Stunned!

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Enterprise' started by dub, Mar 21, 2013.

  1. OmahaStar

    OmahaStar Disrespectful of his betters Admiral

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    I was surprised it went more than one season. It was terrible, from the pathetic excuse for writing to the acting that made a third grade production of Hair look like the RSC.

    I'm not saying the casting couch is alive and well in Hollywood. I am saying she did not get cast because of her acting talent - she has none.

    Not really Anthony's fault. It's the writers'. He wasn't a character, he was set dressing, and the scripts treated him as such.
     
  2. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    Though I agree with the totality of your post, I would especially like to say here, "I, agree." Anthony Montgomery wasn't given anything to do or work with on "Enterprise" Both he and Linda Park were done a real disservice by the writting. Blalock aside, they had a pretty talented group of actors who were repeatedly betrayed by the scripts they were given.
     
  3. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Betrayed!

    Can you hear the drums Fernando?
     
  4. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    Surely you can understand the context in which the word "betrayed" is being used (even if you disagree with the opinion). It's like the scripts Irwin Allen was forcing upon June Lockhart, Guy Williams and the rest of the talented cadre of actors during the making of "Lost in Space." I'm just glad "Enterprise" was cancelled before they had to intervene in a giant interplanetary vegetable rebellion. :lol:
     
  5. dub

    dub Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I just finished watching "Observer Effect." This episodic story takes me back to the first two seasons when they were simply explorers like TOS and TNG. And that's okay...but I just really loved the episodes "The Expanse" through "Storm Front" (basically Season 3). Really awesome if you ask me. Season 4...so far it's decent, but it's just difficult to top S3 for me.

    The Vulcan trilogy wasn't one of my favorite group of episodes. I found it hard to believe that T'Pol's mother was suddenly part of the underground group. Based on what we saw from her in the episode "Home," she seemed to be the type who appreciated status and appearance over conviction, at least that's the feeling I got from her. Now just a couple of episodes later we're supposed to believe she's part of an underground movement? I found it difficult to swallow. I think it would have been better to have T'Pol's husband as one of the Vulcans working for the High Command, perhaps aim a phaser at T'Pol at some point. Ah well. But it's always great to see Jeffrey Combs, and of course Robert Foxworth (who I really enjoyed in DS9)!

    It was also a nice surprise to see Brent Spiner again in his 3 episodes! That was an interesting take on Soong and the "augments."

    Looking forward to the rest of the series. Hard to believe there are so few episodes left. By the way, I have no doubt I'm in the minority based on what I've read, but I actually like Jolene Blalock's portrayal of T'Pol. When I read on this board somewhere that Blalock is an "air head," I looked up one of her talk show appearances on youtube. That's not the personality I was expecting! So to me, she must have some talent since she was able to pull off a completely different persona with T'Pol. She's actually my third favorite Vulcan after Spock and Sarek.
     
  6. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    In the DVD series collection special features, Connor Trinneer says she has the hardest job in the show, due to the character. Her blooper reel clips show how much she focuses on maintaining T'Pol, and when she does blow a line or react to someone's clowning (often Bakula), it's a complete turnaround from T'Pol's personality. I've done stage work (not professionally), and it's obvious she did work hard at keeping the persona. But sometimes someone goofing around off camera could throw her off, or some of John Billingsley's weird Phlox vocalizations could reduce her to laughter.
     
  7. mswood

    mswood Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    dub

    While I like the actor, Robert Foxworth (and his DS9 role was really good), here it was an utter train wreck of a performance. As someone who is supposed to be Vulcan, enough so to fool the planet, its quite possible the worst performance for a fairly large guest role of any Vulcan ever done on ENterprise. HE shouldn't have been able to climb the ranks of the High Command. That single performance ruined my perception of the Vulcan High Command. It was laughable bad. Seriously either a producer or the director should have been dialing back that performance. This is one of the times it shouldn't go to eleven.

    The first part of that arc was really well done though, its after that it falls apart.
     
  8. dub

    dub Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    ^ not sure if they're going to come back to this storyline (having not yet seen the entire series), but I'm holding out hope that Foxworth's character is actually a Romulan? That's what I was thinking as I watched his performance. I know that doesn't help the fact that none of the other members of the High Command relieved him of his position or at least called him out on his clear and growing outbursts of anger. I thought they were all working together in his evil plot except the one guy who kept questioning everything. I was expecting V'Las to kill that guy but it never happened.
     
  9. bluedana

    bluedana Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    This was no surprise at all to me -- we met his mom.
     
  10. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I always thought V'Las was, in fact, a Romulan. IIRC, he was quite keen on returning to Romulus at the end of the episode where he appeared, but his assistant said it would draw too much suspicion. That would seem to indicate that V'Las was indeed Romulan - a deep cover spy, as it were.
     
  11. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I thought he was just terrified and wanted to leave Vulcan to save his ass. I didn't think he was actually a Romulan.
     
  12. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    All jokes aside. Jolene Blalock maybe a terrific person. She may have been a hard worker. The role of T'Pol was indeed perhaps the trickiest and most difficult to play. I'll conceded all those points, however, she simply, by my estimation, did not have the experience or self-confidence to convincingly play such a demanding role. That is not necessarily a knock on her, but rather the producers who cast Ms. Blalock in the part - they threw her to wolves.

    Leonard Nimoy was roughly a 15 year or so Hollywood veteran with a considerable educational and theatrical background (not to mention surviving the real world of hard knocks) when he first essayed the role of Mr. Spock. He was bona fide and didn't just lay the groundwork, but set the standard as well.

    In terms of pure Vulcans we had Mark Lenard (brilliant as Mr. Spock's father, Sarek) and, to a slightly lesser extent, Tim Russ (Tuvok). Again, both actors had substantial educational and working experience before undertaking such a demanding and challanging role.

    Jolene Blalock was a model turned actress with roughly 2-2 1/2 years experience. She was simply and obviously in over her head - not her fault nor does it shield her from criticism.

    Also, this over-praising of a consistently sub-par performance, in my opinion, is in no small part why we were given so much bad "Star Trek." Hollywood has always been geared for maximum return on minimal effort (e.g. that's why the industry settled on the film standard of 24fps). Which means it is upon Trek's fandom to let the people in-charge know when they've crossed that line of too little effort or taking things too much for granted.

    And by virtue of Insurrection, Enterprise, and Nemesis, I believe, the overwhelming majority would agree there was a lot of taking Star Trek's fandom for granted.

    I re-iterate my position and opinion not to provoke but rather to clearly state my case minus the attempts at humor or snarkiness.

    Shalom.
     
  13. feek61

    feek61 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Yet by your own admission you have not watched the show on a consistent basis. It's easy to criticize but you hardly seem in a position to give an honest opinion. The actress who played that part I think did a great job. Her acting is in my opinion some of the best in the show. A tough role; yes. She did an amazing job and every time I watch the show I am more impressed with her acting and her interpretation of the role. The subtlety she brought to the role is easily overlooked during casual viewing. If you look at the series as a whole; her character and the way she portrayed it is genius.
     
  14. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    You may have me confused with someone else. I watched "Enterprise" devoutely for the first season and a half (or two-thirds) - about 30% overall. And no one can credibly claim that wasn't giving the series' or specific actors a chance to impress. I watched more than enough to give a valid and justified critique. Of course, that to is my opinion.

    Update:

    I would also add that, generally speaking, even most of those who profess to like "Enterprise" qualify their opinions with it not really finding itself and getting traction until season four. That means even they were largely dissatisfied with seasons one through three. Which translates to one out of four seasons (25%) success rate.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2013
  15. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    I watched the entire series for the first time in February, and rewatched some episodes several times since. At no time did Blalock's performance ring false for me. There were things the scripts had her do that didn't seem right to me sometimes, but I can't blame that on her interpretation of the character.

    Unfortunately modern television often takes actors with little actual performing experience (or none at all) and gives them their own show. Reality shows are the worst case scenario example, yet somehow these non-entities become famous "stars".
     
  16. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    I seriously respect your outlook and opinion. I confess though to being befuddled by it. I honestly cannot see how anyone could or would not judge her performance as being either wooden nor monotone nor Jolene Blalock as anything other than horribly miscast. That lack of understanding is, however, on me.

    Sad but all too true.
     
  17. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    My focus in theatre and performance has always been with technique. I was more technically oriented as an actor, working from outside in, rather than a follower of Stanislavsky, though I did have his books. This may be why there's a disparity in our assessments.
     
  18. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    That reminds me of that old story of Laurence Olivier and Dustin Hoffman while working on the film "Marathon Man"

    (cut and pasted from IMDB to save me lots-o-typing):

    A story circulated for a long time that Dustin Hoffman (being a "method actor") stayed up all night to play a character who has stayed up all night. Arriving on the set, Laurence Olivier asked Hoffman why he looked the way he did. Hoffman told him, to which Olivier replied in jest, "Why not try acting? It's much easier."
     
  19. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    Yeah. One of my college directors was a big believer in Stanislavsky, so we didn't get along well. I only did one of his shows. Method was centered on sensory recall of a personal experience. If a character is grieving a death, the actor might use the death of a relative or pet as the inspiration.

    I did use Method once though. I played General Grant suffering a hangover at Appomatox. I'd never had a hangover at the time, so at the weekend theatre party I got absolutely smashed and had a beauty of one for next day's rehearsal. And there was a bumping heads moment in the scene.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2013
  20. Danger Ace

    Danger Ace Commander Red Shirt

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    Well can find humor because we both agree that "to each there own" and "whatever gets the bus where it needs to go."

    Having said that, I remember quite a few stories regarding Alfred Hitchcock really disliking practitioners of the "method". He was very much a hit your mark, say your lines correctly at the appropriate time. It drove him up the wall when the actor wanted to talk at length about the "why" and "motivation" of everything.

    He also was not into the imrpovising that many like to explore. He meticulously story-boarded and laid out everything in pre-production - last thing he wanted was his actors going off the rails.

    Then again Hitcock did want Brando for "Marnie" (which would have made for an interesting production). Amazing list of roles turned down by Marlon Brando.