(1x25) Bounty: Someone's a prisoner again

[Honeybee]

Discuss Bounty here.

[EntAllat]

LOL. Love the title for this thread.

At the moment, since I'm in a rush, I've only got one comment about this episode: that LOOK T'Pol gives Trip as she digs into that plate of (what appears to be tabbouleh) salad with her hand ... huzzah.

Okay, ONE more - this is the first time we meet Tellarites in ENT, isn't it? I was impressed with how they updated them, the same way they updated Andorians from the costumes and makeup of TOS.

[Aquarius]

LOL. Love the title for this thread.

At the moment, since I'm in a rush, I've only got one comment about this episode: that LOOK T'Pol gives Trip as she digs into that plate of (what appears to be tabbouleh) salad with her hand ... huzzah.

She looks at him like HE'S lunch!

Okay, ONE more - this is the first time we meet Tellarites in ENT, isn't it? I was impressed with how they updated them, the same way they updated Andorians from the costumes and makeup of TOS.

I like the way they were updated, too. The way the Tellarites and Andorians were updated wasn't too far out to be believable, unlike Romulans or Klingons. In terms of the Klingons in ST:TMP, I understand Gene had wanted something different during TOS but they never had the budget...but I kind of feel like that was going too far. Yeah, they retconned it in Enterprise, but still.

Andorians and Tellarites, on the other hand, aren't so different that it pulls you out of the story when you first see it. They're still identifiable as what they're supposed to be.

[Honeybee]

I've always been a little uncomfortable with this episode. I just didn't like the idea of turning T'Pol sex crazed while in decon, and I still don't. However, I have to say that it wasn't as bad as I remembered. Phlox is very sensitive to her. Back when the show aired and even more now, I tend to be sensitive about the characters' dignity and this was close to the line for me. Yes, I know that T'Pol is the ship's babe and they hired an ex underwear model for a reason, but nevertheless it seemed like an awful thing to put the character through, given her attitudes. I did like it that she was clearly upset by it at the end.

But in the end, the premise sticks in my craw the way Rajinn does. They want to have it both ways. We're supposed to feel for T'Pol's awful situation, but also enjoy her looking hot and wanting to mate. In Rajinn, we were supposed to be appalled by sex slavery while finding the sex slave sexy. This isn't as bad as Rajinn, but still.

Although, it did look to me at the rewatch like Jolene was having some fun getting to emote, and that was cool. I love sex and I don't mind T'Pol being sexy - but it just sits wrong with me when I think about it. Other people's mileage may vary.

I do love the Tellarites and the updated makeup. And even though at this point, Jon being someone's prisoner is getting super tiresome, there was a nice Fugitive vibe to that whole plot.

And I don't mean to sound complain-y because seriously - the episode is better and less offensive than I remember. And the cast is doing great through the whole episode. Malcolm and Trip have little to do, but they are great in all their scenes.

[Hummingbird2]

I really don't have a lot to say about this one. For me, the best part of the episode is, of course, the teaser. Chock full of Archer and Trip friendship goodness! And that little arm squeeze at the end of the episode...

By the way, Skalaar must've purchased his ship from the Enolians. I believe that's the same control panel that was on the prison transport in 'Canamar'.

[Brandyjane]

Honestly, I wish they would have scrapped this episode and made "The Expanse" a two-parter. I did like seeing the Tellarites, and their updated look was really great, but we just didn't need another Archer-is-captured episode. I hardly know what to say about T'Pol's "predicament" except that I agree with this 100%:

At the moment, since I'm in a rush, I've only got one comment about this episode: that LOOK T'Pol gives Trip as she digs into that plate of (what appears to be tabbouleh) salad with her hand ... huzzah.

If T'Pol was going to get a pathogen that caused her to act wonky, they should have tied it in somehow with the Pan'ar syndrome. It could have even been a fairly similar episode, just with the disease she already has versus a new one. They could have had her express a whole range of emotions. I think JB would have delivered a great performance in an episode like that. As it was, I think she did well with what they gave her, but I spent the whole episode feeling embarrassed for her, particularly in the scene where she escapes and comes on to Malcolm. I'll admit, I did want to see a pon farr episode, but not like this. I guess the only thing I'm relieved about is that if it had to happen in season two, it happened with Phlox who will be discreet and not completely freaked out by her later.

[Aquarius]

I'm probably the only human being on the planet who wasn't bothered by the pon farr aspect of the story line. It's part of Vulcan physiology, part of life for them. That T'Pol happens to be beautiful enough to make me reconsider how much I like boys is a completely separate issue to me. I don't find it any more or less acceptable if the character was played by an average-looking actress, or an unattractive one. Yes, yes, I know -- TPTB were trying to dangle "teh sexy" in front of the fan boys. And on some feminist level I guess I'm moderately upset at the objectification of a female, etc. etc. ... but at the same time, when I, myself, was much younger, thinner, and hotter, I found myself in a position of WANTING to be objectified, because like Jolene, I realized it could make me some money. Whether or not this "cheapens" the character somehow, that's up to individual interpretation. It's not like T'Pol was all about it when she was feeling better...she was concerned about potential embarrassment/inappropriateness.

At any rate, I realize that probably no one is going to agree with this assessment, and that's okay. But this is just my post-modern post-feministic POV.

[Honeybee]

I don't think it cheapened the character. But it did humiliate the character - based on Vulcan sensibilities as much a part of their culture as pon farr - in order for guys to salivate at and worse - laugh at - a "hot bitch in heat". Again, it was the having it both ways - wanting the audience to feel for T'Pol's predicament while being titillated by it that's irksome. It is not prudish or anti-sexual to be concerned with a character's dignity or to notice the hypocrisy inherent in the writing.

It's precisely because T'Pol was clearly so affected by the situation that makes plotline so offensive to me (and maybe it is just me). You can't sexually humiliate a character and invite viewers to think the sexual humiliation is sexy and funny. Or you can, you'll just look like a pig. And this is what i think of the TPTB. And I'm not anti sex or a prude. And neither is the character, as she proves. But her loss of control and dignity was not a happy situation for her, and so you can't burn that candle from both ends.

[Aquarius]

Let me be clear. I am not trying to undermine your opinion, and I fully expect that most people are going to agree with out.

I'm just coming from a place where, I remember the Spock was likewise humiliated by his situation in "Amok Time." So...pon farr and humiliation kind of go hand in hand. At least through my lens and what I take away from watching both episodes.

As for the sexificaiton of the actors in question..."Amok Time" was made in a much different social climate with a much different electronic media landscape. Had it been made now, I'm sure he would've been half naked for the purpose of being eye candy/"hot piece of man meat in heat" for the female viewers -- especially if their propensity for putting Connor in his underwear is any indication. So "handicapping" TOS for being 40 years older (for lack of a better word), and re-imagining how it would've been made today, I don't think it would've been all that dissimilar.

Does that make it okay in either case? Again, that's a matter for individual taste. Personally, I would've been too busy drooling over Nimoy to notice if I was wrong for doing it or not.