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Enterprise
"Strange New World"
Episode 1.04
Directed by David Livingston
Story by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga
Written by Mike Sussman and Phyllis Strong
"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get you."
Oft-spoken by Fox Mulder in the halcyon days of The X-Files, it's a quote that I've stolen numerous times, because it's both clever and (sometimes) true. And it's also quite fitting for the lastest offering from Enterprise.
Still meandering through the galaxy, the crew happen upon an M-Class planet, i.e. suitable for humanoid life. While the scans reveal no signs of intelligent life, a survey team is sent anyway to do some routine science stuff. It's an overnight excursion, full with campfires, ghost stories, and Trip pitching a tent for T'Pol.
Anyways, before you know it, a storm hits our campers, and they're sent running for cover inside a cave. Once inside, however, the crewmembers start seeing and hearing things, leading them to believe that they're not quite alone after all... Things go from bad to worse as each person begins to become more and more paranoid, and before long, T'Pol is accused of holding back the truth, as Vulcans have been known to do, and phasers are drawn on one another.
Clearly, this episode was meant to generate tension, and perhaps a scare or two. And while it succeeded in being consistently entertaining, the direction could have much more stylish and atmospheric. Certain scenes were obviously meant to recall Pitch Black, but it was never anywhere near that ominous or tense. I also found the dialog itself to be wildly inconsistent. Where I do give it credit, however, is offering a compelling story without resorting to cliche story elements. I also really enjoyed the interaction (often combatitive) between Trip and T'Pol, who have become the two most interesting characters in my mind. His inherent distrust of her is well-deserved, and it certainly keeps things fresh.
BEGIN SPOILERS
In the end, there were no nefarious aliens. It was a simple explanation -- pollen from the mountains had been blown down during the storm, which was having hallucinatory effects on the crew. Eventually, the effects wore off.
END SPOILERS
Things we learn: the Enterprise has 82 crewmembers. Those little transport shuttles can't land effectively in even winds of 80 kph.
My favorite moment? Porthos, the dog, running off the transport and presumably relieving himself while Trip muses "Where no dog has gone before."
Episode Rating: 7 out of 10
-- Ultra Magnus
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