The Most Disliked Episode of ENT, Season 1: 2021 Edition...

This is a twist on a game that is played here, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Here's the game. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. I'll provide a list of the episodes for each season and you need to eliminate your most favorite or the one you deem the 'best.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed. Finally, leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you feel they would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Hall of Champions (or Failures?)
2011 - "TERRA NOVA"
2018 - "PRECIOUS CARGO"
2019 - "THESE ARE THE VOYAGES..."
2021 - "THESE ARE THE VOYAGES..."


Season One -

BROKEN BOW
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
THE ANDORIAN INCIDENT
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
DEAR DOCTOR
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
SHUTTLEPOD ONE
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
VOX SOLA
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS
SHOCKWAVE

 

Now we come to the last of the Berman era shows, ENTERPRISE. This series was actually much better than many gave it credit for... many things were done fantastic right off the bat. The sets look really real, the uniforms were the best of any in the franchise, and it brought a sense of wonder and exploration that we haven't seen in a long time.

My first save is the pilot, "BROKEN BOW". Truly, had the Temporal Cold War not been part of this, I would call this the best pilot of the franchise. That's really my only complaint, so it obviously gets my pick as first save.



FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
THE ANDORIAN INCIDENT
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
DEAR DOCTOR
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
SHUTTLEPOD ONE
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
VOX SOLA
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS
SHOCKWAVE

 

You move swiftly.

I will be very obvious and save The Andorian Incident. It did a good job of creating the role of Shran and thus bringing back Jeffrey Combs. It also painted the Vulcans in a less than flattering light by the end of the episode, which was good for the ongoing drama, and Archer's arc regarding his father and the Vulcans.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
DEAR DOCTOR
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
SHUTTLEPOD ONE
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
VOX SOLA
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS
SHOCKWAVE

 

I do move swiftly. At least, for the initial save.

(Truthfully, I write my first save and explanation ahead in a notepad, then copy and paste on the first post. I figure since I start these threads, why not kick each off with my own first save? Call it a 'finder's fee'. )

 

I like "SHOCKWAVE" best... I think it's a very good season finale with a very nice cliffhanger at the end... too bad part II is a bit of a letdown but that's irrelevant.


FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
DEAR DOCTOR
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
SHUTTLEPOD ONE
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
VOX SOLA
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

I was just about to save Shockwave before I was ninjad. Ok, since the only handful of good episodes in this season are already saved, I know some of you hate this one, and the romance plot turned friendzonecity is a waste of time, but I'm saving Dear Doctor. I quite like the exploration of a reason for the Prime Directive, and I agree with Archer's decision, for a bunch of reasons.This is a genetic mutation doing what evolution does on this particular planet. And, humans with only 1 decently warp capable ship are not in a position to provide the longterm assistance that goes along with the kind of help these people need. Also, might be the most useful Hoshi is in the entirety of the first season.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
SHUTTLEPOD ONE
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
VOX SOLA
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

I don't remember Hoshi doing much in Dear Doctor. What did she do that was so unusual?

 

It's important what she doesn't do. She's not useless, falling over herself, or being harrassed by T'Pol. She just does her job competently. Season 1 is NOT a good time to be a Hoshi.

 

Wow, two saves for "Shockwave" right at the jump! That's a fun shift from 2020, when we were playing themed "Most Disliked" games in General Trek and "Shockwave" kept being the "winner" at the end. It "won" four different games!

"Vox Sola" is my perennial season 1 favorite. No other episode does a better job of spreading the wealth among the cast.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
SHUTTLEPOD ONE
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

Shttlepod One is a good character episode for Trip and Stinky.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT
STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

My next save is "FIGHT OR FLIGHT". I applaud Berman and Braga for making the very next episode after the pilot center on probably the most important job on that ship after chief engineer... communications officer.

It was a great reminder of not only why she's there, but how important that position is on a ship, particularly in the era before TNG.

I also thought Linda Park did a great job with all the material she was given in the show. She had one of the largest character growths of the series. Watch this and the next to last episode, "TERRA PRIME", and there is a clear difference in her demeanor, tone, posture... everything. She went from so scared she seriously thought about going back to Earth to standing up to the Earth President when the time required it. Bravo, Hoshi!


STRANGE NEW WORLD
UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

Not sure why. It's rated an 8.5/10 on IMDB, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. Especially after the worst first season since TNG.

 

After years of fandom complaints about the idiocy of slotting "The Naked Now" as the 2nd episode of TNG, I'm impressed Enterprise Ep #3 "Strange New World" actually manages the trick of putting characters we just met into an altered state and having it actually reveal things about their characters.

Well, to break it down more, "Part II" won 2 games, "Part I" won another, and both halves collectively won "Most Disliked Two-Part/Two-Hour Episode." I think that group of players particularly reviled that TCW. I know I certainly hate it!

Though I actually don't mind "Shockwave, Part I" in isolation (I was always into the Suliban -- bring back the Suliban!) but "Part II" really gives me nothing and tanks the story for me overall.

UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
SHADOWS OF P'JEM
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

Going to go SHADOWS OF P'JEM, because you can't go wrong with Jeffrey Combs. Not the best Shran episode, but certainly not the worst.

UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
BREAKING THE ICE
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

I'll save Breaking the Ice, as I loved seeing Travis and Reed goofing about on the comet. I also liked that the crew called the Vulcan ship for help, being the bigger person.

Archer and the crew fielding questions from a school was a nice touch as well. "A poop question, sir?"

UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SILENT ENEMY
SLEEPING DOGS
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

Yay! More fun!

"Silent Enemy" is a fave of mine, both because of the interesting and creepy nature of the aliens (who don't even talk except by using recycled footage), and the subplot with Hoshi and Malcolm. Happy to give it a pass.

UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SLEEPING DOGS
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING
TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS

 

"TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS", because of the hilarious scene of Trip and Reed being tricked by these two gorgeous females who turn out to be very ugly males.

UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SLEEPING DOGS
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
FALLEN HERO
DESERT CROSSING

 

There's no accounting for taste.

 

Hey, I love my Shockwave. The Mossberg variety, that is.

 

Fallen Hero is a pretty good hour, with the wonderful V'Lar (ever-reliable Trek guest star Fionnula Flanagan) showing that Vulcans don't have to be stuffy.

UNEXPECTED
TERRA NOVA
CIVILIZATION
FORTUNATE SON
COLD FRONT
SLEEPING DOGS
FUSION
ROGUE PLANET
ACQUISITION
OASIS
DETAINED
DESERT CROSSING