What if: Ira Stephen Behr and Enterprise

[FederationHistorian]

This interesting clip from the ENT S2 bluray, where Braga talks about bringing in Ira Stephen Behr to write Enterprise. Which did not go well, to put it lightly.

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It does make for an interesting what if. Had Behr come in for S3 and beyond, how would the show changed? Since his critiques by themselves likely helped the quality of the show improve.

 

[MacLeod]

Well given that S3-4 are generally considered the best two seasons (and yest I know other shows had weak first couple of seasons) with a major shakeup in terms of story Ira might have been on to something, still would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall in that meeting.

But sure I can see it from the other side you think you are doing great work and someone comes in and call it crap, you might get densive, also the closer you are to something the more blind you can be to its shortcommings

 

[Jayson1]

Braga ran Ron Moore out when they tried something similar on Voyager so it likely would have ended the same. I don't get the impression Braga can handle criticism very well. I sort of get it. He probable wasn't more of a equal to Berman in the same way Pillar was. Neither was Behr but Behr seems like someone who probably likes that or doesn't care because he just comes off as less insecure in such matters.

 

[suarezguy]

Well the clip isn't clear what specifically/why he disliked, apparently he disliked not only the characters but even the basic premise. I imagine he would have tried to make Archer into a more idolized character but also more aggressive, let alone decisive, really forging the Federation into being, more of a living legend really loved by his crew and close allies though controversial otherwise.

 

[Jayson1]

Actually I think he might have pushed for the Earth Romulan war. Add a Romulan to the main cast and make Chief into a real character. All in order to bring in more non Starfleet voices to the show. Also build drama around the already known conflict between Vulcans and Romulans. Maybe even more than one Romulan. Like a whole unit. He would I imagine look for all sorts of ways to create internal conflict within the crew.

 

[DarKush]

I'm not sure all the ways that Behr steered DS9, but going on DS9 as a whole I wish that Behr had been with ENT from the beginning. Absent that I wish he had been allowed to shake up the series. Though I thought ENT Season 3 was an improvement over the first two seasons, and I enjoyed Season 4 most of all, the third season was the real last chance to right the ship and unfortunately Berman and Braga, etc., didn't do enough to save the series.

If Behr had gotten the reins I imagine the character development would've deepened a lot more. Archer would've become a more complex figure and perhaps even darker than he was in Season 3, and perhaps the consequences of his actions would linger far longer. I also think the Trip-T'Pol relationship would've gotten more development. I imagine that Behr might have made good on advancing LGBTQ representation in Trek as he lamented he didn't do for DS9, and I could imagine that he might have looked to Malcolm, Travis, Hoshi, or even Phlox to give Trek its first official gay/bisexual Trek main character. It sounded to me like Behr was either in tune with the internet discussions at that time about ENT or had come to his own conclusions, and if I recall correctly there was speculation back then about Reed's sexuality and the missed opportunity for LGBTQ representation with his character especially. I also think Hoshi and Travis would've gotten more development. I also wouldn't be surprised if one or more ENT regulars were killed off or moved on, and a popular character like Shran was added to the cast.

I also agree that Behr would've done the Earth-Romulan War.

 

[DS9forever]

I think that Mr. Behr would concede that he wasn't alone in helping to make DS9 as good as it was. Robert Wolfe, Ron Moore, Rene Echevarria, Hans Beimler, Peter Fields and more were there along the way.

 

[Josh Kelton]

Braga ran Ron Moore out when they tried something similar on Voyager so it likely would have ended the same.

They wanted "Year of Hell" to be an entire season, but were shot down by Berman.

https://winteriscoming.net/2020/06/...fuller-recalls-fight-series-soul-rick-berman/

The “Year of Hell” and the behind-the-scenes drama not only to craft episode, but that season, was fascinating because we wanted “Year of Hell” to last the entire season. We wanted to see Voyager get its ass kicked every episode and through that season was going to be marbled the story of Annorax and the time ship that was changing things. So, we would go back to it every once in a while to remind the audience that is the larger story. But [it was rejected] because Deep Space Nine made Rick Berman allergic to serialized storytelling, violently so.

I don't get the impression Braga can handle criticism very well. I sort of get it. He probable wasn't more of a equal to Berman in the same way Pillar was. Neither was Behr but Behr seems like someone who probably likes that or doesn't care because he just comes off as less insecure in such matters.

https://winteriscoming.net/2020/06/...fuller-recalls-fight-series-soul-rick-berman/

During his time in the big chair, different Trek showrunners dealt with Berman’s suggestions in different ways. According to Fuller, DS9 showrunner Ira Stephen Behr “didn’t give a fuck what Rick Berman said.”

Ira was like, “I don’t care, this is what we are doing and if you don’t like what we are doing, fire me… If you are not behind it, then I suggest you find someone else to do my job.” He was kind of fearless about it. He was righteous creatively and knew that this was the right direction for Deep Space Nine.

 

[flandry84]

I read the DS9 companion book and ended up quite liking Behr,I think he put a lot of thought and effort into making DS9 into the great show that it was.

Frankly ( and without trying to start a row) I thought that Enterprise was saddled with so many bad decisions from the start that the show was beyond saving by the time Behr was being considered for a role.

 

[1001001]

Could we really trust a guy with a purple beard, though?

 

[Farscape One]

If his last name is Behr, and his given and middle name is Ira Steven, then yes, absolutely we can.

 

[1001001]

Well, I'm not really sold on Hipster Grimace there, but if you say so...

 

[Jayson1]

Could we really trust a guy with a purple beard, though?

Beards make people 5 times smarter than people without beards. You see when you have a beard people tend to stroke them which initiates pleasure impulses to the brain making it run slight faster creating more thought thus creating more insights to ponder thus creating more knowledge.

 

[Farscape One]

Exactly. Just ask Data, after he strokes his beard thusly...

 

[dupersuper]

Could we really trust a guy with a purple beard, though?

Be careful: that could be seen as bigoted against every bearded Catullan...

 

[Phoenix219]

All of those suggestions sound like improvements, and this is coming from someone who LIKES Enterprise.

Year of Hell as a season may have actually gotten me to watch Voyager.

 

[Jax]

Ira clearly is talented though hearing some of his DS9 ideas for a hypothetical 8th season left me a little more hesitant about him.

Enterprise issues were caused by UPN and the fact Berman/Braga were clearly in need of fresh blood to challenge them and probably should of been replaced at the end of Voyager.

 

[Jayson1]

Ira clearly is talented though hearing some of his DS9 ideas for a hypothetical 8th season left me a little more hesitant about him.

Enterprise issues were caused by UPN and the fact Berman/Braga were clearly in need of fresh blood to challenge them and probably should of been replaced at the end of Voyager.

To be fair they were coming up with those season 8 episode ideas I believe in a day. Chances if they really did do a season 8 half of them would have been altered or completely dumped.

 

[Takeru]

It wouldn't have worked, what Star Trek needed at that point was fresh blood not someone else shuffled from one Star Trek to another.

 

[Jayson1]

Well it wouldn't have made the ratings better I agree. Trek needed a break at the time because of Trek fatigue but he would have made the actual show even better I suspect.