Day 326: Enterprise, Exile

Show: Star Trek; Enterprise

Episode Particulars: S3EP6, “Exile”

 Summary: Hoshi finds herself seeing and hearing things out of the ordinary, which most of her crewmates chalk up to stress. Eventually, however, it’s revealed to be a real thing, specifically that an alien named Tarquin (Maury Sterling) has been psychically projecting and has found himself intrigued by Hoshi’s mind. He offers an exchange; he’ll use his powers to help Enterprise find the Xindi, if Hoshi stays with him for a few days while he searches. Archer reluctantly agrees to this, and since time is of the essence, leaves orbit to seek out another one of the spheres that first appeared in “Anomaly”. It seems that the fields generated by these spheres are responsible for the anomalies, and if they can get the proper data, they may be able to avoid constantly warping the ship. With a lonely, psychic alien on one side and reality bending phenomenon on the other, it’s difficult to say which of the two parties is having a rougher time of it.

Standalone Thoughts: As with a good deal of the stories in the early going of this arc, this is an episode I probably would have been fine with if it had appeared in Seasons One or Two but feels somewhat out of place in this specific context. It at least ties into the arc (see next section), but it doesn’t stop the main plot of this episode from feeling off. Though part of this is less because it’s taking time away from the Xindi plot and more because it feels like there should be more conflict than we actually get. Both the audience and Archer can tell immediately that Tarquin is a shady character, and while the writing does try to make us feel sorry for him with the constant references to loneliness, his actions kind of overrule that. He’s delved deep into Hoshi’s mind and thus knows things she’d probably he rather didn’t, he basically blackmailed Archer into letting her stay (notice how his asking goes from a “request” to a “condition”), and there’s a scene two-thirds or so into the episode which could be used for a PSA video on stalking and harassment. There are two ways the story could go with this—either Tarquin has been alone so long that he’s forgotten social rules (which makes him slightly more sympathetic), or this is all a front and he has sinister plans for Hoshi. I think the script was going for the former, but they throw in just enough hints of the latter that it’s the worst of both worlds. You’re disappointed by the lack of serious drama and conflict, while also thinking he’s a creep. And since the episode revolves primarily around him, this can keep the episode from being engaging.

Hoshi’s role in all this is worth discussing as well, partly because I can’t quite figure out how I feel about her. Part of me does have to acknowledge that she handles the situation better than she probably would have in Season One, but another part of me feels exasperated by exactly how she handles the situation. She seems perfectly willing to go stay with Tarquin for the sake of the mission, but it’s hard to tell if she genuinely thinks he’s safe/won’t harm her or if she’s willing to take one for the team. And while she does stand her ground, she doesn’t seem to be doing it nearly emphatically enough. Either that, or Tarquin’s creepy persistence makes it seem less emphatic than it actually is. Finally, I continue to stand by my argument that Hoshi has Mary Sue tendencies. I understand that the plot can’t go forward unless someone on the crew is psychically compatible with Tarquin, and I can even understand the rationale behind giving it to Hoshi, since she’s the ship’s communications officer, but given all the other times we’ve been told how talented Hoshi is, it feels a little more contrived. It also annoys me that in the first act, the crew actually acknowledges that Hoshi has a tendency to freak out in stressful situations, but this is undercut by the fact that it’s blatantly obvious that this isn’t actually in her head. Acknowledging Hoshi’s flaws is one thing; dismissing them because she’s right in this one instance is quite another.

Despite all of this, this episode has the same watchable quality that Season One did. It’s less entertaining if you’re not a Hoshi fan or are particularly eager for the Xindi plot to get a move on, but as its own entity, it’s not bad. I doubt it’s one I’ll revisit, but at least it’s a decent enough way to pass the time.

How it Relates to the Whole: While Hoshi’s plot isn’t ultimately all that relevant until the last minute of the episode, that last minute does at least set things up for future episodes (hopefully the next one, though we’ll have to wait and see on that one). The subplot, meanwhile, allows both us and the crew to learn more about the Expanse and the anomalies, both of which are good worldbuilding but also, I think, will be somewhat relevant as well. Much like “Rajiin”, the execution of the episode is mediocre, but at least it’s connected to the arc in a relatively significant way.

Other: *During one of the early scenes where Hoshi is being mentally visited by Tarquin, there’s a moment that basically feels like Linda Park just held the camera and spun around in a circle. It honestly looks like you could replicate it with a smartphone nowadays. It just goes to show you, even professionals sometimes do an amateur job.

*In a return to familiar territory for me, the main dress Hoshi wears during her stay with Tarquin felt worthy of comment;

When I first saw Hoshi in this outfit, she was barefoot, so I assumed it was a nightgown of some sort. Then she showed up in this scene wearing heels, and I realized it was supposed to be a dress (and we see her in another nightgown later on). As an actual outfit, it’s ok, though definitely not something I’d wear myself. In the context of her situation, though, it doesn’t make sense on multiple levels. First off, while Tarquin’s home might be warm, the outside is freezing, and shortly after the moment in this shot, she walks outside. Even if she only planned to be outside for a few seconds, it doesn’t seem like a wise move. Secondly (and I know this is going to be a controversial statement), I don’t know if I’d have packed/worn something that’s apparently meant to be formal wear if I was going to be stuck on a planet for several days with someone who had made it clear he had an interest in me, even if it wasn’t obviously romantic. It might come across as encouraging when I didn’t want it to be. Personally, I’d have stuck with the jumpsuit during the whole stay; it’s professional and doesn’t run the risk of sending the wrong message.

Badass Malcolm Moment: Admittedly, this moment is less impressive than it could be, since this sort of thing is probably part of Malcolm’s job description, but after Hoshi reports an intruder, Malcolm runs every scan he can think of, checks all the sensor logs, and promises to keep looking even though he’s obviously convinced it’s all in Hoshi’s head. That last one in particular strikes me as going above and beyond the call of duty. Then again, given the very subtle reaction he has when Hoshi points out that his “seeing the enemy out of the corner of your eye” is also called “paranoia”, it’s entirely possible that this is something he’s had personal experience with…