"Countdown"

Written by Andre Bormanis and Chris Black
Directed by Robert Duncan McNeill


In which Archer must seal an alliance to stop the Reptilians from arming the Xindi super-weapon, as rescue efforts are made to retrieve Hoshi from their clutches...

Captain's Log - Final Analysis







Captain's Log

In the days before the airing of this episode, another kind of countdown was on the minds of “Enterprise” fans. Would this season, an example of how an influx of creative talent can result in a massive jump in quality and critical praise, become the swan song of the modern Trek franchise, or would UPN reward effort with a fourth season?

For many, this uncertainty added to the natural tension of the episode, which was already stuffed with the promise of epic battles and high stakes. With the Xindi Council broken and the aggressive Reptilians preparing to unleash the super-weapon on Earth, the race is on to prevent the destruction, no matter the cost. Does it get any better than this? (Well, sure it does, but not on “Enterprise”!)

Maintaining the emphasis on character that has been one of the key elements of the series’ revival, this episode isn’t just about blowing things up. Taking another page from the “Babylon 5” handbook, the writers make damn sure that the broad strokes of the story are made personal by exploring the impact on key characters. Hoshi’s fate is a major part of the story, and many important character moments revolve around that element.

In a sense, this is unfortunate. Hoshi has been given short shrift this season, and while it’s good to her take a prominent role in the final resolution of the arc, it’s also a bit offensive to see her used as a rag doll, a pawn to be tossed around. Then again, with the situation at such an extreme, just about everyone is a pawn in the game. Everyone on the Enterprise crew is willing to sacrifice for Earth, just as the Reptilians are more than willing to use every resource to achieve their goal.

Rather than jump right to the fireworks, the episode is clearly structured to maximize opportunity for storytelling. The first half of the episode is all about the details, exploring both sides of the conflict with confidence. The Reptilian side of the equation is probably the least interesting, since it largely consists of posturing and vaguely intriguing sets. This part of the episode is all about Hoshi’s resistance and giving the audience a clear picture of the battlefield for the season finale.

For some, the depiction of the Sphere-Builders could seem cheesy, but it actually works better than a more detailed set would. There are obvious production cost concerns involved, because imagine what it would cost to develop and build yet another set for the trans-dimensional universe of the Sphere-Builders. It’s just not practical, and the chosen method is effective enough for communicating their intentions.

The apparent conflict between Reed and Hayes was badly written in the first half of the season, but once Manny Coto got his hands on the arc, the characters began to interact in more intriguing ways. In the old regime, Hawkins’ death in the previous episode would never have been mentioned again. Instead, it becomes the catalyst for one final turn in the relationship between the two men.

It’s clear as soon as the rescue mission is mounted that Hayes is the logical casualty, and so his moments with Reed definitely work within that context. The earlier writing mistakes undermine Hayes’ claim that the MACOs have become an integrated part of the crew, but at this point, it’s all about Reed accepting that humans, regardless of when they came aboard Enterprise, all have a stake in the success of the mission.

Speaking of Reed, the stress of losing people under his command is going to kill him. Early in the episode, he looks like his face is going to crack and shatter if he clenches his jaw any more tightly. He literally takes “stiff upper lip” to a degree that’s almost inhuman. Then again, this has been a trying time for Reed; he’s seen a future where he’s even more isolated, and now he’s dealing with the deaths of friends and fellow soldiers. The good thing is that this is all consistent for Reed’s character, given what little was revealed in the first two seasons.

Archer’s continued effort to convince the Aquatics that he’s telling the truth about the Sphere-Builders is a nice touch. It would have been too easy for the betrayal of the Reptilians to sway the Aquatics onto the Human side of the conflict. By forcing Archer to make a promise to disrupt the Sphere network as a condition of their cooperation, the Aquatics become the catalyst for the dual climax in the season finale. More importantly, this assures that the mission to the Sphere in the previous episode pertains to the arc as a whole.

While perhaps less impressive than the height of military operations during the Dominion War arc for “DS9”, the battle sequence stretching into the third act is easily the most impressive for the series. The Aquatic vessel is a thing of beauty; while it’s clearly influenced by the White Star ships of “Babylon 5”, this is an improvement on the design and aesthetic.

As battle sequences go, the issue of two-dimensional thinking remains, but not to the extent that it has in the past. The various Xindi vessels, as well as Enterprise, all participate in the conflict with the appropriate proportional firepower, and the attack on the super-weapon displays a level of tactics typically left to question. Even before the best twist in the episode, the battle is impressive simply because the writers take the time to explore how the evolving battle impacts the major players.

When the Sphere-Builders decide to up the ante, things get truly interesting. The effect of the Spheres is absolutely in keeping with what has been established, which demonstrates how much thought went into the development of the arc. Not only does this provide a reason to show some very impressive destruction, especially in the case of the Aquatic vessel and its methodical decompression, but it ties intelligently into the final fate of Major Hayes.

So much for the prediction made in the review for the previous episode! The weapon is armed and hours away from Earth, and in typical fashion for strained alliances, the Xindi want to have the Sphere issue dealt with at the exact same time that Archer wants to save his homeworld! Nice bit of tension there, even if it seems a bit too contrived.

In a brilliant move that would never have been made in the Berman/Braga regime (and make no mistake, their influence is clearly less direct since Coto’s arrival), the entire fourth act deals with the fallout from the battle and the necessary plans to deal with the double threat to Humans and Xindi. Archer’s decision to take Hoshi with him on the mission to disarm the super-weapon provides another strong moment for Phlox. As noted previously, another hallmark of the Coto era has been the growing awareness that all of the main characters should get their moments, even if the main plot threads still focus on Archer, T’Pol, and Trip.

With the fate of the series in the balance, one would expect that the two main plot points would be addressed in the season finale. If so, then the established future of the Trek universe would seem to mandate that Archer succeed in disarming the super-weapon, though the cost in lives to achieve that goal is of course impossible to predict. If this were a Joss Whedon series, things would look very bad for Hoshi right now!

Also expected would be a successful attack run on the Sphere network, once again with an unknown cost in lives. Mayweather is just begging to be another casualty, though in the Trek tradition, it’s almost unheard of for cast members to die before the series is over or the actor requests an exit. But Coto might be less inclined to keep the status quo, in an effort to make the series more credible.

Assuming the success of both missions, what would be the anticipated final twist of the episode? Well, that could be the anticipated “temporal correction” effect that many predicted after the revelations in “Azati Prime”. This would be a nice way to tie in Daniels and the entire Temporal Cold War. Of course, that theory assumes that the Sphere-Builders would no longer be able to travel back and prevent their destruction if Archer succeeded in eliminating the conditions that brought about the critical battle. Based on some of the scenes in this episode, that may not be a valid assumption.

At time of writing, the fourth season of “Enterprise” has been ordered for Friday nights at 9PM. This is a definite victory, considering the upgrade in quality since the beginning of the Coto era. Recent episodes have been excellent, with obvious efforts made to correct many of the mistakes from the Berman/Braga era. The current regime deserves another season to make a case for the concept.

Of course, the reprieve is based largely on the desire to hit the “100 episode” syndication goal, which a 22-episode fourth season would accomplish. UPN has already indicated that future seasons will depend entirely on ratings. As the latter half of this season has demonstrated, the production team is making their case as strongly as they can, and that improvement should continue into the fourth season.

Even if the move to Friday nights, opposite “Stargate SG-1”, presents a challenge, it comes down to this: is the audience willing to respond to the efforts of the production team? Perhaps the best answer comes in the form of anticipation. Fans are already drooling at the prospect of the season finale and the thought of a Coto-driven fourth season. Given the odd scheduling of “Stargate SG-1”, there shouldn’t be too many points of direct conflict.

Episodes like “Countdown” present a case for audience loyalty. The current final act of the Xindi arc has been one of the best efforts in the modern Trek era since the end of “DS9”. In terms of pure entertainment, the series has never been better. Here, then, is the call to arms for fellow fans: don’t lose the passion that helped bring the series back for another season. Take that passion and share it with others. Reward the efforts of the production team with strong ratings when the fourth season begins, and let the writers worry about keeping that audience. At this point, there’s no question that they deserve the chance.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is yet another in a string of brilliant episodes for the Coto era, as the post-“Azati Prime” episodes should be designated. The action is strongly supported by impact on the characters, and the poorly conceived Reed/Hayes conflict is given a much better resolution than might have been expected. Tough choices abound, as do some impressive visual effects during the battle sequence. Another solid effort!

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 9/10




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