monkee reviews 'Sleeping Dogs'
First Impressions: Nice character development, but the main plot falls a little flat.
The Care and Feeding of Klingons: Ah, I think I've discovered one of the drawbacks of doing a prequel. Archer is learning to understand and handle Klingons, but we, the viewers, already KNOW how, so it's bound to be anticlimactic for us. The process is a little bit interesting, certainly, but we already know the ending!
Rehash: The problem is compounded this week because not only are they repeating what we already know, but they're also repeating what THEY should already know! Many of the arguments that Reed and Sato have with T'Pol on the Klingon ship are the same as the arguments from 'Broken Bow.' These are fundamental differences between Klingons, Vulcans, and Humans, so it's all right to revisit them from time to time, but I think they need to be careful not to overdo it.
The Away Team: Watching Sato, Reed and T'Pol on the deteriorating Klingon vessel was far more interesting to me this week than anything else, because we were seeing them grow, both as individuals, and as team players. The tension seemed real, as we could actually see and hear the hull starting to buckle, and feel their increasing panic. Without being familiar with Klingon systems, there was little they could do to repair the vessel and get out of danger. They tried, they argued, and Reed finally came up with a desperate option involving the Klingon's photon torpedoes (although, let's face it, he was probably just dying to get his hands on them!). T'Pol and Sato bonded, and with T'Pol's help, Sato was able to conquer her fears, and be instrumental in the solution to the crisis. Great stuff, and I didn't even mind the trademark Enterprise darkness and flashlights this time. They set the perfect atmosphere for the story. Gagh and slaughtered Targ – everywhere! ::shudder::
Getting to Know You: They argue, they raise their voices, yet they are willing to keep open minds. They don't lose respect for each other. I like that there are differences of opinion among the crew, and occasional missteps in their dealings with one another. That makes sense for a crew that has only been together for five months, under what, for them, are very new, different, and stressful circumstances. Midway through the first season, I see a lot of potential in this crew, and these characters. I look forward to getting to know them better.
HOSHI! She's fast becoming one of my favorites. She has a terrific scene with Archer, early on, in which she tells him that she's going to be all right, and he can count on her, not that he ever truly doubted it. She's making a concerted effort to face her fears, and overcome them. As far as I'm concerned, that makes her one of the bravest members of the crew. She bears up pretty well on the Klingon vessel, facing danger, bowls of gagh and slaughtered meat, but when confronted with several snarling, live Targ, her control starts to slip. T'Pol helps her get it back, and it's her resulting determination, really, that enables the away team to survive. You go, girl!
Watching a green Ensign find his/her space legs is not exactly new on Trek, but they're exploring it, with Sato, better than they ever have before. The character has been given even more dimension, though. Sato seems to have a natural way with people, alien and human alike. She's the one we always see with Phlox, and this week she also bonds with T'Pol. Maybe it's a logical consequence of having a passion for language. As a linguist, she's accustomed to searching for commonalties. Perhaps that tendency translates to other areas of her life, too. I would think this would be an outstanding quality in a Starfleet officer. I can easily imagine Sato growing into quite an explorer. I hope we get to see some of that happen.
Female Bonding: Thus far, I've found T'Pol to be a moderately interesting character, but this is the first time I've actually LIKED her. She and Sato bond, but there's absolutely nothing out-of-character about it. T'Pol observes Sato's distress, and listens, in a non-judgmental way, as she admits her fear and disappointment in herself. T'Pol tells her that it is not logical to deny feelings if you have them – the trick is to control them. She helps Sato by taking her through a short Vulcan calming ritual. It was a nice moment, and I'd enjoy seeing these two forge a friendship. We already know that Vulcans, even full-blooded Vulcans, are capable of doing this, since Janeway and Tuvok were allegedly close. We didn't get to see much of their friendship, though, so I hope we get more development along these lines with T'Pol.
On a Lighter Note: The missed minor opportunity of the week was a Porthos appearance. The episode title was 'Sleeping Dogs.' Couldn't we have had just ONE shot of Porthos snoozing on the Captain's bunk? (Or, perhaps, out in the corridor, where he was abandoned several weeks ago...) Come ON, guys – do we have to think of everything?
The Common Cold: Haha! I very much enjoyed Reed's version of the age-old question: "We can send a man to the moon – why can't we cure the common cold?" It's good to know there are still a few challenges ahead for mankind, even in the 22nd century.
Smaller Things: Phlox and Mayweather didn't figure prominently in the episode, but at least they each had a good line or two. I like that there's a name for the bizarre sounds that emanate from a gas giant, and it's also interesting to note that both Kleenex and the little metal trashcans with foot pedals are still around...
Character Interactions: The best interactions were on the Klingon ship between the various combinations of Reed, Sato, and T'Pol, as I've mentioned. I also really liked the decontamination scene at the end, and Reed and Sato's silent plea for T'Pol to stretch the truth a bit, and convince Phlox to let them stay there longer. Archer also had some nice scenes with Tucker and Bu'kaH, the Klingon woman.
'Shipper Watch: There was some nice chemistry between Sato and T'Pol, but since they're the only two female characters on the show (monkee snarls softly), I think it unlikely that they'll be paired off in any way, shape, or form. That's fine with me, but I do hope the two form a nice friendship. I was disappointed not to see more residual awkwardness between Reed and Sato, considering their misunderstanding in 'Silent Enemy,' but I guess they worked all that out somehow. Speaking of awkwardness, though, you'd think these characters would feel just a little uncomfortable sitting around together in their underwear. Sure, they're adults, and they're professional, but we're talking about getting almost naked with people you barely know! I thought the final scene would have been more interesting with some sidelong glances and throat clearing. Just my opinion...
Archer Watch: He did a fine job figuring out how to secure Bu'kaH's cooperation, and I think his heavy-handed approach with the Klingon Captain at the end probably will earn him some respect in the long run. He was great with Sato, and tenacious in his efforts to get his people back safely. All in all, he was a fine Captain this week. I just found it a little...dull...to watch him work out what came so easily to Kirk, and especially to Picard.
Best Lines:
"We can travel faster than the speed of light, you'd think we could find a cure for the common cold." (A grumpy Reed, to Phlox)
"It took a while, but I think I've finally got my space legs." (Sato, to Archer)
"I, for one, have no interest in imploding a valuable shuttlepod." (Reed, to Sato and T'Pol)
"Or three valuable officers." (Sato, wryly, to Reed)
"Remind me to stop trying to help people." (Archer, to Trip)
"Maybe it's time to start thinking like a Klingon." (Trip, to Archer)
"I promised myself I wouldn't do this." (Sato, to T'Pol)
"This may sound strange, but I envy you." (Sato, to T'Pol)
"I can understand your not wanting to talk about it if the raid went badly for you." (Archer, to Bu'kaH)
"I was thinking more like five hundred." (Sato, to a stunned but impressed Reed)
"Look, I didn't come all this way to get crushed in the atmosphere of some anonymous gas giant." (Sato, to Reed and T'Pol)
"Fire one shot, and I'll blast you back to where we found you." (Archer, to Klingon Captain)
"Maybe you should run them again, Doctor. I believe I am developing a slight...headache." (T'Pol, to Phlox, while a grateful Sato and Reed look on)
Rating: 8.5/10, for the tension and character development on the Klingon ship.
Next Week: Another hostage situation gone badly awry. Calling Joe Carey...
Note: Expect delays with next week's review. monkee is heading off to Hartford, Connecticut, to see Ms. Kate Mulgrew in 'Tea at Five!' Jealous?
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