Enterprise (TV)

[IronParrot]

Has anyone else been following it? I've watched both of the existing episodes, and I haven't been turned off yet. It'll be interesting to see how this series settles in. I already like it more than DS9 and Voyager, though only time will tell...

[Darth Tater]

Two words: it sucks. Absolutely awefull. The same horrible acting, unbelievable writing, and silly characters as Voyager, just filmed a little better. Not to mention, the special effects are the worst yet!

[galadriel]

Hey, I'm a big Voyager fan! I liked the characters. But I'm not going to get into an argument right now.

As for Enterprise: I'm not crazy about it yet, but I'm giving it a few more episodes before I judge it. The characters are pretty good considering it's a new show (at the beginning of Next Generation, LaForge was a helmsboy, at the beginning of Buffy, Angel was a pompous creep). I'm already a huge fan of the Doctor, Phlox. That guy is so cool! The plots aren't that great yet, but not awful either. Good use of humor, somewhat see-through metaphors.

The blatant sex element is bugging me, not because I'm over-conservative and think that all sex should be banned from television, but because it's being misused. An article at startrek.about.com made some great points to that effect. Like, take the decontamination scene. I'm probably the only person on the face of the planet who was actually listening to what they were *saying* instead of staring. I'm sure that about no male viewers fall into that category. Instead of just giving us gratuitous views, the writers could have plopped, say, Mulder and Scully into the decontamination chamber... and watch the sparks fly. It would actually (gasp) be meaningful!

BTW, people who think that M & S are about as compatible as pastel pink and ostentatious orange... don't come after me with baseball bats. it was just an example. :)

[IronParrot]

By the way, there was a "decontamination shower" scene a few years ago on The X-Files as well.

I don't mind Enterprise so far. It's got one of the best opening credits sequences I've seen on any show. Besides, it's a new direction, and that's a blessing when it comes to the often-all-too-formulaic world of post-Roddenberry Trek.

[galadriel]

Really?? I must've missed that episode.

I agree, the new, more explorative spin is hopefully going to rejuvinate what was becoming a somewhat predictable and mundane show.

[Darth Tater]

Come on, you can't tell me that that theme song doesn't piss you off?! Oh, and Phlox, I fear, will become the next Neelix (I want to see Neelix die a terrible, horrible, painfull death, so he can experiance what I experianced whenever he was on screen.) Also, Angel was awesome at the beginning of Buffy. In the first two episodes he was a mysterious character, and you knew he wanted to help Buffy (he gave her the cross), but there was something dark about him. Plus the sparks between the two of them in The Harvest are incredible!

[galadriel]

I haven't seen many of the first episodes, but I just saw the first one a few days ago, and he struck me as very out of character. I think it always takes a while for characters to figure out exactly who their character is, and that character always changes and matures over time.

[IronParrot]

First of all, no, the theme song doesn't piss me off within the context of the brilliant opening credits. I'm not sure how much I'd like it on its own - probably not as much. But I find that it fits.

Also, after three episodes and going, Phlox is more serious and just downright professional than Neelix. Of course, time will tell if this lasts.

As a side note, I'd just like to say that Kristy Swanson will always be the real Buffy. :p

[Darth Tater]

To IronParrot: May Angel's bloodlust resurface, and may he suck you dry forever and ever for making such a blasphemous comment! that is all ;)

[HOBBIT]

The theme song is not even original. It is called "Faith of the heart" Of course, for the show they made it shorter and had some other guy sing it.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Isn't this new show supposed to take place about a hundred years before Kirk comes along? Is this vulcan science officer the same Vulcan lady that was in Amok Time? They have the same name I believe. Tupal, or something like that.

I am giving this show a chance. I liked Voyager alot, but I loved Next Generation. So far this new show is ok, not as boring as DS9.

[IronParrot]

Interesting observation. I'll check... though nobody else seems to have picked it up, so I wouldn't assume there's any connection.

[Eowyn, The Lioness]

It's too early to gauge, but it looks like it's got potential.
I liked Hoshi,the pilot(I forgot his name),the british dude,&the southern guy. I REALLY didn't like T'Pol, although I think by the 3rd or 4th season she'll have grown on me.

[Darth Tater]

I gotta admit, the show is getting better, and seeing the first holodeck DID send shivers up my spine. However, it's still not TNG

[IronParrot]

Well, of course it's not TNG! In terms of Star Trek, I don't think TNG's better moments are surpassable...

[Xivigg]

I agree

TNG is the best serie i've seen

i've only see the first episode of Enterprise and i didn't realy like it

i hope the next one are better

[Sister Golden Hair]

I had hoped this new series was going to take off and be great. However, I now have my doubts after the last two epeisodes. I hope it gets better. I have faith in Brannon Bragga since he did alot of the writing for NG and Voyager. Not to mention, he is from my area near Canton Ohio, and a graduate of Kent State. I will try to hang in there.

[Darth Tater]

Bragga did practically no writing on TNG. He was, how shall I put this? A script boy, a lacky. And Voyager is hardly something to be happy about!

I'm getting very sick of the fact that every time a Star Trek crew visits a planet they have to go underground. After about 5 series I'm getting rather sick of seeing the same set over and over and over again

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Darth Tater
Bragga did practically no writing on TNG. He was, how shall I put this? A script boy, a lacky. And Voyager is hardly something to be happy about! Credits must lie. In many eps of NG Bragga cowrote with Taylor and others and did the teleplays.

[Darth Tater]

Co- wrote, meaning he sat there and watched a person with actual talent do their job ;)

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Darth Tater
Co- wrote, meaning he sat there and watched a person with actual talent do their job ;) Whatever.

[Bregalad]

I've only seen one episode so far, but I think this show has great potential. The actors in any series need a little time to grow into their characters. I think Scott Bakula is a charming captain, very much in the spirit of captain Kirk, and I like it. In fact, this show reminds me very much of the original Star Trek, and I'm thrilled about it. I like seeing a captain who is sweet and honest, but still a bit of a playboy. It seems more natural to me than the stoic captain who never gets any! I loved Next Gen, but it took a while to grow on me, because it had a much different feel to it than the original. I really like seeing a show that is more like Gene Roddenberry's original concept.
I loved the first Star Trek, I grew to love NG, I never have liked DSN or Voyager, I found them boring and insipid. I understand that they were loved by many people, but I just don't dig them. I think Enterprise is going to turn into a show I can really dig.

PS: Darth, I agree with you about the openning song. The visuals rock, but that opening song really put me off. I think it sucks.

[Bombadil's PR Guy]

The opening music and sequence do appear very un-Star Trek. We expect the music to be symphonic. This tune sounds fairly catchy, but it will become dated. It would be like the original Star Trek with Jefferson Airplane singing the theme song.

Scott Bakula makes a good captain in my mind. I've generally liked this new show, although I must agree that the decontamination scene between the vulcan chick (our new Dianna/7 of 9) and the good ole boy (sorry, I'm bad with names) was completely ridiculous, just for us to get hot, watching the titilation. This vulcan lady is much too haughty, just as the other vulcans we've seen don't seem to have their emotions in tow nearly as much as did Spock or Tuvac. The episode with the Vulcan spy post under the guise of a meditation retreat was pretty cool, but I thought Vulcans could not lie.

One aspect I enjoy is how the writers know we know the technology that they've yet to gain, as they struggle to find solutions. It was tortore to watch the ship being bombarded while they waited for their shuttle to lock onto a docking arm, rather than just swoop inside. Also in that episode and others, while they work out their universal translator and transporter technology is interesting, technologies that Janeway and Piccard took for granted.

Much too soon to say how the news series stacks up. My personal rankings would be:
Next Generation
Voyager
Deep Space Nine
...but it's hard to place the Original series alongside due to the great passage of time. It blazed the trail, but the plots were sometimes pretty redundant, the solutions contrived. We can excuse the bad effects due to the lack of special effects knowledge and pittance they had for budget.

Is there anyone here that would EVER care to sit through "The Trouble With Tribbles" again?

[Sister Golden Hair]

I loved the "Trouble With Tribbels" There are many episodes of the original that I thought were excellent.

This Side of Paradise
The Empath
All of Our Yesterdays
City on the Edge of Forever
Balance of Terror

Just to name a few.

[galadriel]

The episode with the Vulcan spy post under the guise of a meditation retreat was pretty cool, but I thought Vulcans could not lie.

Sure they can, if they have to -- for instance, if they're ordered to. For instance, Tuvok posed as a Maquis on Chakotay's ship at the beginning of Voyager, because it was his job.

I agree that they've done a great job with the technology. It will probably lend a lot to the show, since they won't be as technology-dependent as the other series.

And, I must say, it's a lot more fun without the Prime Directive. :cool:

Trouble with Tribbles was cool! Granted, I've only watched a handful of the episodes from the original show. While much of the technology, aliens, etc were a bit ridiculous, from what I've seen it was pretty good for its time.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Trouble with Tribbles was cool! Granted, I've only watched a handful of the episodes from the original show. While much of the technology, aliens, etc were a bit ridiculous, from what I've seen it was pretty good for its time. It was actually ahead of its time, and for the era, it was state of the art. It does look wierd today though. What is funny, is TV itself was a fairly new invention then, and colored TV was brand new.

[Bombadil's PR Guy]

The original Star Trek must certainly be given its due for having gotten things rolling. I do remember as a kid, watching those shows and thinking they were soooo incredibly great (except for "Tribbles" ;) ). The lead characters were all very memorable, and left very big shoes to fill for the Piccards and Siscos who came after. It's only from our modern day perspective, after we've been spoiled with digital effects and bigger budgets that a lot of those attempts at special effects seem hokey. It is a credit to TNG, that 15 years later, I really don't see that same kind of "datedness." It was unfortunate how the original cast keep a-hanging on in all those Star Trek movies though. The "save the whales" movie, where they went back to 20th century San Fransisco was THE lowpoint in all of Star Trek, IMHO. I was almost happy when Kirk "got his" in the "Generations" movie...'bout time he got out of the way to let Piccard's gang have a go. I saw Shatner on a talk show after that where he'd written a new Star Trek book where, somehow, Kirk comes back to life...so glad that Viacom didn't pick that one up.
Another lowpoint in all of Star Trek would be when the Deep Space Nine gang challenged a crew of Vulcans to a baseball game on the Halosuite. Bad sci-fi, worse baseball.
One show that really compared favorably to the Star Treks was Babylon 5. There were many weeks where I felt that this show was head and shoulders above DS9, which was the only Star Trek running much of that time.
Okay Galadriel, I'll grant you that Vulcans do engage in disception from time to time, but I do get the overall feeling that Enterprise is "humanizing" them too much.

[mirrille]

yeah. That's one problem that I have with Enterprise right now. The Vulcans are not behaving like Vulcans. T'Pau is just betraying too much emotion, especially whenever she says something. I don't know if maybe alot of it has to do with the actress. I think Tuvok made the best Vulcan. Even when expressing a strong opinion, he always sounds so controlled. A friend suggested to me that maybe T'Pau can be the way she is because she is still very young, for a Vulcan and hasn't learned how to control herself as well. I just know that she bothers me. I think that I could still like Enterprise. It's better than I expected, but then, I wasn't expecting much because Voyager really stank. I was pretty sure that Star Trek was running out of ideas.

For the record, I really like the Trouble with Tribbles, but then, I was maybe 10 when I saw it and I thought it was so cute. The DS9 episode where they go back to that time was also lots of fun. Silly, but fun.

And Babylon 5 is a great show. I am a big fan of that show in that I have not seen any sci-fi series before or since that I liked as much. Great story. Great characters. I am in awe of that show.

[Alethes]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
Isn't this new show supposed to take place about a hundred years before Kirk comes along? Is this vulcan science officer the same Vulcan lady that was in Amok Time? They have the same name I believe. Tupal, or something like that.


The show does take place about 100 years before Kirk. I think the year is 2151.

The Vulcan Science Officer is T'Pol, and the Vulcan ladies in Amok Time are T'Pau and T'Pring, so they aren't the same person. I think I read somewhere that T'Pol's original name was going to be T'Pau, but they changed it so she wouldn't be the same as T'Pau on Amok Time.

So far, I like Enterprise pretty well, though not as much as I liked Voyager. (I didn't like Deep Space Nine, but I haven't seen the other Star Trek shows enough to compare.) I'm not fond of the Enterprise theme song, but I can stand it.

As for characters, my favorite is probably T'Pol. I know she's obnoxious, but she is knowledgable, has common sense (and is therefore more cautious than the others) and interesting to watch. I also like Phlox -- I don't think he'll be another Neelix; he seems to have more unusual tastes (except in food) and just seems more intelligent than Neelix did. The other characters are decent enough; I can't think of anyone I don't like.

[Lady Midnight]

Is it just me or does Enterprise look a lot like Galaxy Quest?

I'm going to give this show a chance although I'm really annoyed that Sky have dropped Andromeda in order to show it. It had better be good is all I can say! :mad:

[Bombadil's PR Guy]

LOL!
Now that you mention it, there IS some resemblence between the looks of Enterprise and Galaxy Quest (which should have been far more successful at the box office)!
Too bad you can't have both Andromeda and Enterprise, but I can't say I've been able to get involved in Andromeda to the same degree as the Star Treks or Babylon 5, or even The Final Conflict. Some interesting ideas on Andromeda, such as the Nitzchians, those furry tazmanion devils from hell, and the chick's struggle with "flash" addiction....and the episodes with space time continuum issues always grab me.

[Darth Tater]

Lady Midnight, that sucks for you, Enterprise cant' touch Andromeda with a ten foot pole and I'm not that big a fan of Andromeda ;)

[Lady Midnight]

Originally posted by Bombadil's PR Guy
LOL!
Now that you mention it, there IS some resemblence between the looks of Enterprise and Galaxy Quest (which should have been far more successful at the box office)!
Too bad you can't have both Andromeda and Enterprise, but I can't say I've been able to get involved in Andromeda to the same degree as the Star Treks or Babylon 5, or even The Final Conflict. Some interesting ideas on Andromeda, such as the Nitzchians, those furry tazmanion devils from hell, and the chick's struggle with "flash" addiction....and the episodes with space time continuum issues always grab me.

Yeah I'd have to say the Nietzscheans are certainly the main source of interest Andromeda has for me and I liked Rev (the Magog priest) but unfortunately most of what is interesting in the show is being changed......... and not for the better I'm sorry to say. :(

[Lady Midnight]

Originally posted by Darth Tater
Lady Midnight, that sucks for you, Enterprise cant' touch Andromeda with a ten foot pole and I'm not that big a fan of Andromeda ;)

{{{{{{{{Darth Tater}}}}}}}}}}

Not to worry I just bought myself a new VCR with NTSC playback. Now all I need is to talk a fellow DROM fan over the pond to tape it for me. ;)

[Captain Stern]

Well I think my fave tv series ever was Quantum Leap.

I live in the UK and Enterprise won't be on untill the 7th of this month. I know when I finaly get to watch it I'll keep expecting Al to pop up saying: "Come on Sam! You can take this guy!" or "Gushi!".

You can't have Sam without Al!

P.S I think Voyager was an abomination, Janeway annoyed the &%£@ out of me.

Funny though, I'm the only one who seems to like DS9 here, I'd like it even more if Kira wasn't such a butt kicking warrior woman who can't lose a fight, Quark is fantastic I think.

[mirrille]

I actually liked DS9, especially closer to the latter part of the series. I liked how they were carrying longer and more complicated story arcs, although of course it was nothing compared to Babylon 5. I couldn't see that something like that would be even possible in Voyager.

I like the relationship between Bashir and O'Brien. They have to be my favourite pair. I also really liked Gul Dukat before he went crazy. After he went nuts, he became much less interesting as a character.

One problem with Enterprise is I don't actually know what they are supposed to be doing. As far as I can see, they are wandering around in space with no particular objective except to get into occasional trouble/adventures. No idea where they are going, no particular mission. It seems quite aimless. I know it is exploration, but it just seems they are wandering around and most of the time trouble comes to find them. It's a little weird.

[Lady Midnight]

Enterprise didn't suck after all although the theme music does. I really liked the snotty Vulcan woman she's :cool:

Still it's no Andromeda though. :(

[emplynx]

I like enterprise...