Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More
After accidentally entering a militarized zone, Archer and Mayweather are “Detained” by the Tandarans. Archer and Mayweather are held in a Suliban internment camp. While there, they have a minor Quantum Leap reunion as Dean Stockwell turns out to be the administrator of the camp. When Archer learns the truth of the camp (and the Suliban), it quickly becomes a morality tale that recalls the Japanese Internment of the 1940’s and, later, the Guantanamo Bay camps.
The Wikipedia plot summary for “Detained”:
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 appraises them of the current situation. Upon hearing this, Commander Tucker advocates an escape 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 later reports to Enterprise that the hearing has unfortunately been “delayed”, allowing Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato to 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 then produces 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 “detained” for a long time.
In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss the problems with being too obvious with your allegory. Plus! The guys talk about being unfamiliar with the Suliban, returning guest actors, and Archer throwing himself into situations.