First 'Hatchery' Details Released

See Also: 'Hatchery' Episode Guide

After discovering the adults dead on a crashed Xindi Insectoid ship, Archer decides to try to save the eggs of the Xindi Insectoids in the upcoming Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Hatchery."

StarTrek.com revealed the details for the seventeenth episode of Enterprise, which is the final episode filmed in 2003. According to the production report, the Enterprise crew discovers the remains of the adult Xindi Insectoids aboard the crashed ship. Surprisingly, the Xindi Insectoids didn't die in the crash; rather, they intentionally suffocated so that they could keep their offspring alive. The ship's life support was transferred to an incubation chamber housing dozens of Insectoid eggs. The incubation period for the eggs is almost over, but the bio-chamber is failing. Archer decides to help the baby Insectoids.

"Hatchery" is currently scheduled to air on February 25th, 2004, making it the final episode of February sweeps. It will follow up the episode "Doctor's Orders", the episode in which Phlox is forced to put the human crew in comas to allow them to survive a spacial disturbance.

"Hatchery" was written by Andre Bormanis and Mike Sussman. This season, Andre Bormanis wrote "Extinction", and Mike Sussman penned "Anomaly" and "Twilight".

The episode was directed by Michael Grossman in his first Trek outting. His previous directing credits include episodes of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly.

The actors playing the MACOs made up the guest star roster for this episode. Steven Culp's Major Hayes was back, as was Daniel Dae Kim as Corporal Chang. Also returning was Sean McGowan, who plays Corporal Hawkins.

The seven day shoot for the episode began on December 11th and wrapped on December 19th. Much of the action took place on board the Enterprise, on the bridge, in sickbay, crew quarters, the armory, and the mess hall. Shooting in the hatchery, which contains egg sacs suspended from organic tendons in a smokey, humid-looking environment, took a day. Another day was devoted to filming on the Insectoids' shuttle.

During the filming of "Hatchery," the cast and crew enjoyed a Christmas party before beginning their two week long holiday vacation. Production on the final seven episodes of the season resumes January 5th.

To read the full production report, visit StarTrek.com!

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