Rate "Regeneration"

[Rayaru]

Wow, I must say, I was quite impressed with how this episode turned out. It worked quite contrary to my expectations. I'm giving it a 7... I had fun watching it, and it wasnt so terribly timeline shattering.

[Capt. K. Vaughn]

Except for a couple of things that I had a problem with, Phlox's cure and certain methods of Borg-killing, I was pleasantly surprised with this episode.

With a little bit of thought on my part they tied the whole Borg-continuity problem together rather nicely for me. I gave it a seven as well.

Regards,
CKV.

[Greg Davis]

I'm giving this episode an 8. I, too, had fun watching it, and thought that it handled matters of continuity pretty well, like using the message that the Borg sent as the potential catalyst for the introduction of the Borg during The Next Generation (as in the Borg attack of the various outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone border from the episode 'Q Who'). I also liked the reference to the 'often drunk' Zephram Cochrane and his Princeton speech, wherein he off-handedly mentioned the events of First Contact, though it appears that people didn't really pay him any attention for it.

I was a bit put off by the relatively easy cure that Plox found for the assimilation process, but it was mentioned that the Denobulan's had been experimenting with nanotechnology for some time, so I won't judge it too harshly in that regard. Still, the radiation treatment was something that could have easily been done during the later Trek series, and I don't recall it being mentioned. At the same time, perhaps it wasn't a type of radiation that was utilized by the later crews, so it might have been overlooked. In any event, I'm glad that they included the caveat that the treatment could potentially not be successful, so it doesn't work as an end all, be all cure for the process. Additionally, it would have been nice to know how it was that the drones managed to procure a transport vessel, and why it was that Starfleet vessels around Earth couldn't (or didn't) do anything about the situation.

I did like the sort of obvious way that Reed and Archer took when dealing with the Borg in hand to hand (pulling out their wires and tubes). I had always thought that seemed like an obvious thing to do, and was suprised that no one ever bothered to do that before (to the best of my knowledge). Also, it was interesting to see the further development of Archer into the 'sterner' Captain that they'll apparently need for Season 3. Also, it was good to see some carry over of tension between Trip and Archer from last weeks episode. I imagine that this tension will stretch their friendship even further following the already released information concerning the season finale.

Finally, we get two episodes next week. One, 'First Flight' is another that I've been looking forward to, and should prove to be pretty good. The other, about T'Pol and the Pon Far, looks like it might stir some stuff amongst the fans who aren't fond of the overt sexuality that the series has given us (and had been going away from recently). Still, I'm hoping that it's more hype than truth, and that there will be a good story to go along with the Vulcan T&A.

Of course, we've got a week to discuss that stuff, so I won't really start now. For this week, though, I thought it was another good one, and that's good enough for me.



Greg

[qerlin]

Actually, pretty good. The Borg were more like the bad-asses we remember from TNG. One thing I've always noticed though; the Borg don't seem to account for physical attacks. I find myself wondering if their mindset is so locked into technological advancement -- and adaptation to such -- that they can't "think primitive".

Got a Borg problem? Bust out the .45's.

[Capt. K. Vaughn]

I had a problem with the hand to hand as we have seen both Data and Worf struggle to overcome the Borg but I can for the most part overlook that with a bit of hole-patching considerations.

The radiation treatment was a bit loose as well but perhaps it is because Denobulans are apparently a hardier species that it was possible for Phlox to use it. That the radiation would kill most other species.

Regards,
CKV.

[Phoenix]

All in all I was plesently surprised. The only issue, of mention, I really had was how long the Phase Pistols continued to work. Imperfict frequency? Other than that I actually liked how Regeneration played out.

[AslanC]

I dunno guys I really didn't enjoy this ep at all.

Why did the Borg suddenly beam back to their ship when they were winning?

It just seemed too convienient.

And, this is minor, but the only way Canon is protected is that they didn't get the "We are the BORG" part of the message. It's like the Ferengi that never called themselves Ferengi, I always hated that.

Sorry I am giving it a 3, somewhat enjoyable, but the overall sloppiness of the script left me cold.

[Capt Daniel Hunter]

I was pleasantly surprised. And agree with the suggestion from one of tne writers that it serves continuity. Aslan's comments on canon don't really apply, IMHO, since canon has long since skuppered the idea that Picard was truly the first to meet the Borg (and lets not forget, Picard wasn't really the first in TNG continuity anyway, since the Neutral Zone outpost crews were assimilated in season 1). This episode pretty much shows us that Starfleet, and by extension the Federation, has known about the Borg for two centuries. It just hasn't been common knowledge until after the Enterprise D encounter at J-25. Which works for me.

As for Phlox's cure, that was a bit of a stretch, but given that the Borg clearly weren't at maximum efficiency (assimilation usually takes seconds after all, not hours or even days) it may have just been a weakness due to their current (possibly still damaged) state, and not something they would normally be vulnerable to.

[Lt Cmdr Matt]

I have to admit coming into this episode I was thinking that there is no way that they could pull this off without it turning me completely off to the series.

Well I was wrong. I give the episode a 9, and very enjoyable hour on TV, they saved continuity.

Besides Picard was "first" to meet them in TNG, but after that they went back in the past in FC, so that means that the timeline was altered slightly anyway, thus Picard mght not be the first to discover them.

[Bill Harris]

Originally posted by AslanC


Why did the Borg suddenly beam back to their ship when they were winning?

It just seemed too convienient.

They were needed to repair the ship.

[Bill Harris]

Originally posted by Greg Davis
I'm giving this episode an 8. I, too, had fun watching it, and thought that it handled matters of continuity pretty well, like using the message that the Borg sent as the potential catalyst for the introduction of the Borg during The Next Generation (as in the Borg attack of the various outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone border from the episode 'Q Who').

The Neutral Zone outposts were attacked in the TNG season 1 finale "Neutral Zone". "Q Who" was the TNG crew's first encounter with the Borg face to face.

[CorpBoy]

I have a question. Now, I consider myself pretty well informed on th Borg as a whole, but I can't help but wonder - how did the nanoprobes "fully assimilate" the aliens all on their own?

Most of what I remember about them is that they begin the assimilation process. They rewrite DNA as needed, shut down the body's immune system, and render the subject (more or less) unable to resist.

I guess I just can't understand how nanoprobes could build all the interfaces and increase the aliens strength the way they did in the episode. Those aliens were fully assimilated without a single implant!

[Garet]

Yes, i gave it a 9. I was quite impressed. i really enjoyed the show. I was really dreading watching the show, but they pulled it off.

[mactavish]

I gave it an 8 as I thought that it was pretty darn good.

As for the post by CorpBoy, the assimilation process uses the victims own body to produce the biogenic enhancements. The major conversions are done in a lab of sorts aboard Borg ships, one of which could well have been built aboard the transport vessel by the time the <i>Enterprise</i> crew caught up with it.

Remember, from <i>First Contact</i> and various Borg episodes of <i>Voyager</i>, we know that the nanoprobes rewrite the DNA, but also convert minerals and tissue into implants from the inside out. Picard even had the dream (or recollection) of one popping up on his face like a massive cybernetic zit.

I thought that the whole phase pistol angle was kind of stupid. They disabled something like ten drones before they adapted. Other than that, I thought it was pretty good.

Oh, and as for the whole "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile" angle minus the "We are the Borg" piece, I think that would have been better presented if the whole message had been sent, but the "We are the Borg" piece was too garbled from interference to understand.

I also agree on the whole change-in-the-timeline scenario, with the events of <i>First Contact</i> perhaps changing canon first contact with the Collective. But maybe not... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Overall a very decent episode. I know they could do it.

mactavish out.

[Capt. Anderson]

I gave this show an 8.

It was well deserved.

Plot was good and story was well structured. And the holes are not as big as I thought they were going to be since the Enterprise-E did travel back in time to destroy the Borg sphere which was the catalyst for any future events in Enterprise.
I would haved laughed if we found out that Cochrane wanted the first warp 5 starship to be named after the ship that saved first contact.


Leasson to be learned in time travel.

Picard and company should have taken better care of cleaning up any debris left behind in First Contact.




Fate protects fools, little children and ships named Enterprise.