Cogenitor
Mission Date: Unknown
Original Airdate: April 30, 2003
Reviewed By Paul Pytlik

Summary | Review | Screen Caps | Cast | Guest Cast | Creative Staff

Summary

Captain Archer, excited at being the first humans to study a hyper-giant up close, is elated even more at the added bonus of a first contact. Another ship, an advanced race known as the Vissians, is also studying the star. Always interested in meeting new races, they offer to help modify the Enterprise's sensors in return for coming aboard for a visit. After dining with the Vissian captain, Archer is invited to join him on an excursion into the photosphere of the star onboard their strata-pod. The two hit it off so well, Archer is invited to join the other on a three day trek, deeper into the star.

Meanwhile, Tucker is introducing a pair of Vissian women to the earth delicacy known as the ‘sundae'. Reed interrupts, telling Trip that the Vissian chief engineer is interested in speaking with him. Reed takes Tucker's place, and the alien ship's tactical officer, Traistana, is more than happy with the change. Reed is likewise smitten. Tucker introduces himself to the engineer and his wife, and also meets their cogenitor. He's invited to look around the Vissian engine room by the chief, but first must get an inoculation from Phlox. Trip takes the opportunity to ask the doctor more about the cogenitor. It seems the Vissians have three sexes, the cogenitor being vital to reproduction. Trip is taken aback, but follows Phlox's advice and tries to keep an open mind.

As Trip is shown the alien ship's engineering section, he peppers the chief with questions about the cogenitor, and becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the answers he gets. The cogenitor is treated both as an object and a pet by couples trying to conceive. They make up about 3% of the population, which turns out to be the perfect natural ratio, and are passed around to whomever is trying to have a child. It is their sole purpose in life, which also means that educating them or even naming them is deemed pointless. Tucker returns to Phlox, and after a brief conversation asks if it would be possible to scan the cogenitor to see what its mental capacity is.

Elsewhere, Reed is busy introducing Traistana to more of Earth's delicacies, this time cheeses of pungent varieties more fitting of the Vissian's taste in food. While showing her the engine room, Reed becomes slightly indignant when she implies that their weaponry isn't as sophisticated as the Vissian's, but loosens up considerably when she asks him to engage in sexual activity with her.

Tucker joins the engineer and his wife for dinner, and secretly scans them and the congenitor. Bringing the data back to Phlox, he discovers that it is indeed as intelligent and capable as the other two sexes. During his next visit to the alien ship, he sneaks away to visit the cogenitor, and gives it a padd to help it learn to read. Though reluctant at first, Tucker manages to convince it that it deserves to learn. On his way out, the cogenitor asks him if it can use his name.

Later, Tucker shows the cogenitor Enterprise, and the two wind up back in his quarters, where they watch ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still'. T'Pol reprimands Tucker for his behaviour, and informs him that the crew are no longer welcomed on the alien vessel. Once the captain returns, they will depart. Tucker returns to work, where he is met by the cogenitor, whom asks for asylum.

Archer returns, and while angry and disappointed in Tucker's behaviour and actions, must now give serious thought to granting the asylum request. The Vissian captain, trusting Archer's judgment, tells him he has as much time as he needs to make his choice. Ultimately, the captain decides to return the cogenitor to the Vissians, and the two ships part amicably. Later, Archer is contacted by the alien ship, and informed that the cogenitor has committed suicide.

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Review

I think this is the first episode of Enterprise that really made me think, and the first that had my actively wondering how exactly it was going to end. ‘Dear Doctor' was close, but this story was much more engaging, and had me wondering who's side I was on more. Ultimately, I think I fall closer to Tucker's side than anyone else's. Does he regret how it turned out? Undoubtedly. But does he regret his actions? I'm not quiet sure, since beyond that first step, where he offered to help it (hereby referred to as Charlie, since it did take Tucker's name) read, nothing he does is a very big leap. And by then, he was so invested in Charlie's plight, short of not asking any questions about cogenitor's, I don't think the events would have transpired any differently. By stripping away Tucker's support system - sending Archer away and Reed doing Lord-knows-what for three days with that engineer - Tucker must rely on his judgment alone. While he does consult T'Pol and Phlox for advice, their responses seem too cold and well, alien, for him to accept. His are the only beliefs he can trust - since apparently he has no other human friends onboard.

Reed's storyline is a welcome change of pace, placed in just the right spots to break up the "Quest For Knowledge" of Tucker, and ending just as the drama pumps up. Is also injects much needed humour, such as the recycled (but much more effective) line of Seven of Nine's, though slightly tweaked. Slightly better than "do me baby", but much funnier. Digging deeper, as Reed shows his armoury to Traistana, complete with missiles (a commonly phallic symbol) which she almost openly scoffs at due to antiquity, I had to laugh at poor, prim Reed. It made the end of the scene even funnier, complete with bump on the noggin.

Also breaking up the main storyline, but not nearly as interesting, is Archer and his counterpart in the pod. Two or three of these sequences could have stood being cut, as they do nothing more to add to the story, other than the two becoming friends. However, that's already served near the end of the episode, such as in the conference room, by simple (and short) lines. And while Katsulas is enjoyable as the alien captain, Archer is his usual wooden self, not opening up until the last ten minutes (and boy does he open up). However, Tucker, Phlox, and T'Pol all give brilliant performances, with honourable mentions going to Reed.

The real show stealer is the conflict itself. It presents no clear right or wrong side to it. Though the obvious answer would seem to be that Tucker is right, the issue is clouded by not knowing a lot about the Vissian society. The scene in the conference room, where the engineer asks Archer about his stewards displays this excellently. It's in my opinion that this episode has displayed the most fully fleshed alien-of-the-weeks in any number of years, if only by leaving things so vague and half answered. The conflict is perfectly balanced, totally keeping any notion of romantic feelings for the cogenitor miles away. As if to underscore this, a romantic plot is instead rewarded to Reed. My mind may have been in the trash about on repeat viewing, but I believe this gives a clear message the it's the rights of the congenitor Tucker is interested in, not any... feelings for it.

"Impressive"
" The text describes much more interesting peaks"
" I'm not talking about the mountain, I'm talking about your reading"

It's refreshing. In case anyone's wondering, genitor is Latin for father. This may mean that Charlie *was* in fact leaning more towards the male side, since it literally is the co-father of the child. It may be good that it was strictly a rights violation issue for Tucker.

Besides the excellent story and acting this week, the lighting was likewise beautiful, with the soft glow of the star in almost every scene, very reminiscent of ‘Generations'. I think it's the first time Enterprise felt like a real place for me. It may have also been the episode though.

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Grade: 9/10

Cast:
Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
John Billingsley as Dr. Phlox
Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
Connor Trinneer as Charles "Trip" Tucker III

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Guest Cast:
Andreas Katsulas as Vissian Captain
F.J. Rio as Vissian Engineer
Larissa Laskin as Vissian Wife - Calla
Becky Wahlstrom as Cogenitor
Stacie Renna as Traistana
Laura Interval as Vissian Woman #2

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Creative Staff:
Director: LeVar Burton
Written By: Rick Berman & Brannon Braga

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