Cold Front

DVD, Enterprise S1 (Cold Front)

Of course the annoying thing about this one is that we never find out many of the questions raised here. The Temporal Cold War was an absolutely brilliant concept (oh I know some people moaned about it), that established a link to the future to make up for the certainties we knew about the established future, to give some uncertainty and create suspense. And unlike 'Star Trek XI' it did it without rewiring and rewriting history and changing the entire timeline! As you may have noticed I still haven't got over that little bugbear.

I loved the TCW, because it promised visits to the future, glimpses of things we knew and even things after the 24th century, which really peaked my interest. I remember thinking the first time I saw this how exciting so many of the questions were and that one day, perhaps in seven years time, I'd know who was behind it all, the why, the how. While we did learn more, and I believe Daniels' quarters did come into play again, the TCW was never resolved. Whether it was people complaining, or whether they never had any idea of what they would do with it, or whether they simply got bored, we never had a satisfactory conclusion, and it didn't even make it into the series' finale - a crime since it was as much the series' main arc as Voyager's was getting home, or DS9's was Sisko becoming Emissary. Although you could argue that since the 22nd century is just one of the fronts in the war we may find out about it from other time zones if they ever make another TV series...

I can't help feeling that despite all the gadgets, some clever effects and the opening of the temporal Pandora's Box, this could have been a lot better. The character scenes are fine (Travis sitting in the Captain's chair when Reed leaves him in charge for a few minutes - it's a little bit excruciating, but believeable), or Phlox enjoying other cultures as he always loves to (and quite a thought to think he attended several religious rituals such as Mass at St. Peters, I think it was!), but they aren't really great, getting a handle on the characters.

Likewise the chase through the ship with Archer using the far too cool walky-through-wall device from 900 years in the future, chasing Silik who can weave into the tiniest gap, didn't have a patch of intensity to the chasing Changelings sequences in DS9. So what could have been an absolute classic, the episode only manages half thrusters. But the concepts and broadening of the canopy of Star Trek, some sparkling special effects with the 3D computer, Silik's powers and a much-loved return to the temporal echo chamber from the pilot, plus Daniels' first and presumably last appearance, make this a good episode. And it was nice to hear Jupiter Station mentioned (that's where Dr. Zimmerman, creator of the EMH works in about... ooh, 200 years).

Maybe things like Daniels' inclusion in previous episodes, serving the Captain, or at least being seen, would have been a better sleight of hand. And as I said, when you know many of these things won't be spelled out by series end, the episode means less. But a good directorial debut (I think it was his first) from Tom Paris himself: Robert Duncan McNeill.

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