"The Catwalk"

Written by Mike Sussman and Phyllis Strong
Directed by Mike Vejar


In which the crew of the Enterprise finds itself seeking shelter in a nacelle catwalk during a terrible space tempest, along with some uninvited guests...

Synopsis - Analysis - Memorable Quotes - Observations


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Synopsis

As the episode begins, it is September 18, 2152. Archer is preparing for a shuttle recon of a planet when T’Pol reports that an alien vessel is approaching. The aliens ask permission to come aboard, warning them that a neutronic wave front is approaching.

T’Pol notes that the last time a Vulcan ship encountered such a wave, the ship was nearly destroyed. Reed is sure that the ship can survive with enhanced structural integrity, but Dr. Phlox warns them that the crew would not survive unless they stayed within a place with adequate shielding. Trip suggests a catwalk in one of the nacelles, but it would require turning off the warp engines due to the high temperatures inside the nacelle during operation. Archer doesn’t see that they have any choice.

Trip and Mayweather begin preparing the catwalk for occupation. They set up a temporary bridge as Mayweather details his own personal experience with a similar wave. Meanwhile, Archer greets the aliens, who are friendly but not very talkative. The crew scrambles to relocate to the catwalk, while Phlox bargains for more room for his “pets” from T’Pol.

In a matter of hours, the catwalk is ready. Archer watches the wavefront on its approach as he finishes packing. Archer’s not happy about shutting down the power grid. He’s also not happy that T’Pol failed to mention that everyone died during the last Vulcan encounter with a neutronic wave. When Trip gives the word that everything’s ready and bridge control has been transferred, he and T’Pol shut down the main power grid.

Once inside the catwalk, Archer does his best to reassure the crew. The transition through the wavefront is difficult, but the rigged controls and connections hold and the crew survives. The going is rough, but Archer tries to interact with the crew and calm their fears. Phlox, of course, likes the close quarters, as it reminds him of home. Mayweather does his best to keep them from running through the worst of it.

When rest seems out of the question, Archer takes a moment to gently chide T’Pol for not fraternizing with the crew during such a difficult time. Reed, Trip, Mayweather, and Hoshi play cards for rations, and tempers become short. Reed complains about the lack of a shower, and Trip doesn’t appreciate the criticism. He’s also not at all happy when the aliens use an open fire…right on top of a plasma manifold!

Archer calls Trip into the command area. In the engineering room, the matter and antimatter injectors have come online, which shouldn’t have happened. After complaining about the aliens’ habits, Trip volunteers to go to engineering in an EVA suit. Phlox warns him that it will only protect him for a short time.

Trip leaves the catwalk and makes his way to engineering. He notices evidence that someone has been working on several systems, and then hears the sound of people walking around. They look just like the aliens in the catwalk, but they are wearing military uniforms. Trip sets off an alarm to distract the aliens, and then sneaks his way to an outside port, where he sees an alien vessel docked to the saucer section.

On the bridge, the alien captain reviews the personnel files. The captain assumes that the humans have left the ship, and wants the engines online. Archer confronts the aliens in the catwalk, and wants to know why they pretended to be threatened by the neutronic storm. Archer knows that the other aliens are looking for them.

The aliens finally admit that they are fugitives from the Tokrit Militia. The aliens left the militia when they realized that the militia was a glorified piracy ring. The aliens are sure that now that the militia has taken Enterprise, they will try to take it. Archer’s only grace is that the militia captain hasn’t realized that the crew is still on board.

The militia activates the engines, but they cannot regain control of navigation, thanks to Trip’s rigging. As Archer and some of the command staff prepare to fight back, the engines go back online and the temperature begins to rise. The crew is running out of time.

Archer, Reed, and T’Pol leave the catwalk as the militia captain pushes his crew to gain helm control. T’Pol and Reed go their own way to sabotage the engines, while Archer confronts the militia captain. Archer pretends to be the last survivor of the Enterprise, dying himself. He tells the militia captain to leave, and when the captain refuses, he threatens to destroy Enterprise.

The militia captain doesn’t believe Archer, based on the information in the personnel files. Archer orders Mayweather to aim the ship towards a powerful eddy in the storm as the militia tracks him down. Archer engages in a firefight with the militia while T’Pol and Reed race to shut down the engines to save the crew.

T’Pol and Reed finally disengage the engines, and without helm control, the militia captain realizes that he cannot stop Archer from destroying Enterprise. The captain orders his people to evacuate, and with very little time to spare, Mayweather manages to steer Enterprise away from the eddy to relative safety.

With the alien crisis over, the crew still has to deal with the rest of the storm. Along the way, T’Pol takes the opportunity to attend “movie night”. Once the storm has passed, the alien fugitives leave with Archer’s blessing.


Analysis

The most common complaint about the episodes of this second season has been the lack of originality. Too many of the episodes have been bland and uninteresting, as rendered by Berman and Braga, have been retreads of concepts from earlier incarnations of the franchise, or watered-down attempts at character development. This episode, thankfully, veers away from these mistakes.

It doesn’t veer away completely, having only the slightest attempt at a “B”-plot. The main plot, however, is strong enough to carry the episode on its own. It might even have benefited from more time, though it would have failed as a two-part event. But even if not enough time is spent on the battle of wills between Archer and the militia captain, it is clever compared to the solutions offered in other recent episodes.

This episode also does something that has, up until this point, seemed impossible. Ensign Mayweather actually plays a part in the resolution of the episode in a manner that befits his character’s background. Mayweather has been one of the least developed character in the history of the franchise, even compared to some of the minor characters of the original series. Mayweather still needs work to be viable, but this is a good start.

Even if it plays only a small part in the episode, the way that Archer and T’Pol interact is far more believable than the antics in “A Night in Sickbay”. The underlying tension between them flares up while they are forced to deal with each other in shared space, but more than that, it gives Archer a chance to draw T’Pol out in a very natural way. It doesn’t come across as forced as it usually does, and when T’Pol begins interacting with the crew at the end, it’s not just lip service…she has taken Archer’s example to heart.

This episode also gives the audience a better sense of how the ship is designed, and that is always a pleasure. Voyager had a few of the usual sets, but seldom was there a sense of the full design beyond corridors and the occasional Jeffries tube. In the previous series, the design and bowels of each ship and space station was inherent to the drama. This episode harkens back to that tradition, and works well.

Each character had a moment in this episode, though some were given short shrift. Hoshi, for instance, is mostly relegated to the background. Reed shows an ugly side of himself that actually serves to humanize his character while staying true to his stuffy portrayal thus far. Trip continues to be reliably one-note, but for once, this is a strength rather than a weakness.

As mentioned before, it might have been more interesting to spend more time focusing on the struggle between Archer and the militia captain. Imagine how the captain’s knowledge of Archer’s choices and experience could have been used to explore what Archer has learned. In the right circumstances, this could have been a good scenario in which to advance the series forward.

Of course, right now, the series needs to focus on the fundamentals of storytelling. This episode is a step in the right direction, and Berman and Braga would do well to continue giving the rest of the writing staff a chance to shine. It’s telling that the best episodes of the season have been the only ones not written by Berman and Braga.


Memorable Quotes

TRIP: “New planet, new aliens…banner day!”

PHLOX: “My Dosian slugs thank you!”

ARCHER: “Am I disturbing you?”
T’POL: “Only slightly.”
(Pause.)
T’POL: “Am I disturbing you?”
ARCHER: “Only slightly!”

ARCHER: “You know, there’s a bright side to all of this.”
T’POL: “Really.”
ARCHER: “It’s bringing the crew closer together. If you forget about the storm outside, it’s almost like a camping trip.”
T’POL: “Perhaps we can sing a few songs later…”


Observations

- Mike Vejar, the director of this episode, was also the director for many an action-packed episode of “Babylon 5”…including the most recent effort, “Legend of the Rangers”!

- This episode takes place a few weeks after last episode. Again, they are really passing through time this season…

- It’s about time Mayweather knew something that actually fit his background!

- Sure, the wavefront looked a little bland, but it was pretty…

- Interesting incidental music in this episode…a lot more martial and exciting than usual!

- Exactly how did Porthos “brace himself”?

- If Solkar was the first Vulcan ambassador to Earth, then it might be Sarek’s grandfather, according to “The Search for Spock”…

- I love it when Reed goes to Phlox for some aid in dealing with “gastrointestinal difficulties”!

- OK, so Archer is one of the most annoying sports fans in the universe…

- And Reed is the most annoying passenger in the universe!

- So the Enterprise is only a little more than 100 light-years from Earth at this point, which averages about 60 LY per year…which is just about right for a ship going at warp 4…

- Once again, bad effect on the EVA suit…they just can’t stop the condensation inside those helmets!

- So…never watch movies with a Vulcan…

Overall, this episode is a step in the right direction. The writers for this episode clearly understand the benefits of character development and subtlety. On the whole, the episode might have benefited from more emphasis on the struggle to retake Enterprise, but that’s a minor complaint at this point.

I give it a 7/10.


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