Re-boot ENTERPRISE?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Enterprise' started by ChristopherPike, Aug 25, 2011.

  1. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    This is something I mentioned over in the Future of Trek forum about reboots and how they could potentially go with that direction for ENT.

    What I'm about to say, may result in me becoming a hate figure. But hopefully you guys already realise how much I do love this show, throughout all the highs (Seasons 3-4) and lows (odd episodes earlier than that, plus TATV).

    Before Star Trek 2009, successful reboots were once reserved for remaking lesser known films and TV shows all over again. More often than not, it came at a time when the originals were becoming a distant memory. In Hollywood right now, that's a process that's become considerably speeded up. Spiderman for example. Batman only a matter of time I would've thought, with all that popcorn at stake, when its current guiding light decides to move on.

    Reimagined versions sprung up when a new writer, director or producer saw the original, liked it (in most cases) but thought it wasn't all it could’ve been the first time around. That approach of elevating something to another level, tended to be something that generally worked. Often apparently able to invite some of an existing fanbase to come along for the ride too. Example: Richard Hatch and ye olde Cylons made appearances on BSG for instance… despite there being no real reason for Ron D Moore to make concessions to viewers of the original.

    Enterprise should have several advantages in Star Trek at this moment in time. Set on a ship with a iconic name. Boldly going. Its existence in the Star Trek universe, PRIME and now ALTERED continuity… if the Admiral Archer’s Prized Beagle means anything. Why not reboot it? Or partially reboot it?

    What do I mean by that? Partially reboot it?

    There’s a built-in reset button isn't there? As far as we're concerned. And for those unfamilar, it perhaps needs almost no explanation. But it's there in-story for why events can be changed, to become somehow different. Now say, the Temporal Cold War which affected history COULD be completely undone. Suddenly there's potential for an entirely different first contact with Klingons (if it even happens at all), Romulans and others free from that story arc. Human-Vulcan-Andorian antagonism would still essentially remain the same. Which is fine. I found that be the most interesting and new element Enterprise brought to the franchise. But the best part, would be for the “These are the Voyages…” finale to be erased. Gone – shunted to an alternate 24th Century, thanks to everything tied into TCW interference like the Xindi attack on Earth being acknowledged on the holodeck recreation Riker and Troi are watching.

    Now then, certain crew positions would potentially be filled by totally different people now - born of entirely different circumstances happening to those in “Broken Bow”, because “the Temporal Cold War” doesn't force the NX-01 to leave before she was ready. Phlox, T’Pol, a few others came with the mission to take Klaang back to Qo’nos and found themselves staying. So they may or may not find their way into the crew. They could still turn up elsewhere in this reset universe which has another outcome, cropping up as guest stars from time-to-time.

    Archer possibly takes the place of Admiral Forrest, giving a different Enterprise Captain his orders from Earth. Or if the pull of having one recognisable star name like Bakula every week is too strong, keep him on more permanently somehow, alongside a new re-energised cast.

    Surely Star Trek: Enterprise could be rebooted, keep its existing fanbase (who are still building even now thanks to all the varied ways to see it - Netfix, Amazon, SyFy) and maybe be made fresh with...
    - A different writing team.
    - New cast members.
    - A couple of fan favourites remaining
    - Old characters in occasional guest shots (they still exist, played by the same actors) and we see what became of them in a world without the TCW.
    - An interesting new take on the Romulans and exploration of the Remans.
    - Ongoing development for the Andorians and other seldom seen TOS aliens.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2011
  2. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Reboot ENTERPRISE?

    ENT's time has come and gone. I'd rather see a series set in the 2160s, aboard one of the first Federation starships. Characters and cast members from ENT could still appear this way.
     
  3. Anji

    Anji Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Unfortunately the series has left a bad taste in most fans' mouths so trying to recreate it would be risky. If you do, leave the original actors and designers. Just give the series better writers. That is all that ENT ever really needed was BETTER WRITERS.

    ENT could be resurrected as a series of telemovies (as was the original Battlestar Galactica), with minimal monitary risk.
     
  4. Reanok

    Reanok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I just read an interview at Trekweb during the Lasvegas convention that mentions someone wants to do a rebooted Startrek series that takes place during the Startrek Voyager era .That idea doesn't sound like a good one to me.Also the tv writers have been there and done that with the Borg stories already. it's like flogging a dead horse.:rolleyes:
     
  5. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    Wrong.
     
  6. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Ah-well. Just like Wile E. Coyote, after an unfortunate incident involving TNT, a boulder and forced transvestism to attract the Road Runner - I'm gonna hold up a sign which says "I had to try", go dust myself off and go see what else is on the drawing board. :hugegrin:


    I was really hoping it wouldn't come down to the adventures of Captains Kim and Crusher in the 25th & a ½ Century...
     
  7. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It won't. That series hasn't even been pitched yet, and when it is it'll go the way of Bryan Singer's Federation 5000 (or whatever he called it), and William Shatner's Starfleet Academy (which became the novel Collision Course)
     
  8. JiNX-01

    JiNX-01 Admiral Admiral

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    OMG, that is the dumbest plan for resurrecting a Trek series I've heard in a long time. VOY was one of three series set in the 24th century. Was it set in another quadrant? Yes. But those in charge, led by Berman, wasted that opportunity, just like those in charge, led by Berman, wasted the opportunity with ENT until seasons 3 and 4 and of course, as we all know, it was too little, too late.
     
  9. SFRabid

    SFRabid Commodore Commodore

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    A reboot would have to be in the form of Enterprise - Romulan Wars. You could make a few changes. Archer get promoted and moved to a position related to founding the federation. Mayweather takes over his family shipping business. Hoshi moves to development of the universal translator.

    A more likely scenario would be a Star Trek - Romulan Wars that occasionally has the Enterprise cast members show up.
     
  10. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Who in their right mind would want to watch a series where the main baddies are Romulans?

    Besides, they'd never ever reboot Enterprise (which was a halfhearted reboot in itself). They would reboot the original series again, for TV this time, because it's not the universe of Trek that the casual fans care about, it's the iconic characters - and that's Kirk and Spock.
     
  11. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    A reboot with reoccurring characters in any capacity isn't a reboot, it's more like a relaunch you are talking about, or a retooling. Besides which if you are talking about wanting to reboot "Enterprise" then you might as well talk about rebooting the entire franchise for television since ENT is prequel. I personally don't think it would be an interesting show, as others have stated the show had it's time and it is unfortunate it was cancelled just when Manny Cotto was trying to "Fix" things but it is time to move onto other attempts.
     
  12. Quinton O'Connor

    Quinton O'Connor Commodore Commodore

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    I'd contest this but I'm most certainly not in my right mind. Damn.
     
  13. DarKush

    DarKush Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    ^
    Agreed. I think the Romulans would be excellent big bads. How many people out there think that Future Guy and the Suliban were better? I think the Xindi had a unique origin and motivation, but they weren't so different that their motivation couldn't have been used for the Romulans. And the Romulans have more history and a weight behind them that none of ENT's homegrown antagonists did. And using the Romulans reinforces the idea that ENT was a prequel show, and a prequel show based shortly before the Earth-Romulan War. To not use the Romulans wouldn't have made much sense.

    If you don't want to use them, do a prequel, post-Romulan War show. I actually would rather see that now, as another poster said, than a rebooted ENT. ENT had its shot, but so much of this time period was left unexplored by the show's untimely exit. But even if it had run it's course, it's doubtful that it would've focused much at all on the early years of the Federation.
     
  14. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Another ga-ga case over here. I'd sooner see them completely reinvented, than Klingons. Klingons are fine as they are. Maybe a bit overripe. They turned up too frequently on ENT for their own good and in the end, the only avenue of exploration left was the forehead issue.

    Romulans are like the first race in Star Trek outside of the Vulcans we saw and they still haven't moved on from Mark Lenard's unnamed Commander. In some respects, they went backward from that and simply became faux-Vulcans, without their impassive putdowns and superiority complex. There are few breakout examples of Romulans... possibly Jarok the greatest among them and Tomalak close behind. With Vreenak elevated to some mystical Chuck Norris status, we know so little about him.

    If the recognition of Star Trek over other franchises is "the one with the guys with pointy ears", that makes Romulans as valuable as the Vulcans, if a way can be found to make them a lot more distinquishable.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2011
  15. Quinton O'Connor

    Quinton O'Connor Commodore Commodore

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    Heh, well put, both of you. My rationale closely mirrors your own.

    The Romulans have always, always fascinated me. And we could use a few more truly iconic members of their species. My list would be rather similar to Christopher's: Jarok, Tomalak, Lenard's Romulan and Vreenorris. Honorable mention to... Nero?
     
  16. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Probably half reboot, half retool and some reimagine then. Because it extends a little further back, than just picking up where things left off, with a fresh turnover in cast members.

    Take the Temporal Cold War out and all of a sudden, you've got:
    No more genetically enhanced Suliban with cloaking technology
    Starfleet still using torpedos that look like missles and EM-33 blaster guns
    an unproven transporter (show it go badly wrong and it stays that way)
    an NX-01 that took a little bit longer to start its voyage and maybe undergoing significant alterations inside and out

    You can have a different reason at the beginning, than returning a Klingon home. You can have different faces aboard her, although admittedly probably still Archer (being instrumental to founding the Federation in some multiverse way). Others possibly encountered along the way living surprisingly altered lives.

    In fact, you've restored everything before all the Studio/Network/Corporation meddling. A Star Trek that really is different to getting headlong into planet of the week, alien of the week style storytelling by the third or fourth episode. They have to build up to that. You've got a slower Earth or perhaps Solar System bound first season, where the crew go through "Right Stuff"/"First Flight" character introductions, while the ship takes a little bit longer in the testing stage. Training missions at Mars, Jupiter Station or Titan. Then when they get out there in deep space, you bring on inter-species antagonism with Vulcans/Andorians. Romulans hiding in shadows, manipulating circumstances to weaken any potential alliance they see as a threat to their Empire. Keep on rebuilding it from there, with a mix of new and old faces - so it's still Star Trek: Enterprise but feels fresher and reinvigorated.

    The previous version of the show still working into a bigger picture, with this a "What if they had turned left" scenario and you can still mix some of that established history back in - piece by piece. Without any time-travel or interference from the future, having got us to that point.

    My trouble is, I really don't think there is a more interesting premise in the whole of Star Trek, that what Enterprise was supposed to have been about all along. How did we get from there (First Contact) to here (the Original Series)? For all the ideas being floated about for the 25th Century - they're basically still trying to take out the frills, bring down the Federation, have allies go back to their former ways and even make the humans less evolved - only a prequel should be able to do that by virtue of its setting. It about us decades from now instead of countless centuries. While leaving the utopia Roddenberry wanted the far future to be, untouchable for the time being.

    So yeah, even for a committed ENT fan like me, I think they just bite the bullet and remake this show. Enterprise in the Abramsverse. Have them do as good a job with ENT as they seem to have done, keeping TOS fans sweet. Going back to a point before everything began, keeping some pieces in place, losing others and going forward again from there. Or even doing it the way it should've turned out in the Prime universe. Or just don't be hidebound by either timeline.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2011
  17. Saul

    Saul Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Of all things Trek i'd like to see this rebooted as I didn't feel they got it right the first time round. I felt it's just a rehash of the previous series from TNG onwards, filming style, music, design. I would hope for a radical reboot, meaning going back to a time when Star Trek wasn't Star Trek but was more of a bunch of crews going around in highly primative space ships, no phasers, no torps, no view screens, no transporter, translators etc. A real vision of pre TOS days, a still very flawed group of explorers born out of WWIII.
     
  18. The Badger

    The Badger Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    ^I agree with pretty much all of that, except possibly the 'no torpedoes' idea (self guiding rockets with explosive warheads are pretty low tech compared to warp drive etc.) and 'no viewscreens'. Hanging a wide screen TV on the front bulkhead should be easy enough to do.

    I'd also suggest no aliens in the regular crew. This is humanities first major attempt at deep space exploration, so let's show humans.
     
  19. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Going by the last movie, a viewscreen is seen to be quite literally a window, with a heads-up display on the inside - capable of video conferencing, rear-view and magnification these days.

    Apply some of that backwards, among other design tweeks to the NX-01 perhaps.
     
  20. Dukhat

    Dukhat Admiral Admiral

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    While I agree that VOY and ENT were wasted opportunities, I'd like to point out that Rick Berman never "led" the people in charge. The people in charge (i.e. UPN) led him. There were countless things Berman et. al would have done differently with ENT, but TPTB at UPN wanted things done their way. And since UPN were Berman's bosses, he really had no other choice but to comply with them.

    Don't blame Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, "franchise fatigue," or any other thing for the quality of ENT and the downfall of televised Trek. Blame UPN.