It bothers me not to rehash this plot so long as it's done well. To Prospero and Miranda, to Morbeus and Altaira, to Flint and Reena, now we add Ezral and Liana - and "Enterprise" hashed it well.

The episode sought to set a creepy mood and did so smoother than Tralaxian silk. It opened with the enjoyable D'Marr trading both spices and stories to test the crew's courage. Archer offers a goodly amount of coffee for a map to a haunted ship guarding a treasure of dilithium and off we go.

I love Mayweather episodes, be they few and far between. His fame as teller of ghost stories adds an unexpected new dimension to the character. On the bridge he sees the wrecked ship as a tomb, something not to be picked for spare parts. (Hmm ... Phlox similarly shares a concern for disturbing the dead in the hangar bay; T'Pol also leaves dogs lie. Funny how those with practical space experience in their past might like to keep it that way!) And on the surface he's first to notice the strangeness in the situation.

[Note to directorial staff: Stop aiming flashlights at the camera! I don't understand why NX-01 flashlights are bigger than hand phasers but this ain't "McMillan and Wife." Speaking of phasers, once again "Kill" or "Stun" becomes "Burn" (as in "... a hole through the door"). Reed just needs to drop a line that's all. Or think about adding "Light."]

Last week I crabbed that the crew let ship and captain down with their negligence. Thank goodness they're staying frosty now. T'Pol's quip about Trip's "previous repair experience" seemed meant to keep him on his toes. Reed was on his job too, with pointed questions and observations. (And did he catch the beam in the back or was that someone else?)

Subtle and not-so-subtle clues were laid in the condition of the ship and Liana's casual comments. The degree of holotechnology shown is incredible but that's nothing new. Tucker's toss-off challenge to Ezral to "program a holographic doctor" made me laugh out loud.

Ezral's oasis of self-deception, fear of change - even his self-inflicted guilt over "killing" his crew - kept him bottled inside his little techno-asis. (Did they offer him that terrible view of the escape pod with the corpse inside?) Confronted, he found the ability to leave- a true "test of his courage."

Finally my favorite line, from the delightful scene between Bakula and Auberjonois: "You have a beautiful ship." Nice of him to notice.


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