I really want to like ENT...

[Itisnotlogical]

... the plain simple fact is that I can't. Maybe it's the personality void characters who seem like bland extras that happen to be mentioned in every episode. Maybe it's the lackluster episode plots (In a Mirror, Darkly aside). It's probably the fact that the ship is just an upside-down Akira class with a different color and a deflector in the saucer section.

Whatever it is, whenever I try to watch an episode of ENT, it just dosn't hold my attention like a particularly good ep of Voyager or TNG or TOS or DS9. I find myself flipping through my favorites, wondering if the latest page of my favorite webcomic's been uploaded, etc, etc.

Ultimately, what was otherwise a good concept was doomed to fail because of weak characters and weak episodes. I'm not trying to bash or be an asshole or whatever, I'm just stating my opinion.

 

[Dane_Whitman]

Your loss. In my opinion, ENT is lightyears ahead of bland VOY.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

It's probably the fact that the ship is just an upside-down Akira class with a different color and a deflector in the saucer section.

I agree with a lot of what you say, since there are only two episodes of this show that I really like, but I find it hard to understand this point, even though a lot of people seem to agree with you. I mean, don't all Starfleet ships look pretty much the same? And what was the Akira class anyway?

 

[Jimmy Bob]

Maybe it's the personality void characters who seem like bland extras that happen to be mentioned in every episode.

Funny, that's how I'd describe the characters from TNG and VOY. On the other hand, I'm amazed how T'Pol and Archer aren't the same persons (I'm currently in early-mid season 2) that they were in Broken Bow. While Riker... grew a beard, Picard... remained Picard, or Tom Paris and Chakotay lost the things that made them interesting, or how B'Elanna was still doing the same stuff she was doing in season 1 - getting angry, going on a supsicious/abandoned/dangerous ship, fighting monsters and coming back more alive.

Maybe it's the lackluster episode plots.

Well that they are. But to be honest, VOY had only one good season and TNG only 3. Trek is lackluster most of the times.

Your loss. In my opinion, ENT is lightyears ahead of bland VOY.

This.

 

[JiNX-01]

I don't get the issue with the characters. I think the casting was done well, we had distinct personalities in each of the regulars (tho' I would like to have seen more recurring crew members).

You want to talk about bland characters & episodes? TNG wins that competition hands down. Bleah.

 

[Tharsis]

Akira class is an upside down Enterprise not the other way around, ha ha. The basic enterprise design obviously has been around alot longer.

 

[RyuRoots]

I don't get the issue with the characters. I think the casting was done well, we had distinct personalities in each of the regulars (tho' I would like to have seen more recurring crew members).

The characters are the main reason I stopped watching ENT (since I figured the schedule for it on Sci-fi Channel). I've called it "TNG only not", but that didn't keep me from finishing "TNG in the Delta Quadrant".

The characters are what really sunk it for me. The only characters I liked were Hoshi and Travis, and Travis never got to do anything except for the one where he got to grin big and sit in the captain's chair before Malcom came back. Hoshi was slightly better in that regard, but marginally. And it's not like I HATE everyone else or anything, I just don't care. They were the only two on the main cast I really cared what happened to. Casting wasn't bad I guess, for what they were going for, with one exception. Scott Bakula. The man has NO presence whatsoever of a starship captain. Watching him onscreen when he tries to say something official Starfleet or give a speech feels so damn awkward, and it just seems like he never fit the role all that well to me. It's interesting to me, since most people who defend the show cite its great characters.

Though bear in mind that this IS my impression from various season 1/2 episodes that happened to be on television. I was given a selection of episodes to watch a while ago when I visited this forum, however, I can't really skip to them since I don't have the DVDs and there's nowhere to watch online as far as I know. For all I know, the last 2 seasons were just really really good like people say, and that includes the characters, but I have no way of jumping to that point for the time being.

 

[Level 2 Diagnostic]

I agree with a lot of what you say, since there are only two episodes of this show that I really like, but I find it hard to understand this point, even though a lot of people seem to agree with you. I mean, don't all Starfleet ships look pretty much the same? And what was the Akira class anyway?

The reuse of the Akira class was really just a symptom of the lazy, haphazard way this show was put together. Instead of coming up with a design that was somewhat fresh for the central ship of the series, they pulled something off the shelf and said, "eh, this'll do". It's not really a reason in and of itself to dislike the show, it's just a sign of the many ways they went wrong.

 

[cylkoth]

Casting wasn't bad I guess, for what they were going for, with one exception. Scott Bakula. The man has NO presence whatsoever of a starship captain. Watching him onscreen when he tries to say something official Starfleet or give a speech feels so damn awkward, and it just seems like he never fit the role all that well to me.

It wasn't Bakula...It was the writing. Honestly, if anyone had told me prior to ENT's debut that the star of Quantum Leap would drive me up a wall, I've would've laughed in their face. But the writing just sucked the life outta him and everyone else.
Except for the fantastic Mr T, who somehow managed to deflect the poor scribblings thru sheer willpower.

 

[thegreatgalling]

One of the best series and best chemistry between a crew!

 

[Itisnotlogical]

Maybe it's the personality void characters who seem like bland extras that happen to be mentioned in every episode.

Funny, that's how I'd describe the characters from TNG and VOY. On the other hand, I'm amazed how T'Pol and Archer aren't the same persons (I'm currently in early-mid season 2) that they were in Broken Bow. While Riker... grew a beard, Picard... remained Picard, or Tom Paris and Chakotay lost the things that made them interesting, or how B'Elanna was still doing the same stuff she was doing in season 1 - getting angry, going on a supsicious/abandoned/dangerous ship, fighting monsters and coming back more alive.

Well, at least I could remember all of the names of the characters. They seemed like unique individuals (except for Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Fanservice Matrix 01), and their one defining feature was something a little more distinctive than "this guy has an english accent, this guy is slightly taller than the rest, etc, etc".

But I posted this thread to express my opinions about what in my opinion could have been so much better, not to argue and possibly endanger my account in the midst of the hypothetical arguing.

 

[SFRabid]

...
But I posted this thread to express my opinions about what in my opinion could have been so much better, not to argue and possibly endanger my account in the midst of the hypothetical arguing.

I totally understand. I frequently visit VOY forums to let fans know how much better the show could have been. And of course there is BT. His music could be so much better. When I go to the forum on his site and post my opinion the fans don't seem to understand. They get mad when I try to tell him how to improve his music. But hey, I'm just trying to help him out. If they don't like it they shouldl not read the threads. After all, it's just my opinion. I like going to forums and critizing things that other people like. It makes me ... feel better.

I'm off to find a X-Men forum. They really screwed things up with that third movie. X-Men fans need to know that I feel that way.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

But I posted this thread to express my opinions about what in my opinion could have been so much better, not to argue and possibly endanger my account in the midst of the hypothetical arguing.

Since this is a discussion board, a community of folks with widely ranging opinions, if you offer your opinion, there are bound to be others who come along and express their views, including opinions that can differ wildly from yours.

Disagreement does not necessarily equal argument. If everyone is civil and respectful of differing viewpoints, and no one tries to "win," or claim their (personal, subjective) opinion is the only "right" one, then it's all good.

It has been my experience that reading different perspectives on a series, or episode, or character, or scene, has given me greater insight and enriched my appreciation of the show. I have the opportunity to see it through another set of eyes, and notice things I might not have seen otherwise.

 

[Tallis Rhul]

Absolutely!

I'd like to state that I shared that viewpoint for a long time, and refused to watch Enterprise because of it. Then I decided to stop being narrow-minded (not saying anyone here is, but I definitely was at the time) and I've now made it to the end of Season 2.

I'm looking forward to Season 3.

I'll admit, some of the episodes are DIRE. I don't know where they found some of the writers, or if they were so desperate for material that they aired episodes knowing they were pants. There's a case to argue that the creators didn't realise some of the scripts were pants.

I have to disagree that the whole series is a write off though. I also disagree that shows can be judged by seasons as a whole. Runs of episodes maybe, but not seasons. The characters could do with a little more development at times, but there are some very well developed ideas, and Archer, T'Pol and Trip certainly receive a great deal of attention. Even the "minor" characters get their own episode once in a while.

There are some great Enterprise episodes, and every now and again I've been beaming at the end of watching one of them. I've said in other places that I love how the Andorians have been handled, and I think the Suliban are very interesting. There are more things that I could ramble on about, but the point is that every show is likely to appeal to a different fanbase.

The question is, how much ENT have you watched? Have you seen the whole series? If yes, then it's a shame you didn't like it, and if no then let me know, I'll try to recommend you a good episode and see if it changes your mind any.

 

[SFRabid]

As I've said before, ENT was not shown in my state. I only got to see it once a year when I would vacation in Florida. The first time I watched ENT I thought it was Trek 90210. A beautiful cast standing around in underware rubbing oil on each other. Next time the stupid captain was taking his dog on an away mission. It was not until two years ago that I watched a few episodes in SciFi and realized that the series is better than I first thought.

Remember, this is a place where Enterprise fans hang out. Most people here are not going to have the same opinion as you, though we may have had that opinion in the past.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

The first time I watched ENT I thought it was Trek 90210. A beautiful cast standing around in underware rubbing oil on each other.

Since when was 90210 like that?!

 

[Warp Coil]

For me, the problem with ENT was the writing. The series had a decent premise. The characters seemed perfectly fine and I have no issues with the casting. The series seemed to return to the TOS format where emphasis was placed on three primary characters (Archer, T'Pol and Trip in place of Kirk, Spock and McCoy) with four secondary characters who received a little less attention. I thought that Phlox and Hoshi received ample screen-time. I think it was Reed and Travis that were shafted in the character development department.

I didn't have a problem with the setting. I didn't have a problem with the sets or the costumes. I actually rather liked the fact that humans weren't quite so perfect, and that their technology wasn't top-notch. I remember really loving the low-tech gadgets on the show, like the grappler. I was amused that the characters were afraid of the transporter and always used the shuttlepods. These little quirks and continuity bits were great. I was just really bummed that the writers kept trying to find ways to introduce or invent 24th century Trek tech during the show. I almost felt like the writers were so used to technobabble explanations, that when faced with the daunting task of writing a real story, they had to find a contrived way to introduce new technology to help them out. The writers also felt a need to introduce as many other 24th century aliens as possible, when it just wasn't appropriate or necessary. ENT didn't need transporters or holodecks. ENT didn't need Ferengi or Borg.

The writing on the show was marginally better than VOY, but that isn't saying much. There was an attempt to make the show more serialized. A lot of episodes referenced other episodes. Issues from one episode might carry through into the next. They introduced the serialized Xindi plot for season 3, and had several small arcs in season 4. I appreciated that. However, the stories weren't always very good. The temporal cold war, in particular, was an interesting idea that was never properly developed and then was haphazardly dropped by the writers without giving it proper resolution.

I would rate ENT a small notch above VOY, but the series was still terribly inconsistent and needed stronger writers at the helm.

 

[HairOfTheDog]

Your loss. In my opinion, ENT is lightyears ahead of bland VOY.

Not that that's saying much.

I enjoyed ENT for what it was, but it's a shame it couldn't have been done much better.

 

[BillJ]

It was just a very hit or miss show.

Some weeks the writing was great, while others the acting was great. They never seemed to be great at the same time.

I've found that I've enjoyed it far more on DVD than I did in its' original run.

I do believe this show would've benefited immensely if it had been retooled some after the pilot. The characters seemed to be written specifically for the pilot with little long-term thought as how they would fit together on a week-to-week basis.

 

[Dane_Whitman]

It was just a very hit or miss show.

Some weeks the writing was great, while others the acting was great. They never seemed to be great at the same time.

The Forgotten, Observer Effect, Similitude.

Tell me, would these episodes be badly written or badly acted?