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Enterprise
Episode 2.01, "Shockwave, Part II"
Written by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga
Directed by Allan Kroeker
Air Date: 09.18.02
Despite its unforgivable overall level of mediocrity, Enterprise's first season did end on a high note with "Shockwave". Archer was stuck with Daniels in a devastated 31st century Earth while the Enterprise was about to come under attack by the Suliban in the 22nd. While initially only the fate of the mission was at stake, now the entire timeline as Daniels knew it had been completely altered. Things looked pretty dire. B&B had actually delivered with a cool cliffhanger.
Unfortunately, I don't have much good to say about "Shockwave, Part II". Daniels is trying to explain to Archer that there is no way to send him back because all the technology has been destroyed in the altered timeline. Now let me get this straight - Daniels, a seemingly intelligent guy, is surprised that Archer's absence from history was catastrophic? He's from the future! He could he not know that Archer will (obviously) play an integral role in the birth of the Federation? But I'm getting ahead of myself. How exactly did Daniels and Archer even get back to the future if the technology was destroyed? Their forward progress through time should have ceased as soon as Earth was scorched in the new timeline. I think B&B knew none of this made sense, which is why Daniels said something to the effect of "This isn't an H.G. Wells novel, you couldn't possibly understand." Shit, I sure as hell can't either.
Anyway, moving on. Despite the lack of technology there, Daniels is able to rig Archer's communicator so that they can at least communicate with the past. (right...) So he's able to speak to T'Pol, who's been tortured by the Suliban, who have overrun the ship. If they can break out of their rooms and retrieve an item from Daniels room, Archer may be able to return to the present. Which really makes no sense... at all. But whatever. There were some redeeming aspects of this episode. Archer kicks Silik's ass once he's back, there's some gratuitously sexy footage of T'Pol and Hoshi, and Daniels mentions the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire for the first times. And the acting and direction, as always, were fine. The problem here is the same as always -- the writing. It needs help. Badly.
Even the final scene where Archer et al. argue with Saval on Earth about whether Enterprise should be allowed to continue or not is ruined by a truly awful analogy about humans not being like gazelles. Make the pain stop. Please.
Only in a world this unfair is genius like Farscape canceled and crap like this guaranteed for seven seasons. Let's just hope Firefly is better. Because after seeing the previews for next week's Enterprise - an episode where T'Pol's grandmother crash lands in 1950's Earth - I just don't know how much more of this I can take.
Episode Rating: 5 out of 10.
-- Ultra Magnus is continually astounded by how great this show could be, and how not great it is.
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