(2x05) Send Me Your Lips! - "A Night in Sickbay"

[Aquarius]

Discuss "A Night in Sickbay" here.

[Honeybee]

I remember when I watched this, I just loved the design of the ship and how it was shown off in this episode, especially sickbay. I loved the bat, and Phlox's utter alien-ness. And rewatching, that's still my favorite part.

It's definitely a satire of Archer's pig-headed personality, but it's got an emotional thread to it because Porthos is really in danger - and let's face it, you don't mess with a man's dog.

And - I do want do say that I love the missing scene with Trip's pencil anecdote, so much so I always remember it as being part of the episode. I think it says a lot about their friendship, and Trip's practicality.

[Skywalker]

I can't really condone any of Archer's actions, nor sympathize with his plight, because when you get right down to it, everything that happened--including Porthos' illness--was his own fault.

[JackYum]

Nothing in this episode really stands out for me, but it is an overall enjoyable episode. I agree that Archer should'nt have brought Porthos down in the first place, but he does get his just desserts with the embarassing ceremony at the end.

[entkayjay]

If everyone were angels there would be no drama in TV. XD

I haven't rewatched this yet, but I love it because it's more of a character episode than a bang-bang shoot 'em up. Porthos has gone to other planets before, and I assume he's pee'd on trees before. Who knew they were sacred? (I'm assuming from here on out that's one of the cultural inquiries they make on new worlds. XD

Jon was crabby, but I can certainly relate to his reactions to the Kretassans, who seem to be full of haughty arrogant snottiness. Even a trained diplomat would have difficulties with that kind of attitude.

Can't wait to watch this in the next couple of days and give a real response! Go Bat!

[Honeybee]

I don't think that the episode ever really implied that anything wasn't Archer's fault. I think the whole episode was illustrating how difficult inter species diplomacy was and how Archer's stubbornness and lack of experience could really work against him and how pride sometimes needs to be set aside. Of course, I'll always sympathize with someone whose beloved dog is in peril, even if they accidentally had a hand in the dog's illness. Porthos's illness gave Archer a plausible motive for his intractability.

One of the things that I noticed on the rewatch is that it doesn't seem like anyone in the crew, Hoshi, T'Pol, Phlox or Trip, doesn't think Archer will eventually come around. It's more like they are waiting him out. They all know him and know he'll do right by the ship eventually.

I know this episode is controversial, but to me, like it or not, the satirical tone has always been crystal clear from the first moment.

And I agree with you about the Kretassans, kayjay. Even though this is their turf, they are certainly inflexible - far more than Archer is - and very frustrating for a human to deal with. I would have liked it if the Krestassans had showed at least some sympathy, as they did in Vox Sola, for Porthos's plight.

[Aquarius]

I don't think that the episode ever really implied that anything wasn't Archer's fault. I think the whole episode was illustrating how difficult inter species diplomacy was and how Archer's stubbornness and lack of experience could really work against him and how pride sometimes needs to be set aside.

Exactly. And I think we've all been in somewhat "diplomatic" situations where what's going on around us or what's being asked of us is crazy by our way of thinking, and it's irksome, but we keep quiet and do it any way. Archer doesn't keep quiet, because it dramatizes the kinds of things that happen in our heads in those situations.

It also highlights the axiom that your rights end where someone else's begin--especially when you're on their turf. I felt bad for Porthos's plight and I felt bad for Jon because as a pet owner, I know how difficult it is when your furry little friend isn't doing well. But the whole time he's complaining about how his dog has a right to some fresh air, and about how the Kretassans caused Porthos harm by not checking out his genome and how they shouldn't have been mad at him for peeing because that's what dogs do...but seriously? When you're a guest in someone else's home, especially someone you don't know well, it's on *you* to be polite company and find out what the house rules are, especially if you're bringing a pet. Is he welcome in the house or does he have to stay outside? Are there any restricted areas? And seriously, if you're visiting someone you don't know very well, are you sure you want to bring an animal the first time that may get excited and pee on their brand new carpeting? As a pet owner, you're responsible for what your pet does.

That said, yes, the Kretassans did seem completely inflexible considering they were dealing with "new people." And if you don't tell people that trees are sacred then how are you supposed to know? It isn't reasonable to make your guests guess. In that respect, Jon's frustrations were perfectly reasonable. But, I maintain that it isn't right to bring your dog into a strange environment like that until you've checked it out for yourself. Public parks and apartment complexes get really strict about things like dog poop, after all, so it would follow that it's not smart to bring a dog to a planet where you KNOW they take offense so easily.

But we all goof, and sometimes we have to do things we don't really want to do in order to make it right, especially when it's a relatively minor goof from our POV. So while I disagree with Jon's actions as a responsible pet owner, I can totally empathize because we've all had someone mad at us over something we didn't think was that big of a deal.

The deleted scene with Trip -- like Honeybee, I thought it was part of the episode before. It was a great scene, and I'm wondering if it became part of our "mental canon" because someone had written a fanfic around it? Maybe like Alelou? Because I hadn't watched the deleted scenes on my discs before, and I was pretty sure I remembered that scene.

[Hummingbird2]

I think it's Phlox that makes this episode enjoyable (well, for me, at least!). He's a real hoot!

The unfortunate thing about this episode is that it probably made fans hate Archer. Not me, but then, I seem to be a contrarian .

[Honeybee]

I know this episode put off a lot of people, and I can't speak for them really, but I do recall a lot of the criticism seeming to not recognize the satirical tone - and that Archer is the target of that satire - or recognize that his whole crew seems to understand that he will come around.

The other can of worms: his crush on T'Pol. I know they were playing around with Archer/T'Pol this season - and there are later episodes like Twilight and maybe even First Flight where T'Pol seems to have sublimated attraction to Archer, but not here. She's fully Vulcan, and the crush appears one sided, outside of the dream sequences.

[Aquarius]

I know this episode put off a lot of people, and I can't speak for them really, but I do recall a lot of the criticism seeming to not recognize the satirical tone - and that Archer is the target of that satire - or recognize that his whole crew seems to understand that he will come around.

The other can of worms: his crush on T'Pol. I know they were playing around with Archer/T'Pol this season - and there are later episodes like Twilight and maybe even First Flight where T'Pol seems to have sublimated attraction to Archer, but not here. She's fully Vulcan, and the crush appears one sided, outside of the dream sequences.

I always felt that the Archer hate in certain circles was irrational. But the loudest complainers always seemed to have trouble with the idea that we're not always *supposed* to like what a character does, that sometimes we're supposed to be uncomfortable.

Honestly? I always took this episode and Archer's actions as an allegory for the "ugly American."

Regarding sublimated attractions -- at the very end, I dunno...when T'Pol is talking to Archer about how such a relationship would be inappropriate, I thought I almost saw something there on her end. Even as a TnTer, I'm okay with that. I know that most of us don't go through our lives having had feelings for only one person ever. To me, it's more interesting if she did, even at this early stage of the game.

And come on...the hand holding at the funeral was sexy and the kiss in Decon was hot!