ENT: Shuttlepod One

         From the title I assumed (correctly) that this was a reference to Galileo Seven about a shuttle stranding. Luckily it didn't do the same story though and this has the potential to be a pretty good episode. But they made two serious errors that kinda doomed the whole thing. First of all by cutting back to Enterprise for essentially no reason (the B story is SUPER weak and basically just Archer not listening to that damn Vulcan science garbage) and second making Malcolm so actually annoying. I totally get wanting to send a message to your family when you are pretty sure you aren't going to survive. But spending days recording messages to every ex-girlfriend you have ever had seems a bit much. Especially when there are things you could be doing that might actually increase your odds of survival. Trip may be a bit of an idiot at times, but I would work with him any day before Malcolm.
         We open with Trip and Malcolm bickering in a shuttlepod (presumably number one). Communications and sensors are out so Trip is working to repair them and since that isn't related to shooting shit Malcolm decides to read a book and complain about Americans. They find some wreckage that has debris from Enterprise smashed on an asteroid and realize they are stranded with only ten days air. Cut to Enterprise (and get rid of most of the tension in the episode) where they are taking the passengers of the ship that exploded and damaged Enterprise home (the source of the debris). Back in the shuttlepod Malcolm is spending literally every waking moment recording messages for pretty much every person he has known in his life which is funny since he doesn't seem to actually be close to anybody. Instead of wallowing in self pity Trip gets to work actually trying to save them.
         Trip realizes they can last long without heat to that gets turned off and they continue to fight. Until they break into the bourbon and suddenly they are best buddies or something. And also cold. Eventually the work Trip was doing pays off and they get a message from Enterprise but can't respond. So Malcolm comes up with a plan to detonate their engine core which Enterprise should be able to detect and get there faster. It works and they both wake up being warmed by Phlox and Malcolm not considers Trip his friend but Trip is still unconscious so who knows.

         Review: Another decent episode with some good moments that are spoiled but some bad decisions that drag it back to average.

5 out of 10