Re-boot ENTERPRISE?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Enterprise' started by ChristopherPike, Aug 25, 2011.

  1. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Rebooting ENT sounds like an excellent idea. Do the Birth of the Federation idea they should have the first time around. No stupid time war.

    I wouldn't bother bringing back any of the characters or other story elements (especially not the asinine depiction of the Vulcans). All you really need is a starship named "Enterprise" and a mission that makes more sense than aimless space tourism. What they were doing certainly doesn't qualify as "exploration." More like pissing off the natives and making enemies for Earth.

    How about sending a starship with a competent, savvy captain on a mission explicitly to make allies for Earth, both for defense (Earth lives in a dangerous neighborhood) and for commerce (there was more capitalism in the 23rd than the 24th C, so it stands to reason that capitalism is still pretty strong in the 22nd). That way, there's a strong motive for the mission - with something to lose - even in the absence of the Federation as the organizing principle.

    The one element from ENT that I would also bring over is the Boomers. I like the idea of humans who have left Earth on their own to set up colonies, and who think of themselves as gritty, savvy folks that know a lot more about space than the cowardly little mice who are still clinging to their home planet. The Boomers could have a fascinating culture in contrast to prim Starfleet, and could be both a help and a source of interesting conflict.

    I have no idea why CBS would be interested in doing any of this, but it's still fun to speculate.

    Same here. :D

    Yep. The Romulans are still cyphers, still in need of definition, but that just means they have excellent potential. Develop them the way DS9 developed the Cardassians (I don't mean Rommies = Cardies, but that that amount of intelligent effort should be put into their development).

    Absolutely! The 22nd C should feel as different from the 23rd as the 23rd feels from the 24th. Just extrapolate the differences backwards. Compared with the 24th, the 23rd is more capitalistic, less "evolved" and prim, more Wild Westy and more dangerous. The 22nd C is even moreso on all counts.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2011
  2. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The problem with the Temporal Cold War is that it seemed like it was being made up as it went along and that there was no real execution of a plan being done. I always blame this on the fact that Paramount "rushed" out "Enterprise" in the first place because they wanted a series out after "Voyager" so badly. If they had allowed Berman and Braga time to actually plot and flesh out some of their ideas then I think we would have had a tremendously better show. I had a thread on here a long time ago that postulated this theory, what if "Enterprise" had come out a year after "Voyager" or something like that. The Cold War like so much else of the series needed direction and proper execution and that simply wasn't there. I mean we never got to see the identity of Future Guy!!! I don't think that was meant to be the intention either.
     
  3. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    The Temporal Cold War was being made up as it went along because it was something that UPN forced on B&B. B&B wanted to make ENT a straight-up prequel, but UPN made them add in a time travel aspect in case the prequel idea bombed.

    Berman & Braga get blamed for so much crap that they had nothing to do with. They actually had a lot of good ideas, such as setting part of the first season before Enterprise's launch, with Archer putting his crew together, etc. They also wanted to take a year or two off after VOY to refine their concept and get the details worked out, but UPN wanted a new Trek series immediately, so they had to rush everything.
     
  4. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Indeed. My point really was that UPN and Paramount should have allowed them the time to plot their story so that the execution could be there. I understand that another part of the reason it was rushed was because of Scott Bakula whom IIRC was near signing a deal with NBC to do a Quantum Leap mini-series or series of mini-series that would have locked him up and he was Paramounts ONLY choice for the role of Archer. I remember because I first started lurking about here reading these stories on Trek Today lol.
     
  5. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    I didn't know that about Bakula. As much as I like him, I don't think he was so essential that ENT couldn't have been successful without him. Personally, I think ENT should have had a Latino captain.
     
  6. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I don't think he was essential to the series but at the time Paramount probably saw him as a way to help sell their series to the fans and generate excitement (which it did). Due to his ties with sci-fi through "Quantum Leap". He had to choose between a return to the franchise that made him a star in the first, or to join a monster franchise that would elevate his stardom even further and probably get him even more gigs (which I think it ultimately did). It was just an interesting process at the time.
     
  7. DarKush

    DarKush Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I thought ENT should've had a Latino captain as well.
     
  8. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Awww. I really like Scott Bakula and can't see anybody else headlining ENT.

    Can't we compromise and go for a Latino first officer?

    I forget which episode, but Archer is told some news and goes...

    "Duvall got his own ship? Thank God, we're light years away!"

    Not sure we ever saw that character.
     
  9. gastrof

    gastrof Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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  10. Jetfire

    Jetfire Guest

  11. Gaith

    Gaith Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Let's see...

    - Pre-TOS setting
    - An inexperienced captain
    - More action, Romulan menace
    - More sex
    - a Human-Vulcan romance
    - An all-around rawer feel
    - Time travel invoked to add mystery and narrative flexibility
    - Greater mainstream appeal than the for-fans-only DS9 and VOY


    ... Yeah, I'd say we got our Enterprise reboot with XI. :p
     
  12. antiquityscion

    antiquityscion Commander

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    ENT did. Well, Latina, anyway. Her name was CAPT Erika Hernandez, of NX-02 Columbia. :p
     
  13. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    Don't be pedantic. You know we meant captain of Enterprise. :p
     
  14. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    These were parts of Enterprise I completely liked actually... once you've taken away the TCW to explain the presence of so many familiar Star Trek trappings this far back. I'd especially include the Vulcans as something the show did right. The point is that we aren't supposed to like them really. Although we sorta kinda do with some of them, like Soval. Plus the way they were portrayed, human bad habits rubbing off on them is certainly the sensible one. And once you've seen a Vulcan have what passes for an emotional outburst... it makes sense when we encounter Romulans who a bit more frenzied and totally unrestrained. V'Las, the Vulcan First Minister, certainly behaved in a way totally unlike thos around him. Very war-like, loosing his cool once too often and sarcastic... and cunning. A Romulan if ever I saw one.

    I would still keep past Enterprise characters on semi-regular basis, as recurring characters. Including those previously in the crew. I think the fun to be had, is in a not strictly a full-on reboot like the last film. Shifting the 22nd Century landscape around everybody. Rewriting history and offering those who remember ENT the way it was before, a chance to see where an alternate life took them. There's reason enough for the TCW for have been an influencing factor on so much of the way things turned out.

    I'd populate the NX-01 with a different cast, but still try to have Bakula on the show somehow. Probably Billingsley without make-up playing a human Doctor, or a Doctor with experience living on one of the first colonies. Trinneer back as Trip, if that doesn't compromise the concept too much.

    Some inexperience is good. But an intergalactic credits system should be around in the 22nd Century. Or are we to believe Mayweather's relatives on the Horizon work for peanuts?

    Now you see, I'm completely with you there. Boomers among the crew were a great idea. I'd also plum for a second generation colonist from Alpha Centurai B to be an officier too.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2011
  15. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Very. :crazy:

    Funny how that BSG connection is being milked in every article. It's a totally misleading job reference. Those taking that statement at face value with think "guy who worked on nuBSG" won't they?

    Scott Bakula is very much part of the thinking around at the time. Something that extended to the title sequence also, when maybe it shouldn't have. CSI, NCIS, 24. A few others I've forgotten off hand. A younger, unknown cast assembled around an older leading man. One who had a huge following 10-15 years before. Mark Harmon is definitely that. Bruce Greenwood is in that mould and if anyone who saw ST09 was like me, they were rooting more for Pike than Kirk.

    While it's undeniably true the material often didn't show Bakula at his best (it was getting there by Seasons 3 & 4 BTW), I don't think he gets enough credit for keeping ENT from being completely forgotten. The potential existed then and still does, to draw in a broader audience, because of the guy. You know, if it hadn't been on UPN and differently done. The fire he drew came more from a fanbase struggling to be excited by a 15th consecutive year of brand new Star Trek, and who had already lived through 3 or 4 other Captains they liked.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2011
  16. antiquityscion

    antiquityscion Commander

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    :lol:
     
  17. ChristopherPike

    ChristopherPike Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Aside from the Romulan menace, inter-species romance (which came later, unless a decon rubdown counts) that basically describes "Broken Bow". Which managed to be mainstream enough, appealing to 11 million more viewers than would ordinarily have tuned in for DS9, VOY or indeed ENT on a weekly basis.

    And since the new movie continuity only currently stands at 2 hours, there's still time for them screw to up. They're just taking their time, careful to avoid rushing it being a factor again! ;)

    A whole series worth of Enterprise had risen and fallen, in the time it's taking them to produce another 2 hours. Or given the ratings, maybe that should be rise, fall, level-off, get cancelled for finding a regular audience and THEN hit rock bottom.

    Ultimately its pointless comparing apples with oranges though, isn't it? Star Trek 2009 didn't have to launch straight into a second adventure the following week, and for all that imagination to evaporate into accusations of characters not leaving up to the potential we saw the first time around, or rehashing the same old types of stories, months down the line. They've wisely decided to deliberately play around with that idea in comic-book form, where it can't damage the good-will among those waiting for the sequel.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2011
  18. Rojixus

    Rojixus Commander Red Shirt

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    Two words: compilation movies. Or if compilation movies don't agree with you, Enterprise could be rebooted with a series of original movies. Just take out the first two seasons, replace the Xindi with the Romulans, take out all elements of the Temporal Cold War and there you have it: a more compact and dynamic series that will get the respect it deserves.
     
  19. Gaith

    Gaith Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Aye; a massive publicity push got people to tune in to what was supposed to be a bold new chapter in Trekdom. Doesn't mean that they got it. ;)

    In terms of aim, agreed. But in terms of results, where "Broken Bow" felt wan, familiar and gutless, XI did manage to feel fresh, hip and exciting.
     
  20. Broccoli

    Broccoli Vice Admiral Admiral

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    There was a virtual fan-fiction series that "rebooted" ENT a few years back. Star Trek: Foundations. They released 13 episodes before it folded.

    While it was okay, and while they did strip ENT of many things that people didn't like about it, the direction of it, to me, seemed on par with ENT's direction in its first year.