OT: Star Trek: Enterprise

[Slynky]

Well, I'm not the most devout Trekkie out there, for sure, but I watched every spinoff they made. Of them, I confess I quit watching DS9 before it ended (can't remember the reason). I quit watching Voyager (because it became too stupid that a long-range explorer would never need repair and even engaged in small battles...plus I would rather have seen Ms. Bujold (spelling?) in the lead). Then I gave Enterprise a shot. Passed it by (due to boredom) in favor of Firefly (a much better series, IMO). But I know what you mean about all the time travel. Never really liked Q in any episode, either.

[Alari]

I'd probably lose whatever geek credentials I have left for admitting this, but I love the new Enterprise series. =) Yes the ending of the finale of season 3 is hilarious and you should really turn it off once you get to the end where they're hailing StarFleet, up to that point it's one of the best damn sci-fi episodes of any series, ever. But if you want to continue on, you get to see, OMG EVIL ALIEN NAZIS!!! *giggle* =)

But what's not to like about the series? Freaky time travel headaches, at least 2 species they don't learn the names of (Borg and Ferrengi) and even an mpreg episode! (In season 1 no less! =)

Seriously, I do love it. =) Just remember it's as much fiction as science, and like all other Star Trek series, takes place in a universe with slightly different physical laws and rules (caused by subspace) Enjoy it for the story it tells.

[Captain Kwok]

It's been hit and miss with me - mostly because of the constant time travel element Geo mentioned. I was hoping for of the exploration element showing early contact with some of our favorite races and the beginnings of the Federation etc.

Most of the actors are fine and I do like the Enterprise NX-01, it's not a bad looking ship but has taking a lot of flak for looking "too modern". That's more of a result of the 60's look of the original series in which this series is suppose to be a prequel.

Anyways, I think once this series wraps up then time for a trek break.

[EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro]

Yeah I love it too, wouldn't miss an episode. But in the back of my mind all this time travel stuff is getting messy. So messy that I agree with Gandalf that the only way to end it is with some big event that will set everything back to normal like it was Dallas episode. The promises I remember about the Enterpise series was that it was going to be kinda dark and edgy. If edgy means only using the scary transporter once in a while than by god they gotta try better...maybe more space lesbians! Anyway the season ends with the Captain being held by Nazis? I wonder if he'll hook up with Bob Crane and Richard Dawson in Stalag 13? Let the heeelarious madcap adventures begin!

[gregebowman]

I was able to watch season 1, and I thought it was pretty good. But I did miss the episode with the captain's mess attendant being from the future. And with my son getting older and not going to bed at 8:00 every night like during the first season, I've missed more episodes than watched. I think the only show on the 3rd season I watched fully was the one where the crew find that western world. I haven't bought any of the other series dvd's due to the price, but when Enterprise does come out on dvd, I'm definitely going to have to get it. I'm so lost now, I don't know even know what kind of threat that the crew were trying to prevent from most of the parts of the episdoes I did see from season 3.

As far as time travel, I've always been a sucker for a time travel story, so I don't mind too much. But like someone mentioned below, not every freaking episode!

When the show first started, I thought that the technology the new Enterprise had surpassed the one from the original show. Everything looks like it's in far better shape than the 1701. I know that there's a 40 year difference in special effects technology between the 2 shows, but a lot of the stuff on the NX-1 (?) seems too advanced from what Kirk had on his ship. About the only things I've seen that's different is that the doors don't automatically open and there's no univeral translating device. Which I find refreshing, seeing the Asian girl trying to figure out what the other guy is saying.

[ July 16, 2004, 21:31: Message edited by: gregebowman ]

[Alari]

It does look pretty primitive compared to TNG, the ship has the whole "9 million buttons" syndrome going on and is obviously more cramped and with less ameneties than even the "original" Enterprise from TOS. I think that's probably the best they could hope for without having a totally bland set design. No shields and minimal transporter use do give a good impression that they're working with more primitive technology.

They seem to be going for a more active storytelling style so there are less 'fluff' episodes with nothing at all going on. A good first-contact episode is Cogenitor, but even that goes unexpectedly. (good story, bad turn of events) I get the impression they're leaving a lot of the gaps to the audience to fill in on their own, the more peaceful and less eventful stories that would have been TNG episodes are left in the background and referenced instead.

The time travel is hardly every episode, but it does show up 2-3 times a season, and more during the Xindi arc (season 3).. from what I've heard, season 4 will be a bunch of smaller, ~3 episode story arcs starting with the wrap-up of the Xindi arc. But the overall theme of the series has been it being a front in the temporal cold war so there are plenty of references to it and it's something they seem to want you to keep in mind.


You could always go read the five-minute reviews if you need a laugh. =)

Captain's Starlog: The Vulcan ship isn't responding, so we have no choice but to go tell the knock-knock joke in person.

[Atrocities]

What I hate most about the series is its inconsistancy.

In TOS they clearly said that the Romulan Human conflict was fought with primitive ships, IE limited Warp drive of 1, and neuclear weapons. The Romulans did not have a practical invisiblity screen until TOS and as we all know, Balance Of Terror, clearly pointed out its flaws. It could be tracked by motion.

What would have worked best is if they had already had the Romulan conflict and THAT is why they formed Star Fleet.

The Klingon things also bite my arse. Here they have a good platform for explaining the differance from TOS Klingons, as confirmed in DS9 Episode Trials and Tribulations, and they have done nothing.

I would love to see the "evelolution" of star ship design in this show as well. Also they did not have photon torpedos until they were invented shortly before TOS era.

Deep breath. This can all be explained away by time travel and other things as well.

Time travel, in the end, Archer is given the option of preventing his hole mission from starting by ending the war before it ever began and thus the incident where the Klingon that came to Earth and started his mission, never happened.

The Romulan thing can be explained away if they do not do the time travel redemption thing, by saying it was classified do to fear that that people would begin discriminating against Vulcans.

The whole klingon thing can be explained simply as an espionage project. Klingons were altered to look like humans in order to undermine the foundation of UFP. Get neutral and newly discovered planets to fear humans, and they would welcome the Klingons, the real Klingons.

Again, I dispise the ship, AKiraPrise just looks horrible. I do love the cast and have enjoyed many of the stories and such and do want the series to continue, but I have missed over half of the episodes this year, and really have no desire to watch new ones. The whole thing is just done to death.

I want to see more of what Schamo has written for ROTRS intergrated into Enterprise. After all the two stories are very simular, both planets are beginning to explore space and are learning harsh lessons. The thing is, Sachmo has nailed it, while the writers of Enterprise have only partially nailed it.

Sachmo, GO TO HOLLYWOOD and pitch some episode ideas!. Make Enterprise interesting again.