Breaking The Ice

DVD, Enterprise S1 (Breaking The Ice)

A good Trip episode this one, and at the same time, all the cast are used well, in a proper ensemble. The way Trip described that Pecan pie... well, yer could almost taste it! His homespun charm, and lack of subtlety, makes for a lot of fun scenes. The poop question springs to mind! That whole sequence where Archer answers questions posed by schoolchildren in Ireland would have been unheard of in the other series', but here it fits right in, as something that is a... ahem, logical progression. And it's interesting to learn some answers to such questions as what happens when you flush a toilet (gets made into boots apparently!).

If many of the Vulcans in the series have been more emotional than we're used to, Captain Banik or Vanik, whichever it was, was a lot like the aloof, and restrained ones we know so well. Archer's difficulties to engage him in conversation is funny, and it's clear the Vulcan only agreed to attend the meal out of diplomatic politeness, about the only time in the episode those words could be said in conjunction with the Vulcans!

The comet visual effect wasn't that impressive, nowhere near the wondrousness of the familiar one in the DS9 credits. The comet's surface wasn't bad, but I felt they missed an opportunity for some incredibly beautiful shots. The shuttle effects were pretty good though, with the drop into an even deeper tunnel quite stomach-wrenching.

Mention must be made of the gorgeous Vulcan ship, but it was a shame they had to rely on their help to rescue the shuttlepod. Nice to see a tractor beam in the series anyhow. I think the thing with Goss, T'Pol's intended, was continued later.

An all-rounder, not stunning as it could have been, but keeping the freshness going in new and interesting ways.

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