Detained (Star Trek: Enterprise)

"Detained" is the twenty-first episode (production #121) of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is noteworthy for featuring both Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell on television for the first time since the series Quantum Leap.^[1]

Captain Archer and Ensign Mayweather are detained by the Tandarans in a Suliban internment camp. Learning of the Suliban's persecution by the Tandarans, Archer enlists the aid of Enterprise and his crew.^[2]

Plot[]

Captain Archer and Ensign Mayweather wake up in a Tandaran prison. They are soon met by Major Klev, who orders them both to the office of Colonel Grat. Grat interrogates them in detail regarding their intrusion into Tandaran space and the Suliban, and says that they will have to appear before a magistrate in three days time. He also refuses to allow Archer to contact Enterprise, but does so himself and apprises them of the current situation. Upon hearing this, Commander Tucker advocates a rescue attempt, but Sub-Commander T'Pol prefers to avoid provoking the Tandarans further, and orders Enterprise to Tandar Prime.

Later, Archer meets a Suliban called Danik, who tells him that they are in Detention Complex 26, an internment camp for Suliban imprisoned when the Cabal began attacking the Tandaran Sector eight years previously. In his office, Grat questions Archer in detail about the events of episode "Broken Bow", and also demands information about the Temporal Cold War. Archer wonders why innocent Suliban are being held prisoner, but Grat warns that delaying could result in Archer missing the transport to Tandar Prime. Grat contacts the Enterprise to report that the hearing has unfortunately been "delayed", allowing Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato to triangulate his signal and locate the prison.

That night, a communicator is beamed to Archer and Mayweather's cell. Archer tells Tucker he wants to help the Suliban escape, and Danik says his people can go to the Niburon Colonies, away from the Tandar Sector. The following morning Grat discovers the communicator and Archer is sent to isolation as punishment. Aboard Enterprise, T'Pol uses torpedoes to ward off the Tandaran defense-ships before clearing Tucker to launch in a shuttle-pod. Mayweather distracts Klev, allowing a Suliban-disguised Reed to activate charges and initiate the escape. As they flee, Grat argues that the Suliban will all go to join the Cabal, but Archer says that he doesn't know the Suliban very well, despite having been in charge for a long time.

Production[]

Dean Stockwell previously starred alongside Scott Bakula in the television series Quantum Leap

Prior to Enterprise, main cast member Scott Bakula had starred for several years in the television series Quantum Leap alongside Dean Stockwell, and there were suggestions at the start of Enterprise that Stockwell could make an appearance. Bakula suggested that Stockwell should appear in the show, saying "wouldn't that be great if we could get him on? It has to be; we've got to do it."^[3] At the start of the first season, this prospect was down-played in interviews.^[4] In a January 2002 interview, Bakula said that he missed working with Stockwell and that they would both love do an episode together, but that "They would have to be clever about it or just ignore it, so that it wouldn't be a distraction, but add to the show."^[5][6] Stockwell did not actively pursue a role in the series and waited to see what might happen. When an offer was made he contacted Bakula to check large amounts of prosthetic makeup was not required.^[7] Stockwell noted that Colonel Grat had a handheld computing device that was a clear reference to the supercomputer Ziggy from Quantum Leap.^[7]

The episode was written by Mike Sussman and Phyllis Strong. Sussman was critical of the episode, because he disliked the obvious allegory of "message shows" and said "if it's intelligent, interesting, surprising—it doesn't need some hit-you-over-the-head message."^[8] Brandon Braga praised the performances of Bakula and Stockwell, he said "It's very different from their Quantum Leap dynamic, and it turned out wonderfully."^[9]

Reception[]

Detained was first aired in the United States on UPN on April 24, 2002.^[10] According to Nielsen, it received a 3.0/5 rating share among adults. It had an average of 4.9 million viewers.^[11] It seemed to have struggled to attract audiences after two weeks of reruns, ratings were only slightly higher than "Fusion" which had the same rating and was the ratings low point of the season.^[12]

Aint It Cool News gave the episode 2.5 out of 5.^[13] In 2014, The A.V. Club gave this an honorable mention, in their list of recommended Enterprise television episodes.^[14]

In 2016, "Detained" was ranked the tenth most essential episode of Enterprise, noting how Captain Archer must deal with an internment camp.^[15]

In 2016, Vox rated this one of the top 25 essential episodes of all Star Trek.^[16]

Home media[]

This episode was released as part of Enterprise season one, which was released in high definition on Blu-ray disc on March 26, 2013;^[17] the release has 1080p video and a DTS-HD Master Audio sound track.^[18]

References[]

External links[]

• "Detained" at IMDb
• Detained at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Detained at StarTrek.com