MJC's 2-cents Review: The Council
Mean Joe Cool
Synopsis: Archer tries to convince the Xindi Council not to launch
the weapon.
MJC Review:
The Drama -
Perhaps this show had more action, excitement, and tension rapped up
in one episode than one can handle, especially towards the end.
Perhaps the best place to focus was on the Xindi. Ignoring the fact
that the opening scene of the sphere builders was reminiscent of the
DS9 scenes from the "wormhole" aliens, this episode was more focused
towards the Xindi character interaction than the regular main cast.
The viewer gets a better in depth look at how they interact, more
about their history, and how they have come to be at present day. As
with any civilization, not everyone was in harmony. However, the
lack of "harmony" or conflict has been what typically makes good
story telling. And there was definitely some serious conflict in
this episode! Degra, in a typical yet well played out character, has
managed to turn Xindi upon Xindi. Of course the Sphere-Builder
Woman's interference with the reptilian kind of just added more fuel
to the fire, as well. It was sad for Degra to be killed off. It was
he, more than Archer, that really turned things around for Archer's
mission. I'm not sure if one of the other regular Xindi characters
can fill that role, but at least three of the Xindi species are
carrying out Degra's motivations. And what a surprise from the Xindi
reptilian commander. Though the reptilians do play a role very
similar to the Hirogen of the Voyager series, they do fit well
within the Xindi arc. At first, the reptilian commander seemed very
hostile towards everything, only to turn around and support the
Council on delaying the launch of the super weapon. And then, once
you think everything was working out, he conspires with the
insectoids to launch the super weapon. He definitely gets an awards
for the master of deception and manipulation (good kudos goes to the
writing as well).
Archer's approach to the Xindi council was somewhat Picard like. His
presentation of facts and reasoning was like watching Picard come to
the screen again. Archer does get his chance to destroy the super
weapon in the final scene. The final battle scene was exciting to
watch. Even though the Reptilians and Insectoids escaped with the
weapon, there are at least two more chances (episodes) for Archer to
destroy it.
Trip sure has had a change in heart for Degra and other Xindi. For
the most part, revenge has been the foremost thing on his mind since
the initial attack on earth. In this episode, the facts about how
and actually why the Xindi launched the first weapon has perhaps
finally sunk in to him. Degra and Trip are perhaps the two most
characters that have had an about face since the Xindi story arc
started.
If Enterprise continues on, there will definitely be some good Xindi
stories to follow-up on, like what happened to the Xindi avians and
how the Xindi came to be 5 or 6 species.
Tid Bits -
1) Mayweather gets to pilot a shuttlepod inside one of the spheres.
2) Add MACO to the list of the weekly expendable crew member along
with the red shirt crew.
3) Hoshi gets kidnapped.
4) Phlox is on the "worm" diet.
5) In 'The Shipment', Gralik says the Avians were found only on the
Xindi home world. So how did they get to this planet where 4000 year
old Avian artifacts are located?
6) The sphere-builders speak English.
What it all means -
The Xindi have "issues".
4 cool peace signs
MJC 200405.16
Copyright 2004
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http://www.meanjoecool.com/review.htm
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Barry Margolin
"Mean Joe Cool" <m...@meanjoecool.com> wrote:
> 4) Phlox is on the "worm" diet.
Didn't MadTV or SNL just do a sketch about the tapeworm diet a couple of
weeks ago?
--
Barry Margolin, bar...@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
Al Smith
>
>
> Didn't MadTV or SNL just do a sketch about the tapeworm diet a couple of
> weeks ago?
I remember the original cast of Saturday Night Live (Belushi,
Chase, Radner, Newman, Ackroyd, maybe Martin too) doing a running
sketch based on the ancient Roman concept of a vomitorium. The odd
thing is, that weight-loss method is still widely practiced today.
It was perhaps the grossest of all SNL sketches.