Enterprise or Voyager

[gblews]

Enterprise was compelling. Voyager was not. Voy presented some cleverly written episodes but tried to hard to be profound a la TNG, while ending up being just whiny or preachy.

But Ent was given the opportunity to be compelling because I don't think TPTB cared what the show did after season 2 - the CBS brass knew it was going to canceled barring a miracle. So Ent was able to give us the brilliant seasons 3 with all of it's un-Trek like stuff, and season 4, while Voy, from what I've read, was so under the gun to prop up UPN's sagging fortunes that the show was controlled by the suits instead of the artists.

Definitely a Catch 22. Ent got to do the outlandish things that made it compelling because it was not long for this world, Voy was on it's way to a guaranteed seven seasons but was controlled by TPTB (to the show's detriment), who wanted it to be more like TNG (in order to get TNG-like ratings).

From what I have read, Voy just wasn't allowed to do the things Ent was allowed to do - to me, this made Ent the more compelling, more re-watchable show.

Also, Voy was the first Trek show that had a captain character I disliked (the actor and the character), and a first officer I disliked. I also didn't like Neelix. The beautiful and uber talented Geri Ryan was really the only thing that kept me there for the full run.

 

[Chrisisall]

Ent got to do the outlandish things that made it compelling because it was not long for this world, Voy was on it's way to a guaranteed seven seasons but was controlled by TPTB (to the show's detriment), who wanted it to be more like TNG (in order to get TNG-like ratings).

A valid analysis, I must say.

But I LIKED Janeway. A LOT.
My Wife didn't, though.
My Son does.

Differn't Strokes.

 

[SFRabid]

I didn't like Janeway when I watched Voyager on TV but I enjoyed her much more when I got the DVD's and watched Voyager in order. I came to understand that I could enjoy a character whle disliking decisions she made. With Archer I came to feel the problem was not the actor or the character, I disliked the writers in the first two seasons. While Janeway sometimes did things that I thoguht was wrong, Archer did things that I thought was stupid. It was not untl season three that I begin to really enjoy the character Archer and his faults.

 

[Anna Yolei]

Enterprise didn't have any annoying characters

HUH?

I see Hoshi as one of the top annoying characters created in Star Trek history.

I'm assuming that poster was referring to character that were almost universally disliked or regarded as irritating, such as Lwxanna Trio or Wesley Crusher. I mean, there was a time when a good portion of this forum regarded Archer as the devil (or Bozo the Clown, as one poster put it), but as far as I know, there were never chants of "Kill Archer!" at conventions like what Wesley got whenever the character's name was mentioned.

That said, people at least cared enough to even have a reaction. Hoshi and especially Travis could have been replaced with GCI's for many of the later episodes without anyone noticing.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I think ENT was in some ways a better show. Tighter, better looking, less hokey. But I always enjoyed the colorful, camp elements of VOY. I used to try and compare DS9 and VOY and always came up with liking the plots of DS9 but the characters of VOY. I end up at the same place with ENT and VOY.

I liked the TCW (and didn't care that it wasn't resolved.. it made sense that it would disappear because of events Archer never sees). I liked the Xindi arc very much and enjoyed seeing Archer actually develop as he made dubious decisions he would have to live with. Romance was good but ultimately undeveloped, bleh.. the long arc of the changing philosophy of Vulcan and the Earth/Vulcan relationship was a great contribution to Trek history. These two themes developed steadily throughout the series, in the background of many stories. Kudos for this!

But VOY, it's personal. I just love some of the characters in a way that I never got to with ENT. 7 of 9 is my all time favorite Trek character. The Doctor is endlessly watchable and he was used! Lots and lots of doctor! Would that they had used Phlox that much! Janeway's captaincy I find very interesting, she has always been the closest to Kirk IMHO. I admire her. And one thing VOY did above and beyond all other Trek is humor!

VOY is like my best friend and ENT is a grand adventure. I love them both, just differently.

 

[Chrisisall]

VOY is like my best friend and ENT is a grand adventure.

So, who's your Daddy? Tos?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

VOY is like my best friend and ENT is a grand adventure.

So, who's your Daddy? Tos?

Of course. Or more specifically Captain Kirk. I learned everything I was going to love about Trek from him.

 

[Chrisisall]

Captain Kirk. I learned everything I was going to love about Trek from him.

Kirk was my Dad, Spock was my bro, and McCoy was my art teacher.
Janeway & Archer were the girl & man from uncle.




Sorry. Free-associating here.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

And TNG was a bad date where you eat a lot of breadsticks to break the boredom.

Yeah I know it's not a popular opinion..

Back to the thread. ENT is still very exciting to me because I've only seen it all the way through 4 times. It's still fresh. And FRESH is very heady stuff in Trek Land (I love you ST:XI, kisskiss). I'm still chewing things over, forming opinions, looking things up.. so the love is still full of possibilities, yay.

 

[Chrisisall]

And TNG was a bad date where you eat a lot of breadsticks to break the boredom.

I reach.

 

[Chrisisall]

It's still fresh. And FRESH is very heady stuff in Trek Land

Yeah, tell me. TOS with the new FX made my millenium!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

And TNG was a bad date where you eat a lot of breadsticks to break the boredom.

I reach.

"No more trouble in my body or my mind
Gonna live like a king on whatever I find
Eat all the fruit and throw away the rind
Yeah brother yeah.."

 

[Chrisisall]

"No more trouble in my body or my mind
Gonna live like a king on whatever I find
Eat all the fruit and throw away the rind
Yeah brother yeah.."

Hey brother, can you locate that famous picture of the crew that built the 11 foot E delivering it to the Paramount Trek lot?
I've been looking everywhere... it's got the ancient 60's car on the street & everything.

 

[I am not Spock]

I like all of Trek, pretty much. But my order of preference is:

DS9
TOS
TNG
VOY
ENT
TAS