife who is as left as I am right, for once agrees with me. It just makes defending that decision pretty close to impossible.
Tue, May 21, 2013, 2:42pm (UTC -5)
Wed, Oct 1, 2014, 7:55pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Oct 13, 2014, 1:22am (UTC -5)
Wed, Nov 12, 2014, 5:35am (UTC -5)
Mon, Dec 15, 2014, 2:34pm (UTC -5)
LOL, I've often thought (and posted at least once) about how the folks on this board don't seem to get out much, and clearly that includes Jammer as well.
What has changed to cause the hunters to reveal their knowledge? Well, what are they all doing during that scene?
Drinking.
Hello???
I guess Jammer's never been out in the woods for several days hunting/fishing/camping/combat training or whatever with a group of guys. After a hard day or two humping around in the woods, it would be sacrilege not to unwind around a campfire with a few adult beverages of your choice. That's when the interesting convos always happen...
Thu, Feb 12, 2015, 3:25pm (UTC -5)
Oh look - a show about a planet where I have to completely suspend disbelief and all scientific knowledge, oh look theres some guys hunting alien lifeforms on this planet, I wonder if this is going to turn into a clumsy after-school special about the evils of hunting.......
Zero stars.
Fri, Mar 20, 2015, 11:25pm (UTC -5)
Hunting is unethical but eating animals is fine?
I'm willing to suspend disbelief on many fronts for a good narrative, but this is a bit too much. Even in an imaginary milieu, there has to be some logical consistency.
Tue, May 19, 2015, 7:17am (UTC -5)
How can you get past that?
How can we meet ANY species in the first season of this show that isn't well known by the time 1701-D is roaming the Alpha Quadrant 215 years later, not to mention Kirk and the boys on 'no bloody A, B, C, or D' in 110 years, for that matter.
And, oh yes. I forgot. We're going to meet the Ferengi next week with Neelix making an appearance. Why?)
And the Borg are coming....
We meet species Picard will make first contact with and we meet species within months at Warp 4.5 (hours, minutes at Warp 9?) that we'll never hear of again......
Why oh why.
We DID NOT need a Ferengi episode (and I like the DS9 Ferengi shows).
And now it's all reboot.
Profound sadness.
I grieve with thee.
Sun, May 31, 2015, 10:51pm (UTC -5)
And the problem of the shape shifters being so close to Earth might be solved if you assume it was a mental power of the wraith and they simply use their telepathy to fool a person into seeing a different shape instead of having the power to physically shapeshift.
I admit that the writing was a bit clumsy but I did like the idea of the wraith taking a forgotten image from Archer's mind in order to make contact with him. And finally Archer realizes why the woman seems familiar even though he knows he never met her. All in all even though it's not the best episode I though it wasn't bad. I mean come on, it's season one after all.
Fri, Apr 1, 2016, 9:43am (UTC -5)
Sat, Jul 9, 2016, 2:32pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Jul 9, 2016, 2:37pm (UTC -5)
Wed, Jul 20, 2016, 10:29am (UTC -5)
"Hot gas is vented from the planet's interior. Most of the life forms are concentrated in those areas." says T'pol... I can sort of accept that. Until recently no one thought live could exist in the very deep ocean... we know that's false. The part I had a hard time with was when Damrus stated there were "higher primates". Not sure I can accept that one. :-) I know most of what we see in SCI-FI is suspension of disbelief, but this is really stretching it for me, especially when you go to the trouble starting off so scientifically plausible.
Redd like new toys, T'Pol thinks Archer's aberration must have been quite the woman...
Blah, blah...
I'm not sure I can even match Jammer's score here.
I always skip this one. (and some more coming up)
I'll go 1.5 stars here.
Backula was not good in this one BTW.
Thu, Sep 1, 2016, 3:47pm (UTC -5)
The rogue planet setting - Neat idea, although implausible in the way it's portrayed here.
The "shapeshifter" - The source of her image was kind of an interesting one, but did the writers have to make her an actual shapeshifter? As people have pointed out, it really downplays the unique appeal of the shapeshifting species we meet later on in the other shows. Shaking my head...
Also, there's a horrible cut in this episode... Archer says "I'm not done here yet" *quick cut to* Archer sitting in a tent. Uh... what? It was very jarring and poorly handled... but I guess you could say that about the whole episode.
1.5 from me.
Sun, Sep 4, 2016, 12:24am (UTC -5)
Wed, Sep 28, 2016, 2:01am (UTC -5)
Mon, Oct 10, 2016, 6:16pm (UTC -5)
Yeah, that would form an atmosphere and could keep areas hot enough for life. But I don't think you would have enough light for photosynthesis-based plants...certainly not large jungle-type vegetation. The creators missed out on an opportunity to imagine truly alien life. I'm no expert, but I'd imagine the "plants" on such a world would have to be chemosynthesis-based, something like we find near undersea volcanic vents...although this would probably imply the atmosphere wouldn't be breathable to humans. Any "leaves" wouldn't be directed towards the sky, as there's no sun there.
---
For those who compare the doctor's decision here with his previous decision: I'm sure he would make the distinction that in the previous episode he was letting a planet's ecosystem sort itself out. In this episode, he's reducing the interference of an entity from outside the planet's ecosystem (the hunters). This is generally how the other captains interpret the (yet-to-be-issued) Prime Directive: if the 'problem' is internal, you're supposed to stay out of it (not that they always do that); if the 'problem' is from off-planet, they're definitely getting involved.
Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 2:04pm (UTC -5)
Otherwise the episode was a disappointment. Sure, a dark rogue planet could have volcanic activity that sustains life. But Earth-style jungle vegetation and breathable atmosphere?
If the goal was to do a cool night-time in the jungle episode, they could have made it less implausible using a different explanation. For example, the hunters could have explained their prey is strictly nocturnal. Or, they could have used some fancy orbital alignment explanation to have a planet with an extended period of night from time to time, such as in the movie "Pitch Black."
Plenty of others here have noted the anti-hunting message was entirely too obvious and belabored. But I had a deeper issue with it, even as a non-hunter. Does any hunter actually believe in going after highly intelligent, sentient animals? The classic story "The Most Dangerous Game," wherein humans were the prey of other humans, was not an anti-hunting story. What the Eska are doing here is much more like inter-species murder than it is like going on a wilderness trip and bagging a deer. Yet the murder question is not even raised.
Were the writers seriously equating hunting shape-shifting telepaths capable of advanced communication with the way people still hunt today? The two things aren't comparable, and this ultimately weakens the point the writers were apparently trying to make.
Fri, Feb 17, 2017, 6:36pm (UTC -5)
That said, I wondered why the shapeshifters didn't create an evolved society or at least an organized response against the hunt?
My guess is that they are NOT sentient, not as we know it anyway. They are higher animals which evolved a telepathic mechanism. This mechanism allows them to 'mirror' the way the prey/predator thinks, but only when it is nearby and for a limited amount of time. So near to a Human/Eska they are sentient in a way. Alone they are just animals. Ironically Captain Archer may have delayed their evolution...
This would also explain why it would be obvious to DS9 Humans that Odo is not related (he's sentient, and they aren't).
P.S. I suspect The women couldn't just talk to Archer because she was not able to. She needed to have him alone (doesn't trust others, and/or others create too much 'noise'), and figure out just how to explain to him and get him to side with her.
The first obviously doesn't occur often. The second may not be as easy as we think. Quite possibly the memory of the women was far more accessible to her than words like "hunt" or "help". How would we know what easier for a telepathic being? Perhaps the very concept of spoken language is difficult for her...
Mon, Nov 27, 2017, 10:14pm (UTC -5)
Fri, May 18, 2018, 6:30pm (UTC -5)
Obviously makes no sense for plant/animal life on a planet without a star -- no underground hot gases etc. should be able to compensate for lack of a star's energy (not to mention light for photosynthesis).
Also, these telepathic shapeshifters that need protection -- sounds like they have a leg up on the Founders as they're telepathic and can shape shift. The hunters should be no match for them. Didn't even learn much about the species from the episode.
Anyhow, this one is just too basic -- Enterprise gives the shapeshifters a way to mask themselves better when they're scared. So what. Could have wrapped up the episode in 15 mins. And I don't see why, other than the episode is coming to an end, that the hunters have to say what they're really hunting (and thus let Archer help the shapeshifters).
1.5 stars for "Rogue Planet" as it didn't come across as a stupid episode despite a rogue planet being M-class. This is just one of those episodes that the writers (all 3 of them) drew blanks -- there just isn't enough here. If this is supposed to be about banning hunting or some moral play on that, it fell flat.
Mon, May 28, 2018, 4:34pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 4:59am (UTC -5)
Sun, Jan 6, 2019, 6:27pm (UTC -5)
Tue, Jul 30, 2019, 12:07am (UTC -5)
Now,.however, he meddles in another people's.hunting ritual that they have been doing for years.
Hypocrite.
Tue, Jul 30, 2019, 8:19am (UTC -5)
www.imdb.com/name/nm0633318/?ref_=tt_cl_t8
https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/stephanie-niznik-dead-dies-star-trek-everwood-1203266197/
Tue, Jul 30, 2019, 11:36pm (UTC -5)
She also played the Trill navigator in Star Trek Insurrection.
RIP Stephanie Niznik, thank you for your contributions to the Trek universe.
Mon, Sep 16, 2019, 10:51am (UTC -5)
Thu, Oct 3, 2019, 1:36am (UTC -5)
Next, Jammer you call the plot "redundant" but you don't explain which part of the plot you're applying this word to, the mystery? As far as Star Trek episodes, I've never seen an episode like this, with aliens using a planet as their hunting ground, the planet is a rogue planet, and the species they are hunting is sentient. Those are three plot elements I've never seen in ST. This makes the episode fresh, original.
I will agree with you Jammer on one of your central points though. Namely that the mystery was contrived. You are absolutely right when you say that there is no reason for the mystery-woman to keep secrets from Archer and likewise there is no reason for the hunters to also keep the mystery to themselves until the very end, except of course that the show was ending and they had to resolve the conflict. This is just lazy writing.
I thought the resolution to be original though. Archer doesn't confront the hunters though he does discuss this with his bridge officers and realizes that confrontation is the wrong choice. I like that they at least discussed it, believable. Instead he gives the shapeshifters an advantage against the hunters. I'm glad there was no predictable confrontation scene, but not leaving the shapeshifters to their doom either. Strong episode overall.
3 Stars
Sat, May 23, 2020, 10:00pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Jun 5, 2020, 7:03pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Jul 26, 2020, 11:33am (UTC -5)
Sat, Aug 15, 2020, 11:34am (UTC -5)
First, I agree completely with @Capitalist, that a fews nights out in the woods, a camp fire, and liquor, will let a man admit things he wouldn't necessarily do under other circumstances. I think @Jammer was just too bored to notice.
By the time Keith Szarabajka is able to tell the Enterprise crew that they are there to hunt an especially cunning and intelligent prey, there is a level of apparent trust - especially with Malcom, who went with them on the hunt. That Archer betrays that trust says more about Archer than about Keith Szarabajka.
It is clear TPTB were going for a DS9 vibe with this episode. Aside from the shapeshifters, a closer analogy was to an early DS9 episode called "Captive Pursuit".
In "Captive Pursuit," Miles O'Brien makes friends with a creature from the Gamma Quadrant called Tosk, who is being hunted by other Gamma Quadrant aliens who came through the worm hole.
But of course what sells Captive Pursuit is not the hunt - it is the wonderful friendship O'Brien and Tosk develop ( https://www.jammersreviews.com/st-ds9/s1/captive.php ). Archer and the Lady of Shallot (or whatever her name was) never have that same chemistry.
Imagine Rogue Planet, but with O'Brien - instead of Archer - spending a few nights with these hunters. Drinking. Singing songs ( https://youtu.be/ali3c7FaQGU ) around the campfire. That would be awesome. Just goes to show you how much Archer dragged Enterprise down.
@Peter Swinkels is spot on. The magical forest atmospherics are fantastic. That makes this a 2.5 star episode for me.
Would it still be 2.5 stars if the apparition had been a scantily clad man? Probably not ;)
Sat, Nov 21, 2020, 10:27pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Nov 23, 2020, 6:25pm (UTC -5)
The basic concept for this story is sound, "rouge" planets (also known by several other names) have been discovered and are estimated to be profoundly abundant. Finding and exploring one should be an interesting experience without having to concoct a nonsensical (and derivative) story about hunters and shape shifters. It astounds me how often ST writers fall back on tired, regurgitated ideas. And not only that, but why, oh why should every new species they encounter basically just be another human variant with different bumps on their heads? Did anyone else notice how human-like the Eska behaved? Just forget for a moment how completely ridiculous it is for every single new species to be anatomically almost identical to humans. It's inexplicable how similar their behavior is. Same hobbies, same drinking habits, same tendencies toward gender issues, same deceitful nature...and that's not even scratching the surface.
Shall we question how, with an entire planet available, the crew sets their shuttle down within walking distance of the Eska's party? Shall we ask how this planet is not as cold as Niflheim? Why is there an oxygen rich atmosphere? Plants? Mammals? Just not possible. And I know this is picky but why do night vision goggles have to glow outwardly? They don't; that would defeat the purpose of keeping you out of sight while seeing your prey.
In many ways, the writing on ST: Enterprise regressed back to the days of TOS. The characters are often just cardboard and flavorless and the "plots" are comically elementary. After the TNG and Voyagers series, this should not still be happening.
Anyway, this episode rates a D- in my gradebook because of the unimaginative nature of the story and the points many others have made on the comments. I thought Jammer's review was dead on except I just couldn't give it 2 full stars. One maybe. At least episodes like this are good for one thing, curing insomnia.
Tue, Nov 24, 2020, 1:32am (UTC -5)
Many hunt in the area I live in, and I've gone myself before. We do not kill for sport, but actually eat what we hunt.
I would honestly like to know what the nay sayers here want the episode to be like. I read one response that they wanted the wraiths to be evil and trying to tempt Archer. Ok, that kind of thing has been done in episodes too, but Star Trek has always had episodes where the "alien monster" was not a monster at all (Like the Vorta in Devil in the Dark) Classic Dr Who did this as well (I am thinking of the episode " Doctor Who and the Silurians" in the Jon Pertwee era)
Thu, Feb 4, 2021, 2:00pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Mar 26, 2021, 8:16am (UTC -5)
1. The rogue planet 🌎 : When they detect a planet without a planetary system and they view it on the view screen they notice it isnt frozen but instead has plant and animal life. T'Pol explains that the reason this rogue planet is not frozen is due to the planets molten core still active and producing heat through geothermal vents through the planets crust creating many oasis around the planet that support life. Impossible? No, it is actually very possible that life can exist in the absence of light.
2. The mystery women/shape shifter 🌸👱🏽♀️🐖 : The reason why the mystery women took so long to explain herself was because she was always being spooked by other people which was a natural flight response. And she wasnt 100% trusting of Archer yet, so she was being very cautious and paranoid since they have been hunted for hundreds of years and Archer was the new guy that according to her seemed to be different. When Archer continued to seek her out and never once showed any form of aggression she knew that he can be trusted to help her people.
3. The Alien Hunters 👱🏼👨🏽👨🏾🗡🔪🐖🌴: The reason they didnt confess to Archer, Reed and Tpol in the beginning was because they didnt want them to know they were actually hunting a sentient species (frowned upon in ST universe) but when one of the hunters is injured they send him up to enterprise and he gets patched up and brought back down the hunters were grateful of Archers help that they began celebrating the hunters survival of the shape shifter and with alcohol 🍺 consumption they saw Archer trusting so they confess and brag about it and Archer plays along to see how much info the hunters will divulge now that they trust Archer with their secret. When the hunter said the creature releases a chemical enzyme when the shapeshifters are scared and thats how they are able to detect them Archer quickly devises an idea to help the shape shifters mask this chemical enzyme so they can have a very fair chance at survival.
Thoughts: The whole point of this episode was to be mysterious. You have 1. A mysterious rogue planet that has life on it. 2. The Mysterious hunters 3.The mysterious beautiful women.
I for one think the story of this non humanoid sentient species was very intriguing. And we were still left with the mystery of who are these shape shifters are they really not sentient like the hunters claim? And just give the illusion of sentience? or are they really sentient and talk and play like humanoids? do they have technology? This was a mystery episode its up to the viewer to extrapolate and dissect their own conclusion of this mystery.
Sat, Apr 24, 2021, 3:15am (UTC -5)
Thu, Jul 28, 2022, 6:45pm (UTC -5)
I'm not sure how you could reasonably test a telepath for sentience. Running a Turing test on an AI would be child's play compared to a "cunning but not sentient" telepath.
The planet could have life. Primitive, low-energy life. And certainly not an oxygen atmosphere -- it's way too reactive to be released from volcanic vents.
Thu, Jul 28, 2022, 10:13pm (UTC -5)
Good point about the redundancy of their powers, zz. This is an episode full of inchoate ideas that might be turneinchoated into something interesting but instead they just threw them all together and called it a day.
p.s. Why were Berman and Braga writing so many episodes of this series? Berman only had a handful of writing credits on TNG, DS9, and VOY, but he co-wrote almost 40 (mostly bad) episodes of ENT. What was going on?
Tue, Feb 7, 2023, 4:47am (UTC -5)
Mon, Feb 13, 2023, 1:56pm (UTC -5)
Enjoyed the episode, cool and mysterious rogue planet!
I liked the FX, the bioluminescent millipede was cool, reminded me of Avatar FX, and this was several years before that film!
Ok now back to the Enterprise for a
Nice juicy steak in the mess hall!
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