Future of Enterprise in Doubt

[Chris Lowrey]

Hey, I'll gladly admit it. I like Enterprise. A lot. In fact, there are only two things I block time for on TV - Rams football, and Enterprise.

Some people don't like it. That's fine. Contrary to popular belief, however, there are those of us that do.

Citing writing, acting, directing problems is a little off the mark. Take a look at some of the TOS shows, or the first couple of seasons of TNG. None of them are perfect.

Enterprise is not like the other shows. There is no high-minded Federation yet. This is a show, in my opinion, about the tough birthing process for that august entity.

And for those that think a swift death is the best thing, so Star Trek can move on to the Next Big Thing (TM), I ask you - What would that be?

If Braga and Berman are the collective Star Trek Anti-Christ, what do you think you're going to get with the next series, other than a new thing to hate. Last I heard, Roddenberry is still dead.

Oh well, I enjoy the new show and the new characters. If that makes me an oddball, I guess I'll have to learn to live with it.

Chris

[mactavish]

I've made no secret that I, too, am an Enterprise fan. I enjoy the premise, I don't dislike the characters, and as for the disruption of canon, things like that happen. Maybe it's not your cup of tea... that's cool, too.

While I am a fan, I freely admit that the work done thus far has been far from stellar, but again, TNG was plagued with similar story and character-related problems from the beginning as well, and only after a few years did it really get it nailed down.

Is bad Trek better than no Trek? No, but Enterprise is not bad Trek... or at least no worse than the beginning seasons of the other series.

Sure, many of the stories are retellings of other stories, but there are really only so many different stories to be told. Shakespeare said that there are only seven stories, and that everything written is simply variations on those themes.

Don't get me wrong... I'd never compare the works of the Bard to what the Enterprise writers produce, but the simple fact is that it has gotten better. Does it jive with the Star Trek Codex of Unalterable Events? Not always. Do they keep some stuff in line? Yeah, they do.

Given the power to alter time and space, Enterprise is not the Star Trek series I would have developed, but then again I CAN'T alter space and time, so ranting on and on about its flaws and/or virtues is really pointless. (Yes, I realize that's what I'm doing. I never claimed to have a point!)

So anyway, Enterprise may stay, it may go. Either way, someone loses. If it goes away, it will either remain unreplaced or may be replaced with similarly bad plotlines, acting, writing, and canon-rending alterations. If it stays, it may remain mediocre or maybe even get worse.

Of course, if it remains it could continue to improve and actually appeal to the fans without pandering to the die-hard trekkies' need for an unalterable Star Trek history. You never can tell about these things.

I for one would be disappointed if Enterprise was taken off the air before it really had the chance to improve and gain a more substantial fan base.

mactavish out.

[Rayaru]

If Enterprise gets canned, that is most likely the END of Trek. There will be no re-awakening 25 years later... mostly because there is no longer Gene Roddenberry who is dedicated to the franchise, but also because the market for TV shows "Based on Star Trek" is growing smaller every day.

I have noticed an improvement in the episodes since the beginning of Season 3. If this trend continues, I believe the series deserves to continue; it's fun television that many people do enjoy. Aside from that new Ryan Seacrest talk show, I can't think of another program on UPN that would fare better.... it's all a bunch of bad Black comedies and yellow journalism.

[REG]

Actually, Jake 2.0 was clearly making strides. It just so happens to be in the wrong timeslot, the way the TOS was in the wrong timeslot after Laugh-In in the 1960's.

The ENT series can only continue if they hurry up and conclude the Delphic Expanse and Temporal Cold War story arcs. Not only that, Paramount should replace Berman and Braga (I don't care, they can be assigned to another part of the company away from the franchise ... or simply fire them).

[Capt. Anderson]

As for myself, I saw the season opener and that was it. I did happen to catch last weeks episode and I must say this, with story lines like that, ENT might turn steer itself in the right direction to show we all can enjoy.

[Tobian]

As for Enterprise I am generally fairly neutral about it - there are things I dislike, and things i like - and I am watching it more regularly than I used too now. But I have to agree with Dan about the mailaise of the era.

generally speaking it is not that Enteprise is better or worse than what's gone before, it's that is has so much competition that isn't marred by a legacy which it is struggling to support. There have been a number of excelent Scifi's - some succeeded, some failed, but there are ALLOT!

The other thing i've noticed is that (IMHO) TOO much emphasis is placed on American ratings. Voyager, for example, had a vast fanbase in Europe, I suspect Entperprise still does, but if it fails in american eyes, then it'll get canned. it's happened to allot of shows that were wildly popular over here, but before we realised they'd stopped even making it before it was aired here, we couldn't do a sausage about it! I think the only (and sadly) show which ever managed to be saved was Baywatch.. the less said about the Germans taste in music the better

If Enterprise fails it will be because it's been marginalised on American TV, and that's an issue asside from how good or bad you all percieve it to be.

As for ending forever, I am not sure it would, however I would hate to see the abbaration and the ensueing wars of fanboys when such a future product came out. The Problem Trek has today is one of consistency. Yes it often takes a few years for the producers to find their feet, which wouldn't be tollerated on another show (because few shows can be boyed up on their backgrounds quite like Trek can!) - wether you like him or loathe it Roddenbery's vision is the baseline from which all Trek grows. Enteprise took a risk and moved away from it, perhaps it will be successful in it, but as it moves away from it, that makes it harder to hit the mark, because as much as paramount thinks they can appeal to 'non trekies' who do they think they are kidding? It's always going to come down to Trek fans for their audience, unless they trully divorce themselves from it. Now that Trek has no one to support it, and if contnuity (of the remaining staff) is broken then it would be hard, if not impossible to put humpty dumpty back together again.

I have to say, if anything, the thing that will put the final nail in tot he coffin will be appathy.

With regards to coming to these boards... Erm, can someone please point me to 'Dungenons and Dragons the next Generation; the TV series' - you mean there isn't one? you mean you can play a game which is modeled on a world which isn't currently being made as a TV series??!! I mean come on! Fasa made all of their products when Trek wasn't on the airwaves, and purelly on the basis that people wanted to play it. So long as there are people who want to play their own continuing missions, then i think people will, using whatever rules.

I'm still holding out that Decipher won't cancel all of their product lines; though i guess that comes ultimatelly down to wether Entperprise weathers the long night.....

[REG]

Originally posted by Tobian

The other thing i've noticed is that (IMHO) TOO much emphasis is placed on American ratings. Voyager, for example, had a vast fanbase in Europe,...

Yeah, and in Germany, they like David Hasselhoff and his music so much they compare him to Elvis Presley.

So... what's your point? If Paramount decided to move the ENT franchise to Europe and earn ratings in the BBC, then by all means go ahead.

[prophetsteve]

The other thing i've noticed is that (IMHO) TOO much emphasis is placed on American ratings.

Keep in mind that Voyager and Enterprise are different than TNG and DS9 were, in terms of how they are shown in the United States.

TNG and DS9 were syndicated, meaning they weren't attached to any one network. So any network in any region on the United States could buy the show and air it. So in one city UPN might have the rights, while Fox would have it in another. CBS in still another. That gives the show a bit of staying power as if a few stations cancel the show, there are still might be plenty of other stations that can keep the money flowing in (and the show on the air).

Voyager and Enterprise, on the other hand, are shown exclusively on UPN, the United Paramount Network. Its a small network owned by Viacom, currently the (IIRC) 6th largest broadcast network. The problem with Network shows is that if the network isn't happy with the ratings, they will cancel the show. That effects the whole network and basically ends the series. That is what a lot of people are afraid of with Enterprise.

In terms of the predominance of American ratings - again, it isn't an syndicated show in the U.S. Its a network show and thus the ratings for UPN in the United States are the prime indicators of whether a show survives or not. Same as Voyager.

Personally Trek should have stayed syndicated, but such are the whims of the big guys in suits...

[Rayaru]

Originally posted by prophetsteve
Personally Trek should have stayed syndicated, but such are the whims of the big guys in suits...

Agreed, that would have been a nice change. Personally I can't stand UPN except for that one hour every week.

[REG]

Come to Hawaii. We no longer have an UPN affiliate station anymore.

Unfortunately, because UPN and CBS is part of Viacom, our local CBS TV station (KGMB-9) was able to buy airtime for ENT which is shown every late Saturday night around 11:30pm local Hawaiian time (after the syndicated The West Wing).

[Capt. Anderson]

Originally posted by REG
(after the syndicated The West Wing).

Sweet. West Wing is a good show.

[Space_Cadet]

Originally posted by Capt. Anderson
Sweet. West Wing is a good show.

Speaking of which ENT will be competeing against in the ratings with when they move to a new time schedule.

[Rayaru]

I thought that was only for the six-week re-run period?

[REG]

Originally posted by Space_Cadet

Speaking of which ENT will be competeing against in the ratings with when they move to a new time schedule.

I thought ENT is competing with The West Wing in the Wednesday night 9pm timeslot.

When we had UPN in Hawaii, ENT and previously VOY was on at 8pm, local time, about the same time as The West Wing.

[Space_Cadet]

Originally posted by Rayaru
I thought that was only for the six-week re-run period?

my bad.. forgot that it was for reruns