The more serious plot element of the episode is the discovery of a creature who looks like he is constructed of dried cheese. He is found in a pod, attached to hundreds of wires. Phlox tries to save him but he seems to be unsuccessful. Nonetheless, like so many of the aliens on board the Enterprise, he finally gets charged up and does a bunch of damage. Apparently, he is a part of the Xindie's plot to destroy Earth. The subplot is some fraternizing of crew members. Trip, who has definitely got some real hots for T'Pol, begins to do the Vulcan massage therapy with a pretty young marine. It''s obvious that T'Pol is jealous because she is distracted like we've never seen her. There is a very sultry scene between the two of them. We continue to plod toward a conclusion involving the Xindie. Another plot is Malcolm and the head marine, getting into a battle that could have disabled them for good. I have an issue with the training. If one were to medically evaluate what they are doing, you would have half your officers with serious concussions and mangled ACL's. They train without any pads or protection which would be absurd.
10 Reviews
Excellent little ep
info-591828 June 2023
This is not a major episode, with nothing signifcant in terms of plot points for the major story arc, but is a great little advance in the drama of the characters.... T'pol and Trip and Major Hayes and Malcolm Reed.
T'pol and Trips romance has been suggested at, and this advanced it - with T'pol getting jealous. At the same time, Major Hayes and Reeds relationship, which has been slowing heating up, boils over.
Both end up being humourous - with T'pols being distrtacted int eh training. However, one of the most hurmours scenes in the whole show is when Reed throws himself through the air at Hayes, and their fighting breaks out from the Gym into the general area of the ship.
ONe of the funniest eps of the show, and also, one of only two episodes of any Star Trek with nudity!
The Harbinger main storyline is almost inconsequential.
Memorable episode, and one of my favorites.
T'pol and Trips romance has been suggested at, and this advanced it - with T'pol getting jealous. At the same time, Major Hayes and Reeds relationship, which has been slowing heating up, boils over.
Both end up being humourous - with T'pols being distrtacted int eh training. However, one of the most hurmours scenes in the whole show is when Reed throws himself through the air at Hayes, and their fighting breaks out from the Gym into the general area of the ship.
ONe of the funniest eps of the show, and also, one of only two episodes of any Star Trek with nudity!
The Harbinger main storyline is almost inconsequential.
Memorable episode, and one of my favorites.
Think We're Dismissed?
CharoleaWood4 October 2023
I'm not normally one to put in a 7/10 written review but I wanted to point out that this episode has one of the most visceral and exciting fight scenes in all of Trek.
It's all the better for being part of a character B plot --- it's about relationship and ego rather than plot and intrigue.
And it's funny! Even as the makeup is made more real and gritty than ever before in a Trek show I'm laughing and clapping because the fight is so well done.
The payoff to it all is a very charming scene in the captain's quarters and Scott Bakula gets to have a wonderful captain's moment.
I'm giving this episode a 7 because I dislike several elements not having to do with that fight scene.
The A plot is fine and often charming as Trip and T'Pol wrestle with their own feelings for each other.
But it's the C plot about a captured alien that I found to be the big turnoff of the episode and I really hated how the writers drew Archer in these scenes.
It's all the better for being part of a character B plot --- it's about relationship and ego rather than plot and intrigue.
And it's funny! Even as the makeup is made more real and gritty than ever before in a Trek show I'm laughing and clapping because the fight is so well done.
The payoff to it all is a very charming scene in the captain's quarters and Scott Bakula gets to have a wonderful captain's moment.
I'm giving this episode a 7 because I dislike several elements not having to do with that fight scene.
The A plot is fine and often charming as Trip and T'Pol wrestle with their own feelings for each other.
But it's the C plot about a captured alien that I found to be the big turnoff of the episode and I really hated how the writers drew Archer in these scenes.
Rivalry and Jealousy
claudio_carvalho21 February 2008
Trip seduces the private Amanda Cole performing the Vulcan neuro-pressure technique with her in her quarter and T'Pol feels jealous. Major Hayes proposes a drill of defense to Captain Archer, breaking the chain of command in Enterprise, and Reed becomes upset with the training program of his rival. Meanwhile, the Enterprise finds a pod in a huge expansion field with a slight and erratic vital life signal of humanoid inside. They bring the alien on board and Dr. Phlox realizes that he is dying of cellular decay. When the alien awakes, he tells that he is a prisoner that had accepted to participate in an experiment. However, Archer believes he knows more than that.
I liked "Harbinger" a lot, first because of the jealous reaction of T'Pol to the flirt of Trip and Amanda, and then after her one night stand with Trip. The rivalry of Reed and Hayes also gives funny moments to the episode. Last but not the least, the dying alien gives the action to the good story. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "O Precursor" ("The Harbinger")
I liked "Harbinger" a lot, first because of the jealous reaction of T'Pol to the flirt of Trip and Amanda, and then after her one night stand with Trip. The rivalry of Reed and Hayes also gives funny moments to the episode. Last but not the least, the dying alien gives the action to the good story. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "O Precursor" ("The Harbinger")
Let's fight the Xindi with Vulcan neuro-pressure
tomsly-400155 April 2024
The third season of Enterprise is not, as many viewers think, the season in which Archer and his crew take on the fight against the Xindi and search for their ultimate weapon in order to prevent the impending destruction of Earth. No, season 3 is primarily about Vulcan neuro-pressure, foot massages, extended intimate scenes in T'Pol's quarters with Trip, in which she is either scantily clothed or half naked. This season is generally about female crew members being portrayed as sexy for no reason. As we know today: All vain attempts to stop the demise of this series.
T'Pol not only sweetens Trip's evenings with her neuro-pressure arts and vice versa, but with MACO soldier Amanda Cole the love triangle is now perfect. Amanda gets extra treatment from either Trip or T'Pol and Trip can't really decide who he should hook up with first. It was only logical that T'Pol would now approach Trip in order to broaden her horizons about human mating practices. But also unnecessary and embarrassing. Just more bare skin for the ratings.
On the other hand, the Enterprise now meets a "Builder" for the first time. But of course Archer and the crew still haven't learned anything. As gullible as ever, they take him on board, where he destroys almost half the ship before disappearing into another dimension.
Kind of weird: Earth and with it the crew of the Enterprise are essentially in a state of war. The crew steers through the Delphic Expanse - a previously barely explored region with a number of dangerous space anomalies and alien species. Each of them could either be an agent of the Xindi or be untrustworthy, if not dangerous, themselves. After all, life in the Expanse seems to be subject to different rules. And what's more, there are a number of spheres scattered throughout the Expanse and it's unclear what their builders are up to and whether these "Builders" aren't the masterminds of a much larger plot. But every ship in distress is still approached and its crew is brought to the Enterprise - with no or only minimal security and guarding. For example, when the crew opened the pod, as a captain in such a situation I would definitely have placed 5 security guards in front of it with phaser rifles. Just to be sure.
The scenes between Reed and Hayes are quite funny. But it's also not fitting for a security chief on board the Enterprise to behave like a teenager and respond to offended vanity with his fists. Also, shouldn't Hayes be teaching Reed's people some combat tricks? Then why is there not a single security officer present at training and instead Hoshi, Travis and T'Pol practice haymakers and shoulder throws? Wouldn't it be more appropriate for the crew members responsible for ensuring security on the ship to be up to speed instead of little Hoshi learning to swing her fists?
T'Pol not only sweetens Trip's evenings with her neuro-pressure arts and vice versa, but with MACO soldier Amanda Cole the love triangle is now perfect. Amanda gets extra treatment from either Trip or T'Pol and Trip can't really decide who he should hook up with first. It was only logical that T'Pol would now approach Trip in order to broaden her horizons about human mating practices. But also unnecessary and embarrassing. Just more bare skin for the ratings.
On the other hand, the Enterprise now meets a "Builder" for the first time. But of course Archer and the crew still haven't learned anything. As gullible as ever, they take him on board, where he destroys almost half the ship before disappearing into another dimension.
Kind of weird: Earth and with it the crew of the Enterprise are essentially in a state of war. The crew steers through the Delphic Expanse - a previously barely explored region with a number of dangerous space anomalies and alien species. Each of them could either be an agent of the Xindi or be untrustworthy, if not dangerous, themselves. After all, life in the Expanse seems to be subject to different rules. And what's more, there are a number of spheres scattered throughout the Expanse and it's unclear what their builders are up to and whether these "Builders" aren't the masterminds of a much larger plot. But every ship in distress is still approached and its crew is brought to the Enterprise - with no or only minimal security and guarding. For example, when the crew opened the pod, as a captain in such a situation I would definitely have placed 5 security guards in front of it with phaser rifles. Just to be sure.
The scenes between Reed and Hayes are quite funny. But it's also not fitting for a security chief on board the Enterprise to behave like a teenager and respond to offended vanity with his fists. Also, shouldn't Hayes be teaching Reed's people some combat tricks? Then why is there not a single security officer present at training and instead Hoshi, Travis and T'Pol practice haymakers and shoulder throws? Wouldn't it be more appropriate for the crew members responsible for ensuring security on the ship to be up to speed instead of little Hoshi learning to swing her fists?
Good concept for the main series plot, but no great character moments
snoozejonc10 November 2020
Enterprise comes across a pod with an Alien species.
I have mixed feelings about this episode. I liked the main plot regarding the new species encountered, which I won't go into at all for the sake of spoilers, and the scenes involving him make it worth watching. However, the two sub-plots involving Reed and Hayes' rivalry and a romance between two other characters were mostly forgettable.
Aside from the inevitable fight scene, which is pretty cool, the writers of Enterprise continue to assassinate Malcom Reed whenever they focus on him for any considerable length of time. This is unfortunate as he's had more positive moments in Series 3 than happened in either of the first two.
The romance scenes were pretty bland for me and feel like an excuse to show flesh. Personally, I only find romance compelling on screen if it develops out of the characters doing something meaningful or interesting together. In this case they do not. Much like some episodes of Voyager with B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris, they are attracted to each other because they just are and they consummate their attraction because they just do. Is it any anyway cinematic? To me, not in the slightest.
Others might feel differently, but for me this is an episode that needs to be seen for continuity and not much else.
I have mixed feelings about this episode. I liked the main plot regarding the new species encountered, which I won't go into at all for the sake of spoilers, and the scenes involving him make it worth watching. However, the two sub-plots involving Reed and Hayes' rivalry and a romance between two other characters were mostly forgettable.
Aside from the inevitable fight scene, which is pretty cool, the writers of Enterprise continue to assassinate Malcom Reed whenever they focus on him for any considerable length of time. This is unfortunate as he's had more positive moments in Series 3 than happened in either of the first two.
The romance scenes were pretty bland for me and feel like an excuse to show flesh. Personally, I only find romance compelling on screen if it develops out of the characters doing something meaningful or interesting together. In this case they do not. Much like some episodes of Voyager with B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris, they are attracted to each other because they just are and they consummate their attraction because they just do. Is it any anyway cinematic? To me, not in the slightest.
Others might feel differently, but for me this is an episode that needs to be seen for continuity and not much else.
This should be entitled 'Turf Wars...and Sex'.
planktonrules5 April 2015
This is an episode where I felt like yelling at some of the characters to SHUT UP and stop with the hostility! First, Lt. Reed and Hayes are having a turf war where both guys seem to be engaged in some macho theatrics to prove who has a bigger...um...role on the ship. Second, Trip begins showing the Vulcan neuropressure to a cute marine--and T'Pol seems a bit miffed. Also, crew members start talking about this as well...and Trip is just wondering why anyone cares. Third, Enterprise locates a capsule in space where there is a dying alien-- and when they rescue him and try to save him, the alien is angry!! What's with all the anger in this episode?!
This is not a particularly good episode. The macho theatrics are, at times, a bit embarrassing. In addition, it's obvious that the show is willing to do anything to get fans--including showing LOTS of skin. The opening scene and a sex scene Trip (with LOTS of skin) make it obvious how desperate the makes of the show have become in order to get folks to watch. The only thing I really liked about this episode was the final scene between Archer and the alien...that was pretty cool!
This is not a particularly good episode. The macho theatrics are, at times, a bit embarrassing. In addition, it's obvious that the show is willing to do anything to get fans--including showing LOTS of skin. The opening scene and a sex scene Trip (with LOTS of skin) make it obvious how desperate the makes of the show have become in order to get folks to watch. The only thing I really liked about this episode was the final scene between Archer and the alien...that was pretty cool!
Love Triangle
Samuel-Shovel2 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
In "Harbinger", the Enterprise investigates some type of anomaly crossroads and finds some a small pod with an alien on life support inside it. They bring him aboard and attempt to figure out why he is here. Meanwhile Trip gets himself entangled in a love triangle of jealousy with T'Pol & a member of MACO. Reed gets into a pissing contest with Major Hayes over the ship's security.
The "will they/won't they" of Trip & T'Pol has finally come to fruition in this episode. I'm glad we finally got it over with because it's been hanging over the show for a while now. I'm assuming this isn't the end of it and anticipate a relationship forming between the two. Time will tell.
These training exercises we see in this episode are insane. Nobody trains like that! The entire crew would end up in the infirmary. They have no protection, no headgear or anything. I find this hard to believe, even if their medical procedures are more advanced.
The alien in this episode looks like a Suliban that got left out in the sun too long. We never get a clear picture of who he is exactly or what his mission is. We only find out that he's part of the Xindi plot at the very, very end. He brings up more questions than answers: Is his species the one that instigated this conflict between the humans and the Xindis? Why can he walk through walls one minute and can't the next? What was his mission?
This episode's okay. We spend too much of it sparring and watching Reed & Hayes kill each other.
The "will they/won't they" of Trip & T'Pol has finally come to fruition in this episode. I'm glad we finally got it over with because it's been hanging over the show for a while now. I'm assuming this isn't the end of it and anticipate a relationship forming between the two. Time will tell.
These training exercises we see in this episode are insane. Nobody trains like that! The entire crew would end up in the infirmary. They have no protection, no headgear or anything. I find this hard to believe, even if their medical procedures are more advanced.
The alien in this episode looks like a Suliban that got left out in the sun too long. We never get a clear picture of who he is exactly or what his mission is. We only find out that he's part of the Xindi plot at the very, very end. He brings up more questions than answers: Is his species the one that instigated this conflict between the humans and the Xindis? Why can he walk through walls one minute and can't the next? What was his mission?
This episode's okay. We spend too much of it sparring and watching Reed & Hayes kill each other.
No, seriously.
sogoodlooking23 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
T'Pol and... Trip? T'Pol and Archer would have made far more sense, given their history, particularly the episode that strongly implied intimacy growing from the nature of the characters to that point--rather than the wholly contrived matter of T'Pol teaching Trip Vulcan neuropressure.
It also would have been far more interesting from the writers' point of view, where a relationship between the Captain and First Officer could have provided a fascinating leaven to Archer's descent into thugishness. Over the course of Season 3 he has become an authoritarian torturer, a largely remorseless killer and, incredibly, this has gone almost entirely unremarked by the series.
A relationship with T'Pol could have provided a foundation from which to inquire into this, where T'Pol's dispassionate analysis surely would have come into conflict with Archer's largely emotional response to events.
It also would have been far more interesting from the writers' point of view, where a relationship between the Captain and First Officer could have provided a fascinating leaven to Archer's descent into thugishness. Over the course of Season 3 he has become an authoritarian torturer, a largely remorseless killer and, incredibly, this has gone almost entirely unremarked by the series.
A relationship with T'Pol could have provided a foundation from which to inquire into this, where T'Pol's dispassionate analysis surely would have come into conflict with Archer's largely emotional response to events.
Disgusting lack of morality.
wwcanoer-tech2 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Enterprise discovers a ship inside a bubbling gravitational sphere, see a small space pod below the surface, pull it out, open it, discover an alien inside who is connected to dozens of fiber-optic cables, take him out, place him in sick bay where he starts dying and then interrogate him until he dies.
Not a momentary mention of "should we do this?"
Phlox is visibly uneasy but cooperating.
If this species wasn't our enemy before, then it is now!
When the alien learns that these are humans from Earth, he gets up and attacks the ship. In his dying breath he says that when the Xindi exterminate Earth then their species will take over.
Could the writers have reached this discovery without abandoning all morality or is Archer's loss of morality the point? Sometimes Archer decides that it's necessary to act immorally and sometimes he does it without thought. It feels more haphazard than a deliberate path that the writers have drawn.
The B plot with T'Pol and Trip was humorous, but doesn't justify significant the time spent on their Vulcan neuropressure rendezvous in every episode.
The C plot of infighting between Reed and Hayes is only pathetic. Rather than providing an interesting tension, Reed is simply annoying.
Not a momentary mention of "should we do this?"
Phlox is visibly uneasy but cooperating.
If this species wasn't our enemy before, then it is now!
When the alien learns that these are humans from Earth, he gets up and attacks the ship. In his dying breath he says that when the Xindi exterminate Earth then their species will take over.
Could the writers have reached this discovery without abandoning all morality or is Archer's loss of morality the point? Sometimes Archer decides that it's necessary to act immorally and sometimes he does it without thought. It feels more haphazard than a deliberate path that the writers have drawn.
The B plot with T'Pol and Trip was humorous, but doesn't justify significant the time spent on their Vulcan neuropressure rendezvous in every episode.
The C plot of infighting between Reed and Hayes is only pathetic. Rather than providing an interesting tension, Reed is simply annoying.
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