If casting was switched around...
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Hmmm.... I really liked the way Trip handles his role as "captain" in Cease Fire and especially in the Vulcan arc. When Malcolm questions Trip's decision to disobey orders to return to Earth, Trip is respectful, but firm. Archer tended to get irritable/crabby and deaf when anyone suggested he wasn't taking the correct course of action (see Trip arguing with Archer in Deadalus. for example).
Scott is a good actor -- I think that's been established -- but the writers didn't seem to have a clear picture of who they wanted him to be: great guy (Vox Sola, Desert Crossing), bigoted jerk (Fallen Hero, Breaking the Ice), father figure (Travis in Horizon, Hoshi in Fight or Flight). It very frustrating to watch.
^^ I agree with Jinx, good points about Archer.
And I really liked Trip in the Captain's roll in Twilight (even though he was kind of crabby there too, obviously the writers felt captain=crabby)
But Archer being older than Trip worked. The Captain needed to be older and Bakula is obviously older than Trineer.
And I really liked Trip in the Captain's roll in Twilight (even though he was kind of crabby there too, obviously the writers felt captain=crabby)
But Archer being older than Trip worked. The Captain needed to be older and Bakula is obviously older than Trineer.
Well, I don't blame Trip for being crabby in Twilight. His family, friends all dead and now he's responsible for the lives of the last few thousand human beings in the universe (well, except for the ones on North Star). Talk about weight of the world....
ETA: As for the age difference, I think that could still work. How about, Archer, instead of being the son of the guy who invents the warp 5, he's a former colleague.
Trip is the inventor's son and was very young when his dad died and his only real link to his father's memory is the stories Archer tells him. He envies Archer for having known his father and at the same time resents Archer for often comparing Trip to his father.
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^^true.
Captain X
Rear Admiral
It would've played out exactly the same, because neither the writers nor the producers knew what leadership looked like, they just thought he should be liked and respected and always right because he was the captain.
Hate to agree with Captain X, but I think that's how it would have played out. As pointed out, the writers seemed to make Captain Archer suffer from multiple personality disorder.
I think the show would have worked better with Trip as captain, too. If they had made the captain in Enterprise kind of a space cowboy, a loose cannon, that would violate other cultures because of his own sense of morality, that could have explained the Prime Directive.
ENT had many missed opportunities like that. Instead, it became fanwank run amok!
Red Ranger
All ranks remain the same except Forrest's:
(Adm.) Forrest should have been captain.
Archer should have been 1st Officer
Trip should have been gunnery officer (or whatever Malcolm's job was called)
Malcolm should have been chief engineer
Phlox -- doctor
T'Pol -- Science Officer
Mayweather -- helmsman
Reliance on Scott's acting and having to own the most important role would have lessened and the show would have been better because of it. No one would have expected as much from Vaughn Armstrong, who would have shined, as captain and Scott would have had the breathing room to actually exceed expectations in the "2nd fiddle" leadership role.
(Adm.) Forrest should have been captain.
Archer should have been 1st Officer
Trip should have been gunnery officer (or whatever Malcolm's job was called)
Malcolm should have been chief engineer
Phlox -- doctor
T'Pol -- Science Officer
Mayweather -- helmsman
Reliance on Scott's acting and having to own the most important role would have lessened and the show would have been better because of it. No one would have expected as much from Vaughn Armstrong, who would have shined, as captain and Scott would have had the breathing room to actually exceed expectations in the "2nd fiddle" leadership role.
Two changes:
Phlox-- human doctor
And I'd rehire Hoshi as linguist and protocol officer.
*No* - Connor would not have worked as captain, as we see in Twilight. No dig against the actor. Just not a good fit. To me in Twilight, he came off rather blah. Even when Trip was captain in the other episodes, I never thought, "Wow - Captain Tucker is excellent." Passable was about the best he could do. Connor did just dandy as Trip, the third in line. Why screw that up?
I liked everything the way it was, casting-wise. I also thought Archer was a great character. I think he gets a bad knocks here at this forum ... and that's about it. Everyone else I've ever talked to outside the forum (including the convention) likes him and knows Archer's name (unlike the rest of the characters in Enterprise). I can't figure out the malice just here, and stopped trying a long time ago.
The only request I would have character-wise is more Phlox. He was interesting and the actor was excellent. I would have preferred if he was part of the supposed "big three" -- Archer, T'Pol and Phlox.
I liked everything the way it was, casting-wise. I also thought Archer was a great character. I think he gets a bad knocks here at this forum ... and that's about it. Everyone else I've ever talked to outside the forum (including the convention) likes him and knows Archer's name (unlike the rest of the characters in Enterprise). I can't figure out the malice just here, and stopped trying a long time ago.
The only request I would have character-wise is more Phlox. He was interesting and the actor was excellent. I would have preferred if he was part of the supposed "big three" -- Archer, T'Pol and Phlox.
I don't think there was a problem with Bakula as captain. We all knew from Quantum Leap that Bakula is a very capable actor. His character just wasn't written very consistently, and the writers gave him material more akin to "crabby, spoiled brat" than "capable commanding officer."
I think Trinneer would play an excellent Star Trek captain, although that's obviously not going to happen since he's already played such a major character on one show. But I was happy with Trip as an engineer, I don't think him being captain and Archer being engineer would have made much difference.
Although I do like the idea of the captain of NX-01 being a younger, more charismatic type, who was picked over the older, arguably more qualified man who was instead selected to be the chief engineer. That could have opened up some interesting avenues.
I think Trinneer would play an excellent Star Trek captain, although that's obviously not going to happen since he's already played such a major character on one show. But I was happy with Trip as an engineer, I don't think him being captain and Archer being engineer would have made much difference.
Although I do like the idea of the captain of NX-01 being a younger, more charismatic type, who was picked over the older, arguably more qualified man who was instead selected to be the chief engineer. That could have opened up some interesting avenues.
The younger more charismatic type (which I don't think is Tucker) was done well in TOS. Didn't make sense to do that again, especially b/c in Kirk's time he's the youngest captain by a good amount. Enterprise came before.
Indeed, but I meant the younger, charismatic captain would clash with the older, more experienced engineer who felt he deserved to be in the center chair, not the young guy. It wouldn't be a rehash of Kirk who, though young, was made captain because of his exemplary service prior to the Enterprise. A younger captain would be controversial to Earth--why does someone so unqualified get to be in charge of their first deep space explorer? What happens if he screws up out there because of his inexperience? I think the idea has merit.
Besides, Kirk was the youngest captain in Federation Starfleet history.
Tucker was apparently 30 when ENT started (Kirk being 31 when given command of the Enterprise), but had they switched him to captain instead for some reason, there's no rule saying he couldn't have been four or five years older. Trinneer was 32 when the show started, IIRC.
Scott attempting to play jealous and bitter; oh Lord.
Scott attempting to play jealous and bitter; oh Lord.
If its anything like his angry - break out the prune juice
^ Hmmm - I'd say Bakula seemed to score pretty well since his days in Enterprise. A feather in his cap is that he beat the sci-fi stigma that many after Trek are saddled with. So, maybe being constipated helps.
Besides, Archer was my second favorite Star Trek character.
Ha. You know, I'm happy with the way it was. I liked that they were all inexperienced and by the end had learned quite a lot. Archer was a fun character and I sure enjoyed him making mistakes -- some of which actually turned out to be a plus, like meeting the Andorians.
One of the things I didn't like about some of Enterprise is the formulaic writing. I'm all for Joseph Campbell's epic adventure, but some of Enterprise - like the theme song and young, good looking cast (I mean look at that cast compared to like TOS or even BSG) - felt like they were trying too hard to be hip. I think a young guy in the captain's chair would've furthered that. They needed a hard edge, which is probably why - in general - I liked season 3.
Besides, Archer was my second favorite Star Trek character.
Skywalker said:
Indeed, but I meant the younger, charismatic captain would clash with the older, more experienced engineer who felt he deserved to be in the center chair, not the young guy. It wouldn't be a rehash of Kirk who, though young, was made captain because of his exemplary service prior to the Enterprise. A younger captain would be controversial to Earth--why does someone so unqualified get to be in charge of their first deep space explorer? What happens if he screws up out there because of his inexperience? I think the idea has merit.
Besides, Kirk was the youngest captain in Federation Starfleet history.
Ha. You know, I'm happy with the way it was. I liked that they were all inexperienced and by the end had learned quite a lot. Archer was a fun character and I sure enjoyed him making mistakes -- some of which actually turned out to be a plus, like meeting the Andorians.
One of the things I didn't like about some of Enterprise is the formulaic writing. I'm all for Joseph Campbell's epic adventure, but some of Enterprise - like the theme song and young, good looking cast (I mean look at that cast compared to like TOS or even BSG) - felt like they were trying too hard to be hip. I think a young guy in the captain's chair would've furthered that. They needed a hard edge, which is probably why - in general - I liked season 3.
