Star Trek: Enterprise Reviews K

This is one of my posts where I “review” Star Trek episodes. I will be giving each one a star rating. I sometimes will make some comments about non-political parts of them that I like or don’t like. I’ll sometimes use the issues raised in the episode to discuss similar issues in real life. And I will sometimes simply high-light the progressive politics of ST. ST is in-line with the three original themes of this blog, as I explain in the first ST post where I offer some general thoughts about ST.

I’m not very familiar with The Original Series and there might be some small amount of material there that would affect what I say about Star Trek (i.e. how often religion is mentioned)

Lastly. multi-culturalism is such a pervasive theme in ST that I only comment on it when it goes beyond the norm (i.e. inter-species partners).

These episodes are more or less part of the Xindi storyline that lasts the entire 3rd season of Enterprise. For some introductory comments from me and a link to a plot summary of the first episode of this storyline, see this where I discuss the episode. “The Expanse” (which is the last episode of the 2nd season).

“The Xindi” See this for a plot summary.

Although it’s part of the Xindi storyline which is fairly political, this episode is relatively non-political.

I give it four stars out of five.

“Anomaly” See this for a plot summary.

This has one aspect that needs to be discussed, although it doesn’t “highlight the progressive politics of ST.”

While interrogating a prisoner taken during a devestating raid on Enterprise’s supplies, Archer first threatens torture and then actually engages in it.

The prisoner says, “I don’t think you’d be very comfortable torturing another man. You and your crew-mates are far too civilized for that, too moral.”

Archer replies, “I need what was stolen from me. There’s too much at stake to let my morality get in the way.” Then some hours later, needing another piece of information, he puts the prisoner in an air-lock and has it slowly de-compress until the very last second when he lets the prisoner out.

This sort of thing happened one other time in Star Trek. See this, where I discuss the two-parter “Equinox.” In that episode it was made fairly clear that Starfleet opposes torture- that doesn’t happen with this Enterprise episode.

I give this episode three stars.

“Extinction” See this for a plot summary.

Although it’s part of the Xindi storyline which is fairly political, this episode is relatively non-political. I give it two stars out of five.

“Rajiin” See this for a plot summary.

Two political bits:

1) There’s opposition to the trafficking in people (slaves, and in this case, specifically female slaves).

2) Archer once again indicates his willingness to violate someone’s human rights (this is not an example of progressive politics in ST; but it is the exception to the rule).

Rajiin: If I say anything else, they’ll kill me.

Archer: .... how do you know I won’t do the same?


I give this episode three stars out of five.