Enterprise 1.5 FAQ

What’s it called?

“Unexpected.”

What does Herc secretly call this episode when no one is looking?

“Trip’s Way Preggers!”

Who’s responsible?

Teleplay credited to Rick Berman & Brannen Braga.

What does TV Guide say?

“After discovering the presence of a damaged alien vessel, Archer dispatches Trip to its aid, but the engineer's encounter with a Xyrillian female has an unexpected side effect.”

What is TV Guide not telling us?

Tucker gets knocked up!

Why is this review so short?

Herc’s sleepy! But there’s likely some interest in a couple of cool elements beyond the big pregnancy tonight, so I’ll soldier on a bit..

Pregnant?

It’s a girl! But the fetus only carries the mother’s (alien) DNA. So Trip is really more its surrogate mother than its father.

What does the impregnating species look like?

Short, bald, orange, scaly. But Trip’s “girlfriend” has one tight little bod, let me tell you.

How do they, y’know …

During a bit of downtime, the alien girl invites Trip to stick his hands in some magical granules alongside her own. This somehow enables some rudimentary telepathy (thereby, of course, fostering intimacy!). Long story short: Trip's surprised to learn he has anything to do with any pregnancy, let alone one that puts nipples on his forearms.

The big news?

These aliens have a damn holodeck!!

What’s good?

Lots of stuff, but the inner geek squeals loudest when we get to see a Klingon battle cruiser – which looks just like the evil ships from Kirk’s era! Except, y’know, better because visual effects technology has improved a smidge since 1967.

Are the Klingons friendly?

Eh. Klingons will be Klingons; though T’Pol does exploit Archer’s earlier adventure with Klaang to good advantage.

What’s not so good?

Er … the lack of nudity? Methinks this actually a pretty solid episode, and certainly a step up from that paranoid Mexican standoff business from last week - but the producers should stop hawking this as a “funny” episode when there’s so much genuinely funny stuff transpiring on the likes of “Buffy,” “West Wing," “Gilmore Girls” and "Undeclared" these days.

Herc’s rating for “Enterprise” 1.5?

***

The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:

• ***** better than we deserve
• **** better than most motion pictures
• *** actually worth your valuable time
• ** as horrible as most stuff on TV
• * makes you quietly pray for bulletins

I warn you not to defy me!! Mmm!! Cookies!!

I am – Hercules!!

To order coffee mugs and boxer shorts adorned with the image of a green, handicapable “Buffy” fanatic, click here.