Everyone has made some wonderful observations! Good stuff!
So, my own two pence worth...
First I'll start with...
Once again I was impressed by T'Pol's strict adherence to Vulcanism (is that even a word?), even as she comes off as abrasive and being a know-it-all. She serves as a good foil for Archer. Just about every time she argues for something, it pushes him the other way. It also serves to emphasize that Archer isn't going to give up his humanity/compassion, even if leaving the alien ship and fleeing the area might be the safe thing to do in this situation.
I couldn’t have said this better myself!
When I first watched this episode I didn’t get much out of it, though I always enjoyed Archer’s exit from the dinner scene – two thumbs up! But the more I do watch it the more I like (still, it’s not one of my favorite episodes).
I liked the nuances: Archer’s quick look at Trip for support, Malcolm’s almost childlike joy with his weapons. Doctor Phlox was a riot! Trip’s brotherly concern and advice for Hoshi and the natural way they related to each other (I especially enjoyed the opening scene in sickbay). Oh, there was one other scene with T’Pol where she gave a look, and I’m like WOW! (or maybe that was another episode that I watched yesterday!?!)
There was also the dinner conversation. Trip’s look, one of, as someone put it in chat yesterday, ‘He doesn’t like it when mom and dad fight’, got me thinking. Could there have been something more to it!
Could Trip’s reaction be because he knows Archer so well that he’s just waiting for the big blow up, and he knows it’s not going to be pretty? Or, could it be that he’s never seen Archer so riled and is a bit perturb by it all? But then, you have a similar scene in Breaking the Ice where he’s looking a bit nervous as well. Hmmm??? Why? Could it also be that Trip doesn’t like confrontation? Interesting premise for me!
Another other thing that got me thinking was the relationship between Archer and Hoshi. I got the feeling in BB that they had known each other for quite some time, but in FF it doesn’t come across that way.
Anyways, overall, FF is not one of my favorites, but I still get enjoyment from it.