Dear Doctor 

Phlox is asked to save the Valakians from annihilation by disease. However, he discovers something unusual about the Menk, another humanoid race on the planet.

Director:

James A. Contner

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (based upon "Star Trek" created by), Rick Berman (created by)

Stars:

Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Scott Bakula	...	Capt. Jonathan Archer
John Billingsley	...	Dr. Phlox
Jolene Blalock	...	Sub-Cmdr. T'Pol
Dominic Keating	...	Lt. Malcolm Reed
Anthony Montgomery	...	Ensign Travis Mayweather
Linda Park	...	Ensign Hoshi Sato
Connor Trinneer	...	Cmdr. Charles 'Trip' Tucker III
Kellie Waymire	...	Crewman Elizabeth Cutler
David A. Kimball	...	Esaak
Christopher Rydell	...	Alien Astronaut
Karl Wiedergott	...	Larr
Alex Nevil	...	Menk Man

Storyline

Phlox is writing a letter to a human colleague on Denobula. He has a lot to write about; he's amazed by the affection crewman Cutler is showing for him and he must save an entire race. Enterprise picked up a pod with a Valakian who tells his race is suffering from a deathly epidemic. Phlox tries to find a cure and finds out Valakia is actually inhabited by two races. The Menk are a more primitive race and hard workers. Since they appear to be resistant to the disease, Phlox thinks investigating them may provide the answer. By doing so, he discovers something about the Menk that makes him reconsider curing the disease

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Plot Keywords:

epidemic | first contact | moral dilemma | medicine | alien scientist | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Doctor Jeremy Lucas is later seen in the flesh in Star Trek: Enterprise: Cold Station 12 (2004), played by Richard Riehle.

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Goofs

When discussing Phlox's marital situation at the Menk camp, Ensign Cutler mispronounces Denobulans as 'Denoblians.'

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Quotes

Dr. Phlox: [voice-over] I never thought I'd meet a species that forges such intimate bonds with lesser creatures. It's surprising, the things you Humans choose to invest your emotions in.
[on Archer's relationship to his dog]

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Connections

References Sunset Blvd. (1950)

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Soundtracks

Archer's Theme [Enterprise - Music from the Original Television Soundtrack]
Written by Dennis McCarthy
Performed by Dennis McCarthy

User Reviews

Ending wasn't what I was expecting

This episode surrounds discovering a new species who is rapidly dying of a genetic defect, to the point of total extinction in their near future. This species is pre-warp but technologically/industrially advanced.

There is a second species, probably of similar ancestry, who live primitively, where there are somewhat treated inferior by the dominant species. They seem to be immune to the disease that is killing the dominant species.

Once they mentioned that the 2nd species' immunity (and certain dependence/inferiority to the dominant species) I kept anticipating that Dr. Phlox would suggest interspecies mating to potentially weed out this genetic defect. It would solve the problem of the 2nd species being treated like inferior, as well.

Unfortunately that suggestion was never brought up and I guess the writer of the episode just wanted to bring up the "We can't play god" theme where you don't intervene technologically/medically with a less advanced species. Honestly you don't need to intervene medically to eliminate genetic defects - it's called diversification with mating. Telling the dominant species to integrate the other 'inferior' species into their own and interbreed wouldn't be the 'playing god' thing. It's just common sense for anyone who has any comprehension of (genetic) diversity.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Release Date:

23 January 2002 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Santa Ventura Studios - 5301 North Ventura Avenue, Ventura, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Network Television, Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1