Wanderlust

3.7 — “The Enemy”

3.7 — “The Enemy”

Plot: The Enterprise investigates a distress signal and finds the remains of crashed Romulan spaceship from a secret expedition into Federation space. Complicated plot machinations leave Geordi stranded amidst electrical storms on the planet surface, while Riker and Worf assume custody over a Romulan prisoner aboard the Enterprise. The prisoner will die unless he receives a blood transfusion from Worf, who is loathe to grant it. Meanwhile, Geordi finds a second Romulan on the surface, and Picard must defend Federation territory against incursion by a Romulan rescue ship.

Thoughts: Light and water combine to make this planet one of the most distinctive planetscapes we have witnessed so far in Star Trek. Starting the episode suspensefully with the crew beaming down to a planet is the kind of habit TNG should stick to.

Very succinct writing. The scene between Worf and Picard where they discuss whether Worf will cooperate with the blood transfusion is played perfectly by both actors. Back in Sickbay, I’m not sure there has been a better line written in TNG so far than “I would rather die than pollute my body with Klingon filth.” I would not say the writing on this series has been particularly quotable before now.

Worf letting the Romulan die is a big move. What did you think? I was impressed. Michael Piller and Rick Berman apparently wanted to remind the audience that Worf is an alien, and does not see things the way we do. I like the way the script sets up two fakes. First, I thought Worf would relent and give the transfusion once he learns that the Romulan doesn’t want it. Then, I thought that the Picard scene would end with the “surprise” revelation that Worf has already given the transfusion. I’m impressed by the road the writers took. Agree or disagree, it shows that they are now ready to take risks and stand up for a vision for the show. What a difference a season makes!

The scenes on the planet between Geordi and Bochra are reminiscent of Enemy Mine (1985), or perhaps, as LeVar Burton is quoted as saying on Memory Alpha, The Defiant Ones (1958). Yeah, I’m not convinced the Romulan would believe that he wouldn’t be subjected to heavy interrogation after his surrender, making it rational to choose death over rescue. In fact, given the secrecy of the mission, I’m surprised a distress signal was used at all. However, I can go with these things for the sake of the episode.

Did you recognize the voice? That’s Babylon 5 (1993-1998)’s G’Kar (Andreas Katsulas) playing the Romulan commander who almost fires upon the Enterprise. Apparently this character will return. Maybe in sequel episodes we’ll get some kind of hint what the Romulans were up to.

Overall, very enjoyable, with a better version of Picard than we have usually seen. 4 out of 5 neutrino beacons.

http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Enemy

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9 responses to “3.7 — “The Enemy””

  1. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Great moral dilemma for Worf.  Not sure if I’d want to give blood to an enemy soldier either, particularly one that has a disagreeable personality and whose fellow soldiers killed my parents.  Definitely can see his viewpoint here!  I sure wish Pulaski was still in the role as ship’s doctor because that would have been a great show-down.  Krusher’s expression when he refuses to donate the ribosomes… she doesn’t even look frustrated or outraged, she just looks hurt like he insulted her outfit or something.  Ugh.

    Neat situation for Geordi, more fun than last week, but Levar Burton’s diction continues to be bizarre at times and I find neither him nor the guest Romulan actor to be particularly believable, which is too bad because the dialogue is actually fairly promising.

    I think Worf and Data should be the main 2 characters on this show because Brent Spiner & Michael Dorn are the only 2 who have imbued their roles with a certain realness.  They are quirky, funny, and their characters seem to evolve with time.  The other actors, even Patrick Stewart…. meh.  I just don’t feel the characters they are portraying are actual people that I have come to care about at this point.  I wonder if that will change.

    Interesting that Picard chose not to order worf to save the romulan.  I think in his shoes I would have chosen differently.  His begging worf to agree but then declining to order him seems like a refusal to actually extricate worf from a rather tricky moral situation, as well as to bear the necessary burdens of command.  As someone who routinely orders people to risk their lives, I am not sure why he draws the line at ordering crew to give a blood donation.

    BTW, I LOVED Enemy Mine.  The original novella was absolutely killer and remains one of my favorites.  Totally touching and beautiful story.  The movie was still good but not nearly as good as the original story. Alan Dean Foster also wrote the simply great “Nor Crystal Tears”, a novel about alien first contact.  I highly recommend both of them.

    (I am tempted to pull a Joe Lieberman and say “This episode is no Enemy Mine!”  Which is true. Reminiscent maybe, but a pale reflection at best.  Good for Levar Burton for knowing SF though. I really do like him, just not a huge fan of his acting.)

    Reply
  2. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    I think that was Lloyd Bentsen, not Joe Lieberman. 🙂 I will check out Enemy Mine, I’ve never read the novella.

    I go back and forth over the blood transfusion thing. Your argument that a blood donation is less significant than other orders routinely gives is compelling. I am perhaps not the best person to judge what is best either in the quasi-military context of Starfleet or in medical situations. There is an aspect that feels like an act of conscience whether to make this particular donation; perhaps the situation is ambiguous because saving the Romulan is not framed as being critical tot he ship’s mission. Although the Romulan presumably has intelligence about Romulan treaty-breaking (this is before they learn about the existence of a second Romulan) so his knowledge could be viewed as a military asset. Picard can’t wait to turn over the prisoners with no questions asked, however, so…. I wonder if this is even doing them a favor. I mean, is the second Romulan possibly going to face court martial or execution from his own people for collaborating with Geordi?

    Reply
  3. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Oops! I am no John Bartlett, clearly.

    It seems to me that it looks terrible for Starfleet to allow a prisoner to die while in their custody, and indeed the Romulans did seem as if they were making that a pretext for

    rekindling the war between them and the Federation. So it seems like the kind of situation where Worf should be asked to put his personal convictions aside and do what he

    has to because it is better than millions potentially killed if conflict breaks out again.  Not sure if a current US military commander could order a soldier to donate blood, but I would think if situation was similar he might, no?

    It certainly would be interesting to hear more about the story of that 2nd commander!

    R

    Reply
  4. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    PS If you read it, let me know what you think.  I haven’t read it in decades (!!) but just loved it and read it countless times as a teenager.

    Reply
  5. R. Alex Reutter Avatar
    R. Alex Reutter

    We’re thrown right into the action in this one.  The away team beams down, Worf captures a Romulan, and Geordi falls into a pit — and his visor falls off!  I can’t see anything wihtout my visor!  Does this make Geordi Velma?  Not really, because they’re all smart types who figure things out.

    It’s the grand introduction of the medical float pallet!  What happened to beaming directly to sick bay?

    Geordi finds something in the rock, but why does he need to wash it off in order to see it better?  

    Riker’s questions, and the way they’re phrased, are actually good ones.

    Ultimately, Worf’s moral dilemma, and the way it’s handled, as already discussed in this thread, is what saves this otherwise pedestrian episode.

    Reply
  6. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    Geordi is Velma!

    Reply
  7. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Love it. So does that make Riker Shaggy and Data Scooby Doo? Troi seems like Daphne and picard has to be fred… Need roles for Worf and Krusher. Wesley can be scooby dee.

    Reply
  8. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    With the hair coloring this season, Dr. Crusher is more Daphne, right? Maybe Troi can be Old Man Smithers.

    Reply
  9. R. Alex Reutter Avatar
    R. Alex Reutter

    I was thinking Q, Lwaxana, et al take turns as Scooby.

    Reply

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