Best Non-Season 4 Episodes

[Steve O'Core]

Greetings,

I am just starting to watch Enterprise. After hearing many, many horrible things about the series (and having found no enjoyment in Voyager ), I decided nevertheless to watch a few episodes as the Trek Lust was taking hold and had to be satisfied. I watched three episodes from Season 1 and found them enjoyable enough.

So, I was wondering what your favorite episodes of Enterprise are! Since it seems that most fans like Season 4 the best, I am excluding Season 4 from the discussion (that is, it's a no-brainer for me to check out Season 4). Thanks in advance for sharing!

 

[JiNX-01]

Season 1
Broken Bow I & II
The Andorian Incident
Silent Enemy
Shadows of P'Jem
Shuttlepod One
Desert Crossing
Shockwave I

Season 2
Shockwave II
Minefield
Dead Stop
Singularity
The Catwalk
Cease Fire
Cogenitor
First Flight
The Expanse

Season 3: This is a season-long arc. However there are some episodes that add little or nothing to the story line. So I'll save you the bother of watching them by listing them here:
Extinction
Rajiin
Exile
North Star (not a bad episode, but it's pure filler)
Doctor's Orders (ripped off from the VOY episode "One." Just imagine Phlox wearing a catsuit and some Borg implants and you're there).
Hatchery (only thing this adds to the arc is the crew acquires an Insectoid ship which becomes relevant later on. There. That's saves you a wasted 45 minutes you'd never get back).

 

[Admiral Shran]

My personal favorites from the first three seasons....

Season One
Broken Bow
Strange New World
The Andorian Incident
Shadows of P'Jem
Shuttlepod One

Season Two
Carbon Creek
Minefield
The Seventh
Precious Cargo (A vast majority of Trek fans, even ENT fans, loath this one, but I liked it.)
Cease Fire
Judgment
Regeneration
Bounty (if only for the Archer plot)
The Expanse

Season Three
all except....
Extinction
Chosen Realm

 

[F. King Daniel]

All of season 3, which is Enterprise at it's very best.

 

[Alienesse]

My list of favorites:

Season 1
Broken Bow
The Andorian Incident
Breaking the Ice
Cold Front
Silent Enemy
Dear Doctor
Shuttlepod One
Fallen Hero
Shockwave I

Season 2
Minefield
Dead Stop
The Seventh
Singularity
Vanishing Point
The Catwalk
Cease Fire
Judgment
First Flight
The Expanse

Season 3
Anomaly
The Shipment
Twilight
Similitude
Proving Ground
Stratagem
Doctor's Orders
Azati Prime
Damage
The Forgotten

 

[ChristopherPike]

If you're impatient and wanted zip through Enterprise, but not miss important developments, there are some ideas here:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=146268

That was sort of based the fact padding is unavoidable in Trek, with 26 episodes each season. TV shows now cut down from anywhere between 13 to 20 a year. Lose some of the filler but keep continuing storylines.

Best advice is probably just to try and stick with it though. It's pheonomenally good in its last season and at least three quarters of the one before that.

There are a handful of episodes that are diabolical (a lower count than any other Trek series IMO) and beyond that, the worst it ever got was average. Meaning there were enough character moments or set pieces that still made it all worthwhile.

 

[BillJ]

Fusion
Strange New World
Carbon Creek
Dead Stop
Impulse
North Star

 

[Steve O'Core]

This is quite helpful guys, thank you! At first, I was thinking about only checking out Season 4. But, after seeing your responses here, and watching a few Season 1 episodes, I think I'll go all in

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

^^ Cool!

I recommend you watch every episode. Even the lamest one has some great character interaction, or cool special effects, or a scene that resonates, or a bit of storyline that will be brought up again in a future episode. You get a much better sense of the evolution of the characters when you watch every show, I think.

Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

 

[MacLeod]

I'd go with most of what's already been mentioned. I did like as well from S1 "Vox Sola" now I will admit it isn't without flaws but at least it was an attempt to try something a little different. And it should be credited for trying.

 

[F. King Daniel]

^If only the "monster" didn't look like... that...

 

[MacLeod]

^Well I did say it wasn't without it's flaws. At least it was an attempt at a different Alien of the week, which after so many similar ones in the history of Trek has to be at least somewhat applauded. It's is better to try and fail than not to try.

 

[Count Zero]

This is quite helpful guys, thank you! At first, I was thinking about only checking out Season 4. But, after seeing your responses here, and watching a few Season 1 episodes, I think I'll go all in

Season 1 is actually pretty good. There are only very few episodes I'd exclude if I was rewatching or showing it to someone else (e.g. Acquisition and Vox Sola) but you might as well watch all of them and see for yourself.
It's the second season that's slow at times but there are also some very good episodes. The third season is the best one, in my opinion, and the fourth the second best.

I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did.

 

[apenpaap]

Every single episode with Andorians (except These Are The Voyages...) is amazing. But there are many other good ones. I'd advice you to just watch the series in its normal order, but if for some reason you get bored, skip to the final episode of season 2 and then watch seasons 3 and 4 in order.

 

[Steve O'Core]

Hey there!

Well, I am happy to report that Season 1 on DVD arrived safely late last week, and I'm about 2/3 of the way through the season.

I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself! Thank you all for your recommendations and advice. There hasn't been a terrible episode yet (that's right! not even, 'Unexpected' ) There are episodes with semi-rehashed plots, there are episodes with questionable plot developments, and yes, there are plenty of episodes with less than stellar acting--but, all of these elements are present in each of the other Trek series too.

The key, I think, is that Enterprise has a core of very likeable characters (Trip and the Doctor, are my favorites, followed by T'Pol, Reid, and Hoshi; Travis has his moments, and the Captain is hit-or-miss for me anyway). I would watch the show if it were just The Adventures of Trip, guest starring the Dr. Flox and T'Pol.

The other really interesting aspect of the show is seeing how interactions with other species works LONG before the Federation of Planets has worked out a standard procedure for such interactions. When you can't speak the other species language, don't know their customs, or can't even get a response to a hail, things can get very unpredictable.

As far as I'm concerned, TOS, TNG, and DS9 provide the pinnacle of Trek (TOS for Trek as Adventure, TNG for Trek as Exploration, and DS9 for Trek as Politics... I think Voyager was entirely unexpectional, but that is another post). Enterprise, in Season 1, dabbles in each of these, never as well as it's predecessors (at least, not yet), but quite well enough to scratch my itch of Trek nostalgia.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself! Thank you all for your recommendations and advice. There hasn't been a terrible episode yet (that's right! not even, 'Unexpected' )

I found something to like about every episode. Glad you're enjoying the ride so far. Keep us posted!

 

[Steve O'Core]

I finished Season 1 last night! I was planning to post my "Top 5 Episodes of Season 1", but as I was putting the list together, I realized I had chosen about 10! And even the ones I didn't choose still had their moments.

If I had to pick only one episode as my favorite, it would be "Fallen Hero". While I really enjoy Trek-as-Adventure and Trek-as-Exploration, my favorite episodes are those that get a bit political. This episode had Vulcan politicking a-plenty! And the Vulcan ambassador was such a cool and likeable character. I cracked up everytime she presented her hand for a handshake

Not only that, but we get to see some interesting character developments for T'Pol--especially her scene with Captain Archer on whether or not they can trust the ambassador and if so, whether the cause is worth the risk. (The revelation of the big secret was kind of a let down, but whatever, it set up a great episode.)

Plus, we get a couple of action pieces, which show the Vulcans at their toughest--keeping the peace, one phase cannon discharge at a time! ...or whatever the Vulcan cruisers are armed with

Now that I'm getting into Season 2, I'll see about joining in some of the other discussions here as well. My thanks again for all of your recommendations. Take care!

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

It's great hearing from new viewers which episodes they like and why. I agree, Fionnuala Flanagan made a great Vulcan.

Post your top 10 from Season 1 sometime, it would be interesting to hear why they stood out for you. I think there's something to like about every episode of the show, even the ones that land on most fans' bottom-of-the-barrel lists.

Looking forward to having you join other discussions as well. Enjoy!

 

[Miss Lemon]

I agree with HopefulRomantic that you can find something to like in every episode. And possibly something cringeworthy as well.

Some of my favourite episodes, in no particular order:

Silent Enemy
Shuttlepod One
Deadstop
Minefield
Singularity
The Shipment
Stratagem

And any episode with Shran!

 

[ReedEnterprise]

First let me start off by saying that ENT is my favorite in all of Trek. I love all Trek but in my mind, this is the best.

Now to the episodes:
Season 1:
Unexpected
The Andorian Incident
Shadows of P'Jem
Shuttlepod One (probably my favorite in all of Trek!)
Detained

Season 2:
Minefield
Dead Stop
A Night in Sick Bay
The Communicator
Singularity
The Catwalk
Canamar
Regeneration
First Flight

Season 3:
Similitude
Doctor's Orders
E2

And well season 4 is great. But I do love all 4 seasons, just wish there were more seasons to choose from