In a nutshell: seaQuest explores a remarkable undersea volcano, but science takes a backseat when Darwin becomes deathly ill.

Hmm. An okay episode, although it did leave me with lots of questions.
The episode starts with Professor Raleigh Young fussing over his scientific equipment and clearly getting on everyone's nerves. Raleigh is aboard leading a highly confidential experiment to investigate an underwater volcano, and is very excited about it. Sitting alongside him listening, Lucas looks bored stiff as the professor expounds. Sea water, lava and steam do not thrill young Mr Wolanczak. Dr Westphalen makes it clear that she thinks the experiment is potentially dangerous because of the unknown bacteria thriving in the vent, while Bridger sits firmly on the fence, again having to play peacemaker between two widely differing opinions, continuing this theme first seen in the pilot. Lucas is then sent to call Darwin in, as the dolphin had been out feeding. Moments later a container of samples being brought aboard from the vent ruptures …

There's a lot of scientific technical junk talked about, with Raleigh throwing his weight around and annoying everyone by his absolute dedication to this project of his. During their descent the boat becomes dangerously unstable because of the heat and turbulence from the hydrothermal vent, and because of the platform they are carrying beneath them. Raleigh is appalled when Bridger authorises Hitchcock to release the platform if necessary. Ford and Hitchcock replace two Random Extra Crewmen at the helm and, despite these RECs presumably working on the helm day in and day out, and therefore being experts, these two Main Cast 'heroes' are able to stabilise the boat where clearly nobody else could have, and hence save the day. For now. To applause. Most of the bridge crew are in evidence here, with Ortiz providing valuable data during the drama, and there is a relaxed yet professional feel to the scene. Although this is only the second episode and therefore early on in Bridger's command, it feels as though they are really bonded as a crew, working well together and comfortable with one another.

Darwin comes aboard, drifting kind of listlessly through the aqua-tubes unnoticed by anyone. I think this listlessness was meant to ring an alarm bell and warn the audience that there was something wrong. Darwin reaches the bridge, and still no one notices him. But then, while working on other things, both Bridger and O'Neill start to look uncomfortable. At about the same moment, both realise that something is wrong with Darwin and leap up shouting in alarm. Bridger and O'Neill don re-breathers to guide Darwin through the aqua-tubes, while Westphalen rushes off to the science lab on sea deck, making the point that as well as being the Senior Science Officer, she is also the Chief Physician. Raleigh is left bellowing in fury about his project being abandoned.
In the tubes, O'Neill admits that he heard Darwin in his head. Bridger did, too, but not as clearly. I completely failed to understand what this was all about. Why have the dolphin 'psychically calling' out to people? What was this supposed to add to the story? Why not just have him fall sick? And why O'Neill? A bond between O'Neill and the dolphin was never implied before (granted this is only the second episode) and is rarely hinted at again. Odd. This is an early symptom of the show being unsure of its own setting: is it set in the real world, or is it a full-on science fiction show where anything is possible, including paranormal activity? They never really made up their minds, and the result was a wishy-washy mixture at times.

Anyway, after getting lost (Bridger joking about not putting directions in the swim tubes; clearly a design flaw), they eventually get Darwin to the sea deck, where Westphalen is ready and waiting with a team, and leaps into action very efficiently. But she is unable to diagnose what is wrong with him, delphine veterinary medicine being largely a mystery still. Lucas is swiftly on the scene, having struck up a great rapport with Darwin since his arrival on the ship, no doubt due in large measure to Lucas' work on the dolphin-translator experiments. Presumably Lucas would have worked with dolphins before. But all they can get out of Darwin now is the cryptic phrase 'light is dark and one.'

While Raleigh rants and raves about his project being more important, Bridger fusses and worries over Darwin, and eventually contacts his eccentric friend, Malcolm Lansdowne (Downy) who is a dolphin expert. "I can't call this man. He's a lunatic!" Their vid-phone conversation is absolutely hysterical, Downy cheerfully introducing Bridger to his visiting mother and cousins, and then leaving them to smile awkwardly at each other before taking the call in another room, suddenly all business. Lansdowne tells him he needs to see Darwin, so Bridger promptly drops the platform and takes the boat off to Caicos Key. Raleigh practically has an apopleptic fit, and tries to get Bridger relieved of command, to no avail. His vid-phone conversation with Noyce is also great, as he protests about being fobbed off by vapid lackeys, to which Noyce very calmly says, "I'll wait for your apology," and he is forced to apologise before he can go on. Then Raleigh is overcome with stress, so Westphalen takes over, sitting him down and asking Ortiz to find a tranquil view (and Mr Professional just happens to have a WSKR by a handy reef). The view combined with soothing music succeed in calming Raleigh down.

Over at Caicos Key, Lansdowne gets to work trying to find what is wrong with Darwin, shooing away all the anxious watchers but keeping Westphalen to assist.
Back on the ship, Raleigh is still watching pretty WSKRS pictures on a view-screen, only now the view has switched to a pod of dolphins. I couldn't help wondering if Ortiz knew that Raleigh was still watching the 'tranquil view' and therefore had to keep the WKSR from more important business, or if he would have been following the dolphins anyway. Maybe he likes a nice tranquil view himself?

On shore, Lansdowne can't diagnose Darwin, but tells Bridger that he expects the dolphin to die. Bridger is upset but not surprised, but worries about how Lucas will take the news, saying that Darwin is the only 'pal' the boy has aboard the boat. Lucas and O'Neill are dismayed by the news. Raleigh has come ashore with them, and O'Neill the Shy is so distressed that he shouts at him about Darwin's life being more important than an inanimate experiment. This seems terribly out of character from what we've seen of the mild mannered O'Neill so far, and presumably was intended to emphasise the severity of the situation. It is also an interesting character point, that for all his shyness O'Neill is prepared to stand up for what he believes in and protect the things/people he cares about. It is decided that they need to let Darwin return to his own pod, which means expending valuable time finding the pod. Resigned to the situation, Raleigh agrees that they must try. Watching the pretty dolphin pictures that Ortiz found has obviously had a profound effect – maybe Mr Professional Ortiz did it on purpose.

Ortiz and O'Neill configure their equipment to broadcast Darwin's signature whistles and clicks, and analyse the responses of the dolphin pods they find. Eventually they find the right one, and Darwin is released from the ship to join them. There is a touching little moment when they all say goodbye, not expecting to see him again. But I still couldn't understand why O'Neil was suddenly so attached to Darwin when there has been no sign of this before. Why him more than the rest of the crew? Because Darwin was able to touch his mind somehow? I still don't get the point of this.

SeaQuest returns to its mission at the hydrothermic vent, and prepare to fire a special buoy into the vent to chart its passage or something, Raleigh getting all excited again about the possibility of being able to predict volcanic eruptions or earthquakes if the experiment is successful. They also continue to collect samples and bring the first container aboard. When Ford tells a morose Bridger that he is depressing the crew (Ford gets some great lines despite being underused in this episode), he goes down to help open it in the hope that the physical exertion will do him some good. I really liked Ford here - 'Sir, you're depressing the crew'. A tiny exchange, but showing just how relaxed he and the captain are with each other already. They have overcome well the early problems caused by Ford's initial lack of honesty with Bridger, albeit under orders from Noyce.

Westphalen gets a call from Lansdowne, who tells her that he has identified some of the bacteria from Darwin's blood – it is something highly toxic found in the hydrothermic vent. Lansdowne is incensed that they are working in such an area, but Westphalen is very professional and doesn't tell him that she agrees and has made the same point herself. She tries desperately to call down to tell Bridger not to open the container, but he can't hear her over the noise in the room.

Just then Darwin comes aboard. How did he get in? Surely the sea doors aren't left open all the time, especially given their position? Shouldn't someone have known he was coming aboard? Anyway, he leaps up at Bridger, knocking him into the water, and therefore preventing the container from being opened. Darwin's mother (apparently, though how they could tell was beyond me. It could have been any dolphin, a friend, a sister, anyone) also comes aboard, gives Bridger some seaweed, and then leaves.

When examined, the seaweed is found to have remarkable healing properties, and is presumably what the dolphins used to heal Darwin. Everyone marvels about how clever dolphins are. Oh, and Raleigh finally launches his probe-thingy. The end.
I liked Raleigh. He was over the top, full of bluster, and thoroughly enjoyable. I liked the way he interacted with the crew. I enjoyed the professional relationships on display between Raleigh, Bridger, Westphalen and Lansdowne. I liked that Bridger and Ford have already struck up a good working relationship, Bridger trusting his new right-hand man enough to leave him in charge while he dropped everything to be with Darwin. I didn't like O'Neill's uniform shorts combined with long socks and a cap to make him appear like an eternal 12 year old. Yet the shorts looked okay on Bridger with bare feet – maybe only some people can carry them off? Ortiz doesn't do much, but he looks very pretty, and again demonstrates his worth on the bridge. He is a valuable member of crew: level-headed, extremely professional and very good at his job. There are also plenty of extras appearing in this episode - principally Westphalen's science staff, but also a speaking helmsman. Crocker and Krieg are conspicuous by their absence, however.