Dear Doctor

I've seen the trope of "a day in the life of... insert main supporting character here" in other series. As with this one, they usually take the form of correspondence being written to an off screen character, recounting the events of the day from that character's perspective.

This, however, was one of the best incarnations of the idea that I've seen. It was interesting to see how well the writers pushed a range of different threads into the doctor's day (or actually a few days, I think), and yet still managed to come up with a coherent story.

The story includes some ethical dilemmas which don't just take the easy, feel good way out, but I won't spoil the episode by going further than that. Better still, it enabled some of the characters to see issues from a different perspective.

The other thing that I enjoyed was the opportunity to let John Billingsley take the lead for the episode. As always Phlox was played calmly and methodically, and yet still managed to put some genuine emotion into the mix.

I've been binge watching Enterprise for the last couple of days and this was probably the best written and interesting episode to date... and it wasn't without competition on that score.

Eventually, the Prime Directive became part of the soul of all Star Trek incarnations. This, of course, is the directive that prevents explorers from interfering with the natural evolution of a species. For instance, giving arms to an oppressed group so that they can even a score. Relocating a group to more fertile soil so they can become superior farmers. In this case, there are two species living side by side, one more intellectually evolved than the other, but that species is dying from a genetic disposition. Phlox is asked to come up with a medical treatment but since the "lesser" group is becoming more able, he sees perpetuating the dominant ones as a philosophical dilemma. It' the butterfly effect where everything we do sends waves out to change the fabric of the world. Of course, one could argue that interference is also a part of the natural order of things. It's certainly an interesting topic for conversation. I didn't appreciate the little Archer speech about "someday." It is kind of tacky. It's like Lincoln saying, "Someday, we will be able to talk to each other on devices we carry in our pockets." Kind of dumb.

The Enterprise comes upon a ship where there are a few folks in stasis. When they revive them, the humans learn that these people are from a plague-infested planet and they sent ships to space to look for more advanced species that might be able to help them cure the disease. Unfortunately, Dr. Phlox is having a heck of a time treating the illness. Plus, there is a serious ethical dilemma, as allowing the species to die out might just be in line with what would later be known as the prime directive.

This episode is interesting because it's told from the Doctor's perspective. In addition to the main plot there are some interesting subplots involving romance in the air for the Doc as well as his learning that the Captain is actually a far more capable man than he'd assumed.

With Star Trek you have to take some of the view points with a grain of salt. This episode is good in that it makes you think what is the best decision. Either way, by choosing to do something, or not do something you have made a choice. "Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject." John Stuart Mill. So should we find a cure for cancer? Should we find a cure for MS and other genetic diseases, or let evolution/nature take its course. Was it okay to let small pox wipe out most of the natives in the Americas? If the Europeans had a cure for small pox, should they have withheld it from the natives in the name of evolution. When do we decide to help other species and when do we decide to let nature take its course? This is why this episode is both good and bad. It's difficult to see a doctor go against the Hippocratic oath in refusing help and then rationalizing this behavior to science. Humans may continue to wipe out species due to being a more evolved species but it doesn't make it right.

The Enterprise finds a primitive starship with two dying alien astronauts, and one of them tells that his Valakian race is extinguishing due to an epidemic. Archer travels to their planet and assigns Dr. Phlox to find a cure for the disease. Dr. Phlox, who is trying to understand his relationship with the human crewman Elizabeth Cutler, discloses that the planet inhabited by two humanoid races that pacifically coexists: the developed Valakian and the primitive workers Menk. Further, he discovers that the Valakian have genetic epidemic that will annihilate their race in about two centuries while the Menk have linguistic and manual abilities to be developed. With the dilemma of interfering in the development of races, Phlox has a serious conversation with Archer.

"Dear Doctor" presents a good discussion of ethical and moral concerns. The story is centered in the pleasant Denobulian Dr. Phlox, who is totally integrated to the human style of life but still have doubts related to relationship between male and female. The advice of T'Pol is very funny and logical, since she does not understand the matters of heart and love. The excerpts of "For Whom the Bell Tolls", showing the gorgeous face of Ingrid Bergman with about twenty-seven years old, is a plus in this great episode. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Caro Doutor" ("Dear Doctor")