1.13 : Dear Doctor.

[Neo]

Dear Doctor ... SPOILERS

Episode Title: 'Dear Doctor'
Episode Number: 113
Original Airdate: January 23, 2002

Features the first mention of the Ferengi.

Rumoured to feature the Enterprise encountering the planet Valakis, containing a pre-warp civilisation inhabited by two alien races. The planet suffers from an unknown disease that is killing the population, and Captain Archer quickly agrees to help find a cure. But when the aliens also ask for the secret of warp technology he is not so sure, and finally begins to realise the Vulcans may also have been right in not giving humans warp technology. Also rumoured to feature a romance for Dr. Phlox

 

[Highlander II]

okay - watched this episode last night --

it was actually very good -

Both the Dr. Phlox parts and the 'planet' parts ---

Archer has Phlox looking into a cure for a genetic disease on this planet, and Phlox is writing a letter to a human friend back on his (phlox's) home planet (can't remember the name)

Archer is faced w/ what will one day become the basis of the "Prime Directive" -- interference in a less-developed race --

the arguements Phlox makes to Archer are very good ones - regarding the one alien race dying and the other growing technologically and may 'surpass' the currently dominate race. The Valakians (sp?) want warp capability, but Archer realizes, on his own, that these ppl are not ready -- receiving something of an 'i told you so' look from T'Pol -- but he's still torn btwn helping these ppl and letting 'nature take it's course' (so to speak) --

The Ferengi are mentioned, as are another race (that i don't recall the name of, sorry) - but only in passing, as the Vulcans have not encountered either race at this time - or T'Pol says they haven't.

Dr. Phlox and the 'romance' thing - well - not really - he thinks there might be, but it turns out this person just wants to be friends - it's an interesting study in alien/human relations tho --

Oh - technology - the UT is working better - and Hoshi (sp? sorry - i keep forgetting her name) - is learning Denebian (Phlox's language - this is probably spelled wrong too) - and spends a meal speaking w/ Phlox in his native tongue (which would be much easier to read the subtitles for if UPN didn't have that gigantic station id in the corner!)

all-in-all, a well-done episode - tho it was terribly light on character development for anyone but Archer and Phlox - tho it was nice to learn about Dr. Phlox! I was hoping Enterprise would be different and give equal focus to all members of the crew - but the same ppl are 'left out' all the time - guys like Mayweather, Reed, and other 'minor' bridge crew -- the audience needs to learn about these characters too, otherwise they're flat and seem to have little purpose aside from taking up space --- *on w/ the character development!*

maybe next time.......

 

[Mellian]

I thought this was a good episode. Nice to learn a bit more about Dr. Phlox. It was interesting that he has 3 wives and each of his wives has 2 other husbands.

I agree that it would be nice to see more development of the minor characters, but that seems to be a problem most shows have, developing more than the main characters.

 

[Neo]

Majority of the poeple dont want to go and see anyone else other than the main characters.... shame i think ..

I loved the episode 'Lower Deck' on TNG when we saw alot about the other crew...

I am watchin this episode tonight

 

[Highlander II]

see - i like to know about 'everyone else' -- i hate shows that always focus on certain characters --

ie: i was always annoyed that Data didn't get enough airtime -- or Geordi, same w/ Bashir on DS9 --

sure - there are 'central' characters - but they're not the only ppl on the ship -- nor are they the only characters that ppl like ---

i think it's harder w/ the ensemble cast --- the main stories focus on a few, and the others get left out --

but w/ shows like MacGyver -- well - there's just him - and so he's supposed to be the center of each episode -- it's HIS show -- but they did stories about other characters too - and it had enough recurring ppl that you could 'get to know' them too ----

i hope Enterprise hits more stories w/ more of the other characters -----

 

[Neo]

Excellent... One of the best ones so far... Lucky Dr Phlox

That many wives

 

[Dave]

Dr. Phlox's letter to Dr. Jeremy Lucas reminded me a lot of Data's letter to Dr. Bruce Madox in 'Data's Day' TNG. The episode even ended with the sickbay lights going off, signifying the end of the day. 'M*A*S*H' used to do this kind of episode regularly, and I think it works well here.

If they thought that there was a plague on the planet, why did they all go down and wander around without environmental protection suits, or generous rubbings of Decon Gel? It wasn't until after they were on planet for awhile that they learned it was not a disease but was a genetic disorder.

The ending didn't make sense to me. Apparently, 'Paramount Executives' changed it so that it was shown that everyone loves Archer, even at the expense of Millions of people left to die on the planet. It could have been a source of great Phlox-Archer conflict.

Hoshi had a much better show, and was actually given something to do.

The Ferengi are mentioned, but being explorers, Archer doesn't bother to ask anything about them.

 

[Neo]

HAve to agree the ending could have been alot better.. would be good to have a bit of friction between the captain and the doc..

 

[Annette]

Wasn't a bad episode. Great to learn more about the Doctor.

Made me laugh when he had to give poor Porthos an injection for his 'gas problem'.

Was a shame about the planets inhabitants with some being killed off by a genetic disease. May have got confused (which is not too difficult these days) but did they actually help them or not due to 'medical ethics'?


annette

 

[Neo]

bit of both, i think.. he he he

 

[Annette]

That helps alot Neo. Did they give one of the species the know how of how to reproduce the 'cure' then?


annette

 

[Neo]

This was the first incident that made archer think about interference... the birth of the 'Prime Directive' maybe ???

 

[Highlander II]

didn't T'Pol bring up - several times - a line that sounded a lot like what becomes the Prime Directive?? i think i recall her saying something along those lines a few times --- "we don't interfere in the development of other species" -

and they had to decide whether or not to 'play god' in a sense -

(ep kinda reminded me of "The Other Side" from Stargate SG-1 a little bit -- the leader of the 'dying' race in this ep kinda like Alar from SG-1)

 

[Tabitha]

Didn't you think they went a bit thick on the cheese with Archer's speech...
"One day there will be a rule about this sort of thing, some kind of directive" I mean it was nice to have a story set before the PM and everything, but that bit just made me groan!

 

[Dave]

I did think it was a little corny too, but I can forgive it, because I liked it.

 

[Tabitha]

hey, i liked it too - just thought it was cheesy :wink2:

 

[Neo]

Chesy in what way...

 

[Dave]

Originally posted by Tabitha
"One day there will be a rule about this sort of thing, some kind of directive"

That is cheesey Neo.

It's like Zefram Cochrane in 'First Contact':

"So you are Astronauts on some kind of star trek?"