There is nothing quite like the laying down of a gauntlet. A race called the Xindi have as part of their mythology, a prediction that in 400 years, the Earth will launch an attack and destroy them. So to prevent this, they lay waste to a huge part of Earth and threaten to destroy the planet. Archer and the crew are called back to retrofit Enterprise and to confront the threat. It takes a lot of convincing to get off the mark. But off they go. Of course, Archer's constant pain in the butt, Duras, the Klingon commander, complicates things by continuing to attack Enterprise. This is a really loaded episode with great possibilities. Once again there are complainers about how this is contrived to raise ratings. What a horrible thing for the producers to do!
8 Reviews
Is nothing sacred?! The Xindi destroy Disney World!!!
planktonrules29 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
When this episode begins, a probe arrives and blows a huge swath from Florida to Venezuela--destroying Disney World and millions of people! Naturally Starfleet is Not pleased and want Archer to return to Earth to discuss the situation. As for Archer, he's got a lot to tell them-- such as the ship being attacked by Klingons (they just won't give up) and a meeting with the Suliban and their shadowy boss. In this meeting, he is told that a race from beyond the Delphic Explanse called the Xindi are responsible. So, eventually the Enterprise heads out on a many months' voyage to find these folks--but yet again the Klingons are lying in wait for Enterprise!!
This episode introduces a huge story arc which will be taking up much of season three--and which marks a definite improvement in the show. Because of this, it's imperative that you see this excellent, exciting and well written show.
This episode introduces a huge story arc which will be taking up much of season three--and which marks a definite improvement in the show. Because of this, it's imperative that you see this excellent, exciting and well written show.
Full of Action Episode
claudio_carvalho28 January 2008
An unknown alien probe cuts a slice of 4,000 km length from Florida to Venezuela, killing seven million people. The Enterprise is ordered by Admiral Forrest to return to Earth, but Captain Archer is abducted by Silik with the intention to give a message of an emissary from the future. He tells Archer that the Xindi , from the mysterious and dangerous Delphic Expanse, are preparing to attack Earth. Archer succeeds to convince the Starfleet to enhance the Enterprise and let him travel to the Delphic Expanse, under the protest of the Vulcans. Meanwhile Trip grieves the death of his sister Elizabeth, while The Klingon Captain Duras pursues the Enterprise with the intention of capturing Archer.
"The Expanse" is a full of action episode, but not totally original. I am curious about how the physics laws work in the spot based on the advice of Sival. T'Pol quits her commission with the Vulcan High Command to follow with the Enterprise, showing a great loyalty to Captain Archer. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Expansão" ("The Expansion")
"The Expanse" is a full of action episode, but not totally original. I am curious about how the physics laws work in the spot based on the advice of Sival. T'Pol quits her commission with the Vulcan High Command to follow with the Enterprise, showing a great loyalty to Captain Archer. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Expansão" ("The Expansion")
An exquisite episode
Cristi_Ciopron11 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This rich,ample episode involves a Xindi probe,a moving,sober,exquisitely acted scene with Archer and T'Pol,a battle with the Klingons,a scene of everyday life on board the "Enterprise",the introduction of a mysterious,even horrible zone,the Delphic Expanse.
One of the most grandiose and vast episodes of the whole series.
Six things that make this episode so excellent,well-grounded and well-timed:
(1)A Xindi probe,that slaughters,massacres millions of men;
(2)the very first evidences for the time travel,a most thrilling subject;
(3)The Delphic Expanse;
(4)an intense scene performed by Bakula and Miss Blalock;both give heartfelt performances;
(5)Archer and a mate having a drink,at night,and talking;nothing extraordinary,but so very human about these two guys having a drink and talking about a loss;
(6) a wild confrontation between "Enterprise" and a Klingon "Bird".
One of the most grandiose and vast episodes of the whole series.
Six things that make this episode so excellent,well-grounded and well-timed:
(1)A Xindi probe,that slaughters,massacres millions of men;
(2)the very first evidences for the time travel,a most thrilling subject;
(3)The Delphic Expanse;
(4)an intense scene performed by Bakula and Miss Blalock;both give heartfelt performances;
(5)Archer and a mate having a drink,at night,and talking;nothing extraordinary,but so very human about these two guys having a drink and talking about a loss;
(6) a wild confrontation between "Enterprise" and a Klingon "Bird".
Season 3, Here We Come
Samuel-Shovel22 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The finale of Season 2 of ST:E is an exciting one. An unknown assailant attacks Earth, killing millions of humans in the process of creating a scar across the terrain of North & South America. The Suliban kidnap Archer and set up a meeting between him and their time-traveling overlord who informs Archer of the culiprit is a species located in the Delphic Expanse known as the Xindi. The Enterprise heads towards the great unknown, a place feared by the Vulcans and Klingons. Meanwhile, Duras continues to pursue Captain Archer and bring him back to Kronos to restore his honor.
This episode is a bit of a transition, as we leave the plot of the Vulcans trying to capture Archer and head towards this new threat. The cliffhanger sets up the main story plot lines of season 3 and I have no issue with this. Sure, it might be convenient that future shows never mention this race or the national disaster that occurred back in the day but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I don't go around talking about the Great Chicago Fire everyday, why shouldn't future generations think of this simarly?
While I did enjoy the episode and what it sets up, this one isn't exactly perfect. The scanner that reads the UFO and gives a negative age to the alloy was pretty dumb. T'Pol's complicated decision to resign her post with the Vulcan High Command and stay with the Enterprise is basically glossed over. While the grief shown by Trip over the loss of his sister is one of the best performances we see out of him, I could have used more of it. This probably should have been a 2 part episode.
It also looks like we've seen the end of Duras as Archer's fancy new weapons (which are borderline ridiculous I might add) dispatch his ship into a million pieces on the edge of the Expanse.
Archer's quick to believe this time traveler for no reason. He's the leader of the Suliban Cabal, a bitter enemy to the Enterprise. Why believe him? Why trust him? Because he had general knowledge of the ship? Archer's thinking too emotionally. If it's the Xindi's idea to destroy Earth before humans destroy them and they are building a weapon to accomplish this, then why show up early and do a minor attack? You don't poke the bear unless you can kill it! The entire premise that they'd come and kill a few million instead of total annihilation is counterintuitive. Just wait until your weapon is ready, the humans aren't even aware of you yet.
Conclusion: Besides this major plotholee, which is hopefully explained next season, this was a rather enjoyable episode.
This episode is a bit of a transition, as we leave the plot of the Vulcans trying to capture Archer and head towards this new threat. The cliffhanger sets up the main story plot lines of season 3 and I have no issue with this. Sure, it might be convenient that future shows never mention this race or the national disaster that occurred back in the day but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I don't go around talking about the Great Chicago Fire everyday, why shouldn't future generations think of this simarly?
While I did enjoy the episode and what it sets up, this one isn't exactly perfect. The scanner that reads the UFO and gives a negative age to the alloy was pretty dumb. T'Pol's complicated decision to resign her post with the Vulcan High Command and stay with the Enterprise is basically glossed over. While the grief shown by Trip over the loss of his sister is one of the best performances we see out of him, I could have used more of it. This probably should have been a 2 part episode.
It also looks like we've seen the end of Duras as Archer's fancy new weapons (which are borderline ridiculous I might add) dispatch his ship into a million pieces on the edge of the Expanse.
Archer's quick to believe this time traveler for no reason. He's the leader of the Suliban Cabal, a bitter enemy to the Enterprise. Why believe him? Why trust him? Because he had general knowledge of the ship? Archer's thinking too emotionally. If it's the Xindi's idea to destroy Earth before humans destroy them and they are building a weapon to accomplish this, then why show up early and do a minor attack? You don't poke the bear unless you can kill it! The entire premise that they'd come and kill a few million instead of total annihilation is counterintuitive. Just wait until your weapon is ready, the humans aren't even aware of you yet.
Conclusion: Besides this major plotholee, which is hopefully explained next season, this was a rather enjoyable episode.
Season-ending cliffhanger succeeds, but scores low in originality
mstomaso5 June 2007
"The Expanse" assembles a mystery and a cliffhanger to predictably end the second season of Enterprise. An automated weapon which Archer believes to be a Xindi probe enters Earth-space and cuts a swath from Florida to Venezuela,killing millions. Archer is contacted by an emissary from the future and told that an invasion is being prepared in the Delphic Expanse - a region of space which the Vulcans, and seemingly everybody else, are terrified of. Meanwhile, the Klingon fugitive subplot is kept alive as Enterprise is pursued by Klingon Birds of Prey (this is really just added to provide some additional action in an otherwise sedate episode, since it has no bearing on the central plot), and Enterprise is refitted with better hull plating and antimatter torpedoes (completely scientifically absurd, but the franchise hasn't really been very concerned with science since DS9 so who cares).
The acting is a touch above the average for this series. The script allows Conner Trinnear to capitalize on American emotions surrounding the 9/11 attack on the U.S.A., as he turns in one of his finest performances during this series. Jolene Blalock also does a very nice job with one of T'Pol's more complicated early interpretations (this character has one of the best arcs in the series, and becomes much more interesting in the 3rd and 4th seasons). However, the script does not just follow franchise formulae, but almost plagiarizes the film Event Horizon in its exposition on the Delphic Expanse.
Entirely predictable, but worth watching because it sets up a good Season 3 opener "The Xindi", and an excellent story arc within the expanse itself.
The acting is a touch above the average for this series. The script allows Conner Trinnear to capitalize on American emotions surrounding the 9/11 attack on the U.S.A., as he turns in one of his finest performances during this series. Jolene Blalock also does a very nice job with one of T'Pol's more complicated early interpretations (this character has one of the best arcs in the series, and becomes much more interesting in the 3rd and 4th seasons). However, the script does not just follow franchise formulae, but almost plagiarizes the film Event Horizon in its exposition on the Delphic Expanse.
Entirely predictable, but worth watching because it sets up a good Season 3 opener "The Xindi", and an excellent story arc within the expanse itself.
The Temporal Cold War heats up spectacularly
snoozejonc25 September 2020
Earth is attacked and Enterprise returns home at the request of Starfleet.
This episode feels like a prologue to a lot of television time dedicated to a big conflict between Enterprise and a new enemy. It introduces some concepts that do not really fit in to what has been established or referenced already within the Star Trek universe. That being said, it is pretty strong episode containing themes that seem relevant to the series which was written in the immediate post 9-11 years.
What it does well is generate intrigue into what will happen in the next. We see the Enterprise starting out on a seemingly dangerous journey and I for one want to see where they go and what obstacles they must overcome on the way. The sub-plot involving the Klingon Duras creates plenty of excitement before the Enterprise even enters the expanse.
Where it fell down a bit for me was the characters. There is a very big deal made about T'Pol either staying with Enterprise or returning to Vulcan. Let's be honest, she is one of the main characters on the show, so there's obviously only one way that's going. Trip Tucker, bereaved and angry following the death of his sister shows signs of how annoying he may possibly become in future episodes. Hoshi is virtually ignored considering she was only brought on as a Klingon translator.
I guess this is where the writers decided to go full hog and depart with both the continuity and formula of the past franchise. I understand from all the negative reviews of the next seasons that die-hard Trekkies hated it, but I'm happy to see for myself what all the fuss was about.
This episode feels like a prologue to a lot of television time dedicated to a big conflict between Enterprise and a new enemy. It introduces some concepts that do not really fit in to what has been established or referenced already within the Star Trek universe. That being said, it is pretty strong episode containing themes that seem relevant to the series which was written in the immediate post 9-11 years.
What it does well is generate intrigue into what will happen in the next. We see the Enterprise starting out on a seemingly dangerous journey and I for one want to see where they go and what obstacles they must overcome on the way. The sub-plot involving the Klingon Duras creates plenty of excitement before the Enterprise even enters the expanse.
Where it fell down a bit for me was the characters. There is a very big deal made about T'Pol either staying with Enterprise or returning to Vulcan. Let's be honest, she is one of the main characters on the show, so there's obviously only one way that's going. Trip Tucker, bereaved and angry following the death of his sister shows signs of how annoying he may possibly become in future episodes. Hoshi is virtually ignored considering she was only brought on as a Klingon translator.
I guess this is where the writers decided to go full hog and depart with both the continuity and formula of the past franchise. I understand from all the negative reviews of the next seasons that die-hard Trekkies hated it, but I'm happy to see for myself what all the fuss was about.
This is where they all went wrong
patrick-dewijs17 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The ratings where bad and they needed a fix to boost the numbers.
They thought that by introducing a story that will be played out trough an entire season would do just that. While that in itself is not bad idea the whole Xindi story arch messes up the time-line and integrity.
In all following series there has never been the slightest reference to a race like the Xindi. The destruction of a continent and millions of people would have made into any history book. Again never was something like this mentioned.
For me this is where the series started to commit suicide. It therefore came to me as no surprise that the series had to end.
Making a prequel is always dangerous many have failed but it is possible to do it right. Unfortunately this series started of with a bad opening tune (which they admit as it is changed by placing a beat under it) which doesn't give the startrek feeling. Then the design of the ship which i think is not that good, it looks to advanced and not with my biggest imagination can i see that the next model would be the NCC-1701.
Anyways better would have been if they did more with the Andorians (which they did in the 4th season but by then it was to late...)
No, it is best not to see this as a startrek but as a 'stand-alone' scifi series.
They thought that by introducing a story that will be played out trough an entire season would do just that. While that in itself is not bad idea the whole Xindi story arch messes up the time-line and integrity.
In all following series there has never been the slightest reference to a race like the Xindi. The destruction of a continent and millions of people would have made into any history book. Again never was something like this mentioned.
For me this is where the series started to commit suicide. It therefore came to me as no surprise that the series had to end.
Making a prequel is always dangerous many have failed but it is possible to do it right. Unfortunately this series started of with a bad opening tune (which they admit as it is changed by placing a beat under it) which doesn't give the startrek feeling. Then the design of the ship which i think is not that good, it looks to advanced and not with my biggest imagination can i see that the next model would be the NCC-1701.
Anyways better would have been if they did more with the Andorians (which they did in the 4th season but by then it was to late...)
No, it is best not to see this as a startrek but as a 'stand-alone' scifi series.
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