“North Star” 20th-anniversary reflections

As they explore the Expanse in search of the Xindi superweapon, the Enterprise crew runs across a planet inhabited by humans. Living in a town that looks like it was yanked right out of the 19th-century Wild West, these humans love their whiskey and hate the locals. Archer learns that they were brought to the planet by the Skagarans, an alien race that was sourcing slave labor from Earth in the 1860s.

As conflict between Archer and the sheriff deputy grows, he takes action to save a teacher who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for teaching Skagaran children to read and do math. And while he cannot take the humans back to Earth right away, Archer leaves behind materials to help them fill in the lost centuries of progress and build a better society.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “North Star” as we discuss the story's classic roots, its message about prejudice and isolation, and how it works as a breather within the Xindi arc.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Quite a Contrast (00:02:32) A Reminder for Archer (00:11:25) Contrasting Westerns (00:16:20) Casting for Success (00:22:47) A Positive Ending (00:26:19) A Literary Return (00:32:05) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:32:50) Closing (36:30)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Twilight” 20th-anniversary reflections

As anomalies in the Delphic Expanse rock the Enterprise, T’Pol is trapped under debris and Archer works to rescue her. Although he pulls her out just in time, another wave smacks him head-on and knocks him out. Even worse, the wave deposits interspatial parasites in his hippocampus. He is also left with anterograde amnesia, leaving him without the ability to form long-term memories. One morning, he awakes to find that he’s been shacking up with T’Pol for the past 12 years, that he has a Vulcan haircut, and that the Xindi conflict is over—and Earth lost.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “Twilight,” Mike Sussman‘s clever concept, the story’s Voyager origins, and how it raises the stakes for the rest of the season.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00)   A Clever Concept (00:02:10) Jolene and Scott Shine (00:05:20) Voyager Origins (00:13:00) The Reset Button (00:23:33) THIS Is Ceti Alpha V!!! (00:29:30) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:32:50) Closing (36:30)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“The Shipment” 20th-anniversary reflections

With deployment of the Xindi superweapon just weeks away, the Enterprise follows a tip from Hoshi’s almost boyfriend, Tarquin, and visits a planet where Xindi-Arboreals are refining kemocite. The mineral will be used in the construction of the weapon, something the facility’s primary technician, Gralik Durr, claims to be unaware of when confronted by Archer. He agrees to help the humans by sabotaging the final shipment. Meanwhile, Trip, Phlox, and T’Pol take apart Xindi-Reptilian guns and discover that they are powered by worms.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “The Shipment,” how the episode quickly pushes the Xindi story forward, its nuanced look at conflict and trust, and a fun science fiction take on alien tech.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Pushing the Story Forward (00:02:15) Durr's Doubts (00:10:23) A Nuanced Discussion (00:14:07) Archer's Angst (00:21:14) KemoCITE! (00:24:48) Gunny Worms (00:26:45) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:31:33) Closing (00:36:25)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Exile” 20th-anniversary reflections

Contacted telepathically by an alien who says he might be able to help find the Xindi, Hoshi decides to take advantage of the opportunity by packing her nicest dresses and high heels for a stay at his mysterious castle. At first she’s happy to be his guest and even enjoys a lavish dinner of her Earth favorites—despite being creeped out by his mind-reading. But the mood is soured when she discovers the graves of past guests just outside, leaving little more to do until the Enterprise returns but translate a book written in an undecipherable alien language while staying comfortable in leisure wear.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “Exile” as we discuss Star Trek's attempt to do Beauty and the Beast in space.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Be Our Guest! (00:02:25) Mixed Signals (00:07:43) An Unnecessary Pit Stop? (00:16:01) An Uneasy Feeling … or Sphering (00:20:58) Visual Effects (00:24:06) Mind Games and Plot Holes (00:28:19) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:36:35) Closing (00:41:16)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Impulse” 20th-anniversary reflections

A distress call leads the Enterprise to a derelict Vulcan cruiser trapped in an asteroid field. When the crew boards the ship to mount a rescue, they find not the calm and cold Vulcans they’re used to but rather scary and cold zombies. As they attempt to get off the ship, whatever has transformed the Vulcan crew begins to affect T’Pol. And as her behavior becomes more and more irrational, a new threat to survival comes from within the landing party itself.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “Impulse” as we discuss how the story flips the Human–Vulcan narrative and accelerates T'Pol's character development.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Flipping the Vulcan-Human Narrative (00:02:10) Suspicious Minds (00:12:34) One Long Chase Sequence (00:17:19) Jolene's Brilliant Performance (00:21:56) Remembering Who We Are (00:28:13) VFX Advancements (00:34:01) Shortest Cold Open (00:37:24) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:39:34) Closing (00:45:27)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Rajiin” 20th-anniversary reflections

While the Xindi Council continues to debate how best to destroy Earth, the Enterprise welcomes aboard a beautiful passenger. Archer rescued the lingerie-clad alien from a slave market on the Xanathan planet where he, Tucker, and Reed sought clues about the Xindi and a way to synthesize trellium-D. It turns out that the freed woman may not have the information they need, but she does have ulterior motives … and the hots for everyone. Things take an even weirder turn when the Xindi Reptilions and Insectoids show up looking for their electric Barbarella.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “Rajiin” as we discuss Xindi motivations, Rajiin's reality, Archer's hard knocks journey, and how this installment advances the overall story.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Xindi Motivations (00:02:14) Archer Learns Star Trek Tropes (00:07:16) Should Rajiin Have Returned? (00:14:46) Muddy Powers (00:18:58) Susceptible to Abuse? (00:23:36) Managing Time in Storytelling (00:28:03) Advancing Trip and T'Pol (00:31:45) A TOS Vibe (00:37:26)   Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:39:52) Closing (00:44:07)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Extinction” 20th-anniversary reflections   Arriving at a dangerous planet not clearly marked, Enterprise crew find themselves being transformed into primitive creatures who apparently have amazing scientific prowess. Luckily, the mutagenic virus created by this civilization’s geneticists doesn’t work on T’Pol, thanks to her Vulcan K cells. Otherwise, all would have been lost before the end of Act 1. Will Doctor Phlox find a cure in time? It’s Star Trek meets Planet of the Apes—long before IDW did an official crossover—in this peach of an Enterprise episode.   In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “Extinction” as we discuss if anything good comes from Archer, Hoshi, and Malcolm cracking open a grub-filled coconut.   Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Advancing Trip and T'Pol … and Archer (00:03:02) A Devolving Story (00:09:58) Borg Parallels (00:19:56) What Is Going on Here? (00:25:10) Connecting to the Story (00:31:33) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:35:38)   Closing (00:38:24)   Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing   Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Anomaly” 20th-anniversary reflections

Things in the Expanse get weirder—and more dangerous—as an anomaly starts rearranging Enterprise. And an unexpected visit from a group of alien pirates complicates matters and threatens to leave the crew stranded. Porthos knew it was going to be a bad day when he saw a book on the floor, but he didn't realize just how bad it would get. To keep the mission on track, Archer has to resort to more extreme measures, including torture. In the process of retrieving their supplies, the crew uncovers an even deeper mystery: an ancient sphere. And to find it, they just had to follow Jenny.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 3 with “Anomaly” as we discuss how the Expanse changes people, the mystery of the spheres, and more.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Cosmic Canvas (00:02:49) (Almost) an Orion Backstory (00:09:06) Archer Changes (00:13:15) MACOs Matter (00:17:42) The Spheres (00:22:24) Subtle Continuity (00:28:29) What's in a Name? (00:31:34) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:35:57) Closing (00:39:07)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we warp into Season 3 with “The Xindi” as we discuss how the series takes a dark turn with a new mission, sexy character tension, and an upbeat retooling of everyone's favorite theme song.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) The Xindi Concept (00:02:10) Faith of the Upbeat Heart (00:10:28) A Dark Turn (00:16:26) Making the Case for MACO (00:26:17) Malcolm and the Major (00:30:01) Sexy Time with Trip and T’Pol (00:34:43) Visual Effects (00:40:22) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:43:54) Closing (00:45:53)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“The Expanse” 20th-anniversary reflections

An attack on Earth by an unknown species forces Starfleet to call the NX-01 back and presents the crew with a new mystery, one filled with danger greater than anything humanity has faced. Tipped off by Future Guy that a species called the Xindi are behind the attack, Archer has to convince Admiral Forrest to let him go find these unknown bad guys. Meanwhile, Trip faces the loss of his sister, killed in the attack, and T’Pol finds herself once again caught between two worlds. And if that wasn’t enough, Duras and the Klingons are at it again.

In this episode of Warp Five, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 20th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of Star Trek: Enterprise, one episode at a time. In this installment, we close out Season 2 with “The Expanse” as we discuss how the story sets the show on a new course.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Clearing the Deck (00:01:41) T'Pol's Arc (00:10:03) Ripped from the Headlines? (00:17:32) Injecting the Unknown into Star Trek History (00:25:55) Trip's Loss (00:32:25) Cut Scenes (00:35:49)   Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:44:11) Closing (00:46:55)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)