Ent. Episode 6 "The Andorian Incident"

Note possible spoilers!













ACK!

First of all when did Vulcans become blood hounds...What's with the "humans smell", don't remember Spock complaining! STUPID!

Andorians, yet another continuity grenade. Andorian Imperial Guard...Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't you need an Empire for an Imperial Guard? Funny nothing was mentioned about the Andorian Empire in any of the series.

Now, if they were Am Tal (Andorian Intelligence) then I could stomach it. Andorian Imperial Guard! ACK!

They are Blue Klingons with antennae instead of a boney crest. I really do want to like this show, but they just keep making it so damn difficult. Overall the episode was better then the last two, but only just.

OK everywhere I go and everywhere I look I continue to see people raging about continuity. Now, someone correct me if I am wrong but isn't this show's very purpose to redefine the Star Trek universe. The very exsistance of a temporal cold war, not to mention the fact that it isn't a cold war anymore because someone is supplying technology to the Suliban and that already alters the timeline, but the exsistance of a cold war automatically gives them a blank canvas on which to paint the future anew. I understand that as Trek fans we are probably bar none the toughest audience in that we expect nothing than perfection from the "powers that be" but this show appears to be successfull. Successfull in that they are presenting Star Trek to a new audience while incorporating an amicable solution to the fact that the technology of TOS era is a figment of the imagination of Gene Rodenberry in the early 60's. Without that breath of new life I think the future of Star Trek would be in grave danger. Now I am a die hard fan of all of the other series. I will even argue that Voyager was not only good but great. But people don't like change, and that is understandable because it means that we all have more to learn. But isn't that what Star Trek is all about anyways?

I'm afraid I must disagree with the continuity violations.

I view the Vulcan smell issue as a non-issue. Vulcans probably decided to become more polite. :)


Given that Andorians were the focus of about 0.5 total episodes of the various Star Trek series, the fact that the Andorians had an "empire" is no violation of any continuity. How often to you hear Japan referred to as "The Empire of Japan" in modern news reports?

In "Among the Clans" it was clearly stated that everything there was speculation and Paramount might do their own thing, so the Am Tal issue is irrelevant. However, as far as "non-canon" sources go, back in the 70's and early 80's it was assumed the Andorians did indeed have an empire (FASA-trek made that assumption). "The Star Empire of Epsilon Indii" is referred to in the Star Fleet Technical Manual as the government of the Andorians.

I really enjoyed this episode a lot. I think it is my favorite of the series.

I thought that the "Super Smell" power was only limited to females. I'll have to go back and check the tape, but I was pretty sure of that. Maybe the male was just commenting on how bad it was for her. That's the closest I can come to "handwaving" it away.

The "Imperial Guard" didn't bother me that much. The name could have been a hold over of sorts. I vaguely remember reading something (pre TNG) that said that Andorians had a small empire.

After all, we still have Cavalry units, but no horses today.

"My people are a passionate and violent race."

It sure seems so. They knew that there was something going on at the Monestary, and so kept picking at it until they got the answers they were looking for.

They knew they were being lied to, and passionately and violently took action to solve the problem.

But, they were restrained in their violence. Relatively, anyways.

If they were Klingons, they'd have rounded up the Vulcans, used pain sticks (or Agonizers, or whatever they used in Errand of Mercy), ripped the place apart when that didn't work, found the secret lair, and bombed the hades out of the planet.

The Andorians raid the place, interrogate the people and leave when they don't find anything.

When they get another hint of something wrong, they repeat the procedure.

They beat up Archer because they knew that he was the weakest link. They threatened T'pol for the same reason. Archer likes her, and by threatening her, maybe the Andorians can get his cooperation.

While I didn't find the Andorian portrayal very flattering, I found it much more so than the portrayal of the lying, cheating Vulcans. I didn't find anything to negate my personal view of Andorians, which is what I was dreading about this episode.

I liked this episode the most of any since the pilot. It really had that "into the unknown" feeling. We got to see that sometimes human bullheadedness is a good thing. Nobody was overtly stupid, other than the Vulcans, maybe.

There is definately the possibility of further Human/Andorian contact, and probably in a very friendly way. After all, the two sides can commiserate on the way they were both shafted by the Vulcans. :D

Alex

Chronologically, weren't they introduced in TOS episode "Journey to Babel"? Regardless of the fact that these Andorians had different antennae located in a different place. At that time, didn't the Ambassador (Shras?) describe his people as "violent and passionate"? If my memory is correct, I don't see much of a continuity grenade, here.

Also, these particular Andorians may or may not have been operating with official government sanction. Remember, the Federation requirement for a unified planetary government doesn't apply in this pre-Federation era.

Something else occurs to me. Did Archer give the Andorians that sensor device, with its damning evidence, because of his personal bias against the Vulcans? It certainly weakens their position vis a vis Earth, as the morally superior creatures. And it pays them back for a lifetime of disappointment, and the fact that his father didn't live to see the launch of the vessel that was his life's work.

Is that too dark a motivation for Archer? Or too complex a concept for the House of B&B? I don't know.

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OK everywhere I go and everywhere I look I continue to see people raging about continuity. Now, someone correct me if I am wrong but isn't this show's very purpose to redefine the Star Trek universe.

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I hope that is not the reason why this series was made - I believe the series was created to flesh out the history of the Star Trek universe and give a snapshot of the Early days of human spaceflight.

The temporal cold war is, in my opinion just a long-term metaplot for the series. I don't see it has an excuse to rewrite continuity.

Lets put at this way - TOS, TNG, DS9, and Voyager all are part of a great history. I am pretty forgiving of glitches here and there and even more forgiving of Enterprises glitches (Phase Pistols and the Akiraprise being the most prominant in my mind).

I can appreciate rewriting of continuity to repair a glitch or to remove some silly, ill-advised, or asethetically unsound concept (like the modernizing of the Trek sets in Enterprise). I can even see a minor "tweaking" or bending of continuity in terms of a good story.

I cannot stand the ignoring of canon just because its inconvient to keep to continuity. Its a mark of a good writer that at least knows the subject matter enough to write a good script and not make major mistakes. The small ones are okay, its the big ones that bug me.

Now as to the Andorians, I can only say that there is no on-screen reference to first-contact with the Andorians and almost no information on them in canon Trek. So as long as they refrain from the cardboard-villian portrayl I cannot complain. Like I said in my thread, they had me suckered for most of the episode, only to force me to change my mind at the last minute. I liked the episode.

Ok fine, we won't talk contiuity here.

"A violent and...race!" It seems to me these Andorians weren't much as warriors, sure they could beat up Archer while he was in a chair, but he and Tucker pretty much mopped the floor with them when they got into hand to hand. Going on what was shown in "Journey to Babel" Archer and Tucker should be wearing the heads on backward. It has always been established that the Andorians are supurb hand-to-hand fighters. These guys were just the thugs of the week.

Going into a little bit of continuity argument, if they are going to re-write the whole bloody universe then I think they should add some detail, instead of..."Ok we need an enemy of the week." There was nothing. They were cardboard villians, even Combs couldn't pull it out of the fire. I chalk it up to bad writing as he has proven himself an actor that can really play good villians (Weyoun, Brunt and Agent Danbers.)

As with all other eps this one was all sizzle, no steak.

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Originally posted by prophetsteve

Now as to the Andorians, I can only say that there is no on-screen reference to first-contact with the Andorians and almost no information on them in canon Trek. So as long as they refrain from the cardboard-villian portrayl I cannot complain. Like I said in my thread, they had me suckered for most of the episode, only to force me to change my mind at the last minute. I liked the episode.

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I guess I must have missed something. What was it in the last few minutes of the ep that changed your mind?

Well for what it's worth I would be remiss if I failed to point out that the Andorians were one of the charter members of the UFP. SO maybe that counts for something.

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I guess I must have missed something. What was it in the last few minutes of the ep that changed your mind?

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For one - the Andorians were right. The Vulcans were being all shadowy and sly and violating treaty. And after everything, the Andorians didn't hold a grudge - they seemed surprised that a "Vulcan client race" would help them. And they accepted, acknowledging of the debt they owed Archer.

Ended much better than Klingon first contact.

Secondly - Those events made me look back on the rest of the episode. Think of it from the Andorians view. They are certain there is an array in the monestary but have never been able to find it...obviously they are being pressured to find it. When they do another search, suddenly an alien "warship" arrives with a Vulcan military officer and some of her "lapdogs". To a monestary?

The Andorians are passionate and despirate - of course they let their emotions get out of control.

Now thats not saying I agree 100% with the portayl. I think they were a little to evil evil evil at times but most of that was just trash-talk. All they really did was rough up a couple of humans - a lot less than the Klingons did during the "Klingon War" of DS9. So I can forgive a bit of the cardboarding of the Andorians.

For me the problem was not the demonizing of the Andorians, it was the demonizing of the Vulcans. But then again thats my main peeve of the series to date...

Guess I didn't miss anything after all. Pretty much new the array was there from the first it was mentioned and when the "monk" went with them armed it was verified...No surprise, like I said they need to come up with imaginative writting. Cardboard plot, cardboard villians...Cardboard show.

I actually really like this episode.

LIke several people have said there is .5 of Star Trek episodes containing anything with the Andorians. I really like the way the Andorians where rep. (I think they were more Klingon then the Klingons have been seen in Enterprise) but they are also paranoid, that's a trait that is not ina major race. I really hope they do more with the Andorians, Maybe an ANdorian Crew member. They are one of the top five races that make up the UFP.

This episode also has major political fall out, that i hope they show, but i can image instead. A Human/Andorian fridendship, threating the parent/child relationship with the Vulcans. ( Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't they LIE in this episode?) It will be fun to see, that little seed in there, i could see how humans could gain major influence in starting a interplantary federation!!!!!!!!

I liked this episode. I dont know who the people pretending to be vulcans were, but other than that it seemd good. Weyune/brunt was cool too.
The antennae were in the wrong spots, but they were done well. And I like the big headed thing. Did it seem like they were going for a Ray Walston look (my Favorite Boothby).

Well if you consider how the Klingons changed from their inital appearence on TNG, (holy moley three Klingons beat up the entire security staff and nearly blew up the warp core vs 3000 Klingons are repelled from DS9 by Kira and Jake) Or how the Ferngi changed...in there first appearence they were hairless co-stars in a recent tim burton movie(any one seen Dirk diggler?) and in the end of DS9 they were smart intelegent and humanlike. (any one seen Dirk Diggler? again)

So by the end of Enterprise the Andorians will probably be green and have seances with Jon Edwards...humming peacful lullabyes to the cordial and freindly Vulcans.

When do the Vulcans come in the series. And why are the Romulans in charge of everything?


Well till Monkeys run the capitol...hmmm Nevermind

PAX
JLA

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Originally posted by Thundergod

When do the Vulcans come in the series. And why are the Romulans in charge of everything?
PAX
JLA

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HA! Very nice. :D :D

I guess I'm in the minority here, but the more I see the show the harder it is to convince myself I'm watching Trek.

(shrug)