Shuttlepod One

A very fine episode
Terry -- 13 Feb 2002, 20:57 EST

It was a enjoyable story about two quirky characters whose eccentricities quickly drive each other nuts. But not one that I have much to say about. It was just very good.

Okay, now on to the fun stuff talking about some minor nits.

Nits

Big plot hole - they should have stayed by the Enterprise's wreckage. Enterprise might sent a distress call before she was destroyed. Staying put was their best chance. They could have aimed the shuttle at Echo 3 when the air was almost gone.

Reed's friend said he thought Reed hated fish. But Malcom picked the sea bass meal.

Apparently, Earth engineers have forgotten about self-sealing tanks.

Hair and nails don't grow after death; it just appear that way because the skin shrivels and shrinks a bit.

Funny moments

Reed: "I can't say I've exactly ignored you [looks down at her breasts], T'Pol."

T'Pol: "I never meant to suggest that the lives of our colleagues were less important than this scientific discovery. [long pause] Even one of this historic magnitude."

Funny moment that wasn't. I expected Reed to check out T'Pol's "great bum" as she departed sickbay at the end.

First full episode I've seen in awhile... pretty good!
Jason -- 13 Feb 2002, 21:08 EST

I've got a lot of the recent episodes on tape but I've only seen bits and pieces-- this was the first episode I've actually been able to make an appointment to watch.

It was a nice episode, I thought. The interplay between Malcolm and Trip was in general pretty good, but I don't think it came off completely as well as it might. I was particularly hoping that the episode would avoid the traditional Trek cliches and NOT make Trip and Tucker this series' Odd Couple-- no luck there, although I liked the early tension between them. Still, what the episode featured were some very nice scenes but I think it was a bit one-sided for Malcolm: it would have been nice to see Trip develop a little bit more throughout their ordeal, but I'm not sure he did.

What stole ths how for me was T'Pol. I thought her push and pull with Archer over her scientific insistence over the micro-singularities was great, and Blalock's pithy reactions were perfect.

Anyway, in general a very fine episode with some... uh, shall we say micro-singularities thrown in for good measure here and there which kind of... uh, sucked the air out the entire thing, but I'll cut the episode analogies short there.

Jason

Three words
Ruth -- 13 Feb 2002, 21:34 EST

Shared. Bodily. Warmth.

Was anyone else screaming them at the tv during the show? I thought it was actually a little amusing that the two didn't try the obvious solution of sharing body heat. I guess the producers were afraid of the fan fic that would have been generated had Trip and Malcolm done the logical thing and combined blankets. Although they did drink from the same bottle without wiping it off.... ewwww, boy germs!!!!!

I liked it too. More later, as I still haven't watched 24, or Gilmore Girls, or Alias, or the hundred other things I've taped over the last week.

Ruth

Number ONE with a Pod!!!!
Eric -- 13 Feb 2002, 22:42 EST

Quick Non-Spoiler Take : Ok, i read a online report somewhere that the reason this episode was filmed was because they were running a little low on money due to all the expensive early shows in the beginning of the year. If so, thank goodness for belt tightening! WELL DONE! I never knew Braga could write such an emotional character story. And well done Keating and Trineer!

SPOILERS that grow even after you die!

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Sometimes it's the small stories that work. Star Trek has known this for decades. Every Trek series has had it's Shuttlepod One. Younger shows take awile to figure this out sometimes, but Enterprise has a lot of old timers at the wheel and the experience pays of in spades here.

With a minimum of FX, and most of the action being centured on two characters SP1 was mostly just conversation between Reed and Trip. Fortunetly i like both characters and boy did it work.

David Livingston is a favorite Trek director of mine and he shot the episode very well, getting the most out of the tiny Shuttlepod set, in fact we got to see much more of the little craft then we have seen the entire first half of the season!

This was a great look at our engineer and armsman. Trip being the eternal Optimist and Reed the Pest.

I love how we are finding out these little juicy facts : Trip reads comic books, Reed is the academy player, and of course the big one : Reed has a crush on T'Pol! Fool! After Hoshi shows him her magnifcent Hot Plates!

And seeing those two drunk out of their skulls was worth the price of admission all by itself. Ok, so it was free, but still!

Ok, last week i said i will need to be tougher in my Enterprise scores so, just becuase it was a quiet little character piece i'll give it a 9.5 / 10!

Eric

I hate SEC basketball.
G'Inny -- 13 Feb 2002, 22:48 EST

Not only did it pre-empt ENT at 7, but no one bothered to announce that the show would be broadcast after the game ended. I just happened to stumble on the last 10 minutes, which makes me a very cranky girl.

Oh, well. There's always Saturday.

Did you miss the scene where Trip and Reed had to strip
Terry -- 13 Feb 2002, 23:45 EST

down to their blue underoos when the drive overheated, Ginny?

I was trying...
D'Alaire -- 14 Feb 2002, 06:39 EST

...to get my thoughts together on this one before posting anything. But browsing around to Trek Today, I came across--of all things--O Deus' review. Well-written as they are, I usually don't agree with his assessments. This time was a big exception.

That review is at Trek Today. It pretty much sums up a lot of things I was thinking while I was watching. (It's also convenient, as things on this end have been rather hectic.)

I'll try to add a few of my own thoughts later.

I guess he's not gay.
Deb47 -- 14 Feb 2002, 07:18 EST

Although his choice of pet names is beyond me.

D47

Shuttlepod One gets *my* seal of approval
Vickie -- 14 Feb 2002, 09:07 EST

I've only got time for a couple of comments, but I really liked this episode.

Shallow end of the pool first:

Isn't Trip Tucker just the cutest little ol' thing you've ever seen? Cuter than a bug's ear. Cuter than a bee's knees. Maybe even cuter than a basket full of puppies.

I though Voyager had an amazingly appealing cast, but Enterprise is shaping up to give Voy a run for it's money. I'm really growing quite fond of all of the major characters. Well, except Mayweather, of course, who is certainly attractive enough and I might like if we ever really get to know him.

One little complaint: I wish they had maintained the illusion that the wreckage on the asteroid might be Enterprise for a while longer. As it was we found out right away, thus removing an element of suspense before it really had a chance to have any effect on the audience.

A nit: hair and nails continue to grow after death?!?!? Well that's just...silly. I protested loudly when I heard that and my son said, "Mom, it's just a TV show, they make stuff up all the time." Well, yeah, but...

Other likes:

The inside scoop on Reid

The drunk buddies

T'Pol and Archer sparring over microsingularities

Nice character study

I didn't get any previews for next week. Does that mean reruns or no show next week?

Vickie

Re: Shuttlepod One gets *my* seal of approval
Marie -- 14 Feb 2002, 09:41 EST

Hi. Hair and nails "appear" to grow after death, but as someone else here said, it is because the skin shrinks as it loses moisture.

Good episode. Trip is good looking enough, but I sure wish he would stop yelling. The lip pout could go, too.

That's right, Terry. Kick me while I'm down. (NIM)
G'Inny -- 14 Feb 2002, 10:41 EST

Re: "Shuttlepod One"
D -- 14 Feb 2002, 13:24 EST

From the promo I thought this would be a reset button episode. Glad it wasn't.

Looks like TPTB have decided that Reed is going to be the stereotypical sailor, with a girl in every port. The dream about T'Pol reminds me of how Harry reacted to Seven when she first came aboard. Is Reed's fatalism supposed to be the 22nd century version of the stiff upper lip? As portrayed through Reed and Trip the European v North American cultural differences are a lot more obvious than in later shows, though they never do disappear completely. "Superman" is still around in 150 years:) I don't recall anyone ever using "Ulysses" as one of those long books they'd always meant to read, its usually "War and Peace" or "The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire".

They're still using 21st century style MREs (Meals, Ready to Eat). Actually their rations look like they're better than the emergency rations later crews have since on Enterprise, without replicators they have to rely on ready made meals for away missions. And they certainly made good use of the congealed mashed potatoes, though at first I was expecting them to pull out a roll of duct tape for a temporary patch.

Micro singularities, AKA miniature black holes - Starfleet's first major scientific discovery, something the Vulcans had speculated about but never before been able to prove. Aren't they what the Romulans (at least by the TNG era) use to power their ships? Something I like about "Enterprise" is hearing about and seeing this crew dealing with and reacting to things we know about but they don't.

And, a big hooray for that!...
SuzyQ -- 14 Feb 2002, 14:57 EST

...Although there is always fan fiction for those who prefer otherwise.

SuzyQ

Four good things about One: Reed, Trip, virtually no Archer and
maggie the cat -- 14 Feb 2002, 17:24 EST

I enjoyed it enough to post so! Rare for Enterprise. Dear Doctor finally made me think despite the ending and this one finally made me laugh -- a lot and also commiserate with the odd couple.

Leaving the tech nits to those who actually know something, I have a few social nits: Are B&B on a crusade to hyper-heterosex Reed? Why T'Pol and why not Hoshi? What's the deal with the phantom of Mayweather anyway?

But seriously, I hear some people complained
Terry -- 14 Feb 2002, 18:16 EST

when Reed and Trip didn't huddle together for warmth when they were freezing.

I'm sure that's just a vicious rumor, Terry
Ruth -- 14 Feb 2002, 18:23 EST

People aren't really that superficial and crass are they?

Ruth "Always Take the High Road" Thompson

PS, did Spike take his shirt off on Tuesday night's Buffy?

You said it girl!
Tim Holden -- 14 Feb 2002, 18:33 EST

In Broken Bow he was pretty much captivated by those dancing girls on Rigel. I just loved the bit when the pimp asked if he was interested in "meeting her" and he tried to pretend he was looking at the butterflies!

Tim

IT ROCKED!!!!!! !!!!!
Mindy -- 14 Feb 2002, 18:37 EST

One of the finest hours of STAR TREK in any incarnation I've ever seen!!!!!

Mindy

Re: "Shuttlepod One"
Tim Holden -- 14 Feb 2002, 18:44 EST

D Wrote:-

"They're still using 21st century style MREs (Meals, Ready to Eat)."

Those poor souls! Reed should have taken some British C Rations. In the Gulf War I heard British troops did a roaring trade selling their rations to hungry GI's who were sick of MRE's!

Interesting observation about the difference in Reeds and Trips outlook.

Tim

Of course.... maybe we should consider...
Deb47 -- 14 Feb 2002, 22:51 EST

...that he's just sublimating his true feeling for Commander Tucker in his fantasy of T'Pol.

Deb

No, but Buffy did massage his, er, muscle cramp. (NIM)
Terry -- 14 Feb 2002, 22:55 EST

But no. And neither did Nina this week. That would bother me if I never noticed those things.

Terry "And I'll be in Scotland afore ye" Miles

Rats. And I had such hopes.
G'Inny -- 14 Feb 2002, 23:11 EST

Although Deb47 could be on to something...

Anyone who has read "How to Survive on Land and Sea"
malcom -- 15 Feb 2002, 08:10 EST

Knows they SHOULD have huddled together. That's a no-brainer! That they didn't means one or both of two things: first, they're antsy about their sexuality (ladies, that means these guys won't hold your purse in a dept. store), two the writers are antsy about being gay. You don't have to read far in military memoirs to know that's how you stay alive. Hell, the photographs of all the sailors sleeping out on deck in WWII (before air conditioning) to escape the heat of below decks using each other as pillows are very sweet in their innocence. I don't know if you'd see that today.

Actually, that's how Reed's MANY "letters to the ladies" struck me.
Nina -- 15 Feb 2002, 08:22 EST

As possibly "protesting too much" to being het. Which I'll guess is the writers working harder than necessary to establish that point; I have no expectation that we'll find out otherwise, later on.

Re: Actually, that's how Reed's MANY "letters to the ladies" struck me.
malcom -- 15 Feb 2002, 09:07 EST

Remember how hard they worked at establishing Janeway's straightness in the first two years? Fiance, sexy nightie, etc.

Is THAT what they were doing?
Nina -- 15 Feb 2002, 09:22 EST

Of course it was!

(Having a thoroughly silly Friday morning, in self-defense. When you get out of the car singing "A Hard Day's Night" to yourself, softly, you know it's been quite a week.)

Not sure that's *quite* the angle they were going for.
Jules -- 15 Feb 2002, 10:20 EST

I'm sure TPTB would have been shocked to learn that there was ever any possibility that people might wonder about Janeway's sexual preferences. Certainly prior to Seven joining the crew.

I do agree with you that there were underlying motives at work though. My own deeply held suspicion about why they worked so hard those first couple of years at establishing Janeway's fiancé and sexy nightie was that they basically wanted to have their cake and eat it. Establish her as a woman who was attractive to the opposite sex... if she chose to be, but make her resolutely unavailable by giving her a prior interest.

Personally I think it's a rather endearing feature of Janeway's character that she held on to hopes of getting home and picking up a normal life exactly where she'd left off for so long, and stayed constant to Mark as part and parcel of that. It suited her, in her role as the crew's rock of constancy. But at the same time... it was kind of cheating to deny her the same possibilities for romancing aliens of the week that had been available to all the previous captains, as well as several members of her own crew.

One of the reasons it was so humorous
maggie the cat -- 15 Feb 2002, 10:21 EST

The ep struck me as a parody of homophobia or its reverse, aggressive heterosexuality. Except I strongly suspect it was not intended to be that kind of a parody -- which made it even funnier in my, ok perverse, eyes.

I found the hyper heterosexuality hilarious because it was: 1) Reed who, cute as he is, never struck me as such "babebait"; and 2) Reed and Trip, who have both been the subject of so much online preference speculation. I laughed at the writers' practically shouting "straight" to us in all-caps, and I enjoyed even more that their message got "bent", at least in my eyes, through the actors' hamming it up and doing a great job of it.

Re: One of the reasons it was so humorous
malcom -- 15 Feb 2002, 10:47 EST

Well, look how NBC 'sexed up' Niles on Frasier because his character was seen as too gay. Same reason Paul Shaeffer didn't get in Labatt's ad in Canada. Seemingly too light in the loafers.

Yeah, I agree.
Ruth -- 15 Feb 2002, 10:52 EST

While I certainly wouldn't have objected to seeing the boyz strip down for purely prurient reasons, the fact that they didn't share body heat was so ludicrous that it got to be a somewhat amusing. If it had been Hoshi and Reed or Trip and T'Pol, I'm POSITIVE we'd have had the tentative, embarrassed snuggling that *might* have led to a little more, followed by the tentative, embarrassed followup on the ship ala Paris and Janeway in the episode (ack, my memory is shot) where they did the salamander happy dance.

Ruth

Good points, Jules.
Nina -- 15 Feb 2002, 10:59 EST

Actually I liked the "Captain Knockout" scenes (crediting Quince with coining that title). While I'm not much on stereotypical femininity myself, I was all in favor of making sure Mulgrew didn't have to portray a male captain with boobs (as some other SF "heroines" have been too rightly described).

I, too, found Janeway's faithfulness to Mark - and her unwillingness to give up on reuniting with him, until she found out about his marriage to someone else - endearing, as well as right in character for her. But too dang convenient? It was that, too, all right.

I suspect a sexually active Janeway wouldn't have been much more acceptable to the majority of viewers than a gay Janeway. The role was such a ground-breaker!

Especially since we've seen Archer and T'Pol
Deb47 -- 15 Feb 2002, 13:04 EST

share "body heat" in that first Andorian ep.

Despite her numbing gel wearing off.

D47

Numbing gel
Nina -- 15 Feb 2002, 13:28 EST

that she apparently didn't need after spending all that time in a Klingon environment, more recently? Since by the time she and Hoshi and Malcolm got into decontamination together, she really seemed to mean that, "I don't smell anything" answer?

Re: One of the reasons it was so humorous
maggie the cat -- 15 Feb 2002, 13:29 EST

At least NBC was a little more subtle about Niles as compared to how much B&B hetero-sexed up Reed. But then I don't suppose there was so much N/F

Don't know anything about Shaffer in Canada or how that relates to parody, unintentional or otherwise.

Then there's fan fic
D -- 15 Feb 2002, 13:45 EST

There have been a lot of Voyager stories where various pairings have been stranded (usually due to someone, mostly Chakotay crashing a shuttle) and snuggling together to stay warm.

I predict Enterprise stories in this vein shortly.

about Reed's goodbye letters to all the girls in San Franciso
Lauren -- 16 Feb 2002, 00:16 EST

did anyone else wonder whether or not the enterprise crew got a hold of them--and the rest of Reed's goodbye letter--when they rescued malcom and trip? who got to play them? are there any repurcussions?

I really enjoyed this episode. two really terrific performances, good pacing. I was a little curious to see the aliens who enterprise was helping out--the ones who lost their ship--since this is one of the few times that archer helped someone and it didn't blow up in his face. But, given how much time is given up to commercials in an "hour" long drama, it would have taken more time away from the scenes in the shuttle.

btw..doesn't alcohol actually *lower* body temperatures?

Lauren

An interesting question, Lauren!
Nina -- 16 Feb 2002, 08:49 EST

Now Trip knows things T'Pol would rather he didn't...plus things Malcolm would rather he didn't. Hmmm. And who hasn't "recorded" (whether on paper, in e-mail, or by Malcolm's method) something they later wanted GONE - and couldn't get back? Let us hope whoever came across that material decided it was private, and reminded Malcolm it was there after he recovered.

Alcohol is the last thing you're supposed to drink "to keep warm," although I'll have to leave explaining the physiology of it to our medical advisors. (We've got a pretty good staff of them on the Neb, yes?) What floored me was the candle, "for atmosphere." Didn't Trip know that FIRE USES OXYGEN?

I think you're missing the point.
Terry -- 16 Feb 2002, 13:41 EST

I'm not sure about the alcohol but Trip even said that the candle would burn up oxygen.

The alcohol and the candle (IHMO) weren't writing errors but devices to show that even Trip's optimism and Malcom's fussiness (about rules, using the time to settle his affairs, and leaving a clean corpse) slipped at the end. At least for a bit.

I think I need to stop trying to discuss this show
Nina -- 16 Feb 2002, 16:12 EST

until I start enjoying it enough to watch it without doing something else at the same time. Seriously, I keep missing things - not hearing lines - and so on, and then trying to discuss and futzing up.

Sigh. But I can't sit through "Enterprise" without doing something else at the same time! I just don't like it enough!

(Not ranting at you for setting me straight, Terry. Ranting at myself. C3PO icon.)

Better late, than never...my thoughts on Shuttlepod One.
G'Inny -- 17 Feb 2002, 01:39 EST

Let me first join the chorus of "Huddle for warmth, you two goofs!" I also winced at the pronouncement about hair and nails growing after death, and, as a former revenooer, I rolled my eyes at calling the whiskey "Kentucky bourbon". Bourbon is, by definition, distilled in Kentucky. Otherwise, it's called whiskey, not bourbon.

I truly enjoyed this episode, because it was just plain fun. Malcolm and Trip, trapped in a pod, chewing on the consoles, emoting out the airlocks. Guess Starfleet doesn't start training its officers in basic stoicism and facing the end with equanimity for few years yet. At one point, I actually thought Malcolm was going to break down in tears.

The Malcolm-T'Pol dream sequence was silly, but that's okay. Both actors seemed to be having fun, and that made it work. It also gave some resonance to the final scene, and Malcolm's rather plaintive, "May I call you Trip?"

It was pretty funny to watch Trip and Malcolm get so giggly while intoxicated. I really expected Trip to be a sentimental drunk.

The one thing I thought was missing from the big confrontation at the airlock was a statement from Malcolm about not wanting to die alone. After what he had told Trip about how distant his relationships with women and his family had been, I really expected him to simply ask Trip to stay with him until the end, whatever that end might be, because he didn't want to be as alone in death as he had been in life.

Re: Better late, than never...my thoughts on Shuttlepod One.
Iowa Gal STV Fan -- 17 Feb 2002, 11:03 EST

I heard good things about this episode, so I decided it watch it. I have to admit that I don't really like Enterprise that much. I started watching with the premier, but my interest quickly trailed off. I just can't get into it. I have seen 8-10 episodes of the series so far. Some were ok I thought, but none really made me say WOW.

I don't think that TPTB and writers blend the high and low tech very well. And the show seems very dark. And the writing is often very cheesy.

I thought I'd really enjoy Captain Archer, but I've found that I don't even like him. And don't even get me started on how they are writing and playing the Vulcans. The Doctor and Trip are ok most of the time. And the dog is very cute. But the others don't seem to have much in the way of personalities. At least for me they don't.

The Reed /T'Pol scene was very phoney and made me cringe. And there were too many letters--that got old fast.

The drunk scenes were just silly and the actors not believable. And when Reed talked about all the girls at home that he couldn't get close to why didn't Trip ask him why that was? Maybe he was afraid of the answer? Could be that maybe Reed doesn't really like girls? That could have been an interesting turn of events. Especially if they did in fact huddle together for warmth.

Sorry for being so negative. I usually try to be positive and look for things that I do like in a show. I'm not going to give up on Enterprise just yet, it might get a lot better.

D'Alaire, I don't really agree with...
Mindy -- 17 Feb 2002, 17:03 EST

O.Deus's review...

...especially as your link took me to Michelle Green's review!

But as far as her review goes, I didn't agree with it, only because it seemed to me that she was looking for things to pick on...I thought Reed's macho posturing was comical, not defensive, and actually ended up being kind of sad when he admitted to basically always feeling "odd man out" and lonely...

I really thought the dialogue was about the refreshingly real I've ever heard on any ST show...c'mon, when was the last time you heard a male member of the Federation drool over some women's bottom? Frankly, I can't remember ever hearing one do so, at least not so honestly! Maybe it's not the "politically correct" thing to do, but it's honest and real and men do notice butts and boobs (just as women notice butts and shoulders and chests, et.al.) and other parts of the body, they always will, and I thought it was great to see and hear it!

As for the lack of huddling and cuddling together for body warmth...I just watched APOLLO 13 last night (again) on ENCORE, and the (real-life)astronauts didn't huddle and cuddle together, either. I know it's a basic way to keep warm, but to pick on the fact that the writers didn't have Reed and Tucker do because (maybe) they're homophobic is ridiculous and throwing the critic's own agenda into her review.

Mindy

I finally had time to watch Shuttlepod One
AC -- 17 Feb 2002, 20:34 EST

Overall, I think it's an enjoyable episode. Not TONS of important character developement, but it was lots of fun watching Reed and Trip snark at each other.

During the drunken "talking about T'Pol" scene, did anyone else expect Reed to start doing the "nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean, say no more!" schtick from Monty Python?

"The universe can giggle all it wants, it's not getting any of our bourbon!"

Not a very deep episode, but fun nonetheless.

AC

Yeah, that was my mistake.
D'Alaire -- 17 Feb 2002, 21:47 EST

Doi! Serves me right to post and run like I had. Honestly, I haven't gone back and read what I wrote until tonight, too. Ah well. You got to the right review.

As for looking for things to pick on...Well, yeah, that and agendizing is Green's history, and with Voyager, I couldn't read her reviews lest I scream. But in truth, I was indeed thinking several of the same things she mentioned while I was watching, and I had gone in with high hopes.

Different strokes. (shrug)

But I won't say anything about the acting, still--and no, the "bum" talk weren't that much of a problem with me, really. (Going back and reading it again, I do agree that it's not the big deal she made it, though I can see where she's coming from with it, and might still agree with it to a point). Just the subtext behind the subtext bothered me, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that these were boyz.

More--and probably my biggest problem with the ep on the whole--I wasn't really on the edge of my seat after they gave away Enterprise's position and doings--not that it mattered, as of course they'd all be fine in the end, but it really kicked the feet out of the emotional impact for me. After that, I was just waiting for Enterprise to pick them up. Thankfully, the acting saved that inbetween time.

And Archer...Sorry, but I just don't enjoy his character.

Oh, and Tom Hanks and Bill Paxton did have some rubbing for warmth at one point in Apollo 13 ...I had actually wondered then, too, why they hadn't gotten together and shared warmth, with all that breath steam floating around...and they're sleeping? No, that didn't make sense, either.

I do love that movie. Now you're making me have to dig it up and watch again, too.

And maybe a better way...
D'Alaire -- 17 Feb 2002, 22:03 EST

...of putting it would be Monkee's (checking, yeah, that's Monkee) comments on the same in her review, especially in the "Spoiling the Suspense" part--that's right on target.

And the Apollo 13 parallels are pretty interesting, too.

Monkee's S1 Review

I actually liked the fact that Reed was noticing T'Pol rather than Hoshi.
Tesha -- 18 Feb 2002, 19:52 EST

After all, in RL people aren't always attracted to the most obvious peron. I found very believable that Malcom has been hiding this attraction to T'Pol, and it takes a life and death situation, not to mention a large quantity of alcohol, for him to admitt it. Don't ask why, I just liked it.

Tesha

after rewatching the tape, a few thoughts about Reed
Lauren -- 18 Feb 2002, 23:32 EST

Did anyone else find it extremely sad that that malcom was so concerned with leaving no loose ends re: the people in his life, yet all his letters were so amazingly superficial? His letter to parents, for example, did not discuss his feelings for them, etc., but concern with setting the record straight that he in fact DID notify them about his assignment onboard Enterprise. I mean, his last words to his parents centered around correspondence involving some aunt or something to PROVE that he was right and that they were wrong. The identical letters to former flames, signed "cordially." Also, his concern with how his corpse would look when found (the shaving scene.) I remember, this time around, thinking that reed seemd to be very shallow; even his choice of reading material I thought had more to do with *appearing* to be deep and intellectual rather than actual being so.

Then, the scene when he broke down and admitted that after several months he was actually beginning to fit in with his colleagues on Enterprise. It's as if being pioneers together on this historical voyage made it easier for him to fit in with the crew. I also remembered the extreme pleasure and surprise he had had on his birthday that his crewmates had been able to figure out his favorite food, as if this were one of the best things that anyone had ever done for him. Given the cold fish of a father he had grown up with, I'm not surprised that he is somewhat detached, distant, and hard to get close to.

It also made his attraction to T'Pol understandable (her nice bum notwithstanding): she is also distant, and began to fit in more with the crew over time and the day to day duties that forced her to interact with them.

Also, on this viewing, Trip's attitude kind of made sense. The first time I saw it, I thought that he didn't act like someone who had just lost people close to him. Now, I think that his behavior made sense. His comments about Hoshi and Mayweather dieing "doing the work they loved," really refleced his way of dealing with grief. He was the one who remained business-like. I don't see his insistance that they might survive as optimism as compared with Malcolm's pessimism; rather, being all Starfleet and sticking to your mission is how to deal with these issues. At first, his drunken endeavor to end his life in order to increase Malcolm's odds of surviving seemed unlikely to me; rather, I thought that Malcolm, having admitted feeling a closeness to Trip, as well as to the rest of the crew, would offer to sacrifice himself for his friend. However, Malcolm had actually admitted his grief in a way that was probably very hard for him, while Trip had never expressed his feelings for lost friends, etc. He might have even felt guilt that they were gone and he was alive. Now, even though he knew those friends were alive, those feelings were probably still there, and saving Malcolm may have seemed like the way to deal with them. I find it interesting that Trip was willing to let the candle burn 6 or so minutes of precious oxygen--for mood--until Malcolm opened up and expressed his feelings for their lost crewmates. It was as if Malcolm were expressing what Trip couldn't.

Anyway, there seemed to be more to this episode on a second viewing.

IMHO, Lauren

I like your thoughts.
Tesha -- 19 Feb 2002, 01:03 EST

You've put my thoughts into words, thank you! I just hadn't organized them enough yet type them out. Now I don't have too.

Tesha

Reed's reading material
Vickie -- 19 Feb 2002, 08:47 EST

Lauren wrote:

even his choice of reading material I thought had more to do with *appearing* to be deep and intellectual rather than actual being so

LOL. My first thought when Malcolm said he was reading Ulysses was, "Oh, yeah, the Modern Library names Ulysses number one on their list of top 100 books in the world and over 100 years later people are still trying to wade through it just to prove they can!"

Then, I thought that sounded like something I would do: decide that an extended space voyage was the perfect opportunity to read my way through the World's Greatest Books. Although I suppose by that point the Modern Library would have issued their Top 100 Books in the Galaxy list.

Vickie

Malcolm and T'Pol
Vickie -- 19 Feb 2002, 08:57 EST

Not to play armchair psychologist (much), but I thought Reed's attraction to T'Pol made perfect sense. Reed has difficulty getting close to anyone. Who better for a guy like that to lust after than a female it would be impossible to get close to? That way it isn't his "fault" that he never pursues a relationship with her.

Vickie

Agree completely, Vickie. (NIM)
Ronit -- 19 Feb 2002, 18:20 EST

Trying really hard not to say "fear of intimacy".

Ronit

Shuttlepod One is a great ep for Reed and a dull one for Trip.
david g -- 22 Feb 2002, 22:18 EST

Reed gets to show a lot of complexity in this ep...and i really appreciated getting to hear more about him, although i have some issues with the develoment of his character, which i will discuss in a sec.

i have to say, though, im getting worried about Trip. eye candy only goes so far (believe it or not i consider some things more important! ) I felt this "probing" ep told us zilch about him as a character. i want to like Trip but lately ive been feeling that he's immature and alternately apoplectic and puppyishly whiny. what makes him tic? what drives him? what's he really like? he's quite opaque though he gets so much screen time.

there was a great deal to enjoy in SO...though they botched the moving sense of loss of the Enterprise...i couldnt though i knew what it was make out it was even supposed to be ENT on that moon! somehow, i think the ep wouldve been better with less onboard-Ent action.

now, imo, the producers are bending over backward (ahem) to butch up Reed and make us sure that it's the ladies he likes...i cant help but feel that this ep--with its ref after ref to his female loves--is hugely overcompensating for the sense of his orientation some of us have gotten...i could rant but y'all probably know what id say about this.

but just to show you i think it's important to be flexible--my favorite scene was the INCREDIBLY sweet Reed-dream-Tpol-kiss-"Stinky" sequence. the actors were superb here. it was just so sweetly romantic that it was moving.

overall, i didnt really mind the drunken slobbery things the guys said--i think guys end up talking about their erotic fantasies in moments like these..what stuck in my craw was this scene in relation to the overcompensation about making sure we know Reed is straight--almost as if to convince that he's staright by making him say crude things about women. that struck me as silly and misconceived.

dg

Even later than that...
Jules -- 2 Mar 2002, 09:34 EST

The revenooers finally let my copy of "Shuttlepod One" through customs. I think it's their first inspection this season, and happily it was a casualty-free one. So here I am.

I liked this episode a lot. I'm still going to nitpick though.

Quibbling from a British English point of view for a moment: Malcolm should really have said "maths", not "math". It just sounds plain wrong in that accent, particularly as (unlike "Frenchman" Jean-Luc Picard) he's actually supposed to be British. Still, I suppose he could have been humouring the predominant culture of Starfleet by using its recognised terminology rather than that he'd grown up with, but would he remember to do it under pressure?

Also... wrong book, Malcolm. Wrong book. I'm with Trip on that. Okay, so I'm not a really good yardstick to measure his literary choices by. I am European, I have a BA in English Literature... but I've also read Trip's Superman comics (even if I think he's over-emphasising their capacity for subtext just a little ). And my personal reading biases obviously come into play here. I think "Ulysses" is over-rated, and too much in love with its own cleverness. It's a triumph of style over substance. The characters always left me cold, however clever the language was. I can't see why Malcolm would pick it up as something to read for recreational purposes; it's too hard work for that.

Besides, if you're going to pick a really long novel that's part of European literature, as an example of something you might embark upon on an occasion when you have the luxury of much reading time available to you... then the traditional book to cite is Tolstoy's "War And Peace". Malcolm should know that. And really, I'd have thought that its subject matter would have been more to his taste as well, as an armoury officer.

Unless part and parcel of his not ever getting really close to people is that he prefers books where it's difficult to empathise with the characters as well. But I wouldn't.

It does make sense though that of all the women on the crew, T'Pol is the one that he has a crush on. At such close quarters it would be more difficult to embark on one of those relationships that never worked out because he retained his emotional distance... so what better than to cultivate an object of his affections who retains her? The unattainable goal. He then doesn't need to feel bad about not succeeding in getting close to a love interest, because he has a ready-made alibi.

Trip and Malcolm do make a pair of endearing drunks though, don't they? I did like the whole "odd couple" aspect of this episode very much. They're so different - Malcolm controlled and quiet (well, except when keeping Trip awake at night dictating farewell letters), and Trip impulsive and emotional. And at close quarters those differences really get on each other's nerves. It was good to see them working through that, to the point where by the bottom of the bottle they were able to interact on the same level. Ultimately, I guess it took Malcolm doing something that revealed emotion and had no basis in logic - insisting that they both live or die together, rather than letting Trip sacrifice himself to give him enough air to survive until Enterprise got there - that saw them through to the point of understanding.

Are they friends now? Malcolm thinks they are, or at least he now counts himself as Trip's friend. Whether Trip agrees will have to wait for another time, and an episode from Trip's perspective. This was pretty much a two-hander, but it was definitely Malcolm's episode. He's the one whose head we got inside, whose dreams we saw, who made the major revelations. Trip's role here was basically to provoke and draw him out.

One final thought: that "Stinky" nickname. Well, I suspect that Malcolm was a little delirious as well as dreaming, and in his dream was accepting of things that he wouldn't necessarily be happy about in real life. Part of control is not wanting to risk loss of dignity, and "Stinky" is definitely not dignified.

But at the same time, it makes perfect sense, given his choice of T'Pol as unattainable female choice of the moment. She's Vulcan. She uses a nasal numbing gel to counter the (to Vulcan sensibilities) offensive smell of humans. Viewed that way, "Stinky" becomes a pet name, between someone who's overcome a physical obstacle to affection, and the object of that affection, to acknowledge that love has conquered all (or at least hypersensitive senses of smell).

In real life, who knows whether T'Pol will ever be able to desensitise herself sufficiently? (Although we know that other Vulcans will.) But it shows that it's an obstacle that has occurred to Malcolm at some point while he's been admiring her nice "bum".

Im not a huge fan of ULYSSES, either, Jules
david g -- 2 Mar 2002, 18:05 EST

and i also think War and Peace wouldve been a more plausible--and satisfying!--read...i love the Leoplod Bloom stuff and Molly's monologue and Nausicaa...basically all the Bloom stuff is magnificent. but Stephen Dedalus has to be one of the most unappetizing characters in modern lit, and there's a lot of really meaningless clutter in the book, too.

it's still great, but id like to read a Bloom-heavy version of the book sometime.