The ENT and Melakon

[Melakon]

I got my copy of ENT: The Complete Series 7 hours ago .
It's my first complete series in 18 years, after my TOS vhs collection met a thief.

I missed much of ENT starting around mid-season 2, so thought it best to re-start from the beginning. I'm going to try limiting myself to 2 hours a day, but suspect I'll get up to a disk a day. To warm up, I watched some first season special features, including the blooper reel. Then I got down to business.

I do not give numeric or grade ratings, and my comments often do not discuss story.

1:01 - Broken Bow

It was much better than I remembered, with memory likely tainted from later episodes. The CGI ship is still lit too darkly for my taste and doesn't show the detail on the model.

I've only seen John Fleck on Trek and a scant few other appearances, but I like his work. I used to wonder if they'd ever make him a regular cast member. I never liked the Suliban too much (though they did some cute tricks), but Fleck was always good.

I don't dislike the bridge as much. Maybe it's because I got a replica mesh of it around New Year's. Now I can try making images close to their bridge lighting setups.

Damn, Tiny Lister is big! In The Fifth Element he does a complete turnaround as the President of Earth and gets laughs.

Judging from the blooper reel, Jolene Blalock worked hard staying in character.

The young Jonathan framing story works well.

[teacake]

Yay!!!

I missed much of ENT starting around mid-season 2, so thought it best to re-start from the beginning.

It's been a long road, getting from there to here..

[BruntFCA]

I look forward to your thoughts on the later seasons.

[Skywalker]

I'm glad you decided to start over. I know you've said that most of what you missed is in the latter two seasons, but I think you'll appreciate what happens later more after refreshing your memory of the crew's early days.

[jespah]

I think S1 in particular leads well to S3 and S4.

Looking forward to your observations (also a Fleck fan).

[gblews]

BruntFCA wrote:

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I look forward to your thoughts on the later seasons.

Especially season 4.

[ChristopherPike]

Enterprise really hit the ground running with "Broken Bow", and my memory of it is still being one of the stronger, more capitivating Star Trek pilots. Some conflict between the characters and a great sense of explorers going where few humans have ever gone. It carries on strongly for a few episodes after, with the next one easily as good and after an initial mistake, some tough Kirk-like decision making from Archer to try and put things right. Enjoy that raw feeling to the show, as the noveltly unfortunately wears off a bit later in the year IMO. Although coming straight from many years of watching Voyager, may account for much of my, seen this all before level of jadedness. The acting is pretty much always top knotch, simply for never letting up with that wide-eyed sense of wonder about experiencing new worlds, new civilizations and the rest of original Star Trek's Final Frontier monologue.

[teacake]

I think it's the best pilot. Great story, pacing, looks fabulous. Most interesting pilot to someone coming into Trek with no previous Trek experience.

[Melakon]

My cat even enjoyed the shipping box. I put it down for her to investigate, and she judged it a suitable nap bed.

The disk hub locking snaps are the worst I've ever seen. I keep getting afraid I'm going to break a disk taking it out the first time. I'm going to have to buy a stack of jewel boxes.

[BillJ]

teacake wrote:

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I think it's the best pilot. Great story, pacing, looks fabulous. Most interesting pilot to someone coming into Trek with no previous Trek experience.

I always thought Emissary was the best of the modern pilots. Nice job mixing science-fiction with religion and exploring the loss of Sisko's wife.

"You exist here...", with the Saratoga in flames all around Sisko. Great stuff.

[teacake]

Emissary is my favorite pilot but I don't think it's as tight or works as well for non-Trek people as Broken Bow. The white space, the prophets.. this is super dorky to the uninitiated.

[Melakon]

teacake wrote:

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The white space, the prophets.. this is super dorky to the uninitiated.

It 's a theatrical device, just as the traditionally styled Archer Family framing story of "Broken Bow", but souped up for scifi/new age junkies.

[BillJ]

teacake wrote:

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Emissary is my favorite pilot but I don't think it's as tight or works as well for non-Trek people as Broken Bow. The white space, the prophets.. this is super dorky to the uninitiated.

Well, I'm a dork. What can I say?

[Melakon]

Sorry for the unexpected absence, due to computer problems, health problems, and mundane personal problems. On the bright side, I've managed to watch the entire series, and can get back to posting again.

1:02 - Fight or Flight

TV Blurb: Malcolm aims his torpedo, and the crew learns Hoshi's a screamer.

Although it's the first regular production episode after the pilot, this is not one of my favorites.

My biggest problem with the episode is how Ensign Sato is written. She whines about her quarters on the "wrong side" of the ship, she tells others she's going to ask for a transfer, and she tries to get out of a boarding party mission due to being claustrophobic in a spacesuit. None of this serves to make her a likeable character, though she does manage to redeem herself by the end.

There is a good early scene with Phlox and Trip in the mess hall, with the doctor enjoying his learning about human cuisine, idioms, and mating rituals.

We get to see a couple of new alien ships, and the story does a fair job of illustrating how not everyone might want to be our friends.

[teacake]

All the Phlox parts of ENT are gold (well other than that decision..)

Hoshi is hard to choke down in the beginning. I know we're supposed to sympathize with her, and I do sympathize with the fear. She's definitely in over her head and it's a lot more confronting than she ever thought, to be in that setting. But the whining irritates.

And Melakon, you've watched the whole thing!! Well I hope we still get reviews