Civilization

When I first saw Civilization a sense of fatigue fell over me. Now this may have been a result of Ch. 9's predilection for broadcasting Enterprise somewhere around midnight after hours of interminable sport; that certainly added to my less than stellar experience of ENT in the beginning. Civilization has many elements from TOS with a glossier TNG coating. It has your classic Star Trek Villagers (all 5 series are cursed with these) looking earnest and rustic in their homespun robes. It has Kirkian kissing. It has a plot which was ripped straight out of TOS but lacking all the campy cool bits. Civilization is A Private Little War desexed. Yawning, I wondered why I was staying up so late.

"They don't look so different." Archer

"You'd be recognized immediately as outsiders." T'Pol

"Not if we look like them." Archer

Repeated viewings have been a lot more enjoyable. The charming enthusiasms of Archer and Trip have a poignancy now post the Xindi arc. T'Pol looks like a Barbie Princess with her long hair and flowing gown--please please Art Asylum I want a Civilization T'Pol with an oversized pink plastic hairbrush. The ripping of the Malurian flesh to reveal lizard underneath was an awesome V moment. And of course there's the haunting thought of what the future holds for the Malurians, their system wiped out in the TOS episode "The Changeling".

Trip and T'Pol both looking all fey and King Arthurish..