Combs Talks The Return Of 'Tough Little Guy' Shran

See Also: 'Proving Ground' Episode Guide

Jeffery Combs revealed that Shran is now in command of his own ship and wrestling with a moral dilemma in the upcoming Enterprise episode, "Proving Ground."

Combs told TrekWeb interviewer Steve Krutzler that the Andorians are still reeling from the Vulcans' dishonesty, but that Shran is gradually coming to respect and perhaps even trust Archer. "It's very hard for the Andorians to trust anyone," he said. "They've been screwed so many times by the Vulcans that it's very hard for them to compromise or to find common ground. But with these pink skins, and this particular pink skin (referring to Archer), it almost bothers me somewhat that I could trust this guy. It's not something we're comfortable with, trust."

According to rumours, "Proving Ground," the thirteenth episode of the season, focuses on the Andorians and the Enterprise crew working together to try to seize the Xindi test version of the Xindi super weapon (story). But the Andorians have an agenda of their own, and are secretly sabotaging Enterprise in the hopes of gaining the weapon for themselves. This isn't easy for Shran, who has, over the course of the past few years, developed an almost cordial relationship with Captain Archer. "It's begrudging respect," Combs describes his character's take on the human captain. "My character in this [episode] is kind of put in a really interesting test of loyalty."

Combs also revealed that the Andorian antennae his character sports are remote controlled. "The guy who created it is called a 'puppeteer' and he basically works in tandem with me. We will talk about what the scene is about and about what we can do and what I am saying. So we have created, slowly, this little bit of language," Combs says of his character's antennae, which often mirror his mood, speech, and actions.

Combs also commented upon the oft-discussed issue of Enterprise's ratings, citing the absense of advertising and promotion for the show. "Series are not easy to do....There are so many steps along the way. And I never see any advertising for Enterprise. Why is that? You never see any ads in the newspaper or hear anything on the radio or in TV Guide. So you can't coast and then turn around and say 'well, it's the show's fault,'" he said.

For more on Comb's Enterprise character, as well as his Deep Space Nine character Weyoun, see the full interview at TrekWeb.

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