So I have FINALLY started watching Enterprise... love it so far!!

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Enterprise' started by Trek Survivor, Feb 25, 2014.

  1. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Nothing on Carbon Creek Trek Survivor?

    For me personally, the 1st CD of Season 2 is one of the best grouping of episodes in all of trek.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2014
  2. Mage

    Mage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    We're about two dics into season two aswell, and it's not nearly as bad as I seem to recall. Which is interesting. I wonder why I judged them harsher when they first aired.
     
  3. Trek Survivor

    Trek Survivor Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Yep, pn page 2 of the thread:

    "Carbon Creek" - another fun episode. I really liked the Vulcan who chose to stay behind in the past. Would love to know that he ended up doing OK, but I am guessing this one is not followed up on in later episodes.

    Still, another fun show from Enterprise!"

    Watched another last night, "Cogenitor". I am glad it didn't go the predictable route of having Trip fall in love with the cogenitor (a la Riker from TNG "The Outcast" - to be honest, I was worried we were heading for a tired retread. I shouldn't have, Enterprise is in good hands).

    Instead, I thought Trip's involvement was very sweet. The episode itself was great, though I didn't see that end coming... man, what a downer. Still, very powerful and I felt very sorry for Trip. Was good to see Andreas Katsulas pop up, and his scenes with Archer - which could've come across as forced or filler sub-plot - played with genuine camaraderie thanks to the skill of those two actors, and obviously fed into the final scenes.

    And I recognised the engineer immediately as the poor old engineer who O'Brien had to watch die from DS9 (and got into a fight with Worf over)! Man, they sure do like bringing back previous actors in all the Treks!!

    "Regeneration" next, and... the Borg! Unfortunately, my wife can't stand Borg or Q episodes, but hopefully Enterprise - as usual - will come up trumps and give us an old idea with a distinctly different and interesting spin.
     
  4. BruntFCA

    BruntFCA Commander Red Shirt

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    "Regeneration" is easily the best Borg episode since the Scorpion two-parter on VOY, I think you'll enjoy it.
     
  5. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    You are talking to someone that thinks this is the best ST episode ever :D

    You are correct, they do not address this again. MAybe one of the things they could have revisited had ENT continued. I'm sure Mestral did just fine.

    My review is here if you want to take a gander: http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=8804266&postcount=45

    This should be considered Enterprise's "Prime Directive" episode rather than Dear Doctor.

    What an outstanding actor. I think I could look good as long as he was in the scene.
     
  6. Reanok

    Reanok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Trek Survivor you might to read the novel From History's Shadow by Dayton ward . You get to find out how Mestral's story continues after Carbon Creek. It's a great book.:techman:
     
  7. Trek Survivor

    Trek Survivor Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Hmm, cool, thanks my friend.

    Four episodes over the Bank Holiday weekend:

    "Regeneration": Yeah, this was as good as I hoped it would be. The first act with the scientists in the frozen wastelands looked like it could be from a movie... Enterprise has such high production values compared to all the other Treks. The story was good, the action great, and Phlox proved himself awesome yet again.
    The only thing I could've done without (and it's a small thing) is Archer's last line. If you recall, he says something like "well, the invasion's been postponed..." (great, suitably ominous line), and then he continues... "Until...what? The 24th century?" - it was just such a nudge-nudge wink-wink to the audience (kind of like that episode where he says something like "if only we had some sort of...directive for being out here...") that it lost a few points with me. Still, top-notch episode.

    "First Flight": OK, it's not it's fault it's surrounded by amazing episodes either side. As such, it felt a bit forgettable.

    "Bounty": Another amazing episode. I loved the Tellarite bounty hunter (do we meet him again?) and his developing relationship with Archer. I could've done without the T'Pol Pon farr subplot, but it did lead to some amusing moments for poor old Phlox, who is easily one of my favourite characters.

    "The Expanse": Wow. What a finale. Great acting from everyone, and lots going on. Glad Archer finally just nailed Duras. The attack on Earth was devastating, but Tucker had some good scenes - great actor. I liked that the confrontation between Tucker and Reed wasn't immediately resolved (perhaps it will be next ep), more realistic than the "everyone's OK with each other again after 45 minutes Trek template).

    So, I'm at the end of season 2. Half way through the series as a whole and I have to say this really is some great television. Can't believe it gets such a bad rap from Trek fans. It carries forward the essence of what I consider Trek to be (humanity bettering itself, striving to do better, as well as strong entertainment, interesting characters etc) while at the same time offering something quite different than all the other Trek series.

    The characters, with the exception of Travis (and he's OK at any rate), are engaging and entertaining. I honestly have a hard time picking out my favourite, or even top two. Archer leads with conviction, but is also 'human' enough to make mistakes (and he's made some big ones). The relationships between the characters is also well developed - I especially like Reed/Tucker, Archer/Tucker and Phlox/T'Pol.

    The stories are a mixture of classic sci-fi/Trek dressed up as something new (not necessarily a criticism) as well as some genuinely new ideas. It is a great balance between "steeped in Trek lore" vs "getting new/casual fans engaged".

    I can honestly say, though, out of 52 (?) episodes so far, literally only 3-4 made me think "that was pretty lousy". The majority I have considered "great", several "excellent", and the rest "very good".

    Perhaps it's just because it's so fresh in my mind, but I think it has pipped DS9 to my #2 favourite Trek show (TNG, possibly for sentimental reasons, will always be #1).

    It frustrates me that Enterprise has such a lowly reputation. It deserves better.

    Well, on into the Expanse...and season 3!
     
  8. Mage

    Mage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    It's to know I'm only a couple of episodes behind you, so when I read your reviews, I get all excited about watching these again. I realize now that I did miss a few episodes during my first viewing of Enterprise, but still.

    Right now, I can't wait to get to The Expanse. My girlfriend has no idea what's coming, and I haven't spoiled anything yet. I can't wait to see her response when that episode starts. :D
     
  9. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Lots of folks had troubles with Phlox and the nano-probes. I didn't and Beverly had such an easy time with them I don't think it's a far cry for Phlox's physiology to fight them harder than us lowly humans.

    One of my favorites. Just love the shuttle ride and how the back-story of warp flight fits in.

    While T'Pol is my favorite character and I always enjoy some eye-candy, I don't think they needed to go there with her. I didn't enjoy Phlox's interaction with her though.

    Enter the MACOs!!!!

    I know you will enjoy and you will also be glad you have DVD's to pull out instead of having to wait a week :)

    I think Enterprises' polularity grows as the time passes and folks realize what they had. It most certainly deserved to be continued.

    Glad you are enjoying it.
     
  10. feek61

    feek61 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    To me Season 3 has some of the very best episodes of the series and a couple that rival the very best Trek episodes. I will be interested in hearing your assessment of it (there are a few stinkers mixed in however). When this show was on the air the fans really panned not only the show in general but season 3 in particular. I have never understood that. "Enterprise" was good TV and I love that fact that it was shot in 16:4. Me and my wife started watching season 3 last week and we both are enjoying it (once again).
     
  11. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Season 3 is my favourite season of Trek. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
     
  12. Froissart

    Froissart Ensign Red Shirt

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    I really miss this show,i like the low tech of pre tos because it makes it feel more real and sparks the imagination you can almost reach out and touch it..



    Nemo me impune lacessit
     
  13. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I always feel terrible about people giving up before season 3 where you start getting the best Trek ever made. I gave up in Season 2, partly because of the way it was aired here (sporadically, after 11pm, often late or cancelled for sport). Then when I could watch it in my own time I started from the beginning, enjoyed it more, and when I got to season 3 was just :eek: I clearly remember thinking "this is the best Trek I have ever seen" and I started watching with TOS reruns.

    I'm enjoying your enjoyment Trek Survivor!!

    I'm hankering to watch ENT again now!
     
  14. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Good for you!!!
     
  15. Mage

    Mage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Go for it!! Seriously! I can't believe I used to think season 2 was so bad. Not the best Trek ever maybe, but some good stuff in there.
     
  16. feek61

    feek61 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    That was our problem with watching the show. It started off coming on at 8:00 PM but very shortly (after about 4 or 5 episodes) changed to come on at 11:30 on Friday night; not the best time for catching the show. I can remember getting home one night and turning on the TV and I was able to watch about half of the Enterprise episode "Twilight" and I thought that it was one of the best shows I had seen. A month or so later the same thing happened with "Carpenter Street" which made me make it a point to try to catch the show. I really didn't appreciate it until I bought the DVD set of the series. Too bad the powers that be didn't do a better job trying to promote the show back in the day; who knows how many seasons we could have had.
     
  17. Trek Survivor

    Trek Survivor Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Into Season 3!:

    "The Xindi": Wow... this is dark. I didn't expect much in the way of light-hearted adventure for the first episode of the season, but... yikes. When the mining warden threw over the severed finger... This was a good start to the season. I like the way the Expanse is being played up as truly weird and dangerous. The Xindi council looks like a hodgepodge of classic Trek foreheads and CGI, interesting idea that the 'species' is essentially more than one sub-species.
    I like the addition of the MACOs too. Logical idea, and looking forward to seeing more tension between them and Reed as they've essentially taken a large part of his remit...

    "Anomaly": I liked this one a lot. The aliens were suitably dangerous, and the pacing was good. I quite enjoyed Archer's "descent into darkness" - his way of 'interrogating' the prisoner and how uncomfortable Reed was about it played very well.

    "Extinction": Uh...what? Actually, I quite like the concept of this one - the idea that a species tries to avoid extinction by unleashing a virus that changes other beings into them... good sci-fi. But the acting/directing here... Archer, Reed and Sato all play the aliens like the Ferengi from "The Last Outpost" with weird hand movements, talking, the way they stand and so on. I just didn't buy it. Probably bottom five of the episodes I've seen so far, but still just about watchable.

    As a general observation, though I appreciate the dark and desperate nature of where the series is going, I hope we haven't lost all the fun adventure/light-hearted character interaction of the first two seasons. If it's gone forever, I might just be the first person in the world ever to say he prefers season 1-2 of Enterprise than what came after! I have faith that the producers wouldn't do that though...
     
  18. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    What would be cool if for once Trek folk mutated into something they LOVED being, something better and brighter and hotter and more intelligent. And then they had to give it up.

    Instead we get lizards, monkeys and proto-Ferengi.
     
  19. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    That would be an interesting idea. Then they'd have to fight the battle as to whether they were to revert back or not.

    That sort of was done in The Crossing.
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2014
  20. feek61

    feek61 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    This is one of the ones that I was talking about as being, well, bad. Its funny because I was watching an interview with Brandon Braga over the weekend and he said this episode was the single most embarrassing Trek that he was involved in. I agree!! :)