I love Enterprise.

[auntiehill]

I LOVED Trip; he was the only thing that really kept me coming back. It took awhile for him to grow on me, but I suddenly found myself only really caring about that character.

I think one of the biggest flaws of the show, other than writers/producers who simply didn't give a crap, was the character of Archer. He was the captain, supposedly the central figure. He was supposed to set the tone of the entire show. If you think back to Kirk, Picard, and even Sisko and Janeway, you KNEW who they were fairly quickly. But Archer? There was a lot of talk about Archer, and god knows he made enough speeches, but we never really got to know him as a person. Chalk it up to bad or inconsistent writing but I always felt that we were being TOLD how awesome he was, but never really got to see it.

With Trip and T'Pol, we got to see them, in both their words and deeds--warts and all. I think the reason I really came to love Trip was because all the emotion of the show was funneled through him. That character became the mouthpiece for all the emotions that a person might feel in those situations, so we got to know him, sympathize with him, understand his mistakes, etc. Trip and T'Pol had real character development; they were far more interesting and believable because I could see and feel who they were.

Archer just stood around being noble and philosophical, and never felt like a real person to me--which was surprising, because I really enjoyed Bakula in QL and Murphy Brown. I don't know about you, but if I can't feel some sort of emotional connection to the characters, I can't really engage with the show, no matter how interesting the plots might be. For me, Trip WAS Enterprise because he was way I connected to the program.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I don't know this for a fact, but the definite impression I got was that ENT felt like it was competing with the classic series in a way that The Next Generation never did, obviously because ENT is symbolically setting the table. So, since TOS treated Kirk like he was larger than life, Archer had to be so favoured. BUT ... what ENT didn't realise or didn't care about was that the entire bridge crew on the original show got the Larger Than Life treatment. Even that guy, what's his name? DaSalle, or whatever, he was always mugging for the camera and striking his "rugged" pose, like he was Superman and who the hell was that guy? He was on for like 2 shows.

So, if ENT was going to go for the Living Legends treatment, it should've given it to all, not just Archer, because yes, it seems to thin him out. Meanwhile, T'Pol's allowed to hide her substance abuse and Malcolm's allowed this secret past that catches up with him. The two approaches don't equate in the same show. But there were times when they overlapped and it worked well, for me. Like when Malcolm was following secret orders to hinder Archer's search for Phlox, Archer's disappointment and hurt were very profound. Yes, Archer's portrayed as the Greater Good, but it did throw Malcolm's situation into sharp relief and gave it more impact. Like when Archer asks him what his father would think of him, being in prison and getting a courtmarshall and Malcolm starts to sob "... I really wouldn't know, sir." I was moved, by that.

Had I creative control over -ENTERPRISE- it's one thing to say how I would've done it. But Rick Berman was under a lot of pressure to take the show even further into space cadet territory. I admire his tenacity and political sense for handling it as well as he did. I probably would've just gotten thrown off the project for not playing the game. So, as fans, we love giving this show a go, but we don't mean it in an unkindly way. Especially knowing how it could've been worse ... a lot worse.

 

[Keith1701]

+1

You are not alone in liking ENT. We have a forum and everything!

I enjoyed the series very much as well.

 

[eyeresist]

Trip's "Good Ol' Boy" qualities were played up a little too much, for me. But he wanted to be likeable and Conner seemed to understand that ENT was mainly Jolene's show and seemed more reactionary with her, than trying to set the tone of their scenes, together. I just wish the show didn't try so hard to make us like him.

I'm currently rewatching season 2, and have just gone through a spate of Trip episodes. Speaking of 'good ol' boy' qualities, Precious Cargo actually opens with Trip playing country-style harmonica! At least it wasn't a banjo...

 

[2takesfrakes]

With or without a banjo, Trip ... is cool. His hillbilly ways did little to prevent him from securing only the hottest women, on this show. If there is any barometer for coolness ... that's the one. I haven't known many hicks, but one I did know, a blonde-haired guy, like Trip, was inspired to pick up electric guitar, because of seeing me play. He purchased a very beautiful, ivory Ibanez ... a work of Art, really. I suspect he's still paying it off. However, he used all of his practice time polishing and buffing it ... instead of learning it. I'm told that it's easy to play banjo, if you know guitar. But play what, though ... exactly? The Harmonica is rough on me lips, but at least that instrument offers some creative possibilities ...

 

[auntiehill]

And if you're going to be on a space ship with very limited room, you need to travel light. A harmonica is probably very practical.

 

[2takesfrakes]

.... Most assuredly!
And it's cool to have an actor really play on the harmonica, because it's not too hard on the ears, like say, the trombone, if they weren't practiced on it. And harmonica riffs are probably less likely to present copyright issues, I'm sure. And yes, it is convenient to bring along on an away mission, if you know you'll be stuck there a while. It's a nice little reminder of home, in a way .. and that's something Trip would be thinking about. It goes with the character, perhaps, better than Riker's instrument did. The trombone is an unwieldy instrument, it's garish sounding and it's not something you can just break into an impromptu jam-session with. It's nice to see Frakes using a real life talent he has in the show, to make the character his own, but ... What a shame widescreen wasn't available at the time, the trombone would've been ideally suited for it.

 

[RAMA]

There I said it.

I am one of the very few that love Enterprise. I saw it on TV all those years ago but didn't follow it much, but I did like what I saw and ended up buying every season on DVD.

Love watching it, and have favourite episodes and I wish they had continued it, but that last episode WAS a total stinker.

I just watched the Babel arc after watching Journey to Babel during the snow storm here, and it just looked fantastic uprezzed on the big screen 4k tv. I have season 1 and 4 on bluray. Enjoyed myself tremendously.

 

[maneth]

I enjoyed ENT a lot as well. About time for a rewatch soon, I think. Pretty much the only episode I really can't stand is the finale. In spite of featuring my favorite TNG character Riker, it's a stinker.

 

[Keith1701]

+1

You are not alone in liking ENT. We have a forum and everything!

I enjoyed Enterprise as well. It was and is a Great series.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Forgive me for resurrecting this thread, but the title says it all for me, about what I want to say about the most recent STAR TREK series. Also, I've been watching some of it again, recently, starting with "The Observer Effect," and found that I liked it better than I have in the past. I don't know why, though I suppose it mostly has to do with it being a "bottle" episode and it's always nice seeing the 2nd stringers having more to do. It could have to do with the fact that I just miss the show. And episodes that I'm generally not as fond of start to seem better than no -Enterprise- and, naturally, it was the last Rick Berman outing. I'll still say it ... "I love Enterprise."

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

Forgive me for resurrecting this thread, but the title says it all for me, about what I want to say about the most recent STAR TREK series. Also, I've been watching some of it again, recently, starting with "The Observer Effect"...

My fave episode of the series.

It's good to see new posts in here. This show can always use more love.

I'll still say it ... "I love Enterprise."

Me too.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Outstanding, sir! Thanks, a lot.

 

[OtherGene]

I think time has been kind to Enterprise, at least for me, and that's an unusual thing for a TV show as its often the opposite. I can enjoy watching episodes now more than when they were first broadcast and I share the sense of disappointment that the show wasn't allowed to continue when it appeared to be hitting it's stride.

Can anyone defend that final episode, though?

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Can anyone defend that final episode, though?

Honestly that one single episode is the stinker that most folks can't forgive, at least that's what I've seen on other forums. It's like they knew it was the final episode and the writers just didn't care.

 

[OtherGene]

Honestly that one single episode is the stinker that most folks can't forgive, at least that's what I've seen on other forums. It's like they knew it was the final episode and the writers just didn't care.

Oh I think they cared but I think they f***ed it up regardless.

 

[Yanks]

Honestly that one single episode is the stinker that most folks can't forgive, at least that's what I've seen on other forums. It's like they knew it was the final episode and the writers just didn't care.

What episode is that?

Terra Prime is a fine series closer.

 

[Long Syntax]

Yeah, that final episode gave me heartburn. I try (somewhat unsuccessfully) to make myself believe that Terra Prime was the series end, and TATV was just "an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato" that didn't rest well with me.

(credit - Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)

 

[Six of Twelve]

I like Enterprise well enough, but it took awhile to grow on me. Seeing the Vulcans as being less than perfect is a refreshing change. I liked T'Pol, Trip, Archer, and especially Shran, though the other characters are rather bland.

 

[Six of Twelve]

Oh, and Phlox. Liked him, too. Forgive the double post, but I don't lose my "newbie" status until tomorrow, thus I cannot edit.