In the tenth episode of the second season of Enterprise, I am insulted. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
Look, I’m all for thought experiments; I’m all for this show exploring some of the more disturbing elements of technology; I do not need for Enterprise to stick to traditional storytelling tropes or narratives or patterns. Please, be weird! Be odd! Surprise me! So yes, there is a (small) part of me that can appreciate that “Vanishing Point” more or less confirms that a person can be somewhat conscious during the transporter process, that when a person is in the buffer, they can hallucinate. That is a cool idea! And a great starting point for an episode!
My problem with “Vanishing Point” is that this script takes forty minutes to establish that idea and then a brisk two minutes ACTUALLY EXPLORING IT. I got invested in this highly emotional story, which had metaphorical resonance for the character of Hoshi, only to be told at the end that literally none of it mattered. This would not have been so absurdly unsatisfying if, for example, the big reveal happened halfway through the episode and then we got to see Hoshi deal with the ramifications of this experience. Instead, we waste our time. This show just wasted my time!!! Why are you going to give me a plot so completely entrancing only to snatch it away from me at the end? It feels like a writer creating something just to watch me twitch in shock, not because it’s a good story.
UGH, WE GET A HOSHI-CENTRIC EPISODE AND THIS IS IT? Booooo. Boo to this forever, I refuse to write any more words on this.
The video for “Vanishing Point” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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