Star Trek: Enterprise (TV Series) The Catwalk (2002) User Reviews

Enterprise vs. Storm

[Samuel-Shovel · 7/10 · 8 November 2017]

"The Catwalk" finds the Enterprise in the path of an incoming radioactive storm of massive proportions. To make it more complicated, a small group of aliens ask to take shelter aboard the Enterprise for the duration of the storm. The only way for the crew to survive the radiation is to go into a makeshift bomb shelter on the catwalk. But soon it is discovered that the refugees have brought unwanted trouble.

How many times is it going to take Archer to learn that you cannot just blindly trust every species you run across in space. His internal optimism in all lifeforms has put his crew in danger time after time. Maybe he should work on building relationships before just doing other species favors on a whim. While it seems to always work out thus far, this may not always be the case.

The episode itself is average. It's a cool concept but the actual story goes fairly predictibly once we see where it's heading. (Sidenote: That scene involving Captain Archer, the crewman, and the crossword puzzle was super strange and awkward).

Conclusion: An okay episode with a good premise.

Radioactive Storm and Invaders

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 14 January 2008]

Captain Archer is advised by three aliens that a dangerous storm is heading toward The Enterprise and will reach the ship in a couple of hours. T'Pol confirms that the radiation would be lethal for the crew, and Trip proposes to use the shielded catwalk to lodge the crew and the aliens that asked for shelter for eight days. However it would be necessary to shutdown the reactor to decrease the ambient temperature and move the controls to the remote location. Without any other alternative, Archer accepts the proposal. Three days later, Trip finds that the Enterprise has been invaded by aliens that want to deplete the ship.

"The Catwalk" is a good episode, where Archer and the crew need to retrieve the command of the Enterprise in a very dangerous situation. T'Pol in the end fraternizes with the rest of the crew, I am not sure whether following orders or feeling the need of sharing her attention with the other humans. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Passarela" ("The Catwalk")

Hanging out in the engines....

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 27 March 2015]

When the episode begins, some aliens alert Enterprise to a HUGE space storm that is coming their way. And, since the ship cannot go warp seven, it will need to hunker down and ride the storm--along with this small group of aliens. But, there is lethal radiation coming in the storm and it will kill the crew unless they go to a heavily shielded part of the ship--around the nacelles on a catwalk! It won't be fun but it will save them. But this is not the end of the story. During the storm, members of the rather nasty Takret Militia board the ship and commandeer it. They are not effected by the radiation and when Archer informs them that the ship ISN'T abandoned, the militia decides to keep the ship anyway! Nice guys, huh?!

I've come to notice that quite a few episodes of season two have very familiar plots. But this one is really unique and that is a huge plus. Plus I liked the way this all played out by the end of the show. Well worth seeing.

battling deadly radiation AND a bunch of "bad guys"

[lathamv · 9/10 · 9 June 2019]

After being warned of a radiation storm headed their way by a small alien crew, archer takes in the crew and together with his own creative-thinking crew, come up with a plan to ride out the storm. in the mean time, a larger crew of militant theives (uneffected by the radiation) boards the enterprise and attempts to take it over.

the storyline (like many of trek universe storylines) is recycled from other trek shows. personally, im ok with that. each version has its own differences. looking at "catwalk" on its own merits, it has our fearless leader continuing to follow his heart and help anyone in need... his prior "bad experiences" have not seemed to have jaded him. taking the small alien crew at their word is typical of him and is somewhat endearing. it may place his crew in continual possible danger but thats "what they signed on for" and they are willing to follow him.

the small alien crew is lying. although he questions their truthfullness when they come clean, the actions of the larger alien crew indicate they may be telling the truth now. either way, he has no way to deal with the lies and save the ship. saving enterprise and her crew is all that matters now, even if he has to threaten destry them to keep the wouldbe theives from aquiring the ship.

with limited time and some creative flying, archers gut feelings about both alien crews save the ship. a weeks worth of close quarters wo showers and a mess to clean up are small consessions to make. its an episode worth watching.

CONNECTION to the 24th CENTURY

[awbusa · 10/10 · 23 November 2021]

This episode basically shows how the USS VOYAGER EMH DOCTOR was able to compensate for the NEUTRONIC RADIATION in the episode of STAR TREK : VOYAGER FAIR HAVEN by using the medical treatment created by DOCTOR PHLOX & was able to prevent the crew from being put into quarantine or stasis to protect them from the radiation.

Decent premise, but inhibited by formulaic plotting and writing

[mstomaso · 6/10 · 11 March 2007]

In Catwalk, one of the more story-driven episodes of Enterprise's second season, the entire crew finds itself accompanying a small crew from an alien ship into one of Engineering's heavily shielded catwalks above the warpcore to ride out a radioactive storm which would - apparently - kill them all if they were directly exposed. Soon enough, aliens from the same species infiltrate the radiation-exposed portions of the ship.

Bottom-line: Archer and the crew must figure out a way to regain control of their ship.

Essentially, this is a subtle recycle of one of TOS' best episodes and a plot that was used in Voyager at least twice. Could have been much more interesting as a two-part arc. Why the first crew of aliens would be seeking protection from a storm which poses no threat to them is not examined, and it is not explained why Archer remains so trusting after having had problems with virtually every alien species he has encountered thus far (are we supposed to simply believe that the entire federation was completely naive before Kirk and Spock?)

Once Again; Almost Done in By Being Nice

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 18 March 2017]

This is an entertaining episode where three aliens warn Archer that a storm is coming that will destroy all life on the ship unless they can warp out. Because they have inadequate warp speed, they move the entire crew to catwalks that are shielded. There are two issues, maybe three. First of all, the conditions are awful and the crew starts to become testy. Secondly, those aliens weren't exactly truthful and are causing problems. Thirdly, there are invaders on board, intent on taking Enterprise. This episode is more interesting than some and a nice change of pace.

2 nacelles... right?

[robl-33452 · 10/10 · 22 November 2020]

Why can't they use the catwalk in the other nacelle too?