Harbinger (Star Trek: Enterprise)

"Harbinger" is the sixty-seventh episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, the fifteenth episode from the third season. "Harbinger" works together three plot lines in a single episode: T'Pol-Tucker relationship, Hayes (the MACO commander) and Reed tension, and uncovering the nature of a mysterious alien discovered in an anomaly and its possible links to the expanse sphere builders.[1][2] Guest star Thomas Kopache plays the alien guest, and Noa Tishby plays Amanda Cole, the third in the T'Pol-Tucker love triangle.

"Harbinger"
Star Trek: Enterprise episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 15
Directed byDavid Livingston
Story byRick Berman
Brannon Braga
Teleplay byManny Coto
Featured musicVelton Ray Bunch
Production code315
Original air dateFebruary 11, 2004 (2004-02-11)
Guest appearance(s)

Plot

It is December 2153, and Enterprise continues along its time-sensitive course towards Azati Prime to find the Xindi weapon ("Stratagem"). Commander Tucker begins spending time with a female MACO, and Sub-Commander T'Pol begins to exhibit signs of suppressed jealousy. Meanwhile, the long-simmering tension between Lieutenant Malcolm Reed and Major Hayes finally comes to a head when Hayes approaches Archer over their security roles aboard Enterprise. Hayes suggests training together to share ideas, but Reed sees this as a move to undermine his authority.

Despite the significant time constraints of their mission to save Earth, Captain Archer diverts Enterprise to investigate a convergent region of spatial anomalies (created in the center of five spheres), where the crew discover a pod containing an alien. The pod is retrieved, and the alien is taken to Sickbay, but Doctor Phlox can do little to keep him alive. Archer wishes to interrogate him, and does so against Phlox's wishes. Meanwhile, Hayes sets up a weapons training session, and comments continually at Reed's performance. They later get into a fistfight, much to Archer's chagrin.

T'Pol and Tucker finally continue their Vulcan 'neuropressure' sessions, and T'Pol reveals her conversation with Sim-Trip to him, and the two become intimate. She later is very clinical in thanking Tucker for his assistance in her one-time "exploration of human sexuality". Back in Sickbay, the alien revives and physically begins to phase. He attacks Phlox, and then heads through walls towards the warp core, attempting to destabilize the magnetic seals. Reed and Hayes, now working together, stop the alien and he is returned to Sickbay. Archer, intent on getting answers, is frustrated as the alien dies and then disappears.

Props

One prop featured in this show is a latex alien body with mottled skin inside of a clear acrylic tube.[3] The latex alien has a multitude of little probes and clear wires, possibly fiber optic in nature attached.[4] This was meant to show alien inside what was thought to be a stasis chamber.[5] The item was evaluated at between two and three thousand USD by an auction house, but was sold for almost four thousand USD.[6] The prop is known as Pin Cushion Man and overall has a size of 90 inches by 36 inches by 54 inches.[7]

Reception

By 2017, Harbinger had achieved an 8.6 out of 10 rating on 146 votes at TV.com.[8] A review in 2004 compared Harbinger to DS9's ('93-'99) "Call To Arms" and noted its connection to the season long Xindi story arc in ENT season 3.[9]

"Harbinger" was ranked the 6th best romantic story in Star Trek.[10]

See also

References
  1. Star Trek Enterprise episode review – Harbinger February 11, 2004
  2. TV.com. "Star Trek: Enterprise: Harbinger". TV.com. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  3. 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection, Part 1
  4. 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection, Part 1
  6. "PIN CUSHION MAN". www.christies.com. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  7. "PIN CUSHION MAN". www.christies.com. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  8. TV.com. "Star Trek: Enterprise: Harbinger". TV.com. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  9. Space Ramblings - Star Trek Enterprise episode review – Harbinger February 11, 2004
  10. "Star Trek's 15 Greatest Romances". ScreenRant. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
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