Detained

DVD, Enterprise S1 (Detained)

This was better than I remembered it. Originally I didn't like it very much because I felt it humanised the Suliban and took too much of their sting away too early, but seeing as the Suliban didn't have as much development and background, and even influence on the series as expected, though they were set up as being the main adversary, it was a pleasure just to have some focus on the species (but perhaps the episode helped them to be used less because of those reasons?).

The main draw was supposed to be having Dean Stockwell, Scott Bakula's co-star on 'Quantum Leap' as a guest, allowing the two to act together for the first time in years, and I imagine they had some fun, but Grat isn't a terribly deep or interesting character, certainly Stockwell was worthy of something better. He makes the best of it however, and the real spotlight is on the plight of innocent Suliban who aren't members of the Cabal involved in the Temporal Cold War. Admit it, when you saw the teaser you assumed they were baddies, and that is the point of the episode, made and shown after the September 11th attacks, and clearly drawing parallels with modern society, because all Muslim's, or even all those of Eastern appearance were treated with suspicion after those events.

Another plus is putting Travis and the Captain together, although I think they should have made more of the underlying feeling that Travis sees Archer as a hero, which isn't explored. I was as surprised as Travis to see Malcolm as a Suliban, and the escape was exciting, with some really nice CGI shots as the shuttlepod sweeps over the compound. Even Grat's face as Archer doesn't smack him one is a sight to see!

The main Suliban whom Archer befriends was the best role in the episode, and ably created a sympathy for their situation. I also felt it was ambitious in the number of Suliban extras they had - enough to make the prison seem a good size. And Christopher Shea, the secondary Suliban who doesn't trust the humans, at first, had played Keevan the Vorta on 'DS9'.

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