T'Pol has contracted a disease from her recent mindmelding experience. When Phlox attempts to surreptitiously seek a cure from Vulcan doctors, two things happen. First, Phlox learns that Vulcans have no interest in curing the condition, as it is only transmitted by fringe, undesirable "melders" in the society. Second, when an influential Vulcan doctor learns that T'Pol has been infected, he takes steps to recall her from her post on Enterprise. Meanwhile, one of Phlox's wives visits him aboard Enterprise... and displays clear attraction to Trip.
I had a lot to say about Star Trek: The Next Generation's run at a "gay episode" -- but in short, I felt that producer Rick Berman really didn't seem to understand the topic being explored. Yet people can learn and change, and I will concede that in the 11 years between "The Outcast" and this Enterprise episode, it appears that Berman evolved a little in this area. At least, this episode he wrote with series co-creator Brannon Braga does seem like its heart is mostly in the right place.
The conception of "Pa'nar syndrome" as a Vulcan analog for HIV works, as does the President-Reagan-style contempt that Vulcan authorities have not for the condition, but for the people most likely to have it. T'Pol's role in the episode is inspirational and noble. She refuses to curry favor by revealing that she contracted the disease by being melded with against her will; she'd rather stand up to power, not condone prejudice, and not perpetuate a double standard. She also will not "out" a mindmelder she meets just to help her own cause. To all of this, I say: Good. For. Her. And her integrity spreads; for once, Archer doesn't seem whiny when he mounts his high horse to yell at some Vulcan.
Still, I'd say the episode could have pushed even farther. The villanous Vulcans of this story are straw men, and the episode doesn't engage at all with the question of how they could be this bigoted to begin with. Prejudice is motivated by emotion, not logic -- but there isn't even a veneer of logic offered. A Vulcan rationale is sitting right there, unvoiced in this episode: that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the view." How powerful would it have been to have Spock's famous words co-opted to justify prejudice? And how much more strong does a hero look when they overcome a more vile villain? Still... it's not like I'm really too down on the episode for failing to present "both sides" of a one-sided issue.
The bigger shortcoming of the episode is in its ridiculous "B plot" about Phlox's wife pursuing Trip. Sometimes, a story needs light and comedic moments to relieve dramatic tension before ratcheting things up again. Sometimes, humor feels like an unwelcome distraction from serious matters. To me, this feels like a case of the latter.
It starts with the fact that the issue getting comedic treatment is polyamory. Enterprise simply can't avoid trying to be "sexy." They're not quite "making fun" of the idea of polyamory, since Phlox and his wife Feezal aren't looked down on by the script. And yet there's something a bit uncomfortable in the implication that the show can be serious about being gay, while polyamory is a big joke -- playing out in preposterously suggestive dialogue, Trip's attempt to use Hoshi as a shield against Feezal's advances, and seeing Phlox's trademark enthusiasm applied here to encouraging a hookup.
Trip's reaction isn't great, either. Of course, it's fine for the character to not personally want to engage in polyamory, but he's portrayed as incapable of conceiving how it would work for anyone. It clangs to pair such close-mindedness with the gay-coded A plot. And it's unfortunate that Trip has the Southern drawl of a "good ol' boy" you'd expect to have exactly this attitude. I'd rather they'd ditched the subplot entirely to spend more time on T'Pol's story... but if they were going to do this, I'd wager it would feel a bit less icky with literally any other character. (And I was just saying how the show has been overusing the character of Trip.)
Other observations:
- In a fun bit of Denobulan world building, Phlox and Feezal greet one another by wafting each other's scent into their face.
- CG of this era really falls short in rendering people, at any scale. A sweeping shot of a medical conference is undermined by the fake-looking, unnatural movement of the "people" attending it.
- Enterprise continues to objectify its cast members to titillate its audience. In his visit to Sickbay, Travis Mayweather flashes his abs. (Feezal totally could have been into him rather than Trip.)
The episode means well, and in the A plot at least is mostly well done. But I think it could have been a lot better if it had ditched the silly subplot. I give "Stigma" a B.
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