Episode Report Card Keckler: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Phlox's Runaway Imagination
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 16 | Aired on 02.17.2004
Sickbay. Phlox continues his letter to Dr. Lucas, in which he again reiterates how much he misses his homeworld. He walks into Quantum's Quarters and says, "Good afternoon, Captain. How are we feeling today?" He checks that everything with Quantum's brain is tickity-boo, and is distracted by more metallic noise. To me, it just sounds like the way a water-faring ship sounds as it expands and contracts in the water. Phlox goes over to the window and looks out. There's a screech as a weird shadow passes over Phlox's face. He leaps back. Okay, that? Freaked me out! I didn't see it the first time around; now I'm recapping in broad daylight, and I was expecting something of the sort in this scene, but it still made me jump. I think it's because I have this insane fear of looking out of a window into darkness and having something pop up right in front of my face. Heart Attack City. Phlox is of the same mind as he comms T'Pol.
Through scans that she never touches, T'Pol announces that there are no additional bio-signs on the ship. Phlox Shatner Lithgow insists that what he saw was on the hull. T'Pol invites him to look at the scans showing that there are no alien vessels, and when Phlox opines that the My Little Pony vomit is horsing around with their sensors, she thinks it's far more likely that his two thousand minutes of solitude is making him imagine things. When Phlox protests, T'Pol insists there's nothing out of the ordinary on the ship. T'Pol reminds Phlox that he hasn't slept much, and suggests he rest. "I have to finish my rounds," Phlox sniffs, and leaves.
In the turbolift, Phlox hums a jangled tune. It's a far cry from the Denobulan opera he was aria-ing out in the corridor earlier. He steps into Hoshi's quarters and we hear, rather than see, chittering-clacking sounds. Phlox looks up in shock to see a CGI Bug House hovering over the prone Hoshi. "Get away from her!" Phlox shrieks. Aw, don't be afraid, Phlox -- the special effect isn't that scary! Bug House launches himself at Phlox and chases him through the corridors. Just when Phlox thinks he's put enough distance between him and the bug, he sees an insect shadow thrown up on the wall of the corridor opposite. All I could think here was how shadows are much bigger than actual size, and that when Phlox finally saw the bug it was going to be Jiminy Cricket. Phlox dashes to a control bank and pushes some buttons. Gears grind and he stares at a red light, biting his lips, until it finally turns green and the door slides open. John Billingsley is amazing in this scene. I mean, he's amazing throughout the episode, but I really liked him here. Inside his hiding place -- is it Decon or an airlock? -- Phlox shrinks into a corner and watches the door slide shut. Once it's shut, there's additional banging and Bug House chittering outside. On the ceiling of the outer corridor, a shadow can be seen. Finally the glass on Phlox's door stops shaking and the shadow on the ceiling moves off. There's a great wamper-jawed camera angle here that really captures how nutcased Phlox is. Phlox opens the door and gaspingly comms T'Pol: "It's the Xindi -- they're on board."