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Why does Enterprise get so much flak?

Enterprise wasn't a bad show. It was just a show that suffered from burnout by the creative staff.

No one held a gun to the "creative staffs" collective heads and forced them to churn out "Enterprise" episodes like so many tennis shoes from a chinese sweatshop!

If any or all of the staff were "burnt out" then they had a duty to stepdown rather than grab a paycheck for sub-par work. Really, that has got to be the most poorly thought out line of reasoning one could profer to support their contention that "Enterprise" was "average" Trek.

"Average" Star Trek was still good and better than most TV shows. "Enterprise" went downhill from a mediocre-at-best first season.

FYI, this is why I respectfully contend that "Fans of Enterprise" (FOE) have no ability to discern or distinguish a "good" production from a "bad" production. They, IMO, will bark and clap for anything said to be set in the "Star Trek" Universe. They were willing accomplices in Berman & Braga's driving "Star Trek" into the ground and they should be ashamed! ASHAMED!

Whoa! How's that for venting? Boy, do I feel better. Anyone up for a beer?
:beer:

It would probably be more fondly remembered if Archer hadn't been such a dufus early on and there weren't six-hundred episodes of the Star Trek franchise preceding it.

No, it would have been more fondly remembered if those in-charge had "cared for" and "believed in" what they were doing from it's inception.

I would add that I exclude Manny Cotto from my criticism as I think he really tried to take the shit he was given and make something good out it. When he stepped in, however, "Enterprise's" fate was already a done deal. Even still, he tried. That's what I respect and all I expect.

If I at all felt Braga (and/or Berman) had "swung for the fences" on this "Enterprise" then whether it succeeded or failed I would have applauded. They didn't even pretend to try. They knew what to say. They knew how to hype fan interest. But when it came to the nuts-and-bolts of its production, my impression, is that neither one cared. And it showed (at least to those not wearing glasses of the rose-colored variety).
 
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According to what I've read over the years, B&B did want to take at least a year off to recharge and also to refine their concept, but UPN wanted a new Trek show to start immediately, so they had to rush right in.

Then if the environment makes it impossible to turn out quality product then you resign on principle in protest. You make stand for your professional reputation, integrity and credibility if for no other reason. If you can't solve the problem then at least refuse to be part of the problem. JESUS, PEOPLE! Your literally coming up with reasons why it is okay to "screw the pooch." That UPN stuff is CYA bullsh*t. B&B were, "Yes, sir!" and "How high, sir?" all the way.
 
Enterprise wasn't a bad show. It was just a show that suffered from burnout by the creative staff.

No one held a gun to the "creative staffs" collective heads and forced them to churn out "Enterprise" episodes like so many tennis shoes from a chinese sweatshop!

If any or all of the staff were "burnt out" then they had a duty to stepdown rather than grab a paycheck for sub-par work. Really, that has got to be the most poorly thought out line of reasoning one could profer to support their contention that "Enterprise" was "average" Trek.

"Average" Star Trek was still good and better than most TV shows. "Enterprise" went downhill from a mediocre-at-best first season.
Given what I've seen on Robert Hewitt Wolfe's Twitter, the creative staff did have a gun to their head: the fact that there was no guarantee they could get another job. If one of the main guys who wrote MASH had to keep pitching shows up until he died, it just goes to show that the TV business is a lot harder than most people think it is.

Besides, given what recent interviews with Berman and Braga revealed, like the exec that wanted hot bands to show up on the NX-01, I think Berman and Braga at least managed to keep UPN from making things worse. There's no guarantee that someone else wouldn't have knuckled under to UPN's stupid demands or been too inflexible about the show and gotten replaced with someone who'd do whatever the suits wanted.
 
Enterprise wasn't a bad show. It was just a show that suffered from burnout by the creative staff.
Totally agree on that point. It has it moments (even in S1/2) when it was really good and some of the character work was well done, but they really should have taken a break for at least a year if not several to recharge the batteries and bring in some fresh blood.
According to what I've read over the years, B&B did want to take at least a year off to recharge and also to refine their concept, but UPN wanted a new Trek show to start immediately, so they had to rush right in.

Pretty much, yeah. The Trek folks also wanted to do a show considerably different than the one that UPN and Paramount wanted.

Enterprise was more entertaining than Trek had managed since around 1995, so it's all good. The only season that was really patchy was the second. As far as this "campaign" to get a new version of it out of the Netflix ratings - that's extraordinarily unlikely, but I'd pay money to see it. I can't say that for most of the Trek spinoffs.
 
FYI, this is why I respectfully contend that "Fans of Enterprise" (FOE) have no ability to discern or distinguish a "good" production from a "bad" production. They, IMO, will bark and clap for anything said to be set in the "Star Trek" Universe. They were willing accomplices in Berman & Braga's driving "Star Trek" into the ground and they should be ashamed! ASHAMED!

Oh I drove it into the ground all right with my FOE adoration, hell I did more than that I DROVE IT STRAIGHT INTO JJ'S ARMS.

And I feel no shame. No shame at all. Just a kind of damp fluttering as May approaches..
 
Pretty much, yeah. The Trek folks also wanted to do a show considerably different than the one that UPN and Paramount wanted.

Pretty much, no. That is all CYA excuse making. Don't demean yourself by being an apologist. Berman & Braga, being the top-dogs on "Enterprise" were responsible for its production and therefore the buck stops with them.

I say you are being an apologist because your arguement is not that "Enterprise" was a great and "top-notch" production worthy only of high praise, but rather admitting it was heavily flawed but just not their fault. It was Paramounts fault. It was UPN's fault. It was raining. It was a Wednesday. It was blah, blah, blah .... IT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILTY. ITS FAILURE WAS THEIR FAILURE. Simple as that.

Enterprise was more entertaining than Trek had managed since around 1995 ...

For you, perhaps, but I would contend that relatively few others would agree. More folks watched DS9 and Voyager than "Enterprise" by a significant margin. I would even go so far as to say many here only pay lip service to holding Ent in high regard and are more interested in appearing counter-culture. My opinion.
 
Oh I drove it into the ground all right with my FOE adoration, hell I did more than that I DROVE IT STRAIGHT INTO JJ'S ARMS.

And I feel no shame. No shame at all. Just a kind of damp fluttering as May approaches..

:lol:

Is anyone taking the latest provocateur seriously? ;)
 
Okay I watched it. It wasn't the gazelle speech.

I actually teared up a bit. Made me want to watch ENT again. Kind of had some Kirk moments there.
 
Does that include your personal attacks, like suggesting a forum member drinks milk after the expiration date?

No attack. A supposition within a quip. A gentle attempt to rationalize and understand why someone would seek to elevate "Enterprise" so far beyond and above its merits or defend its makers beyond all reason. No attack in that. :)
 
You really need to study how many corporations have a policy of saying "we're sorry if anyone was offended by what we said", rather than apologizing for what they actually said in the first place.
 
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