Star Trek Enterprise Retro-Spective "Unexpected"

As always seems to be the case, I enjoyed "Unexpected" more this time around. After a few amusing malfunctions, a 'stealth' ship is detected riding in Enterprise's wake, siphoning plasma exhaust to replenish their teraphasic coils. That is causing the warp bubble to brush against the port nacelle and create the malfunctions. (okay...). So Trip agrees to go over and help them out. After 3 hours in the Xyrillians' decompression chamber, Trip is weirding out, but refuses to rest up before getting to work. He starts to freak out to the alien lights and sounds, as is finally ordered by Archer to take a nap. After a nap, he's okay. The woman engineer wakes him up, snacks on grass growing on the walls. feeds him their version of water (like ice cubes) by putting them in his mouth. Little sparks go off when they touch. He flirts, she flirts, then they get back to work.

Soon they get to the point where they have to wait. To pass the time, she shows him what is essentially a TNG era holodeck. In there, they see her homeworld, and ride in a row boat. While in there, they play a game, involving putting their hands in clear beads, reading each other's thoughts, and flirting some more. Then all seems good. They warp away, happily ever after. A short time later, Trip grows a nipple on his wrist. Yep, he's pregnant. After many gags (most of them not entirely unfunny), they figure out that it was the game with the beads. They find the Xyrillians again... Hiding in the wake of a Klingon battlecruiser. (comments below) Archer and T'Pol talk the Klingons into not destroying the Xyrillians, and convince them to bring Trip onto the Xyrillian ship (at the cost of Trip's dignity). They board the Xyrillian ship, the woman takesTrip's problem off him, the Klingons get holo-technology. Archer tries to talk nice to the Klingons, who thank him by threatening him. And everyone pretty much lives happily ever after.

Okay...

My first impression of this was not good. I mean, four episodes in, and we're resorting to 'guy gets pregnant' gags. I still have to say I'm not thrilled with that. But there you go. The TNG hologram is good (although I think it's odd that they need Trip to help them fix their advanced warp drive). Trip is funny. Phlox is funny. Archer is obviously enjoying himself. T'Pol has a great time giving Trip a bad time. The pregnant jokes are old, but not overdone. Overall, I'd say they pulled it off. But the Klingon ship. Oh, the Klingon ship. That was an early opportunity for the producers to score points with fans, and an early missed opportunity. They reused the K'Tinga model instead of John Eave's beautiful D-4 battlecruiser. Really disappointing. So disappointing.

Aside from that, the episode was cute, funny, not boring and not stupid. Not really memorable, but worth the time spent watching it. Not the most ringing endorsement, but it was okay. Worth a thumbs up.

Next Up: "Terra Nova"