Ep 16. Doctor's Orders
- TV-PG
- February 18, 2004
- 42 min
-
7.4 (1,621)
The episode "Doctor's Orders" from season 3 of Star Trek: Enterprise sees the ship heading towards a dangerous area of space where a dangerous particle field awaits them. Since the area is dangerous, Commander Tucker orders the ship to be put in a state of 'hibernation' to help preserve the ship's energy levels while they travel through the particle field. This means most of the crew is put into a state of stasis, leaving only a skeleton crew awake to monitor the ship's systems.
One of the crew members who remains awake is Dr. Phlox, who is tasked with overseeing the hibernation process and monitoring the condition of the crew members still awake. Unfortunately for Dr. Phlox, he has a debilitating illness that makes it difficult for him to stay awake for extended periods of time.
Despite his condition, Dr. Phlox sets out to perform his duties to the best of his abilities. He spends most of his time monitoring the condition of the crew still awake and performing medical scans to ensure that everyone is healthy. However, as the days pass, Dr. Phlox finds himself struggling to stay awake, and begins to experience vivid hallucinations and strange dreams.
As the hallucinations worsen, Dr. Phlox becomes convinced that something sinister is happening aboard the ship. He begins to suspect that the ship's computer has been infiltrated by alien entities, and that they are trying to sabotage the mission. With no one else awake to help him, Dr. Phlox must navigate his way through his hallucinations to try and determine the truth.
As the situation on board the ship becomes more dire, Dr. Phlox must use all of his medical knowledge and mental fortitude to try and save himself and the rest of the crew. Will he be able to overcome his illness and the hallucinations to uncover the truth? Or will his worst fears be realized, and the ship fall prey to the malevolent forces lurking within?
"Doctor's Orders" is a tense and thought-provoking episode that explores themes of isolation, mental illness, and the power of the human mind. It is a strong entry in the Star Trek: Enterprise canon, and one that will keep viewers enthralled from beginning to end.
