Broken Bow
Series: 'Enterprise'
Episode Title: 'Broken Bow'
Episode Number: 101
Synopsis: "Captain Archer volunteers to go where no human has gone before to return a Klingon to his home planet - over the objections of Earth's Vulcan allies."
Original Airdate: September 26, 2001
Rerun: September 17, 2005
Fan Rating: 8.2/10 (Full Poll Results)
Nielsens Rating: 7.0/11 (Full Report)
Written By: Rick Berman & Brannon Braga
Directed By: James L. Conway
Guest Stars:
- John Fleck as Silik
- Melinda Clarke as Sarin
- Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, Jr. as Klaang
- Vaughn Armstrong as Admiral Forrest
- Jim Beaver as Admiral Leonard
- Mark Moses as Henry Archer
- Gary Graham as Soval
- Thomas Kopache as Tos
- Jim Fitzpatrick as Commander Williams
- James Horan as Humanoid Figure
- Joseph Ruskin as Suliban Doctor
- Marty Davis as Young Jonathan Archer
- Van Epperson as Alien Man
- Ron King as Farmer Moore
- Peter Henry Schroeder as Klingon Chancellor
- Matt Williamson as Klingon Council Member
- Byron Thames as Crewman
- Ricky Luna as Carlos
- Jason Grant Smith as Crewman Fletcher
- Chelsea Bond as Alien Mother
- Ethan Dampf as Alien Child
- Diane Klimaszewski as Butterfly Dancer
- Elaine Klimaszewski as Butterfly Dancer
- The two-hour opening premiere of Enterprise.
- Several character names are a homage to Star Trek alumni: Admiral Forrest, named after DeForest Kelley, Admiral Leonard (Leonard Nimoy), Commander Williams (William Shatner), and Farmer Moore (Ronald D. Moore).
- Features an uncredited cameo appearance by James Cromwell as Zefram Cochrane.
- Was rumoured to have been budgeted at $10-$15 million. (April 22, 2001 - TrekToday)
- Started shooting the 14th of May, a week later than originally planned. Production wrapped on the 19th of June, after which the studio took a short break to prepare for filming the regular episodes. (May 12, 2001 - TrekToday)
- Location shooting took place at several places in California, including the Hyperion Sewage Plant in Los Angeles and Westward Beach, Malibu. (May 20, 2001 - TrekToday)
- Brannon Braga: "Our pilot tells the story of a crew that comes together for the very first time. The crew's mission is simple: a Klingon has crash-landed on Earth - we've never seen a Klingon before - and the Klingons want him back. We've got to take him home or there's going to be trouble with the Klingon Empire. So it's a little bit like 'Saving Private Ryan' - get the Klingon home. Along the way, we uncover a huge galactic conspiracy involving a new and deadly species called the Suliban. (August 24, 2001 - TrekToday)
- Was screened to cast, crew, and special guests at the Paramount lot on Thursday the 20th of September. (September 22, 2001 - TrekToday)
- The episode's novelization was written in less than a week, according to writer Diane Carey: "The novelisations [usually take] about two weeks, although Broken Bow was a four-day rocket ride. I sure don't want to do that very often! My hands still hurt!" (September 26, 2001 - TrekToday)
- The role of the twin butterfly dancers was the first major television role for the Klimaszewski sisters: "We've put our skills to use in all different forms of entertainment. Enterprise gives us a chance to stretch our abilities even further, and we're pleased that our efforts have led us to share in Star Trek history." (September 26, 2001 - TrekToday)
- This episode had its first scheduled repeat on the 9th of January, 2002.
- Michelle Erica Green - The Trek Nation
- Colin 'Zeke' Hayman - Fiver (Parody)
- Julia Houston - About.com
- 'Hercules' - Ain't It Cool News
- 'Hercules' - Ain't It Cool News
- Roj Blake - Ain't It Cool News
- Phil Plait - Bad Astronomy
- Phil Rosenthal - Chicago Sun-Times
- Mark A. Altman - Cinescape
- Garth Franklin - Dark Horizons - 7/10
- Jim Wright - Delta Blues
- Scott D. Pierce - Deseret News
- Mike Duffy - Detroit Free Press
- Steve Daly - Entertainment Weekly - B+
- Michael R. Farkash - Hollywood Reporter
- Jason Bates - IGN Sci-Fi - 3/5
- Howard Rosenberg - Los Angeles Times
- Keckler - MightyBigTV - B+
- monkee - monkee's place - 9/10
- Dave Mason - Nando Times
- Scott Feschuk - National Post
- David Bianculli - New York Daily News - 3.5/4
- Linda Stasi - New York Post
- Ron Wertheimer - New York Times
- Hal Boedeker - Orlando Sentinel
- Tim Lynch - Psi Phi - 7/10
- Revolution SF
- Salt Lake Tribune
- John Carman - San Francisco Gate
- Kathie Huddleston - Science Fiction Weekly - A
- Julius Funkenstein - Screenwriters Utopia - 7.9/10
- Bonnie Malmat - Section 31 - B+
- Rick Norwood - SFSite - 2-3/4
- Christian Rühl - Star Trek Dimension - 4/4
- Jamahl Epsicokhan - Star Trek Hypertext - 3/4
- Michael Hinman - SyFy Portal
- David E. Sluss - The Cynics Corner - 8/10
- Jaqueline Bundy - The Trekker Newsletter - 8/10
- Rob Salem - Toronto Star
- Anonymous - TrekToday
- Matt Roush - TV Guide
- Robert Bianco - USA Today - 3/4
- Laura Fries - Variety
- David Segal - Washington Post
- Kate O'Hare - Zap2It
Download the Promo
Read the Review
Read the Parody
Read the Review
Read the Parody
Next: 'Fight or Flight'
Return: 'Enterprise' Episode Guide