Fallen Hero

ENTERPRISE: "Fallen Hero" Discussion Thread
Terry -- 8 May 2002, 19:54 EST

The Enterprise is ordered to retrieve Vulcan ambassador V'Lar, who stands accused of criminal misconduct, from the planet Mazar. Although T'Pol claims that "Vulcans don't have heroes," it's obvious that she admires the diplomat---and is shaken by the charges leveled against her. Meanwhile, Archer becomes suspicious when emissaries from Mazar request V'Lar's return for "additional questioning.

I expected a more "heroic" effort
Jason -- 8 May 2002, 21:11 EST

I thought this episode was disappointing. Thirty five minutes into the episode I oculdn't help but notice that I still had no reason to be invested in this episode.

The whole first half was spent treading water, and I couldn't help but wonder why.

Punctually, then V'Lar became a little more forthcoming. What? She's exposing that the rich are in politics? Boring! **That** was the secret mission that demanded a forty minute buildup?

I thought V'Lar was lying, (that's how I thought Flanagan played it) and it's too bad she wasn't. As it was, it was nice to see the Vulcans show up as cavalry and Billingsley was cool as usual as Phlox, particularly responding to the "shooting". But it was all subterfuge, so as genuine as he seemed, this episode and most of the disingenuous moments in it made me feel cheated.

I have liked Braga in the past, but I'm concerned about Enterprise. In a lot of ways, its better off than most Star Trek shows in their first season. But the episodes have no depth. This episode could have been much better if the issues involved in the realtionships had been better explored. As it was, T'Pol dutifully recited her Seven of Nine observational cliches, and V'Lar got to tell us that she and Archer have a frienship that bodes well for both species. Yawn.

Maybe there's just nothing left to say, or maybe Enterprise is having too much trouble breaking free of the traditional mold.

Jason

Well, at least it wasn't as boring as Desert LaCrossing.
Terry -- 8 May 2002, 22:22 EST

This wasn't a bad episode; "Desert Crossing" wasn't really bad, either. Just Trek-lite.

I never thought that V'Lar was lying to Archer. But when she offered to give herself up, I *was* thinking that if Braga had any imagination, her offer *would* have been a clever manipulation of Archer. Archer is so desperate to be a hero that there was no better way to make him fight to keep her alive than to express disbelief that he would risk his ship to do so.

Maybe I'm suffering from more severe sleep deprivation than I thought, but...I really liked it!
Nina -- 8 May 2002, 22:40 EST

Now, I wouldn't call it "among the greatest Trek episodes of all time." I'd call it "good." But since I've not been crazy about Enterprise, from me that's high praise.

I love seeing an actress who's not a gorgeous 20-something, or even (as much as I adore her) a beautiful 40-something KM, playing a part in which she is something other than a younger character's mother. So I suppose I came in primed to enjoy T'Lar. When she stuck out her hand to shake Archer's, clearly having researched human greeting customs and clearly eager to practice them, I knew I was going to do just that.

I'd always wondered what led T'Pol into her career. I liked the back story this episode offered; it fit the character well. I'm finally liking the T'Pol/Archer interactions. I didn't worry much about the plot, which I'll readily admit was predictable. I was in it for the characters this week. AT LAST. FINALLY.

Stellar? No. Capable of holding my interest for an hour? Yes. And I've not been able to say that before, so I'm quite happy to be saying it now.

You captured my sentiments exactly, Nina.
G'Inny -- 8 May 2002, 23:30 EST

It didn't bowl me over, but I watched contentedly for an hour. I really like T'Pol (always have), and I thought she was particularly well used here. Archer is beginning to grow on me, and the guest Vulcan was pretty cool, too. Loved the awkward, just a little too high and far forward handshake.

Of course, Phlox is still the supreme scene stealer, but I was pretty satisfied with the whole thing.

Well Done Hero!
Eric -- 9 May 2002, 00:22 EST

Quick Take : This was the better entry in the double bill tonight! _______________________

SPOILERS that get T'Pol glares!

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

I really enjoyed this one! Finaly after way to many stand alones Enterprise gets back to the REAL story.

I hope that with this new X-Files guy coming onboard he teaches B&B how to thread a story arc!

I really enjoyed the Vulcan ambassidor and it's about time we got to see a friendly Vulcan! My only gripe is she forgot to do the FREAKING SALUTE!!! When you say "Live long and Prosper" you FRELLING SALUTE!!!! That's frelling EASY!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Other then that huge mistake the episode was GREAT. The FX especialy the Vulcan warship were top notch.

I still love the pop out turret phasers!!!! SWEET!

Anyway this one gets a 9/10. Not Cold War/Dear Doctor good but pretty good.

Eric

(Message Deleted by Poster)
D'Alaire -- 9 May 2002, 06:39 EST

Dang. Two weeks in a row.
D'Alaire -- 9 May 2002, 06:49 EST

I keep messing something up that I don't want to look at later.

Back to the review: Nina, you pretty much nailed how I came away from this one.

Indeed, a pretty good hour. I liked V'Lar (and her mission, which had a sort of TNG feel to it, somehow), and T'Pol's interaction with her. It made the ep go by nicely. Though, I have to say, T'Pol's catsuit looked tighter and more out of place than ever next to V'Lar's beautiful robes. I'm not saying T'Pol should don the whole array, but tonight made me remember my old snark on the topic and preference for at least a Vulcan-styled uniform (something closer to what the men in BB wore) quite well.

It was ironically fun to see Trip doing a Scotty ("I hope you're calling to tell me we can slow down now" was cute), and Phlox was his usual "one scene is all I need to be remembered in this ep." I was also glad to the the upgraded interaction between Hoshi and T'Pol. We even had a Porthos sighting. He's so cuuuuute.

But Archer, once again...sigh. Though not as terribly annoying, the "resentment card" they pulled out, yet again, had me rolling my eyes (though I do appreciate T'Pol's working around it), and V'Lar's stilted "I sense....trust" at the end had me doing it again. bleh. Okay. Turn to channel 4.

Other than that, a decent "en route to Risa" ep. Interesting little arc they devised for the season end--though even that arc, I feel, isn't going to mean much, if these first two eps are the buildup and a trip to Risa is the payoff. Just my guess at this point. But in itself, nothing to think about, but not anything to bemoan, either.

Quality of reception choices had me watching TWW and taping the second ep of ENT, so I've only seen bits of Desert Crossing just yet.

Considering what I've read so far, I'm glad of my choice, even if TWW gave me a shot in the chest for poor, ignorant Sam, and "Special Agent Sunshine" (LOL) reading the Vera Wang e-mail in the end. Yeouch! You know the season's coming near to the end when they leave you with issues like that!

I liked it too...
Fliteman -- 9 May 2002, 12:01 EST

I liked T'Pol's distaste for the ambassodor, and even sorta bought the Vulcan's need for secrecy; I don't LIKE Vulcans being secretive, for whatever reason, but it worked for me here. I also liked the opening scene when T'Pol suggests Risa as a relief to "tensions," and the Cap'n & his engineer bantered like college guys trying to talk about it. The other good points had been mentioned above, so... I'll just say I liked this one better than Desert Crossing...

Flite

I like this much more than the second of last nights double feature.
D -- 9 May 2002, 13:29 EST

The Vulcan ambassador seemed more like the Vulcans we're familiar with, not petty and condescending like so many of the ones we've seen on Enterprise have been. I like that she made the effort to follow human customs, try different foods and seemed to understand humor, even if her attempt to use it didn't work. And she recognized and approved of the friendship that's developed between T'Pol and Archer. Too bad she wasn't the Ambassador to Earth; relations might have been better.

But these are still 22nd Century Vulcans, as is apparent in their refusal to tell Archer what was going on, until the ambassador finally did when the ship was in danger. He would have been better prepared for the confrontation with Rubinstein's character if he'd know why the V'Lar had to leave that planet in such a hurry. And since the reason is not some Vulcan planetary security issue but because her life was in danger because she was going to testify in an anti-corruption proceeding, which the Enterprise crew would obviously support, there was no reason to keep them in the dark.

Nice to see Phlox willing to go along with a scam to catch the bad guys. And T'Pol actually lied about the Ambassador being severely injured! I was surprised neither she nor the Ambassador used the Vulcan salute, especially since the Ambassador did say "Live long and prosper" when she left.

They finally hit Warp 5. But they've been out there for almost a year and they hadn't even done a test at that speed?

Something I don't like, that they did last week too, is the opening scene coming in in the middle of a conversation. T'Pol's observations, though somewhat tactless, and suggestion about shore leave show she has started to understand and be concerned about the crew, and she's right that they do need some down time. I just think there should have been some lead in.

My Fav line was...
Deb47 -- 9 May 2002, 17:51 EST

"You two are surely eating dinner with the TWO oldest people on the ship." and the "look" from Trip to T'Pol.

I liked it. But not enough to extoll for 3 pages for the same reasons I've complained about in previous posts. Still have serious problems with Archer and his interaction with T'Pol and Vulcans in general.

D47

!!, Eric...why no hand salute/gesture...
Mindy -- 10 May 2002, 08:12 EST

...with "Live long and prosper?" Seemed very odd to not see it...I also think that it would have been a cool thing to have Archer not shake the Vulcan Amabssador's hand, but to do the salute/gesture in response to her reaching out to shake his hand...to me it would have indicated not only the Ambassador's acceptance and respect for Vulcan ways, but Archer's step towards acceptance and respect for the Vulcans...or at least these two Vulcans, i.e., T'Pol and the Ambassador.

Perhaps the actress playing the Ambassador found it impossible to do the split hand thing? So they dropped it?

Anyway, I like this one for the character interactions/growth...the plot was okay, as someone said, B&B tend to take the easy way out, what with the Enterprise "saving the day" again...I do wish they would risk a "down" ending once in a while...i.e., the Vulcan Ambassador gving up her life to save the ship...this would also have increased Archer's respect for the Vulcans, would have been another reason for him to get over his resentment towards them....

Billingsly continues to shine, even in the smallest moments. Wasn't he great in sickbay?

I liked the interaction between T'Pol and the Ambaasador very much...I would have liked, however, to see T'Pol out of that catsuit and in "ceremonial" Vulcan robes to greet the Ambassador. I'm used to the catsuit, but it just doesn't make all that much sense to me as to why she wears it (I mean storywise, I get the titillation factor, of course.) Besides, doesn't she have anything else to wear?

Whoever pointed out the "test run" at Warp 5 made a good point. Didn't think of it myself.

All the actors did a nice job with their characters this week.

As to "Desert Crossing," oh, well, I'll have to catch it in reruns.

All in all, I'd say "A" for characterization, "B+" for overall story.

Mindy