Reliving(?) ENT

[Atragon9 0]

Okay, so after a short breather following DS9 (during which I caught myself up completely with "The Big Bang Theory" - Bazzinga!) I am now watching Enterprise.

 

I have just completed the first two seasons and it has some very silly bits, such as:

• Early in Season 1, a Klingon commander is on the alien ship that has a "holodeck" and, looking at an image of Kronos, he says "I can see my house from here" ::eye roll::
  
• Archer's backstory, to make him a more rounded character, forces Scott Bakula to love "the greatest sport ever," Water Polo??!!
  
• You only ever hear about "Chef,"and never see him except once, kinda, when they are all forced to take refuge on the catwalk. He walks around, serving food, but you just see his white uniform and you never see above his shoulders, like a parent on a Charlie Brown special.
  

Then there are the bits that are just ... bad ideas, such as:

• Archer becoming a Klingon fugitive?! It just gets in the way in a lot of episodes later in Season 2 and also gets in the way of Archer's and the ship's mission. Heck, he went back to Earth at least once, they could have grounded him and put someone else in command who isn't a wanted criminal.
  
• And the whole Borg episode, uggggh!! Let's see if I get this without my head hurting. They dig up two frozen Borg in the Arctic and they have been there since "First Contact" with Cochrane, so far so good. These two are able to revive themselves from being completely frozen in ice for 100 years, hmm getting iffy. They eventually get destroyed by Enterprise, but not before sending a message home with Earth's coordinates. This sets up the idea that the encounter is the reason the Borg come to Earth in the first place, even though it is Trek canon that Q flinging the Enterprise-D into the Delta Quadrant is what made the Borg come to Earth. Come on, that's just sloppy writing! (and boy are these Borg amazing, they can take off an access panel, stick in their hand and convert an entire square meter of ship systems to Borg systems that just materialize out of thin air - this is as much of a MAGIC EDIT as some of my Academies!)
  

 

I won't even touch on the idea that Vulcan mind melds are only for the outcasts of Vulcan society (oooh, Spock was an untouchable) and that the Vulcan Database doesn't have any specifics on the Romulans, even though they have a shared ancestry (hmmm, that pesky Trek canon again)

 

Sure, I have heard that the later seasons of ENT get much better and I am looking forward to them, but I gotta admit that I see why it didn't get a seven-year run - so far.

[Mreh K'hal 0]

:: nod nod nod ::

 

All excellent points, Admiral. I could never get into it myself, though there was the occasional really good episode here and there.

 

My whole take on it, especially since the release of the JJ Abrams Star Trek, was that at least he made no secret that he was doing it differently and it wasn't going to be the same old Trek, however one may feel about it. Enterprise was calling itself a prequel but was essentially trying to reboot too and that I'll never forgive it for. Honestly even if Gene himself had come back from the grave to make a prequel series it would've been really hard to pull off without infringing on what was already to be done (I need that book on time-travel grammar from Hitchhiker, because I have no idea how to put that lol). So the universe continuity errors (not to mention any infractions of in-episode continuity) can really be irksome.

 

I suppose anyone who came to Star Trek via Enterprise though wouldn't know all this and it was probably entertaining enough for them. I'd actually like to hear about it from that perspective if anyone fits.

[LoAmi 0]

And the whole Borg episode, uggggh!! Let's see if I get this without my head hurting. They dig up two frozen Borg in the Arctic and they have been there since "First Contact" with Cochrane, so far so good. These two are able to revive themselves from being completely frozen in ice for 100 years, hmm getting iffy. They eventually get destroyed by Enterprise, but not before sending a message home with Earth's coordinates. This sets up the idea that the encounter is the reason the Borg come to Earth in the first place, even though it is Trek canon that Q flinging the Enterprise-D into the Delta Quadrant is what made the Borg come to Earth. Come on, that's just sloppy writing! (and boy are these Borg amazing, they can take off an access panel, stick in their hand and convert an entire square meter of ship systems to Borg systems that just materialize out of thin air - this is as much of a MAGIC EDIT as some of my Academies!)

 

I don't think the history is as badly messed up as you think (although the lack of any institutional memory of anything the occurred in ENT is weird, it would have been hard to do anything in ENT without that happening). I don't remember (but might be wrong about) it being absolutely established that Q caused the Borg to come to Earth. The way I remember it was that Q flung Ent-D to the Delta quadrant in order to show Picard how dangerous space really is (and, in a nonsensical way, tell them to go home?). There, they encountered the Borg for (what they thought was) the first time. Later, the Borg attacked the Federation. We don't know when the original distress signal got to the Borg. In that sense (as pointed out in a later TNG episode), Q actually gave Picard an advantage in that they didn't first encounter the Borg during their invasion.

 

As for Borg systems "materializing out of thin air" -- could this just be a replicator?

 

Sure, I have heard that the later seasons of ENT get much better and I am looking forward to them, but I gotta admit that I see why it didn't get a seven-year run - so far.

In general, I remember finding Enterprise complete hit and miss (seasons 1 & 2), mostly miss (season 3) and pretty good (season 4). There were some good episodes, and some real duds ("A Night in sickbay" is the worst, I forget which season.)

[Atragon9 0]

I don't think the history is as badly messed up as you think (although the lack of any institutional memory of anything the occurred in ENT is weird, it would have been hard to do anything in ENT without that happening). I don't remember (but might be wrong about) it being absolutely established that Q caused the Borg to come to Earth. The way I remember it was that Q flung Ent-D to the Delta quadrant in order to show Picard how dangerous space really is (and, in a nonsensical way, tell them to go home?). There, they encountered the Borg for (what they thought was) the first time. Later, the Borg attacked the Federation. We don't know when the original distress signal got to the Borg. In that sense (as pointed out in a later TNG episode), Q actually gave Picard an advantage in that they didn't first encounter the Borg during their invasion.

 

As for Borg systems "materializing out of thin air" -- could this just be a replicator?

 

 

In general, I remember finding Enterprise complete hit and miss (seasons 1 & 2), mostly miss (season 3) and pretty good (season 4). There were some good episodes, and some real duds ("A Night in sickbay" is the worst, I forget which season.)

Well, if the Borg signal to come to Earth came from the Borg left on Earth because they came to Earth later and THEN went back in time... Okay my head IS hurting. As for it being a replicator, it was just a Borg's fist in the middle of a panel of Warp conduits and suddenly the entire compartment was filled with Borg machinery - just bad God Moding, if you ask me.

 

Yes, "A Night in Sickbay" was bad - Porthos gets sick after peeing on an alien tree and insulting the aliens in the process; Archer gets all uppity since his dog got sick and the aliens "should have known" - how would they know that an alien quadruped would urinate on their holy relic; Phlox lasering his toenails; trying to catch a bat that gets loose in Sickbay; I could go on, but that's enough.

 

Yeah, Season 3 isn't shaping up too well - they go to the Delphic Expanse where it's unbelievably dangerous and they encounter spatial anomalies and they just keep on keeping on, even though this is Earth's first venture into space compared to more experienced races that had ships meet terrible fates there. Siiigh, this is becoming "homework" for me; not fun, but required reading. Again, I will continue to give it a chance.

[Kansas 0]

The CMO and the Captain running around the medical bay attempting to catch an alien albino bat with netting is priceless entertainment. And then we have a *funny moment* when the Comm Officer walks in and grabs it out of mid-air with no effort. Wee.

 

...and, no, the ENT fan is not employing sarcasm. Nope.

 

A9, I myself really really like ENT and I have all the seasons (working my way through them now as well, oddly) and will defend the series in discussions, but I'll tell you flat out: Don't think too hard when catching up with ENT.

 

Some series -- and I include sci fi in general -- are just meant to be watched with a "this is just a space adventure show" attitude on the part of the viewer.

[Atragon9 0]

The CMO and the Captain running around the medical bay attempting to catch an alien albino bat with netting is priceless entertainment. And then we have a *funny moment* when the Comm Officer walks in and grabs it out of mid-air with no effort. Wee.

 

...and, no, the ENT fan is not employing sarcasm. Nope.

 

A9, I myself really really like ENT and I have all the seasons (working my way through them now as well, oddly) and will defend the series in discussions, but I'll tell you flat out: Don't think too hard when catching up with ENT.

 

Some series -- and I include sci fi in general -- are just meant to be watched with a "this is just a space adventure show" attitude on the part of the viewer

We can discuss it at ShoreLeave in July, neh? I don't know that I agree that sci fi in general is meant to be watched without thinking too hard, but you can buy me a drink and we'll talk it over!

[T'aral 0]

The last season was far better. The series as a whole suffered from a poor start.

 

However: I do like the setting a great deal, and I still wish someone would start an early generation Sim.

[Atragon9 0]

The last season was far better. The series as a whole suffered from a poor start.

 

However: I do like the setting a great deal, and I still wish someone would start an early generation Sim.

In 2004, the Challenger initially debuted as the NX-05 and was an Enterprise era sim. If you look at their message board, you can see when they changed it from Enterprise Era to a later time period (I believe that was due to player demand)

[T'aral 0]

If there isn't a staffer who wishes to run an Early-Era Sim, or there isn't a group wishing to be a crew, then I am just out of luck.

 

All the same I may still wish whatever I wish, and what has been doesn't change anything.

[STSF Seiben 0]

In 2004, the Challenger initially debuted as the NX-05 and was an Enterprise era sim. If you look at their message board, you can see when they changed it from Enterprise Era to a later time period (I believe that was due to player demand)

 

That is correct. We initially started out as an Enterprise era sim, but it wasn't proving popular in the coming years, especially after Enterprise was canceled. We changed formats in early 2008 to our current Movie Era Excelsior class setting. But who knows, the format might be revived again if there's enough demand for it. ::Shrugs::

[Joe Manning 0]

In 2004, the Challenger initially debuted as the NX-05 and was an Enterprise era sim. If you look at their message board, you can see when they changed it from Enterprise Era to a later time period (I believe that was due to player demand)

 

I'd already taken my hiatus from STSF by the time Challenger was changed to a TOS movie era sim, so I can't say for sure why the change was made. But I can say that general interest in the setting waned after Enterprise was canceled.

 

I agree that the setting was good for simming, and I had some good ideas for how we'd handle the Romulan War years. We could have gotten even more creative without the show to constrict us. But we were down to a really small crew by the time I left and we weren't getting much in the way of Academy recruits. I doubt revisiting the setting now would draw much more interest.

[eagle 0]

Actually all.....Was not the very "term" Science fiction based on the obvious...we have been covered up with a replete glossary of entertainment?.We strive to nick pick the very bones of something that 50 years ago was only left to the "Funny Papers" ,as my Father referred to them,or comics. Let it be safe to say all that we have/or have not enjoyed has been brought to us all as "Entertainment"...the other discussions of science fact/fiction will be reserved for another occasion....let it suffice to say whatever segment you enjoy...by all means enjoy it,for there is much for all to enjoy.... :P

 

Eagle.

[KhreRiovtRex 0]

The last season was far better. The series as a whole suffered from a poor start.

 

However: I do like the setting a great deal, and I still wish someone would start an early generation Sim.

 

The last season improved, because they finally wised up, and changed writers...... :P

[KhreRiovtRex 0]

If there isn't a staffer who wishes to run an Early-Era Sim, or there isn't a group wishing to be a crew, then I am just out of luck.

 

All the same I may still wish whatever I wish, and what has been doesn't change anything.

 

You might want to check out the Hood on Tuesdays. They run a TOS era sim and well...ok, they eat alot, but they're pretty decent folks....for non-Rihannsu.

[Kansas 0]

We can discuss it at ShoreLeave in July, neh? I don't know that I agree that sci fi in general is meant to be watched without thinking too hard, but you can buy me a drink and we'll talk it over!

 

Let me clarify real quick: I didn't mean the comment as all sci fi is stupid. I meant more along the lines that not all sci fi shows can be quote awesome unquote, and if you watch them with an attitude of "this show better blow my mind" then no, it won't be enjoyed by the viewer in the long run.

 

As an example, I'm not all that crazy about Stargate Universe. But, if I happen to catch an episode -- you know, if nothing else is on -- I can still enjoy the episode within that moment.

 

You're on Admiral!

[Atragon9 0]

Anyway, to get back to the original theme here. I am working through Season 3 now and it looks like they wanted to do anything but straight SciFi. There's the one that takes place in Detroit in 2004 (Archer in leather coat), the one with the Wild West planet of humans (Archer in long leather coat, with a six-shooter), the one with Archer and T'Pol on Seti Alpha 5 (getting ready for Khan, hmm?) after the ship and all of humanity is blowed up, the one with Hoshi playing Belle in Beauty and the Beast, the one where Archer, Hoshi and Malcolm go ape, and oh yeah - the fast-growing clone of Tucker, called... Sim!

 

Some weird stories this season!!

[Dash_Andrews 0]

Enterprise still treaded lightly and I am forever a HUGE fan of what they did with that show...

[Atragon9 0]

Oooh, I almost forgot my favorite bit. The episode when the ship is taken over by a handful of religious zealots (sheesh) and the leader decides that all of the data that Enterprise had collected was blasphemy, so with a few quick commands (gee, he knows the human controls so well, so fast), he erases all of the data they had collected on the expanse (yeah right). In the next episode it is discussed that the most they could salvage/recreate is about 30% of it. Aww, come on, they don't have data backups in the future??? ::headdesk::

[Kansas 0]

Anyway, to get back to the original theme here. I am working through Season 3 now and it looks like they wanted to do anything but straight SciFi...the one with the Wild West planet of humans (Archer in long leather coat, with a six-shooter)...

 

The Wild West episode "North Star" rocks out! I love that episode! And, there were some interesting themes worked in there towards racial tolerance.

 

I love North Star!

 

And I really don't like Westerns at all. Pay no attention to the Cat in the Cowboy Hat avatar.

[T'aral 0]

Don't you know? All starships use the same basic control configurations. That is how Sulu could fly a Klingon Bird-Of-Prey after five minutes of looking at it. As for not having backups, that's because the Enterprise was full of Godless Atheistic Heathens.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Atragon9