Enterprise 3x10: "Similitude"

[Kira]

[color=#000000ost_uid0]I'm not sure what to think about this episode. Â My first impression is that it's a great concept, but the execution leaves something to be desired.

First of all, YEEEAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH! Â IMBECILES! Â DNA DOES NOT CONTAIN MEMORIES! Â Phlox's comment that this is a "new discovery" placated me for a few seconds, but not for long. Â First off, a "new discovery" on [iost_uid0]Enterprise[/iost_uid0] is an [iost_uid0]old[/iost_uid0] discovery on Star Trek. Â And even now, we know that DNA just doesn't change -- or at least, nobody yet has ever proven that it changes to an extent that it could encode memories. Â I have a feeling the conversation went something like this:

Writer 1: "Hey! Â What if Trip's clone had his memories?"
Writer 2: "Yeah! Â That would be great! Â Then he'd be all asking questions, and freaking everyone out, and he could help the crew, and even hit on T'Pol!"
Writer 3: "Um, guys? Â He's a clone. Â He wouldn't have memories."
Writer 1: "Who cares? Â Conflict! Â Tension!"
Writer 2: "[iost_uid0]Sexual[/iost_uid0] tension!"
(Writers 1 and 2 give each other high fives)

I won't be surprised if our resident chemists were similarily hysterical at the "nucleonic particles" attacking the hull, but I'll leave that for them to butcher.

As for this week's topic of choice.... The good news is, we got a little more subtlety this time around than we did with, say, "Stigma." Â ("What's this? Â You mean prejudice against AIDS is [iost_uid0]bad?[/iost_uid0]") Â The bad news is, if what the writers were getting at it stem cell research, they're a little off track. Â The obvious differences are, of course, that (1) stem cells used for research aren't obtained from embryos created specifically [iost_uid0]for[/iost_uid0] research and (2) stem cell research doesn't involve growing up a sentient organism, then killing it. Â This isn't to say that there aren't simliarities, but those are two very important points that distance the episode from the issue it seems they're trying to tackle.

One twist that I did like was the revelation (a rather convenient one, but meh) that "Sim" had a chance, albeit a slim one, to live out a normal human lifespan. Â Then again, this led to the "Even if it means killing you" conversation, which seemed harsh -- whether it was deservedly so, I'm not sure. Â I actually wondered whether they were going to pull a "Deadlock" and have Trip's clone replace him -- which would have explained their stupid "DNA has memory" thing since they'd need it as a fallback. Â I did like the conflict created, but I'm not sure it was handled as well as similar issues have been on other series.

I'm surprised it took them fifty minutes to get T'Pol and the clone locking lips. Â I kept debating which would win out -- common sense (T'Pol is, after all, Vulcan and hasn't ever shown definitive interest in Trip) or UPN. Â I guess the fifty-minute delay can be explained if you consider it took them under two to have T'Pol leaning over Trip in a provocative position. Â (And that scene was going so well until then... sigh.)

Overall? Â I'm not sure. Â The episode was far from a disaster, but I'm not entirely certain it was a roaring success, either.

Next week: [iost_uid0]Star Trek IV[/iost_uid0], minus two whales.[/colorost_uid0]