Yet another rehash of an age old scifi story. Originally broadcast on January 8, 2003 this is Enemy Mine Dawn
The Episode:
Captain’s starlog date undetermined.
After being attacked by an unknown ship, Trip Tucker crashes on a planet and tangles with an Arkonian pilot named Zho’Kaanand the two of them begin a cat and mouse game capturing one another until it is clear that they need to make amends and work together in order to survive. The catch here, well, when the sun comes up the planet gets hot…real hot and they will die. Meanwhile Enterprise is determined to find a way to save Trip but can’t detect him because of interference in the rocks and, of course, the aliens who are also searching for their own missing crewmember.
In the end Tucker and Zho’Kaan manage to find a way to be rescued and Zho’Kaan thanks Tucker for his efforts even though they were once enemies.
Is this a ‘Good’ Episode:
Okay, why does Star Trek have this incessant need to copy one of the best Scifi movies and books ever created? Well, I probably just answered my own question there but seriously, I swear between the phenomenal STNG episode Darmok which took the story in a different direction and The TNG Episode The Enemy which didn’t but was still halfway good, this one just basically rehashed the story told in Enemy Mine without anything extra or even special to it. I’ve discussed Enemy Mine in the past and it remains one of my all time favorite science fiction films so it really bothers me when this happens far too often. Sure. I have to give props to Roxann Dawson and Connor Trinneer for doing a fairly decent adaptation of one of my favorite films as it’s not their fault that this is essentially a cheaper copy of Enemy Mine even down to the lizard alien with a somewhat football shaped head. I just wish the writers had given it a much better spin like they did for STNG. It’s like copying someone’s homework but adding in the part where we see the actual search for the lost pilots and not just the survival situation.
I really can’t say anything else about this one, if you have already seen Darmok or The Enemy, which is more likely than Enemy Mine, then you have already seen this one. If I were you I would take a moment to grab a copy of Enemy Mine and give it a go, I swear you will not regret it and it is a much more fulfilling story than this one.
Gleanings and Cool Bits:
- We learn that the Vulcans and the Arkonians became enemies after a failed first contact.
- This isnt the last we see of the Arkonians but they are never a major threat again…like really ever.
Thanks for reading the Retro TV Review, I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you, one episode at a time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! Next Review: Stigma
more reviews I have a weekly series called Key Movies Of My Life that comes out every Thursday and for more retro TV goodness check out the rest of the Retro TV Reviews here.
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Late To The Game 7/21/2021
Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available. Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.
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