Episode 62: Similitude

Two in a row. Manny Coto's "Similitude" joins "North Star" to make a remarkable string of two strong Enterprise episodes in a row.


Sure, it starts with the obligatory Vulcan neuro-pressure scene involving a scantily clad T'Pol and the good-ol'-boy Tucker but, for once, that scene actually turns out to be somewhat integral to the plot.


And sure, it features (yet again) the now hackneyed frame narrative structure that is intended to create tension but, instead, tends to detract from it. In the teaser, we witness a funereal oration by Captain Archer in relation to a dead crew member who we are led to believe is the aforementioned Mr. Tucker. Sure, the teaser leaves us wondering which Mr. Tucker is actually dead but it certainly gives us ample grounds to believe that Enterprise will survive the peril into which it is placed during the episode.


But what I found really powerful about "Similitude" is the episode's willingness to take the time to discuss in reasonable depth the moral and ethical implications of the decision to create a sacrificial being who will be put to death simply so that its cells can be harvested to save Tucker's life.


However you might react to the discussion and the positions/decisions various crew members take, you can't help but be engrossed in the story. Coto even manages to weave a little bit of action into the plot to keep things moving but it is the more philosophical aspects of the story that make the episode worth watching.


It is also interesting how Coto manages to incorporate the Xindi threat quite organically into the story without making it dominate the show. We are not permitted to forget that Archer's stance on the sacrifice of the clone-like alt-Tucker being called Sim is based on his unflinching commitment to do whatever is necessary to save the human race from the Xindi. Yet, the Xindi, always in the background, are not a constant subject of discussion.


I watched this episode without even once looking at the time counter on my DVD player, which is rare. Between the excellent writing, the strong performances and some interesting direction (courtesy of LeVar Burton, the episode works on many levels. And, as Coto himself points out on his DVD commentary, the musical score also makes a wonderful contribution to the effectiveness of "Similitude".


I can't say I'm delighted with the Tucker/Sim - T'Pol romance story that plays out in the episode, however. Just two episodes ago, we were informed that T'Pol may be in love with her Captain and be willing to serve as his nursemaid for his declining years. This time, we are told that Tucker is in love with T'Pol and that she, at the very least, doesn't entirely resent his affections.


In order to make this work, I will tell myself that T'Pol's decision to kiss Sim in the penultimate scene is driven by her developing capacity to sense and address the emotional needs of her crew mates rather than her reciprocal feelings of love for Tucker. At least this subplot gives us some reason for the neuro-pressure silliness of the early scenes.


My question: do we have any proof that it is actually Sim, and not Tucker himself, in the casket? I believe that the episode leaves it open for the possibility that Sim survives the procedure but Tucker does not... or that both died in the process.


Because I can't leave one of these entries without a nitpick or two: why don't the two shuttle pods start to attract the magnetic bits of metal that are threatening to sink Enterprise as soon as they emerge from the shuttle bay? And why do the bits of metal detach themselves from Enterprise as soon as it leaves the cloud -- is their magnetism created by the cloud, rather than inherent in the bits themselves? This is not explained.


And, how does Sim manage to share Tucker's memories (and his accent)? This would not happen with a normal clone. I know, many many Trek fans brought this up after the show was aired but you still have to wonder. As Coto says in his commentary, this would have been an easy fix: just mention that the process isn't really cloning and will permit memories to be retained.