With a strong effort the first season resumes, a constant flow of action from director Kolbe and writer Bormanis. Early on Archer makes clear the mission of Enterprise, "to make peaceful contact with other species," as well as occasionally dropping the odd subspace amplifier here and there. Yet even as Starfleet grows noisier, from out of the silence emerge some serious enemies.
These silent nasties were, well, really nasty! From the ease with which they slipped onboard, to their power tick/probe (600MJ no less!), to their phase pistol resistant-armor - all bad. Heaven help you from whatever "Lifeforce"-type energy suck they were doing with their mitts. Just blow them up as quickly as you can - and we'll have no more of this Carol Marcus crap about potential crater microbes.
Thereby uncomplicated by plot the Enterprise crew gets highlighted equally as a team and as individuals, though with a particular focus on Reed. This was interesting though the discussion with Reed's parents (regarding his career choice of Starfleet rather than the Royal Navy) sounded so similar to Sarek and Spock I started looking for transfusion equipment.
Speaking of equipment, as the alien ship fired its weapon their shields dropped long enough for a bioscan that could read DNA but can't supply even a crude visual? And why not install some batteries before going much farther? Apparently every light on the ship fails, leaving the bridge and corridors in total darkness, yet the gravity functions ... ? Good thing after we come back from commercial the power's back on and Sickbay's as bright as ever. Bad thing's that's also on E deck from where Archer was just shown standing in the dark. (Speaking of commercials, nice product placement for liquid helium in the conflict scene between Reed and Tucker.)
The hailing threat transmitted from recomposited probe data - a stuttering Max Headroom-type Archer chattering "you are defenseless" - was bloodchilling in its simplicity. Yet we're reminded that now is not the time to start heading home (better left for some next generation). "Are your ears a little pointier than usual?" quips Trip to Archer's growing concern about mission risk. Ah, risk.
In "Return To Tomorrow" Kirk delivered the famous "Risk is our business" speech - a cornerstone of Star Trek. Tucker reminds his friend that it's been that way since the astronauts of our day stared down the risk and in so doing, inspire the starship crews of a different day. It's been a long road, and along every step - risk is their business too.