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Enterprise: "Storm Front"

vacantlook

Super Moderator
Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

Did anyone else watch tonight's season premier of Enterprise?

If you didn't watch but plan to watch it and/or don't want to know anything about what happened, don't read further.

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I almost missed it. Had I not be surfing the satellite's program guide looking at what was coming on local channels, I wouldn't have known Enterprise was coming on tonight. There was an advertisement for it during tonight's eyeroll-inducing episode of Andromeda on SciFi, but all that ad said was the premier was coming on "this week," which led me to think it was referencing this coming week, not tonight.

Anyway, I watched it. While I thought the last few episodes of last season of Enterprise weren't the greatest Star Trek ever, I didn't think they were the worst either. But when last season's finale left with the whole back in time aliens are helping the Nazis cliffhanger, I wasn't excited about the beginning of this season. I watched out of hoping that a plot involving the back in time aliens helping the Nazis would be something considerable.

It was ok, but no where near great. The temporal cold war was brought back into the story with the cold war having turned into a regular war. But I honestly am not interested in time travel stories much these days. Time travel in all of science fiction is something that over the past handfull of years seems to have been used so much that the use of it now kind of feels like the avenue of story telling taken by those who can't write complex characters. Time travel does not automatically give a complex story to a show.

Now, granted, Cotto is probably trying to bring some kind of decent connection between the past seasons of Enterprise and the rest of the Star Trek stories from years gone past. So, I'm willing to give some time for the story to be developed thusly.

Tonight's episode itself was average. It wasn't awe inducing and barely touched me, but compared to the current season's premier episode of Andromeda it was brilliant. :rolleyes:

I felt very little character from the various characters except for the exception of the guest character whose name I don't remember: the black woman that looked after Archer. She actually had some characterization to her. The others -- guest and regular -- felt like they could be replaced with any other characters and nothing would have been different. It was fairly fun to have seen Christopher Neame, who played Knight Two in Babylon 5's season one "And The Sky Full Of Stars", but his character really didn't do much.

So, overall, I would rate it average. It wasn't great, but it didn't totally suck either.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

Alas, I don't think I can be drawn back to Enterprise. I stopped watching it early last season. I saw about 1 minute of the premiere with Archer in a truck with a Nazi officer talking about "....go to Hollywood someday and meet Betty Grable. Maybe you can introduce me" or something like that.

It was enough to make me turn the channel...quickly.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

Ouch, that does sound painful. I actually saw about the last 20 minutes of the episode. So I can't say how it went, it seemed to be the same old, same old. Now that it has started again, I might check it out when they wrap up this storyline.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

Yeah, it did have a rather noticible "same ol' same ol'" to it. I just hope it's an issue of progressing from one storytelling regime to another and it's just a matter of ironing it out.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

I suspect it is. I most definitely will see the Brent Spiner episode(s). The Eugenics wars: the fall-out from that would be interesting to see.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

Wow, I was completely oblivious that the new season was starting.

I don't suppose it will be repeated before Friday?
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

It was repeated on Sunday here in Canada. But I managed to miss both showings on account that I just don't care that much.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

No...the episode didn't blow me away. I will, however, give Coto more of a chance to impress me after he's gotten the show out of the time travel issues Bragga left it in.

I read somewhere in an article...don't recall where exactly...where someone asked Coto if he was angry at Bragga for leaving him in such a sucky place at the end of the last season. Coto's answer, while diplomatically measured, clearly indicated that he was not too happy with BB for what he pulled.

Coto went on to say that the first two episode arc would deal with putting them back on track so Coto could do what he really wanted to do, which is tie in threads to Kirk's time and repair the continuity damage done by the previous regime.

So, in short, he has to get out of the situation he's in before he can really get to work on making Enterprise what he believes it can be.

While I'm no fan of RB's Trek, I will say that I'm going to give Coto at least half of the season to impress me and prove to me that things have changed. I will remain open minded and give him a fair chance. If I'm not impressed and feel he's not delivering on his promises...I'm done with Trek for good...or at least until I'm assured it's under completely new management.

As for the premier...I felt that the African-American character was well portrayed and written. If she's an indication of things to come, then perhaps there is hope.

The rest of the cast didn't turn my stomach as they usually have, so that's another good sign. I also didn't get mind-numbed by technobabble crap. I assume that the transporter being able to be used as it was is something that was resolved during the Xindi thingy (since they seemed to have transporter tech that was fairly advanced, so we've learned from them how to make it work regularly -- but if I'm wrong on that, someone let me know). Finally, again someone correct me if I'm mistaken here, but I did notice a nice little thing. Whenever they came into the captain's office the door made the same sound as the doors on Kirk's ship, only slower and with a motor sound added. Has this always been here? If not, then it's a sign that he's hopefully working towards sound FX and other such items to bring the two eras more in line.

As for the return of the temporal cold war...I believe that was Coto's only way out of where BB left him, was to use the TCW as the reason. My understanding is (especially given that Daniel's is now dead - yey!) that once Coto gets out of this mess, the TCW will be done for good. At any rate...let's hope so.

Bottom line is...I admire what Coto has stated he wants to do now that he's in charge. Whether or not he will deliver, whether or not B&B will stay out of the way and allow him to do it, I cannot say. It is upon these factors that my judgement will ultimately rest, that and can he finally make me like these characters.

CE
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

I missed it. I think CE, pointed out the most important point, the first two episodes are Coto getting out of what he was left with (A final pushing of the reset button if you will). After these two episodes, things should either improve, or they won't.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

...someone asked Coto if he was angry at Bragga for leaving him in such a sucky place at the end of the last season. Coto's answer, while diplomatically measured, clearly indicated that he was not too happy with BB for what he pulled.

The more I hear about Bragga, the more he seems like nothing but a whiny brat.

I felt that the African-American character was well portrayed and written. If she's an indication of things to come, then perhaps there is hope.

I very much agree; I enjoyed her character the most out of all the characters in the season premier.

whether or not B&B will stay out of the way and allow him to do it

If Coto does bring good stories back to Star Trek, I wouldn't put it past B&B to act as if it was their doing going off of how full of themselves they seem to be.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

vacantlook, I wouldn't listen too much to colonyearth's rambling on about B&B. It's not always justified, like this time.

The Nazi element by all accounts was an order from UPN. Similarly, they want to get this temporal cold war arc over and done with. I think Manny probably thinks the same, fresh start and all, so this Nazi story is just going to tie up loose ends.

colonyearth always forget there's these layers of management above B&B interfering too.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

Why would people from the network demand the addition of alien Nazis to the story?
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

The Nazi element by all accounts was an order from UPN.

And that is one of the things that put me right off Star Trek several years ago, never to return - the feeling that it was always SF by committee.

:(
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

I liked the episode, and am looking forward to next week's arc-ending of the TCW. I agree that time-travel is used way too much. Almost like the mirror universe...

In DS9, I didn't really like the way the mirror universe characters seemed to be able to come and go at will to "our" universe. The stories were okay, but the idea of it left kinda underwhelmed me.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

I like the "mirror universe" stories in Trek and other places. I did a bit of amateur acting many moons ago, and to be able to play another character would be fun on a series like these series.

The mirror Kira, for example, I had fun watching. Great acting? Maybe not. But you could tell the actress had fun with it. :D
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

While I'm no fan of RB's Trek, I will say that I'm going to give Coto at least half of the season to impress me and prove to me that things have changed. I will remain open minded and give him a fair chance. If I'm not impressed and feel he's not delivering on his promises...I'm done with Trek for good...or at least until I'm assured it's under completely new management.
Coto is not the be-all, end-all of Trek as it is today. There are people higher up that can override him if they see fit. The situation was the same with Berman & Braga, but with them, we know in hindsight that their ideas tended to suck after Voyager's 2nd season was underway.

I really hope this ends the Berman/Braga bashing once and for all. While I agree with some of it, it's gotten very old-hat and repetitive. People should now focus on the POSITIVE fact that we have new blood with fresh new ideas in the executive producer's seat. With that in mind, "Storm Front" was well-done.

The rest of the cast didn't turn my stomach as they usually have, so that's another good sign. I also didn't get mind-numbed by technobabble crap.
Enterprise has had less technobabble in it than any Trek series of the past 15 years, and I hardly believe the cast actually turns your stomach.

I assume that the transporter being able to be used as it was is something that was resolved during the Xindi thingy (since they seemed to have transporter tech that was fairly advanced, so we've learned from them how to make it work regularly -- but if I'm wrong on that, someone let me know)
The transporter has always worked just fine, as long as there is low interference between the ship and the transportees. They've used the transporter several times on people, and only once that I recall did it result in someone's death, and that's because they beamed him up through heavy atmospheric interference.
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

vacantlook, I wouldn't listen too much to colonyearth's rambling on about B&B. It's not always justified, like this time.

The Nazi element by all accounts was an order from UPN. Similarly, they want to get this temporal cold war arc over and done with. I think Manny probably thinks the same, fresh start and all, so this Nazi story is just going to tie up loose ends.

colonyearth always forget there's these layers of management above B&B interfering too.

I fail to see how we're on the opposite side of this, Antony. I am openly acknowledging hope in Coto's regime and his plans for Trek.

As for the Nazi element, I personally read the interview with Coto regarding this issue. While I can't find it online right now, I have a hardcopy of the article at home with the link on the printed page and will gladly let you all know as soon as I get it, just where to find it.

In the interview Coto was clearly asked if he was angry at where BB left the end of S3, effectively backing him into a writer's corner. Coto said it's not where he would've preferred the season be left, but it's been fun trying to figure out how to explain it all and get on with what he really wants to do with the show, tieing Enterprise in to Kirk's era.

Why you feel the need to be rude, Antony, I do not know. I'm not B&B bashing, just stating something I read that Coto, himself, said.

I personally am looking forward to seeing if Coto delivers what he's promised. Oh...and for B&B bashing, I'm not the only one who holds them responsible for what Trek has become over the last several years, so don't jump my shit...ok?!

I'm really getting sick of it.

CE
 
Re: Enterprise: \"Storm Front\"

In the interview Coto was clearly asked if he was angry at where BB left the end of S3, effectively backing him into a writer's corner.

Wow, what a leading/tilted question that was. :)

Coto said it's not where he would've preferred the season be left, but it's been fun trying to figure out how to explain it all and get on with what he really wants to do with the show, tieing Enterprise in to Kirk's era.

Why you feel the need to be rude, Antony, I do not know. I'm not B&B bashing, just stating something I read that Coto, himself, said.

All I'm pointing out to you is that it was actually UPN interference on this account. They've done it before. I wanted you to realise that not all dumb choices come from the producers. What Manny says doesn't negate this.

You think B&B are of a wrecking nature to Trek, but it's not just them that can bugger things up.

The whole Trip/T'Pol thing is very UPN-led too, and that's a pile of crap too.

So I don't "jump your shit", but sometimes I do feel the need to correct what you say here particularly when people are then taking what you've said as truth, that's all. And hopefully inform you in the process too.
 

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