Enterprise 1x04 - "Rajiin"

[Kira]

[color=#000000ost_uid0]Random thoughts from this episode, which I overall enjoyed yet still had trouble paying attention to during the last third....
[*]During the opening credits -- which I must now keep muted, thanks to the mutilation the theme song which I had actually grown attached to -- I noticed they've finally changed the series name to [iost_uid0]Star Trek: Enterprise[/iost_uid0]. Â Maybe they got tired of telling people, "No, not [iost_uid0]Star Trek: Enterprise[/iost_uid0], Just [iost_uid0]Enterprise[/iost_uid0]."
[*]The Xindi Council scenes were purposely vague, but they're definitely leaving open the possibility that the Xindi are merely trying to defend themselves, much as Earth is. Â There were several points in the discussion where I expected someone to point out that the humans would destroy the Xindi if they did nothing, or something to that effect.
[*]Finally, something to like about the T'Pol/Trip subplot -- their conversation about ship (and 'ship) gossip. Â Unlike a lot of things on [iost_uid0]Enterprise[/iost_uid0] these days, it felt very natural.
[*]My theory that [iost_uid0]Enterprise[/iost_uid0]'s writers spent the summer watching movies and old Trek to get ideas for this season keeps alive for a third straight week. Â This week's feature ripoff that jumped out at me? Â [iost_uid0]Waterworld[/iost_uid0], although we really didn't get much past the lookalike floating-type city. Â Also, I'm wondering if the writers had been watching some girl-on-girl porn....
[*]Once again, I'm impressed by the alien makeup. Â I think we've seen more neat aliens in the first four episodes this season that we did in the last two seasons put together. Â Well, except Rajiin. Â Maybe they thought she wouldn't sell as a hot love slave if she looked too alien. Â ("Hot [iost_uid0]damn[/iost_uid0]! Â Did you get a look at those gills? Â Sweet!")

Overall, a decent outing. Â I'm intrigued to find out the reason behind the Xindi hatred of humans, I'm no longer rolling my eyes at the Trip/T'Pol scenes, and I went almost the entire episode without yelling at Archer.[/colorost_uid0]