Dear Doctor

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.

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")

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.

After a dozen episodes, the Star Trek series "Enterprise" comes into its own with this amazing episode, written by Maria and Andre Jacquemetton (known for their later work producing the great "Mad Men" series. Dealing with the central issue of how a space exploration might interfere with alien races' development, it's dramatized carefully in a very logical and in fact, emotional fashion, to deliver via Archer's final decision a terrific conclusion.

With an insidiously beautiful and subtle musical score, and central character John Billingsley's voice-over narration and bemused acting style, the episode personalizes theoretical issues. His relationship to his human crewmates, especially the platonic romantic interest well-played by Kelly Waymire, makes the notion about interspecies relations more palpable and personal.

Unlike literary science fiction, where concepts are paramount, movie (and TV) examples in the genre tend to be biased in favor of "action movie" cliches & SPFX. This episode is a thinking person's show in the genre, and packs a wallop.

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.