Sleeping Dogs

ENTERPRISE: "Sleeping Dogs" Discussion Thread...
SuzyQ -- 30 Jan 2002, 13:39 EST

...When Enterprise comes across a wounded Klingon vessel, T'Pol, Hoshi and Reed take a shuttlepod down to investigate. There they are ambushed by a hostile female Klingon who hijacks the shuttlepod, leaving the Enterprise crewmembers dangerously stranded aboard the Klingon vessel. Now it's up to Archer to take the Klingon under guard and enlist her help in rescuing his crew.

Director: Les Landau Teleplay By: Fred Dekker

SuzyQ

Suzy, Suzy, you forgot to list the best thing about Sleeping Dogs....
Eric -- 30 Jan 2002, 14:09 EST

Hoshi in her Undies + Decon Jelly!!!!

*pant* *pant* *pant*

Eric

Woof, woof!
AC -- 30 Jan 2002, 20:54 EST

Reed in his skivvies. Need I say more?

Well, yes. This was a FUN episode. The crew is learning a lot more about the Klingons! I really liked Archer's solution of finding a way to needle the woman about the dishonorable death her crew would have if they died in the atmosphere as a goad to getting the repairs done.

Hoshi and T'Pol are getting along much better. I like Hoshi's increasing maturity, as well as her being able to admit when she's having trouble. Likewise, T'Pol has gone from being openly contemptuous of Hoshi to understanding her nature and *gasp* offering help.

Poor Reed. Allergies, and now the common cold. He seems much less uptight around Hoshi now -- perhaps that little misunderstanding where he thought she was coming onto him broke the ice between them?

Trip didn't have much to do, but he looked awfully cute doing it.

As for the final scene, let's hear it for equal opportunity gratuitous eye candy! The cynic in me will note that although Reed has nothing to be ashamed of in the abs department, it looked as though the actor was sucking it in. And Hoshi looked a little knock-kneeded, but it was probably the camera angle. And didn't Hoshi and Reed look *cozy*!

All in all, a fun episode to watch.

AC (yes, still here, but lurking most of the time)

Re: ENTERPRISE: "Sleeping Dogs" Discussion Thread...
Carson -- 30 Jan 2002, 22:26 EST

I've only posted a few times. I mostly like reading what everyone else has to say. But there was one scene I just don't get. Maybe I missed something. Archer reads a file on Klingon behavior. He has come in contact with the Klingons two times before. It just seems he would have looked at this info before now.

Sleeping Targs
Eric -- 30 Jan 2002, 23:11 EST

Quick Non Spoiler Take : I see London i see France i see Hoshi's Underpants! ________________________

SPOILERS The Klingon Empire does not want you to see you PAH'TAK!

10

9

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7

6

5

4

3

2

1

BAM! Make that three in a row! I KNEW this one was gonna be a keeper, but i had no idea it was going to be THIS good!

It's simple really, Malcom and Hoshi are the two best characters and put them together with a quickly improving T'Pol and watch the sparks fly!

I have a new favorite episode and it's Sleeping Dogs, this one just zinged. The dialoge was almost Buffy quality with the fast one liners and for the first time i was seeing Archer as a CAPTAIN.

It took awile, i never hated him like others here but he was a little slow. Tonight he was dead on. VERY nice and Trip was being his Bones to the letter. Very well done.

ALL of it was well done. I love how we are playing catchup to the rest of the galaxy. I love how Hoshi is the first one to offer friendship to T'Pol since in a way she is a outcast as well since she is so unsure of herself, but like T'Pol is trying to fit in. I love how Malcom can even be caught off guard. I love how on Enterprise a character can just have a cold and it's NOT part of the main story. He just has a cold.

I loved the female Klingon and i love how Archer finaly won her trust. I loved the little coda at the end.

But most of all i love how Trek is back and back in a big way.

10/10 or USRDA Grade A Trek!

Eric

Re: ENTERPRISE: "Sleeping Dogs" Discussion Thread...
displaced nebbie -- 31 Jan 2002, 01:31 EST

Nice to see my two favorite people coming to a rapproachment. I always wondered if being able to converse in Vulcan (Strange New Worlds) would be the ice breaker between these two ladies, but instead it was Hoshi not being afraid to admit to her own insecurities. Now if she'd only offer Hoshi some of her nasal numbing gel when on Klingon vessels...

Also nice to see that Trip isn't the only one to look good without his shirt!

Question. How come when people sneak down hallways or into shuttle bays with guns looking for the bad guys, they never use their tricorders to see which corner the bad guy is hiding behind?

D47

Uhhhh,
displaced nebbie -- 31 Jan 2002, 01:34 EST

Because his Vulcan library card was held up in the Star trek mail pouch?

So, how's (?) Atlanta? Weather up here is finally going to turn nasty this week.

D47

How about becuase they haven't been invented yet?
Eric -- 31 Jan 2002, 08:38 EST

At this point they only have some kind of sensing device, and it looks like only T'Pol knows how to use the thing, at least i only remember her using it.

Eric

Re: ENTERPRISE: "Sleeping Dogs" Discussion Thread...
Marie -- 31 Jan 2002, 09:32 EST

My favorite part of this very good episode was in the Klingon ship when Hoshi was trying to interpret the consoles. She found the weapons console, mentioned photon torpedoes..... Notice how quickly Reed was over her shoulder?

Good god, it's an ensemble show!
Ronit -- 31 Jan 2002, 09:45 EST

What fun it is to see them mixing up characters in different combos.....

....... particularly ones that work. T'Pol, Sato and Reed are sooooooooooo much better than T'Pol, Tucker and Archer.

Ronit

I thought that was funny, too.
Vickie -- 31 Jan 2002, 10:08 EST

Hoshi says "photon torpedos" and Reed is there! You could almost see the smoke trail he left as he blazed across the room.

Vickie

Yes, I must say...
Vickie -- 31 Jan 2002, 10:15 EST

...that the decon scene was even better than I expected. An excellent ending to an excellent episode.

Have I mentioned yet that I really like Reed?

Vickie

Another good episode
Ruth -- 31 Jan 2002, 10:30 EST

Count me among those who thinks the show and the cast are really beginning to come together. I was looking forward to the show because Landau was directing, and I wasn't disappointed. Like Eric, I've never really hated Bakula's Archer, but I think he's doing a better job as the time goes on and as he gets a bit more comfortable in the part.

ENT is also continuing its trend of strong ensemble shows, and that makes me very happy. And Reed and Hoshi are really beginning to rock as characters. I still can't warm up to T'Pol (and I admit, a lot of it is the way they dress her to highlight her assets, but I'm trying to look on it as a classic comic book style and not just gratuitous T & A.)

But speaking of gratuitous T & A.... whooo whooo! Gotta love the fact that this show is continuing its tradition of stripping down the boys as well as the girls. And a fine tradition it is.

Ruth

What I loved.
Nina -- 31 Jan 2002, 10:51 EST

In the coda scene in decontamination, when Phlox called to say they could leave now - Reed and Sato didn't budge, so T'Pol got up and walked around them to the wall-mounted communicator. They looked at her like a couple of kids pleading with a - camp counselor? Favorite teacher? - anyway, an authority figure whom they liked and trusted. "Help! Don't turn us in!"

I loved it that she "got" the look, and played along with it. She's starting to be a Vulcan in the grand tradition of Spock and Tuvok.

Re: Suzy, Suzy, you forgot to list the best thing about Sleeping Dogs....
Sherry -- 31 Jan 2002, 13:03 EST

How did I know you'd mention that, Eric?

Of course, Reed wasn't half bad either! In fact, it was a good scene. It was good to see the three crew members taking a minute to relax and rest, made them seem more three-dimensional and natural. (I can't very well say "human," after all.)

Speaking of which, I liked the way T'Pol began to became more flexible in her strict adherence to the super-Vulcan model of behavior. She's beginning to see that human individuals and human ways have value, too.

Sherry

P.S. Oh, yes--Eric, I'm surprised you haven't mentioned this. I much prefer Hiroshi's choice of nether undergarments to T'Pol's. And Reed kept them both good company!

Re: ENTERPRISE: "Sleeping Dogs" Discussion Thread...
D -- 31 Jan 2002, 13:48 EST

[Some of this has already been mentioned, but I'd already written this before reading the posts.]

Funny watching this and seeing all these things we know about - gagh, Targs (this is the first time I recall actually seeing one), photon torpedoes, Vulcan meditation techniques, etc. - but that are totally new to the crew. About time Archer looked at the Vulcan data on Klingons, something he should have done in the first episode, since Q'unos was their destination.

Sato's finally caught the exploring bug and started to get into the adventure. She may still be scared at times but she's learning to handle it, which is good - she couldn't have continued to be as skittish as she was in the beginning and still be believable as a senior officer. And she must have been practicing with the phase pistol - this time she seemed to know how to handle it.

One thing I like about this crew is they admit when they don't know something or feel uncomfortable in a situation. They're not all expected to have more than rudimentary knowledge of technical stuff the way everyone on the 24th century shows did, or react to the things they encounter as just another day at the office. So Sato can say she's frightened, Read can admit he doesn't know enough to get the engines working and even T'Pol can answer some questions by saying she doesn't know.

Poor Read - first the allergies, now a cold. They've cured cancer but they still haven't cured the common cold . Might make it easier for the actors if they really have a cold or the flu, though. I'd guess the decontamination chamber, since it cleaned all the gunk and sweat off them, is the forerunner of the sonic shower.

T'Pol is finally loosening up a bit - helping Hoshi with the calming technique and siding with Sato and Read for another 1/2 hour in the "sauna", even admitting its pleasant. Sounds like she's finally gotten accustomed to humans - "I don't smell anything".

We had a Targ sighting on TNG....
Eric -- 31 Jan 2002, 14:03 EST

....i can't remember the name of the episode but it was the one where they were all seeing images of their past. I know it was an early one since Tasha was still around.

BTW the TNG Targ did not look nearly as cool as these did!

Eric

Re: How about because they haven't been invented yet?
Deb47 -- 31 Jan 2002, 16:51 EST

Actually, Mr Hoshi, I think your Hottie was using it while on the bridge to tell us there were 9 other Klingons on board.

Of course,my recall may need to be recalled...It might have been T'Pol using it instead. Still, at least it shows they had one on board the shuttle/klingon ship.

Their lack of use isn't a deal breaker with me.

I chalk it up with those similar dramatic "Memory Lapses" (on the writer's part) that are seen in modern day cop and robber tv shows. Instead of just picking up a phone to call the damsel in distress and tell her there's something bad about to happen (or call the cops and have them rush over), the hero has to jump into a car, drive at 90 miles an hour across town, just so he can arrive in the nick of time to save said damsel.

D47

I like this combo a lot, too.
D'Alaire -- 31 Jan 2002, 17:53 EST

The plot was predictable enough, and Archer still doesn't impress me (though he was surprisingly not as annoying this week), but, like others have pointed out, the character combination this week really worked well--mainly because they did just that: Worked together.

I especially like the camraderie between Reed and Hoshi, and how T'Pol mixed with them both. The scene where T'Pol, without complication, shows Hoshi the concentration exercize was great--my only complaint being that it wasn't drawn out more. (I give credit to see its effect in Hoshi, however. ) I hope there's more of it later, then. That really was a good moment between them.

I didn't really catch on to any tension in their plot/plight (been there too many times, I suppose, and catching the Klingon woman was just too easy--frankly I could have done without the subplot), but it was a good spotlight and follow-through for Hoshi, Reed and T'Pol nonetheless, another step for all three of them, and enjoyable for that.

The ep: Where No One Has Gone Before.
D'Alaire -- 31 Jan 2002, 17:57 EST

The beginning of Wesley, Boy Wonder.

The Targ was cute, though.

Re: Uhhhh,
Carson -- 31 Jan 2002, 18:32 EST

You're close, I"m actually in Alabama. But the weather has been great for the past three days. It was 76 degrees today. But it supposed be in the forties tomorrow.

Don't forget Toby the Targ! (NIM)
Terry -- 31 Jan 2002, 19:01 EST

I was talking about "real" targs, not stuffed toys :;
D -- 31 Jan 2002, 19:09 EST

And I don't remember that TNG episode - I only saw the first 2 seasons after the show ended and I tend to ignore most of them. That targ probably wasn't as memorable as this episode's CGI versions anyway.

One of the things I like about this board - whole sub-threads developing on minor points in long posts.

Well... I thought it started with an "A".
Deb47 -- 1 Feb 2002, 17:24 EST

Freezing rain this morning... but warmed up by afternoon. Now the wind is blowing so hard I despair about keeping the car on the road for the trip home.

76 degrees?

ABOVE zero?

D47

I really loved this one!
Mindy -- 1 Feb 2002, 18:44 EST

It wasn't that the plot was so original or that there was any doubt that all of our heroes would get off the Klingon ship...

...it was the dialogue and the camraderie and the wit and the ensemble acting that really made this a nice one! It was one of the shows that is really about the characters, building their relationships to each other and to the underlying mission.

And I loved that last scene in the "spa."

Mindy

I thought it was GREAT that Reed had a cold!
Mindy -- 1 Feb 2002, 18:49 EST

It just so humanizes the whole show, y'know?

Mindy

I agree with you, Eric, about Archer
Lauren -- 1 Feb 2002, 22:56 EST

I never disliked him, I just felt that there wasn't a whole lot of substance to anything that he said or did. I really liked him in this episode, trying to put himself into Klingon boots to try and think as they do. He was much more captain-like than he had been. I like Bakula and I thought from the beginning that if the writers gave him good scenes that he would be great as Archer. "Sleeping Dogs" proved this belief, for me.

Some other likes (sorry if others have already mentioned them):

-Reed's helping Hoshi with her target practice. I also noticed that several times on the Klingon vessel, those two were awfully close together, as they were in the final decontamination scene. After that awkward misunderstanding when Reed thought that Hoshi was coming on to him when she was only trying to discover his favorite food, could these two be getting much more chummy?

-I also liked Reed's behavior on the Klingon ship, especially when Hoshi was trying to translate the words on the consoles and she found the weapons one and he was there in a second.

I have to admit that I haven't been as enamored of Reed as many others on this board. Although he's nice-looking and has a cute accent--and the actor does what he can with very little material--his personality has been almost non-existent. The above-referenced "awkward misundertanding" scene with Hoshi aside, I didn't feel that it shed much light on his character at all, even though that was the whole point of that week's B plot--that no one on Enterprise really knows Malcolm. All we really found out about him from that episode was that he's kind of quiet, loves pineapple, suffers from various food allergies (this seemed strange to me, somehow not what I expected of a gung-ho weapons officer) and has a father who seems to be a real prick. In "Sleeping Dogs," however, I feel we got a much better look at him.

-T'Pol and Hoshi. I'd like to see this friendship develop. I always like to see strong friendships between female characters. Neither one of them really wanted to be part of the crew in the first place, and by now--how many months out?--they both are fitting in much better.

-I really like the actor who places Tucker (sorry, the series is still new and, except for Bakula, all the actors are new to me too. Since I watch the show on tape at 9:00 each week once my son is in bed, I always fast forward during the opening sequence--still don't care for it much--so I keep missing the actors' names). A lot of actors can do good work when given really meaty lines, not all of them can strike that balance between not disappearing into the scenery and not stealing a scene when they have less to do. Tucker can easily become a very cliched character; I'm happy that thus far he hasn't.

-Besides the character stuff, the episode was fun. This is one time when knowing more about Trek than the characters made it fun. I enjoyed the landing party's discoveries about the Klingon vessel--such as the gagch(sp??) in the galley--much more because I already knew what it was.

That's all I can think of for now.

Lauren

PS Would someone email me and tell me how to inject those fun smiley faces and thumbs up icons into my emails. I see them when I go to post but am unsure how to access them myself. Thanks!

Re: board smileys
Terry -- 1 Feb 2002, 23:49 EST

Jules has a nice help page with a smiley section. Look at the bar above the board. Or use this link:

http://www.coffeenebula.com/board/help.php#smileys

Thanks, Terry (nim)
Lauren -- 2 Feb 2002, 00:30 EST

Good point, Lauren, regarding female friendship on ENTERPRISE (and ST in general)
Mindy -- 2 Feb 2002, 10:24 EST

I would love to see the Hoshi/T'Pol relationship explored and deepened over the series's run...I hope Jeri Ryan is digging her elbow into Braga's ribs at night and reminding him to keep up the strong women characters! (Somehow I can see her doing that, too!)

Someone must be talking to Braga and Berman, because we really have seen some nice development of the women aboard ENTERPRISE. Not just T'Pol and Sato, but also Ensign Cutler, whom I love. She sorta reminds me of a happier, healthier Abby (from ER); she even looks a little bit like her to my eyes.

All the women are really bringing their acting cojones to their roles, imho, and I have a feeling none of them are shy in speaking up in defense of their characters and/or themselves as actors.

This is the best portrayal of women in the ST universe I've seen since DS9 and its rich multiplicity of women characters.

Sisterhood is still powerful 150 years from now!

Mindy

Mindy, those were the reasons I enjoyed SLEEPING DOGS
david g -- 4 Feb 2002, 13:29 EST

And i love the decontam scene and its wonderful blend of humor and eroticism...this has been quite the week for me--i just got to see Clark and friend in a similar scene in SMALLVILLE!

i love Hoshi, Tpol, and Reed, so it was great to see them togther.

but somehow the plot was just too lacking for me--and however great the trio were, they had hardly any interesting stuff to do or say...and why was HOSHI, much as i like her, the one to suggest the best torpedo plan?

the Klingon woman was not uninteresting, but isnt it a little early for the Klingons to be the butt of the joke? Arent they supposed to be scary in ENT?

dg

Well, I liked it.
G'Inny -- 4 Feb 2002, 18:24 EST

Not as much as last week's episode, which I thought was the best outing since "Unexpected", but this was very enjoyable, purely as a character ep. I tend to agree with David that T'Pol, Hoshi, and Malcolm really didn't have a lot to do except panic, try a few desperate measures, and wait to be rescued, but I'm willing to forgive a lot in plotting for good dialogue and character development.

That said, I'm already tired of the Klingons. Hell, I was tired of them by the end of the pilot. There are so many more interesting TOS races to get to know. Can't we punt these vile, loutish, smelly, uncivilized anti-intellectuals back into obscurity for a while?

Final oservation...equal opportunity semi-nudity is a good thing. We are pleased.

I'm with you on the Klingons, G'Inny
Vickie -- 4 Feb 2002, 19:38 EST

I liked TOS Klingons. They were slimy, sleezy, sneaky bad guys but they weren't, as G'Inny says, "vile, loutish, smelly, uncivilized anti-intellectuals." I hate what TNG and DS9 did to the Klingons. In fact, I find it impossible to believe that a race as combative, uncooperative and disdainful of any strengths or skills that don't involve bashing someone over the head could *ever* manage to make it into space at all!

Vickie

The Klingon leader of ERRAND OF MERCY, Vickie,
david g -- 4 Feb 2002, 19:49 EST

was crafty and sly--no less compelling than Kirk.

I dont really understand why the Klingons arent being given more of a due in ENT...theyre either jokey as they are in SD or wounded as they are in the premiere...i want to see the Klingons, if we must, as terrifying, cunning foes, not as background.

thugh i enjoyed PROPHECY a lot in VOY S7, i was disappointed that we didnt get more "archaic" scary Klingons.

dg

Yeah, I know what you mean.
Jules -- 4 Feb 2002, 19:50 EST

The TOS Klingons had honour. The TNG and DS9 ones just talked about it a lot.

You think it's the weight of all those forehead ridges giving them headaches and making them grouchy?

Jules

Agree with you both, Vickie and Ginny
david g -- 4 Feb 2002, 19:53 EST

I want TOS style Klingons, too--and i thought we'd get them on ENT!

what races from TOS might we more profitably see on ENT, by the way? how about those thieves...the orion syndicate?

hey, i want to see a green-skinned Orion slave girl, and/or boy!

dg

ps. i DID love the beautiful moment in which Tpol helped Hoshi...and i may use that meditation technique myself in these job-hunt-stress days....

Number 3 on my list of all time favorite TOS eps, David.
G'Inny -- 4 Feb 2002, 21:38 EST

Although it occasionally swaps places with Balance of Terror in fourth place. Depends on whether I'm in the mood to find Kirk more or less fetching than usual in that short tunic.

What *was* that Klingon's name...Koloth? Played by the wonderfully over-the-top John Colicos. He's the kind of Klingon I had hoped to see in ENT, but, alas, no. We're stuck with those violent, in-fighting brutes from DS9. How did they *ever* develop warp technology?

The decline started on TNG...
G'Inny -- 4 Feb 2002, 21:49 EST

...but DS9 was the absolute ruination of the Klingons, in general, and Worf, in particular. That, along with "Waltz" and the mind-numbing war arc that rendered Season 7 nearly unwatchable, is why I don't tune in to DS9 reruns.

As for the relationshp between forehead ridges and mood, I don't know, Jules. But I'd bet dollars to donuts that having their cleavage cinched up to their chins is what made the female Klingons so testy.

Koloth? No, that was Kor!
Terry -- 4 Feb 2002, 23:39 EST

The very first Klingon, too, and probably the very best. He was so energetically and unapologetically ruthless. And expected and hoped his enemies to be likewise.

I have to agree about the Klingons. TNG and DS9 created a cult of adoration for the Klingons and their honor. One that I never got. Personally, I always thought of them as a bunch of stupid Neanderthals hiding behind a code of ethics that allowed bullies and braggarts to thrive. Honor, my ... foot.

Strange that the same show that wanted to show how human society would grow and mature into a gentle, tolerant, and generous society so often seemed to denigrate that same society as a bunch of degenerate cowards next to the strong, honest Klingons.

Kor wasn't interesting in honor. His only redeeming character was the love of a good fight from his enemies. And his total lack of morals. Such unrepentant amorality is entertaining.

That's right. Koloth was in "The Trouble With Tribbles".
G'Inny -- 5 Feb 2002, 00:11 EST

"My dear Captain Kirk." "My dear Captain Koloth."

I should have remembered that. TTwT is only my favorite TOS ep of all time.

Kor was a great character--ruthless and amoral, yes, but only as violent or cruel as winning demanded. What's really fun to watch is how charmed he is with Kirk's show of hostility. He practically goes into courting mode, once he decides that Kirk is a kindred spirit.

I think I may have to rewatch that ep tomorrow night.

LOL, Jules and Ginny
Vickie -- 5 Feb 2002, 08:33 EST

So that is what makes the Klingons act the way they do! It makes perfect sense.

Vickie

Marttok was the only DS9 Klingon I really liked. And i think I was...
david g -- 5 Feb 2002, 09:24 EST

on the verge of loving Christopher Plummer's "I'm going to blow you right out of the stars" Klingon in ST6 but the movie didnt develop him well.

dont even get me started on ludicrous Klingons in ST3! (which i like as a movie, though.)

dg

I would *love* to see some Orions, David.
G'Inny -- 5 Feb 2002, 10:36 EST

The Enterprise could encounter an Orion slave trader, and Archer would have to deal with the dilemma of whether to take action on behalf of the slaves being transported, at the risk of starting a war with Orion.

That would be too cool.

I would *love* to see some Orions, David.
G'Inny -- 5 Feb 2002, 10:38 EST

The Enterprise could encounter an Orion slave trader, and Archer would have to deal with the dilemma of whether to take action on behalf of the slaves being transported, at the risk of starting a war with Orion.

That would be too cool for school.

You know, David...
Vickie -- 5 Feb 2002, 10:48 EST

...ENT has been pretty equal opportunity when it comes to shower and decon chamber scenes. Maybe they will come through with some Orion slaveboys.

Vickie

You just named the most important source of my goodwill to the show, Vickie! NIM
david g -- 5 Feb 2002, 11:17 EST

Here's hoping...!

dg