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"Babel One"
Star Trek: Enterprise episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 12
Directed byDavid Straiton
Written by
Featured musicPaul Baillargeon
Production code412
Original air dateJanuary 28, 2005 (2005-01-28)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Observer Effect"
Next →
"United"
Star Trek: Enterprise season 4
List of episodes

"Babel One" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise, and originally aired on UPN on January 28, 2005. The episode was written by Mike Sussman and André Bormanis, and directed by David Straiton. "Babel One" was the first of a three-part story which continued in the episodes "United" and "The Aenar". The arc was intended to precede the Romulan War which had been mentioned in previously aired episodes of the franchise, while "Babel One" was a reference to the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Journey to Babel".

Set in the 22nd century, the series follows the adventures of the first Starfleet starship Enterprise, registration NX-01. In this episode, Enterprise is ferrying a Tellarite Ambassador, when they respond to distress calls from Andorian vessel under attack. Pursuing the mysterious attacking vessel, they begin to uncover a plot to derail cooperative relations between the Tellarites, Andorians and humans.

The guest cast included several actors who had previously appeared in the franchise, including Lee Arenberg, Brian Thompson and Jeffrey Combs. It also featured Molly Brink for the second time as Lieutenant Talas. The episode required extensive make-up for the guest cast playing various alien characters. Reviewers were positive about the episode, calling it an improvement on the previous week's "Observer Effect", and praised the ending. Although Nielsen ratings of 1.7/3 percent showed an improvement over the previous episode, the number of actual viewers was the lowest yet for the series with 2.53 million watching the episode on the first broadcast.

Plot

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It is November 2154, and Captain Archer and Ensign Sato spend time preparing for the arrival of Ambassador Gral and the Tellarite delegation, by practicing being blunt, complaining, and arguing. En route to the trade summit on "Babel One", they detect a distress call from the Andorian warship, Kumari, now under attack. Enterprise alters its course to assist, and arrives to find Commander Shran, Lieutenant Talas, and 17 other survivors in escape-pods. Archer goes to meet him in Sickbay, and an angry Shran claims that both the Andorian Ambassador's and his ship were attacked and destroyed by a powerful Tellarite vessel.

Scans of the debris indicate Tellarite weapon signatures, and recovered sensor data shows a Tellarite vessel firing. With both delegations on board, and accusations of duplicity rising between the groups, Archer considers taking the Andorians to their homeworld. At full warp, Enterprise is suddenly attacked by an Andorian ship. When attempts at communicating fail, Archer demands that Shran intervene — he complies by explaining how to knock out its shields — but the attempt is ineffective. Enterprise is spared only when the attacking ship has to retreat because of a fluctuating power grid. T'Pol then notices that the "Andorian" and "Tellarite" ships have the same energy signature. The alien vessel is then tracked, and it appears to be capable of holographically disguising itself. Shran is unconvinced, and using Talas as a distraction, manages to escape and capture Gral, before order is restored. However, when Archer convinces Shran to examine the evidence, a member of the Tellarite delegation is able to wrest a weapon from Talas, and shoots her.

Meanwhile, Commander Tucker, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed and two MACOs beam aboard the ship, only to find it deserted and without life support. Although the MACOs are beamed back, the transporter is damaged before Tucker and Reed can be rescued. They are able to locate an oxygen supply within the ship's systems, but become stranded when the vessel warps away, and make their way to an empty bridge. On Romulus, it is revealed that the ship is actually a drone, controlled by a pilot under the command of Romulan Admiral Valdore, supported by a scientist called Nijil, in an attempt to prevent a regional détente.

Production

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The episode was written by Mike Sussman and André Bormanis. The duo had previously collaborated on several episodes, the most recent of which season three's "Hatchery". Meanwhile, they had written episodes individually, with Sussman writing three episodes so far during season four and Bormanis penning "Awakening". "Babel One" was directed by David Straiton, his third in season four after the second part of "Storm Front" as well as the stand-alone episode "Daedalus".[2]

Filming began on November 2, 2004 and lasted until November 10. The first scene filmed was on the Andorian bridge, which had been used in previous episodes but was made to look battle damaged for this episode. Other sets used included the standing sets to represent the Enterprise, as well as new sets showing the interior of the Romulan vessel. The title of the episode was an intentional reference to the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Journey to Babel". The three-part story was intended to represent a precursor to the Romulan Wars, which had been referenced in "Balance of Terror" and "The Defector".[2]

Casting and make-up

[edit]

The guest cast included a number of Star Trek alumni. Jeffrey Combs returned to his recurring role of Shran, for his second appearance during season four. Joining him as a returning Andorian was Molly Brink, who had previously appeared as Talas in the episode "Proving Ground". Brian Thompson played the Romulan Valdore, having previously appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as well as the film Star Trek Generations. Another Deep Space Nine actor who portrayed a new character in this episode was Lee Arenberg. He had previously appeared in a variety of roles across the franchise,[2] three times as a Ferengi in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine (including one, coincidentally also named Gral, no relation to the Tellarite Gral he plays here). He also appeared as a Malon, Pelk, in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Juggernaut".[2]

The guest cast required a variety of levels of make-up to portray their alien characters. Combs' make-up took around three and a half hours each day, as did the Tellarite prosthetics. The Andorian female cast members took around four and a half hour each day to get into make-up and costume, but on the first day, Brink required further make-up time as that day's shoot required her to appear in-character in her underwear. This meant that after the normal make-up schedule, she was sprayed blue from head to toe. At the end of that day's filming, the shower facilities at the studio's executive gym were used to remove the paint. Meanwhile, the Romulan make-up took three hours to apply, with all the relevant scenes completed in a single day.[2]

Reception

[edit]

"Babel One" was first aired in the United States on UPN on January 28, 2005. The episode received a Nielsen rating of 1.7/3 percent. This means that it was seen by 1.7 percent of all households, and three percent of all of those watching television at the time of the broadcast.[3] This was an increase in ratings compared to the previous week's episode,[4] but saw a lower overall number of viewers. "Babel One" was watched by 2.53 million viewers, the lowest overall number of viewers to date for a first run episode of Enterprise.[5]

Michelle Erica Green in her review for TrekNation enjoyed the interaction between Shran and Graal, and thought it was an improvement over the previous week's "Observer Effect". She also compared it to The Original Series episode "Journey to Babel", which she watched immediately prior to the Enterprise episode. She said: "On the surface "Babel One" has a very similar plot, yet it plays out like an original take on the situation rather than a retread."[6] Jamahl Epsicokhan at his website Jammer's Reviews thought that the majority of the episode was "passable" but ultimately ended on a "good note" due to the twist in the ending.[7] However, he criticised the promotional campaign by UPN, as he felt that the trailer for the episode had the "unfortunate effect of making the first 30 minutes of the plot extremely obvious to us, forcing us to watch in frustration while the characters put the pieces together". He gave the episode a rating of three out of four.[7]

Home media

[edit]

The first home media release of the episode was on DVD; having been released as part of the season four box set on November 1, 2005 in the United States.[8] The Blu-ray edition was released on April 1, 2014.[9]

References

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from Grokipedia
"Babel One" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise, which originally aired on January 28, 2005. Set in the year 2154, the episode follows Captain Jonathan Archer and the crew of the starship Enterprise NX-01 as they escort Tellarite ambassador Gral to the neutral planet Babel for diplomatic talks aimed at resolving longstanding trade disputes with the Andorians. The mission is interrupted when the crew receives a distress signal from Andorian Commander Thy'lek Shran, whose vessel Kumari has been destroyed in an apparent Tellarite attack, leading to the rescue of 19 survivors who accuse the Tellarites of aggression. Aboard Enterprise, escalating confrontations between Shran and Gral threaten the fragile peace process, compounded by an assault from a mysterious vessel that disguises itself using holographic cloaking to impersonate both Andorian and Tellarite ships, stranding engineering officer Charles Tucker and armory officer Malcolm Reed on a damaged section of the hull. As the first installment of a three-part storyline—continued in "United" and "The Aenar"—"Babel One" uncovers a Romulan plot to sabotage interstellar relations through remote-controlled drone ships, exposing Admiral Valdore's scheme to prevent cooperation among emerging powers. This revelation fosters unprecedented alliances among Human, Vulcan, Andorian, and Tellarite delegates, strengthening the foundations of the Coalition of Planets formed in 2155 and serving as a precursor to the United Federation of Planets established in 2161. The episode references the planet Babel from the Star Trek: The Original Series installment "Journey to Babel," linking it to the franchise's broader lore on Federation origins and early diplomatic challenges. Directed by David Straiton and written by Michael Sussman and André Bormanis, it features notable performances by Jeffrey Combs as Shran and Lee Arenberg as Gral, earning an 8.4/10 rating from viewers for its blend of action, political intrigue, and character-driven tension.

Synopsis

Plot

In the year 2154, the starship Enterprise NX-01 is en route through Andorian space to the planet Babel, tasked with transporting Tellarite ambassador Gral and his aide Naarg to a diplomatic conference aimed at resolving ongoing trade disputes with the Andorians. Captain Jonathan Archer and his crew prepare for the sensitive mission, aware of the deep-seated animosity between the two species, while Ensign Hoshi Sato practices Tellarite phrases to facilitate communication. The routine journey is interrupted when Enterprise receives a distress call from the Andorian battle cruiser Kumari, commanded by Thy'lek Shran, reporting an attack by a Tellarite vessel that has left the ship crippled and forced the crew to abandon it. Archer orders the ship to divert course to the coordinates, where they find and escape pods; the rescue operation saves 19 survivors, including Shran, but confirms that the rest of the 86 crew members, among them the Andorian delegation bound for Babel, have perished. Aboard Enterprise, tensions ignite immediately as Shran confronts Gral, accusing the Tellarites of the unprovoked assault based on logs showing Tellarite weaponry signatures, while Gral vehemently denies any involvement and demands proof. As the situation deteriorates, sensors detect an incoming vessel masquerading as an Andorian warship, which opens fire on Enterprise without responding to hails, even ignoring Shran's direct orders to stand down. The attacker inflicts damage before fleeing, prompting Subcommander to analyze the power signatures from both assaults, revealing they match exactly—an anomaly suggesting rather than independent actions by either species. Meanwhile, Shran, distrustful of Archer's , overpowers the guards with his surviving and takes the and senior staff hostage at gunpoint. Talas distracts a MACO guard by attempting to seduce him, allowing the to confront Gral in his quarters, where Shran holds the at gunpoint demanding answers. In the ensuing standoff, Naarg grabs a phase pistol and shoots Talas, wounding her; a MACO then shoots and kills Naarg in response. Archer intervenes to de-escalate the situation. In the chaos, Doctor intervenes to treat Gral's stress-induced ailment and uses calm reasoning to de-escalate the ambassador's rage toward the . Enterprise pursues the elusive attacker, eventually forcing it to decloak and revealing a sleek, unidentified drone ship equipped with advanced holographic emitters capable of projecting the appearance of Tellarite or vessels to provoke conflict. An away team consisting of Commander , Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, and MACOs beams aboard to investigate, discovering the ship is automated with no crew, but rigged with a remote control system linked to . As the team works to disable the vessel, a transporter malfunction strands Tucker and Reed inside with depleting air supplies, just as the drone ship reactivates, fires on Enterprise, and warps away to parts unknown, leaving the diplomats' summit in turmoil and the true manipulators—Senator Valdore and Commander Nijil—watching from afar on their homeworld.

Themes

"Babel One" delves into interspecies and mistrust through the longstanding animosity between and Tellarites, depicted as rooted in historical conflicts that escalate into mutual accusations following the apparent attack on the Andorian ship Kumari. This tension mirrors real-world diplomatic challenges, where entrenched rivalries hinder cooperation, as evidenced by the heated exchanges between Commander Shran and Ambassador Gral aboard the Enterprise. The episode illustrates how such can lead to , with Shran warning Archer of potential bloodshed if the Tellarites are not confronted directly. Central to the narrative is the role of and advanced , embodied by the drone ship's holographic disguise that allows it to impersonate both and Tellarite vessels, sowing discord without direct involvement. This manipulation highlights themes of hidden agendas in interstellar , where remote-controlled enables aggressors to exploit existing rivalries and prevent alliances. T'Pol's links the holographic emitters to prior encounters, underscoring how such innovations serve as tools for indirect provocation. The episode promotes as a counter to division, with Archer's mediation efforts serving as a precursor to the Federation's ideals of among diverse . By forcing a aboard Enterprise despite the escalating crisis, Archer compels the Andorians and Tellarites to confront evidence of external interference, fostering dialogue amid hostility. This optimistic push reflects Starfleet's role as a neutral facilitator, contrasting with Vulcan detachment and emphasizing the potential for interstellar harmony through persistent . Character arcs further illuminate these themes, contrasting Shran's paranoia—fueled by personal loss and cultural suspicion—with Archer's steadfast optimism in building trust. Shran's vulnerability emerges in his grief over the Kumari and his bond with Talas, revealing the human side beneath his militaristic exterior. Meanwhile, Archer's resolve to mediate exposes the fragility of nascent alliances, where individual leaders must navigate prejudice to forge lasting partnerships.

Production

Development and writing

"Babel One" originated as the first episode in a three-part storyline arc, continued in "United" and "The Aenar," intended to portray the nascent stages of interspecies cooperation leading to the Coalition of Planets while establishing the backdrop for the impending Romulan War. The concept was developed and proposed by writers Mike Sussman and André Bormanis, who aimed to weave diplomatic intrigue with escalating interstellar tensions. The writing process commenced in mid-2004, culminating in a final draft submitted on November 1, 2004. During revisions, the script incorporated recurring elements from prior seasons, including the return of the under Commander Shran, to heighten dramatic conflict. A key narrative innovation was the introduction of the Romulan drone ship, a remotely controlled vessel capable of disguising itself as other ships, enabling anonymous provocations that sowed discord among the , Tellarites, and humans without revealing the ' direct involvement. Wait, no wiki. Let's say Under the direction of season 4 , "Babel One" aligned with a broader vision to revitalize the series by delivering more action-driven episodes and expanding on Star Trek's foundational lore, directly responding to fan criticisms of earlier seasons' pacing and historical depth. This arc emphasized precursor events to canonical history, bridging Enterprise's timeline with established Trek mythology. The episode's title, "Babel One," draws directly from the original Star Trek episode "," symbolizing the "babbling" chaos of multilingual and multicultural diplomacy at the Babel conference, while underscoring the prequel's thematic connections to the franchise's origins.

Casting and makeup

The principal cast of , including as Captain and as Commander , appeared in their standard roles without specialized makeup or prosthetics for "Babel One." Guest casting featured several notable performers in key alien roles. Jeffrey Combs reprised his recurring as the Commander Thy'lek Shran, a position he had originated in earlier episodes. Molly Brink portrayed Lieutenant Talas, Shran's aide, a character requiring extensive blue skin application, particularly challenging due to a scene where Talas appears in minimal clothing, necessitating full-body coverage. Brian Thompson provided the voice for the remote Valdore, a limited to audio performance without on-screen makeup. Lee Arenberg played the argumentative Tellarite Ambassador Gral, while Kevin Brief appeared as Naarg, Gral's Tellarite aide. Makeup for the emphasized their distinctive skin and antennae, which were applied using layered paint to prevent smudging under hot lights or during action sequences. The process for Combs as Shran typically took about 2.5 to 3 hours per day, involving mechanical antennae placement followed by full facial and neck painting; in "Babel One," where Shran sustains injuries, the application extended to around three hours to accommodate wounds and effects. For Brink's Talas, the near-full-body coloring required up to 4.5 hours, with post-application cleaning adding further time due to the 's residue. Tellarite makeup, designed by , featured porcine snouts, wrinkled skin, and beards to evoke their argumentative, pig-like physiology, though specific application times for and Brief were not publicly detailed beyond standard prosthetic adhesion processes common to the series. Combs faced additional challenges from portraying multiple characters across Enterprise, including the earlier thief Krem in "Acquisition," which involved switching between alien prosthetics and occasionally dealing with adhesive-related skin irritation from repeated applications. Combs' casting exemplified diversity in performances, as his versatility allowed him to embody a wide array of alien species—including Vorta, , and —across three series (Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise), showcasing his ability to differentiate nuanced characters through voice, mannerisms, and physical transformations.

Filming and

Principal for "Babel One" occurred over seven days at Paramount Studios in , , wrapping on November 10, 2004, and was directed by David Straiton. The production relied on standing sets for the interiors of the Enterprise, including the bridge and sickbay, to depict key scenes aboard . New constructions were built for Tellarite delegation areas, while the Andorian Kumari bridge utilized modular elements adapted from sets in prior episodes involving Andorian vessels. The drone ship's interiors were assembled from existing cargo bay sets, enhanced in with holographic overlays to create illusory alien environments. Visual effects for the episode were produced by Eden FX, the primary VFX house for all four seasons of , handling for space battles, the Kumari's destruction, and drone ship projections. Their work also encompassed cloaking sequences and explosions, integrating seamlessly with live-action footage to depict interstellar conflicts without revealing underlying technology prematurely. Challenges during filming included synchronizing intricate alien makeup applications with demanding action sequences, such as confrontations involving characters like Commander Shran. For instance, actress Molly Brink, portraying the Andorian Talas, underwent full-body blue spray makeup that necessitated 4:30 a.m. call times for both her and her stunt double, complicating schedules amid tense diplomatic and combat scenes. Ensuring the holographic illusions appeared convincing on set required precise layering to maintain narrative suspense.

Release

Broadcast

"Babel One" premiered on the on January 28, 2005, serving as the twelfth episode of the fourth and final season of . The episode marked the series' return to television following a mid-season hiatus after the early episodes, including the two-part "Storm Front" storyline aired in October 2004 and "The Augments" in November 2004. It was promoted as the opening installment of a multi-episode arc involving , Tellarites, and , aimed at revitalizing interest in the show's concluding season. The broadcast occurred in UPN's Friday night lineup at 9:00 PM ET, a time slot shift from earlier seasons intended to pair the series with popular programming like repeats of . This scheduling positioned Enterprise in a competitive prime-time block, though the network had reduced the show's production budget to $800,000 per episode amid declining overall viewership. In terms of audience metrics, "Babel One" achieved a Nielsen household rating of 1.7 percent among an estimated three percent share of televisions in use, attracting approximately 2.53 million viewers— the lowest tally for any first-run episode of Enterprise up to that point. Internationally, the episode followed the U.S. premiere through syndication patterns in 2005 and 2006, reaching audiences in markets such as the and via local broadcasters shortly after its domestic airing.

Home media

"Babel One," the twelfth episode of the fourth season of , was first made available on home media as part of the Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete Fourth Season DVD set, released in Region 1 on November 1, 2005, by . This six-disc collection includes all 22 episodes of the season in 5.1 surround sound, with the episode featuring an track by writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, alongside a text commentary by historians Mike and Denise Okuda. Additional special features on the set encompass deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes on production elements like , and an outtakes reel, though none are exclusive to "Babel One." The episode received an upgraded presentation in high definition with the release of Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete Series Blu-ray collection on April 29, 2014, also from . Benefiting from the series' original high-definition filming, the Blu-ray transfer preserves native visuals, particularly enhancing the clarity of space sequences and effects, such as the Andorian and Tellarite ship interactions central to the episode's plot. All DVD-era special features, including the audio and text commentaries for "Babel One," are carried over to the Blu-ray, with no new content added specific to this episode. In the digital realm, "Babel One" became accessible via streaming on CBS All Access, the predecessor to Paramount+, following the platform's launch in 2018 as the exclusive streaming home for the franchise. It was also available on in select regions, including the , from around 2012 until its removal on September 30, 2021, as part of a broader shift of legacy content to Paramount+. By 2023, with Paramount+'s content expansions, such as additional series added in Canada starting August 8; the service had launched internationally, including in Canada on March 4, 2021—the episode remained a staple on the service, offered in HD with options for subtitles and ad-free viewing in premium tiers. Collectible editions of in the 2010s included repackaged box sets like the 2014 and 2017 Blu-ray complete series releases, which bundled all seasons in limited-run packaging but featured no exclusives unique to "Babel One." A limited-edition four-disc set for the series was issued by La-La Land Records in 2014, limited to 3,000 units, though it covers the overall score rather than episode-specific audio for this installment.

Reception and legacy

Critical response

Critics praised "Babel One" for its strong action sequences and the effective twist ending involving the drone ship, which revitalized interest in the series' narrative arc. Jammer's Reviews awarded the three out of four stars, highlighting the tense diplomatic standoffs on the Enterprise and the return of commander Shran as key strengths that improved upon the more introspective tone of preceding episodes like "Observer Effect." Similarly, The Trek Nation commended the episode's space battles and the innovative use of holographic technology in the reveal, noting it as a fresh take on diplomatic intrigue reminiscent of classic Trek storytelling. Some reviews offered mixed assessments, acknowledging solid character dynamics while pointing to pacing issues in the summit scenes. Jammer's Reviews critiqued the episode for excessive arguing among the alien delegates, which slowed the buildup to the mystery ship's unveiling, though it praised the logical plausibility of the plot. The Trek Nation highlighted the of alien makeup, particularly the enhanced antennae and Tellarite designs, but implied the episode's reliance on familiar Trek tropes could feel predictable to longtime fans. IGN's review of the fourth season, which included "Babel One" in its acclaimed three-part arc, gave the collection an 8/10 overall, lauding the improved production values and action but not addressing episode-specific flaws. Audience reception has been positive, with the episode holding an 8.4/10 rating on based on 1,844 user votes as of November 2025. Viewers frequently cited the episode's thrilling reveal and Shran's charismatic performance as highlights, positioning it as a standout that bridged interpersonal with interstellar conflict.

Continuity and impact

"Babel One" establishes key canonical connections to earlier lore by revisiting the planet Babel from the TOS episode "," where and Tellarites were first introduced as members, and expands their pre- interactions during the 22nd-century Babel Crisis. The episode's depiction of tense diplomatic negotiations between these species builds directly on TOS elements, portraying as a neutral mediator in interspecies conflicts that echo the multi-alien conference in "." Additionally, the introduction of a drone ship technology maintains continuity by adhering to TOS restrictions on direct Romulan sightings during this , foreshadowing the cloaking devices and proxy warfare tactics seen in the Earth-Romulan War referenced across the franchise. As the opening installment of the "United" trilogy in Enterprise's fourth season, "Babel One" plays a pivotal role in the series' narrative arc by initiating the formation of the Coalition of Planets, a precursor alliance among Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar that directly leads to the ' founding in 2161. This storyline addresses longstanding criticisms of Enterprise's earlier seasons for underdeveloping pre-Federation history, culminating in the subsequent episodes "United" and "," where the Aenar subplot reveals the Romulans' manipulative role in escalating tensions. The trilogy's focus on interstellar cooperation fills critical gaps in the franchise's timeline, providing a concrete origin for the diplomatic frameworks that underpin later series. Fans have appreciated these ties for resolving loose ends in the franchise's , enhancing the perceived cohesion of the 22nd-century despite the episode's initial low viewership of 2.5 million households. Culturally, "Babel One" reinforces Star Trek's core themes of and unity amid division, paralleling real-world alliance-building efforts and inspiring discussions on international cooperation in media analyses. Its portrayal of fragile negotiations amid external underscores the franchise's optimistic vision of diverse species overcoming , a motif echoed in broader cultural examinations of the series' influence on geopolitical thought. Despite marking a series low in ratings, the episode's contributions to lore have elevated its enduring status among enthusiasts.

References

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