ENT: The Expanse

         This may not have been a great episode, but I am actually strongly in favor of the idea to make the next season about something rather than just wandering aimlessly. Trek has been strong both ways in other series so it isn't a universal preference, but ENT has been so bad so much of the time I am hoping this gives the writers the focus they need to maybe make things more interesting. At the same time, when you have Archer say for maybe the 10th time, "oh yeah, but Vulcans don't believe in time travel," you have a problem. The Vulcans are supposed to be super logical and in general everything else in Trek supports this. But for some reason despite clear evidence right now they have doctrinally decided time travel doesn't exist exists. EARTH TO STAR TREK WRITERS, THIS ISN'T LOGICAL. So yes, I will, with reservations, say that this episode seemed like a step forward for ENT.
         We open with an alien probe showing up at earth and blasting a swath from Florida to Panama (they say Venezuela in the ep, but the effects shot shows the swath going across Panama into the Pacific Ocean so even if it hit land again, that would be in Columbia, not Venezuela. But I guess checking a map would be too hard for them. Back on ENT the news hits hard, especially for Trip whose sister lives in Florida. The ship is called back to earth but they are intercepted by Suliban who grab Archer and make him talk to future guy. Future guy insists the attack was by the Xindi who learned from another faction that earth will destroy them in 400 years so they have decided to destroy earth. Cut back to Enterprise where they have continued to earth only to face an attack by Klingons determined to get Archer on the way back. Reinforcements arrive though and drive off the attackers.
         Arriving at earth no one listens to Archer since he has to be a martyr. Even after he shows that parts of the probe are from the future no one listens to him and the Vulcans even surreptitiously send a psychologist to evaluate Archer. But since Archer is always right Starfleet eventually grants his request to take Enterprise out to something called the the Delphic Expanse which the Vulcans are terrified of to look for the Xindi. More attacks by the Klingons and T'Pol resigning her commission so she can stay on Enterprise later we have hit the end of season two.

         Review: A pretty traditionally bland ENT to set up a bigger story that I really hope manages to elevate the show. But really I have my doubts.

3 out of 10