Doctor Phlox gets the spotlight. The episode is framed by a letter he is composing to Dr. Lucas, a human doctor who as part of the interspecies exchange program is serving on Dr. Phlox home world of Denobula. The episode opens with a number of vignettes that show what Dr. Phlox life on the Enterprise is like and introduce a possible love interest, Crewman Elizabeth Cutler.
The main story of this episode gets rolling when the Enterprise encounters a ship drifting in space. Aboard are two Valakian men. They are sick and need help, but it isn't just them it is their entire people on their home planet of Valakis. Captain Archer confers with T'Pol and decides that they should step in and see what they can do to help.
Dr. Phlox quickly discovers after they arrive that there isn't just one humanoid species on Valakis but 2, the Valakian and the Menk. The Menk are considered to be inferior by the Valakians but unlike the Valakians they are not experiencing an epidemic. Dr Phlox, Ensign Sato, and Crewman Cutler have interactions with the Menk which open their eyes to some facts that the Valakians did not share with them. The Menk are treated as second class citizens, forced to live where the Valakians allow them to live. Despite these facts the Menk prove to be more intelligent then the Valakians give them credit for being.
Captain Archer starts to get pressure from the Valakians for more help, specifically they want warp drive technology. They claim that with it they could find someone who could help them. Archer is skeptical about giving them the technology which they are requesting. In a conversation with T'Pol he makes note of the parallels to the relationship between the Vulcans and humanity over the past 90 years.
Dr. Phlox finds a cure but advises against Captain Archer giving it to the Valakians. He reveals his findings about the Menk. They are more intelligent than they appear. He questions whether it is right to interfere in the development of this planet and makes comparisons to the Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens of Earth, 35000 years ago. Captain Archer ultimately decides to give the Valakians something but not everything. He doesn't give them the knowledge to create warp engines or the cure for the disease. He does give them medicine that will help to delay the effects of the plague.
There is also a more personal subplot involving Crewman Cutler and Doctor Phlox. She seems to have a crush on him. He isn't sure how to respond. The Doctor reveals that he already has 3 wives. Crewman Cutler isn't hoping to become his 4th wife but she wants to keep things open between them. There is no resolution to this subplot. They are still on friendly terms when the episode ends. Crewman Cutler appears in two other episodes, both of which are 1st season episodes but neither of which is on my short list. The actress who played Crewman Cutler died in 2003.
There is an oblique nod to the Prime Directive which doesn't exist at this point in time. Captain Archer is the one who brings it up while he is talking to Dr. Phlox.
The episode opens with Dr. Phlox entering sick bay and turning on the light and closes with him leaving sick bay and turning off the lights.
I can see why this made a list of essential episodes. It has the hallmarks of an original series episode. There is a moral quandry with no easy answer. How much is enough? How can you stand by and do nothing while others are suffering? It is interesting to note that the bigger problem, the one that seems to get more attention on the episode, is the epidemic that is ravaging the Valakian population. The treatment of the Menk at the hands of the Valakians is relegated to a second class status in the same way that the Menk are. A case could certainly be made that this is the more important issue.
This is an excellent episode.
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