I wasn't a diehard "Quantum Leap" fan, but I seem to recall his range being quite amazing in that series.
What is your honest opinion of Enterprise?
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I wasn't a diehard "Quantum Leap" fan, but I seem to recall his range being quite amazing in that series.
On second thought, maybe I was a little too hard on Bakula. After all, I haven't seen him in many movies or TV shows. All I can say is that he's been either too over-the-top and too wooden in most things I've seen him in. Doesn't mean he's always bad, though, and maybe I'd need to see more of his work before I could fairly assess his range. I do think he did some fine work in "In A Mirror, Darkly".
Section 31 was never an element of TOS. It was also not an element of any of TAS, TNG, VOY, or any film to date.
The integration of Section 31 into TOS events has been contrived only in novels. For more information, see http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Section_31#Apocrypha.
Personally, I never considered the Klingon forehead situation to be a "continuity" issue. It was a production design issue, dating to TMP, that could have been dispensed with in less than five minutes of screen time, assuming it was really necessary to discuss it at greater length than the way it was brilliantly addressed in DS9: Trials and Tribble-ations.
Rather than wasting time with the forehead non-issue, an episode or mini-arc about the Klingon mind-sifter would have been infinitely more interesting, in which, say, we see a primitive version of the sifter from the Klingon point of view, and we see how it gives the Klingons some tactical advantage, but Archer and the ENT crew never find out about the device.
If there are any actual continuity issues with the Klingons between TOS and later Trek series, then one issue is certainly the absence of any mention of the mind sifter, a device bragged about in its only on-screen appearance.
I also had the advantage of watching the first 3 seasons without spoilers, in a summer marathon before Season 4 began. I had a great time. I liked the look of the show, the great production values, the ensemble of actors. Sure, there were some clunkers (every show has 'em), but there was always something in every episode for me to like.
) I've seen a lot of Bakula's work, and I have never been disappointed. And oh yes, he has a lovely singing voice, too. Too bad we never got to see that side of Archer. 
Season 3 of Enterprise serves Bakula well and shows off his range better. And btw, what did you think of Season 4's "Observer Effect"?
There is quite a range of opinion on the effectiveness of each season, but I enjoyed them all. I thought Season 3, in particular, added a lot of compelling layers to many of the characters. There are episodes in this series that belong up there with the best of Trek, in my opinion.
I'm in agreement with Therin. Bakula is an amazing actor, and Quantum Leap's Sam Beckett was the role of a lifetime for him. Check that show out, and you will see how Bakula shines when the writers nurture his character and write to his strengths (which the ENT writers, sadly, did not do far too much of the time.
) I've seen a lot of Bakula's work, and I have never been disappointed. And oh yes, he has a lovely singing voice, too. Too bad we never got to see that side of Archer. Season 3 of Enterprise serves Bakula well and shows off his range better. And btw, what did you think of Season 4's "Observer Effect"?
Okay, I have just seen "Terra Prime" and I officially love this show, even if I've only seen just 10 episodes in season 4 (well technically I checked out "Regeneration" and "These Are The Voyages..." a few years ago, but they were so mediocre I blocked them out of my memory). I would gladly take recommendations for episodes to see in other seasons. I have a newfound respect for Bakula. He may have seemed stilted and unnatural in some other episodes, but he was marvelous in this one. H.R., I have not seen the episode you mentioned yet...I listed the episodes I've seen in the post linked below.
More thoughts here.
More thoughts here.
I'll recommend these episodes, as I don't think you've seen them....
Season One:
The Andorian Incident
Shadows of P'Jem
Shuttlepod One
Season Two:
Carbon Creek
Minefield
The Seventh
Judgment
Season Three:
Atazi Prime
Damage
The Forgotten
But really, it's pointless to watch those without also watching the entire season, as many, many things will go over your head.
Season Four:
The Forge
Awakening
Kir'Shara
Babel One
United
The Aenar
Season One:
The Andorian Incident
Shadows of P'Jem
Shuttlepod One
Season Two:
Carbon Creek
Minefield
The Seventh
Judgment
Season Three:
Atazi Prime
Damage
The Forgotten
But really, it's pointless to watch those without also watching the entire season, as many, many things will go over your head.
Season Four:
The Forge
Awakening
Kir'Shara
Babel One
United
The Aenar
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I also watched (and loved) that Andorian trilogy (Jeffrey Combs ruled, as usual), but thanks for the other recommendations.
Yay! Another convert!
More good news.
Bakula gets a lot of grief about Archer, but I think he did the best he could with what the writers gave him--which was at times wildly inconsistent. I've heard nothing but good things from his fellow actors about his professionalism and enthusiasm for his work, and what a joy it was to work with him.I agree with Shran about watching this or that episode as opposed to all of them -- I think you might get a better sense of character arcs and relationships if you see them all.
That being said, I'll add a few more to Shran's list (good list, btw). There are episodes here that some folks love and others hate, but I enjoyed them. Or I enjoyed Bakula in them.
Season One
Civilization
Silent Enemy
Dear Doctor
Acquisition (Jeff Combs, but not as Shran)
Desert Crossing
Shockwave
Season Two
Dead Stop (sort of a "part 2" for Minefield)
A Night in Sickbay (a lot of people despise this one, but I'm one of those who liked it)
Singularity
The Catwalk
Stigma (sort of a followup to Fusion)
Cease Fire (more Shran)
Cogenitor
First Flight
The Expanse
Season Three
My favorite season, so consider them all recommended.
There is one overall story arc that builds as the season progresses. Anomaly
Impulse
Twilight
Similitude
Proving Ground (can't have enough Shran)
Stratagem
The Council-Countdown-Zero Hour (followup to the trilogy of Azati Prime-Damage-The Forgotten)
Season Four
Home
Observer Effect (my favorite episode)
That ought to keep you busy.
Don't forget In a Mirror, Darkly and In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II.
Season 1:
Boken Bow (aka the pilot)
Fight or Flight
Silent Enemy
Fallen Hero
Season 2:
Carbon Creek
Minefield
Dead Stop
The Catwalk
Cease Fire
Future Tense
First Flight
The Expanse
Season 3:
You pretty much need to watch the whole thing to keep up, but some standouts include:
Anomoly
Twilight
Choosen Realm (Many folks say it's sub par, but I liked it)
Proving Ground
Strategem
Azati Prime
Damage
The Forgotten
^^
(These 3 need to be watched back to back and imo are the highlight of Season 3)
The Council
Coundown
Zero Hour
Season 4
IMO Season 4 is really good (but I'm probably biased being a TOS fan); but honestly, it's easier listing the Season 4 episodes to AVOID
- and (IMO), they are:Daedalus
Bound
These Are the Voyages
The rest are all (imo) pretty top notch (Well, maybe not Stormfront I and II; but even those two aren't 'bad' in the long run.)
Actually you shouldn't cherry-pick. Watch the whole thing, in the same order it was broadcast. Then you might understand why people had a problem with it. The first two seasons were very weak, especially if you start to think about how anyone could get away with the staggering level of incompetence displayed by Little Jonny Archer.
That said however, after Star Trek 09, I have gained a new appreciation for Enterprise. Given a choice between the two, I'll watch Enterprise thank you.
That said however, after Star Trek 09, I have gained a new appreciation for Enterprise. Given a choice between the two, I'll watch Enterprise thank you.
As someone who did watch Enterprise in broadcast order, and still do when I have my personal trek marathons, I'm sorry but I don't understand. To each their own of course, and I respect other peoples opinions, but I liked enterprise. All of it, the TCW, the Xindi arc, hell I even liked how they handled the Borg and the Ferengi. Sure there were some dull episodes. But name one, just one tv series that didn't have any dull episode? Go on... I'll wait...
I agree - I think if you're going to watch it, sit down and watch it all from the start. No, not every episode was a great one, and it had some consitent weaknesses all throughout its run, but that way you'll get the proper vibe of it and the character development in the right order, which is what made the show for me. Even the bad episodes have some nice little moments, and the actors are good enough that I often enjoy watching their performances even when the material was dud. Not to mention, as this forum demonstrates, while everyone agrees there were weak episodes, not everyone agrees as to which ones they were, so you might find yourself enjoying some of the supposed duds anyway. 
Well I appreciate all the suggestions and passionate arguments people make for watching the whole thing, but I honestly don't have the time and energy. There are too many other things I want to watch (in addition to things I want to do besides watching episodes), so I would prefer to just sample some from each season.
Also, I only really have interest in this show for how it connects to the original "Star Trek" (and to a lesser extent, DS9 and TNG). That's why the episodes I appreciated most were those in which characters and stories from other series acted as a jumping-off point. For example, Khan, the Andorians and Tellarites, the smooth-headed Klingons, "Mirror, Mirror", section 31, "Star Trek: First Contact", and the formation of the Federation.
For me, this is really what gives the series an edge over "Star Trek: Voyager". I think "Star Trek: Voyager" is kind of just more of the same after TNG, whereas TNG built on "Star Trek" and DS9 built on TNG. What keeps this show from being a retread (as far as I can see) is the way it adds resonance to its stories by connecting them to what has happened before/filling blanks in it.
You could say the same thing about the Star Wars second trilogy movies, which don't have a lot going for them beyond the fact that they gain emotional power and sentimental value by alluding to and foreshadowing the iconography of the original trilogy. Don't take this the wrong way...I'm not saying "Star Trek: Enterprise" is as bad of those movies. I only saw two of them and really didn't enjoy them at all. But I digress.
Also, I only really have interest in this show for how it connects to the original "Star Trek" (and to a lesser extent, DS9 and TNG). That's why the episodes I appreciated most were those in which characters and stories from other series acted as a jumping-off point. For example, Khan, the Andorians and Tellarites, the smooth-headed Klingons, "Mirror, Mirror", section 31, "Star Trek: First Contact", and the formation of the Federation.
For me, this is really what gives the series an edge over "Star Trek: Voyager". I think "Star Trek: Voyager" is kind of just more of the same after TNG, whereas TNG built on "Star Trek" and DS9 built on TNG. What keeps this show from being a retread (as far as I can see) is the way it adds resonance to its stories by connecting them to what has happened before/filling blanks in it.
You could say the same thing about the Star Wars second trilogy movies, which don't have a lot going for them beyond the fact that they gain emotional power and sentimental value by alluding to and foreshadowing the iconography of the original trilogy. Don't take this the wrong way...I'm not saying "Star Trek: Enterprise" is as bad of those movies. I only saw two of them and really didn't enjoy them at all. But I digress.
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It was, for lack of a better term, handicapped from the start. It had 30 years of story and continuity boxing it in. I really think if it had continued, it would have only improved on the foothold it gained in Season 3. Look at VOY, it took 3 seasons to get really good. They almost axed it! But then it got much better and a ratings darling. Anyway, Enterprise did as well as it could have in the boundaries that had been set. In fact, much better than other prequels have done.
Thinking inside the box can sometimes be harder than thinking out of it.
Thinking inside the box can sometimes be harder than thinking out of it.
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I hated ENT. Didn't even finish the first season back when it aired, caught Twilight but that wasn't enough to bring me back no matter how much I love that episode.
But someone, who knows exactly who they are *cough*teacake*cough* convinced me to give it another shot.
I should finish season three tomorrow and it isn't half bad. But I'm liking it more than I expected to.
But someone, who knows exactly who they are *cough*teacake*cough* convinced me to give it another shot.
I should finish season three tomorrow and it isn't half bad. But I'm liking it more than I expected to.
ENT, or any other Star Trek prequel, had a tremendous disadvantage right out of the gate, as you said Mjolnir. It wasn't just that it had all the continuity of TOS-TNG-DS9-VOY to contend with, but also the vast amounts fanon that the fans had developed over the decades.
That's where ENT really stepped on people's toes, as far as I see it. It violated a lot of fan speculation about the early days of Trek. The fact that it fits in quite well with actual on-screen continuity from the other shows is one of it's strengths, as far as I'm concerned.
That's where ENT really stepped on people's toes, as far as I see it. It violated a lot of fan speculation about the early days of Trek. The fact that it fits in quite well with actual on-screen continuity from the other shows is one of it's strengths, as far as I'm concerned.
As a fan of Star Trek for forty years I disagree that it fits "quite well". IMO, ENT was often at its worst when it tried to lead into the other series. The lead-in backstory proved by ENT is generally forced and contrived, usually the ENT characters are Sues and Stews, and quite often it would make more sense if you could forget about the events in TOS.
This is one reason I pick Azati Prime as my favorite ENT episode, over either part of In a Mirror, Darkly. The main reason I recommended In a Mirror, Darkly, Parts I and II, which are my third and second favorite ENT episodes, respectively, were for their novelty value. At least in these episodes, they broke from the usual.
Even in this relatively decent episode, In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II, there is a pretty obvious canon violation, in the level of agility that the Gorn has.
