I'm stunned, I tell ya! People say that DS9 is too dark. But...wow. I'm reaching the end of S3 of ENT and I'd say this is pretty darn dark! Archer was this happy, optimistic captain -- and now, he's this bruised, jaded pirate whose single goal is to prevent the destruction of earth at literally any cost. Enterprise (the ship) was this beautiful symbol of hope and exploration...now it's a total mess and barely flyable. Trip was the class clown, now he's an emotional wreck. T'Pol was a Vulcan who occasionally struggled with logic, now she's a drug & emotion addict with rare hints of sanity. I'm reserving my judgment until I see where they ultimately go with all of this -- but I just couldn't resist commenting at this point. Crazy stuff! One other minor observation...believe it or not, the theme song was starting to grow on me until they added this acoustic guitar strumming which REALLY makes it all wrong for the show -- especially for S3. For example, Archer and the crew are deflated on their damaged ship, he gives this coldly delivered speech about saving earth for the 18 who have died so far, and then...dink, dinka dink, dinka dink, It's been a long road... BUZZ-KILL!
A darker theme tune definitely would have been a better fit. Instead they made it bouncier. Despite all it's gaps in logic, season 3 of Enterprise is still my favourite of any season in all of Trek. After two years of blandness in space, I was glued and couldn't wait for next week's episode.
I'm with you, King Daniel. A lot of people prefer S4, but it's S3 that does it for me. But, yeah, the bouncier theme is just ... weird.
Season 3 of Enterprise was my favorite season of the Entire series.I couldn't wait to find out what happened each week when we had new episodes to watch on tv.I like the fact you had the search for the xind and you didn't what would happen from week to the next.
I loved the whole arc of season 3. That is the season where I really started paying attention. Season 4 was good simply because the story telling got better - which we can all thank Manny Coto for. I could have used another 3 seasons to see where he would have ended up taking us.
Pretty much on the money as a thumbnail description of where the characters went in season 3. Sounds like you're at the end of Damage, whihc is my favorite Ent episode of the series. I thought the ending of the Xindi arc was great -- however, you will have to judge the ending of the actual season. The thing about season 3 was that it had more of the best Ent episodes of the series although it still had more clunkers than season 4, which only had a couple.
Season 3 was the best Season of Enterprise, and of the best Trek Seasons for any of the series. Seasn 4 of Enterprise, is overrated, in my opinion.
I didn't care much for the Xindi arc but one reason I liked season 3 was T'Pol got rid of that ugly Moe haircut and let her bangs grow. She looked best with her natural hair in the mirror universe episode in Season 4.
I gave up on Ent during season 2. Came back a few years later and watched season 3 and 4. WOW! I couldn't believe it was the same show. I was suddenly sad it was cancelled. Season 3 is one of my favorite years of any Trek series, and I'm a Niner.
I loved season three of Ent, I also think that while season 4 has good material in it, as a whole its rather weak, as it utterly lacks focus, and lunges from one arc to another, not given characters and situations needed time. As a whole I think season 3 of Enterprise is better then any season of Voyager, better then all but seasons 3 and 4 of TNG, and better then all but seasons 4, 5 and 6 of DS9. I think season 5 and 6 of TNG (are it's due to about 6 episodes in each of those seasons that I rank blow average). In fact I think season one is actually better as a cohesive whole, then season 4. I think because so much of season 4 is (at least to me) basic fan wank (even if enjoyable fan wank), really, really hurts it. Frankly I really, really like season one, which is easily modern Trek's best first season (easily). The idea of a crew that initial runs from a threat (I loved that), a crew that we see rush out to see things like a comet, a planet, ect. Having the ship do PR message for home (just like NASA does). There is no Trek show that has ever managed to captured that wonder and newness, or even the terror better. Heck people bitched about the episode that the Crew discuise themselves as natives, they said its been done before. Well of course it has, but it had to start at some point. I loved that. I love the joy of seeing a ship or how similar they were, the delight the crew had to the outrage they had at an advance race willing to kill them. All things that by and large are glossed over in all of Trek, even in TOS. The downside are some rather small but hugely annoyingly things. Cloaking devices. AARRRGGGHHHH. In the pilot Reed says he sees it briefly then instruments fail. That was perfect, a complete way around the cloaking device. It doesn't become invisible, just invisible to sensors. Space is huge, unless a ship is right next to you, you would never see it (especially in deep space. But no, once the term cloaking was used, they went (season 2) for the full on invisible, huge, huge, huge mistake (and one so easily avoided). Mayweather. Seriously, seriously the actor might be great, but the idea of having the outside, the one who's lived his whole life on the edge of known space, as the most well mannered, easy going perfectly groomed person was a huge, huge mistake. Mayweather never, recovered as a character. Archer, sorry but as a Captain he by and large was rather bland. But like Sisko the character with time did come alive. Archer needed a spark lit under him, Sisko needed to shave his head.... Using the Ferengi first season, while the episode isn't terrible (it's actually one of the better Ferengi episodes, certainly the best none DS9 Ferengi episodes) and technically without a name given there is nothing for Picard or Data to match to the name Ferengi (as they have no visual records of that race), its still a huge slap in the face to fans, and was a terrible choice. Besides a few episodes that just for whatever reasons didn't work for me Rogue Planet (just boring), Terra Nova (Great concept, perfect for Enterprise, yet yuck), Unexpected (sorry but I like parts of the episode, but the heart of it, I found rather juvenile), and Fusion (another episode that not awful just bored me). Otherwise everything in the season is good to really good to me. It really wasn't until season two that I started actually seriously disliking some episodes of ENT.
The Xindi arc was a story I wasn't interested in seeing, but by and large (especially for Trek's first attempt at a full season story arc, as opposed to DS9 which just did stretches of episodes, and then others not connected) I think it was a very solid attempt. Especially for writers who had never done story arcs before at all. I would have much rather seen a Vulcan/ Andorian war arc (or even something like a Andorian/ Tellerite war acr. But from reports at the time, the studio/ or network had asked the writers to cut down on Vulcan based stories (I think this occurred after season one, Kind of like DS9 first season was all about the politics of Bajor, and the writers were told by the studio to stop that, they then switched to religion and told to cut that down too). Something that would show Earth forces working to solidify some of the known early players in the Federation. I loved how in one episode ENT touched briefly upon the elements I wanted to see in Cease Fire in the 2nd season (as ENT was back on track story wise at that point).
T'Pol's look did improve quite a bit in season three, yeah. Nimoy, Blalock and Alley - you could push most of the rest of the actors who've played Vulcans off a cliff and I wouldn't miss 'em.
I know that feeling. I was stunned that Enterprise went four seasons and that Jolene Blalock got cast as T'pol. I was also stunned to learn of how many times Anthony Montgomery was still on set delivering lines when the studio lights were turned off and all had gone home for the night.
^^^ I'm stunned that you think you are funny and I also am stunned by the fact that you think it's cool to keep crapping on other peoples threads. If you have nothing productive to contribute please don't torture us with your inane postings. Your post truly make me wish that we didn't allow teenagers here.
To quote Kahn Noonien Singh, "I cannot help but be touched." I do indeed try my best to stay young at heart. I sincerely thank you and others for the affirmation that my efforts have not been in vain. Live Long and Prosper. ... Or at least longish and well.