Should there be a "Temporal Cold War"-angle to SNW?

[The Wormhole]

But if they're searching for ideas

If they're looking for ideas (and I've seen no evidence suggesting they're having trouble coming up with any) than there are plenty ideas out there other than the storyline which was studio mandated on another show, which even that show couldn't be bothered to do more with than the barest minimum. And in the 21 years since Enterprise premiered, what all has been done with the TCW throughout the franchise? Essentially nothing. Besides the handful of Enterprise episodes on the subject, there's been one novel featuring Future Guy and Daniels as minor players and the stuff mentioned on Disco about time travel being banned in the aftermath of the TCW.

Consider that for a moment. The novels will literally follow up on anything from a Star Trek episode, but the TCW is something they've only grazed on once in two decades. You know a story idea is bad if even the novels make a point of trying to avoid it. Why would SNW want to do anything with a storyline that even the novels have tried to avoid?

 

[FederationHistorian]

But then the whole thing just fizzled out. There was no development to this story, no real plot, and all mysteries remained unanswered. THAT is IMO the sin of the TWC - not the initial idea.

Probably because actually developing the TCW means jumping to the future at some point and interacting with other species and their methods of time travel, many of which the crew shouldn’t be meeting.

The show got flak for the crew meeting the Ferengi and the Borg. Imagine the reaction if the crew met the Krenim or the Prophets?

but why not an episode or two factoring in with Pike's destiny?

Why not a TCW episode where someone tries to alter Spock’s future trajectory? There are no shortage of ideas, from his relationship with T’Pring, to his friendship with Kirk and McCoy, to being the one that sacrificed himself in TWOK, to participating in the Romulan reunification movement, to dealing with the Romulan supernova.

The TCW was a stupid idea to begin with. It undermined Enterprise's premise right out of the gate and ruined what many fans were wanting to see...how starfleet and the federation came about originally. This is a prequel series. I want to see how things played out with no interference from time traveling meddlers. That garbage is best left buried with Berman/Braga.

The real problem was that the TCW was married to the existence of Enterprise. As soon as it was resolved at the beginning of S4, the show’s days were numbered. Ironically, if it had been left alone, the show might have gone the full seven seasons.

 

[The Wormhole]

Ironically, if it had been left alone, the show might have gone the full seven seasons.

No, Enterprise was probably ending in the fourth season regardless if they wrapped up the TCW or not. The rating were very bad, and one of the main reasons it even got a fourth season was so they could get to the vicinity of the hundred episode mark considered preferred to get a syndication package.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The only way I'd like to see the Temporal Cold War is in a crossover event spanning SNW, Lower Decks, Prodigy and Discovery. Perhaps with guest appearances by cast members from TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT and Picard. But no time travel by our heroes, just have the villain and his scheme span the centuries.

 

[FederationHistorian]

No, Enterprise was probably ending in the fourth season regardless if they wrapped up the TCW or not. The rating were very bad, and one of the main reasons it even got a fourth season was so they could get to the vicinity of the hundred episode mark considered preferred to get a syndication package.

Nah, there was an inability to envision the show without time travel. That’s why it permeated throughout the series, including S3 when they changed the format up to a season long arc with melodrama added to save the series. Rejecting the TCW can be seen as rejecting the studio’s vision for ENT, and office politics is known for being the deciding factor in ENT’s cancellation. Even though it may be unpopular to say, ending the TCW when they did was bad for the show’s longevity. It ended a few seasons too early.

Yes, the fan service that made the show live up to its prequel premise in S4 was liked by the audience watching. But the studio is not the audience. All they saw was that this new direction was not drawing in viewers and that they were right about adding time travel to make the show more interesting.

 

[shapeshifter]

Perhaps just have some people talking about it when a couple S31 Black Badgers step up to them and say...

Sirs, your voices are carrying. I don't think you want to be discussing this subject in public. *FLASH*

Walking away one says to other; Look, those people are talking about the Discovery. Let's go. <moments later> *FLASH*

 

[Saul]

I'm saying no, but here's why.

I'm thinking a lot about this lately.
I don't think the Temporal Cold War was done very successfully on ENT.

No disagreement here.

But it would actually solve a lot of SNW's problems.

This is where we will differ. I don't think SNW has problems other than visual continuity and that Nurse Chapel.

Pike knows he won't die.

Which to me is a fascinating concept (which was also slightly teased in the Early Voyages comics). I like the idea. I'm interested to see how it plays out. I don't want it connected to the TCW.

This is my problem with all the relationship drama on SNW: We know how these end.

But do we really? The fact that they are using this as something of an arc for Pike makes me think they are going to do more with it. I could be wrong but for the moment I'm curious how it will play out.

So I say: SNW needs to introduce some timey-wimey conflict. Something that clearly clashes with Pike's vision. Maybe kill one of the kids he's supposed to save. Basically - Pike should be uncertain if his vision actually IS his future, right up until the very moment it happens.

They could still do these things without having to connect them to the TCW.

So - bring it on! Do some time-travel stuff! Don't actually make it an alternate timeline. But play with the possibilities. And most importantly - make stuff LESS predetermined.
What do you think?

I say leave SNW do it's own thing and bring on 'Star Trek Enterprise' season 5!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

No. No convoluted time travel nonsense.

 

[aventinelover]

If they're looking for ideas (and I've seen no evidence suggesting they're having trouble coming up with any) than there are plenty ideas out there other than the storyline which was studio mandated on another show, which even that show couldn't be bothered to do more with than the barest minimum. And in the 21 years since Enterprise premiered, what all has been done with the TCW throughout the franchise? Essentially nothing. Besides the handful of Enterprise episodes on the subject, there's been one novel featuring Future Guy and Daniels as minor players and the stuff mentioned on Disco about time travel being banned in the aftermath of the TCW.

I've read most of the novels but don't recall offhand the one where Future Guy and Daniels show up? Which novel are you referring to?

 

[Avro Arrow]

I've read most of the novels but don't recall offhand the one where Future Guy and Daniels show up? Which novel are you referring to?

I believe that's the DTI novel Watching the Clock.

 

[ichab]

Nah, there was an inability to envision the show without time travel. That’s why it permeated throughout the series, including S3 when they changed the format up to a season long arc with melodrama added to save the series. Rejecting the TCW can be seen as rejecting the studio’s vision for ENT, and office politics is known for being the deciding factor in ENT’s cancellation. Even though it may be unpopular to say, ending the TCW when they did was bad for the show’s longevity. It ended a few seasons too early.

Yes, the fan service that made the show live up to its prequel premise in S4 was liked by the audience watching. But the studio is not the audience. All they saw was that this new direction was not drawing in viewers and that they were right about adding time travel to make the show more interesting.

No they weren't. If they lacked the creativity and ability to honor the shows premise, then they shouldn't have bothered. Star Trek doesn't need time travel to make it interesting. SNW has already proven that if you have good writers who know what they are doing , a prequel series can work.

You can believe whatever you want, but the show ended because of bad ratings, not because the TCW storyline ended. TCW or no TCW, the ratings were never good enough because it was ran by people who couldn't think outside the TNG box and thought the only way to make things better was adding more T and A. They were trying for an audience that wouldn't touch Star Trek or science fiction no matter how much boobage you threw on screen. All they accomplished was insulting and pushing away the fans to the point that few were watching anymore. They had no business doing this kind of a show and no network is going to keep it going when a show can't draw advertising to help pay for it. As said earlier, they only got a fourth season because they needed enough episodes to sell into syndication. That was it.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Would you mind elaborating on that?
"No" without any further explanation is a pretty useless answer.

It's it the concept? The characters? The lore? Or just that you cannot separate it from ENT?

No. The perfect answer. No.

 

[BillJ]

No. Allow this show to be its own thing, as best as it can be based on how they're handling it.

 

[Lord Garth]

No one wants to do the Temporal War.

 

[BillJ]

No one wants to do the Temporal War.

Conceptually, it could be very interesting. Just have to find the right show to bolt it onto.

 

[Jack Wolfe]

Conceptually, it could be very interesting. Just have to find the right show to bolt it onto.

That's reasonable. Let "My Little Pony" take a crack at it.

 

[BillJ]

That's reasonable. Let "My Little Pony" take a crack at it.

Maybe Section 31 if it ever gets made? Though I'm not holding my breath on that...

 

[fireproof78]

No one wants to do the Temporal War.

Maybe Doctor Who.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

Not even Doctor Who wanted to do the Time War.

 

[Jack Wolfe]

Maybe Doctor Who.

Already done with The Great Intelligence, and in a more interesting fashion.