Enterprise Review: “Hatchery”

C’mon Trip, just get a can of Raid and be done with the little buggers!

Hatchery

Cast & Crew

Director: Michael Grossman
Teleplay By: André Bormanis
Story By: André Bormanis & Mike Sussman

Starring
Scott Bakula as Captain
Jonathan Archer
Connor Trinneer as Chief
Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker III
Jolene Blalock as Sub-commander
T’Pol
Dominic Keating as Lt.
Malcolm Reed
Anthony Montgomery
as Ensign Travis Mayweather
Linda Park as Ensign Hoshi
Sato
John Billingsley
as Dr. Phlox

Guest Cast
Steven Culp as Major Hayes
Daniel Dae Kim as Corporal Chang
Sean McGowan as Corporal Hawkins
Paul Eliopoulos as Crewman #1

Episode Information

Originally Aired: February 25, 2004
Season: Three
Episode: Seventeen
Production: 069

What Happened

When Enterprise stumbles upon a damaged Xindi-Insectoid ship on a barren planet, Archer and the crew search the ship and discover a cache of several dozen Insectoid eggs, but with the nursery’s bio-support failing, Archer becomes fiercely determined to help his enemy’s offspring hatch. As Mayweather and Tucker attempt to learn all they can about the alien ship, Archer becomes consumed with saving the Xindi hatchelings, causing the crew to start raising questions about Archer’s judgment.
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Review

No detours! Bad writers, bad! No coffee for you. That isn’t to say the episode was a complete waste or total filler, it’s just that we’re on a mission here people! Up the stakes every week or you lose the audience. It’s Writing 101

High Point

The final stand-off between the regular crew and the MACOs. An actual surprise!

Low Point

I wonder, why would the Captain be acting strangely? Duh!

The Scores

Originality: Mind control and manipulation. 3 out of 6.

Effects: Bugs! Squish ’em! 4 out of 6.

Story: It ties into the story-arc, but it isn’t necessary for where we’re going. 3 out of 6.

Acting: At least Bakula comes off as convincing, especially in the final scene once the eggs have hatched. 5 out of 6.

Emotional Response: Those little bugs give me the willies, but the story didn’t move or surprise me. 4 out of 6.

Production: Creepy and slimy. 5 out of 6

Overall: Focus Daniel-san, focus! 3 out of 6.

Total: 27 out of 42

This Week on Enterprise (March 3, 2004)

Azati Prime

Enterprise finally arrives at the Xindi superweapon construction site, and despite a troubling glimpse into the future by time-traveling operative Daniels, a determined Archer leaves the ship in T’Pol’s hands as he alone pilots a suicide mission to destroy the huge Earth-bound planet-killer. With Archer gone, T’Pol and the crew attempt to escape enemy territory undetected, but once discovered are forced to make a last stand against multiple Xindi attackers.
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Additional Notes and Comments

If you’re interested in what’s in TheAngryMob’s review queue, check out my What’s Coming page.

TheAngrymob

4 replies on “Enterprise Review: “Hatchery””

  1. Duh! (Spoiler)
    Wouldn’t the super duty marine guys have sided with Dr. Flox when he relieved the Captain of duty?

    • Re: Duh! (Spoiler)

      Wouldn’t the super duty marine guys have sided with Dr. Flox when he relieved the Captain of duty?

      Yeah, if the captain has recently come into contact with some alien neurotoxin, I would think that the doctor wouldn’t need a brain scan to temporarily relieve the captain of duty. Strange behavior should be plenty.

      Then again, I actually think some of the earlier explanations for why it was a good idea to help the babies were pretty valid. Even a little doubt about human motives can help given the already fractured nature of Xindi relations. I hope they left a note saying how nice they had been. “We humans helped your kids to the possible detriment of our mission to protect ourselves from your super weapon. Please consider this a peace offer between our peoples.”

      Then again, it would be funny if the entire reason that the spray exists is because insect Xindi have zero affection for a child without it. In which case they come along, see the kids that were saved, think the humans are dumb, and squash the little annoying brats themselves.

      Oh and Phlox was totally negligent for not looking into what parts of human brain chemistry the alien spray could be related to.

      • Re: Duh! (Spoiler)

        Then again, it would be funny if the entire reason that the spray exists is because insect Xindi have zero affection for a child without it. In which case they come along, see the kids that were saved, think the humans are dumb, and squash the little annoying brats themselves.

        Given the number of species that eat their young, maybe the Xindi have that instinct and it’s an evolutionary development to keep the parents from doing just that.

  2. Gah
    I think I remember seeing an episode last season that I thought was the worst episode ever… unfortunately I don’t remember what it was, so I don’t know if it was worse than this one or not.

    But I kinda doubt it.

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