It’s
been a long summer. With threats of Enterprise
being cancelled at the end of season three and then its
new Friday 8:00 time slot announced, Fanboys have had a
lump in their throats. Will Enterprise survive
to live the standard seven year life span? Or will a Trek-filled
market wash out a truly fantastic sci-fi show?
The
producers promise new and exciting things in season four
to grab the wayward Trekkies that have tuned out. Brent
Spiner will appear in the weeks ahead. And there is even
talk of William Shatner showing up.
But
before we roll into the future episodes of Enterprise,
there is the issue of the strange cliffhanger season three
finale. The Xindi weapon has been destroyed. Earth is saved.
The crew believes Captain Archer had been killed on the
Xindi weapon. When they fly into San Francisco they’re
attacked by World War II fighter pilots. Meanwhile, Captain
Archer is discovered in a Nazi prison camp.
So very
confusing. We spent the whole summer speculating. And we
came up with two possible answers. One; the temporal cold
war had turned hot and the time line has been knocked out
of whack. Two; Gary Seven, from the original Star Trek,
warped history and forced himself into the narrative line
of Enterprise, giving him the spin-off show he
was promised in 1969.
You
guessed it. It was the first one. All though one still wonders;
what ever happened to ole Gary Seven…?
The
alternate time line seems like something borrowed from a
Sliders episode. Aliens have helped the Nazis take
over part of the east coast. Germany rules from Washington,
D.C. up to New York, as well as half the European countries.
Star Trek has played around with World War II stories
since Kirk’s days. Even Captain Janeway was dumped
into a two part episode as a French resistance leader.
But
of all of them, this one feels the most believable. First
of all the sets are expansive. As always on Enterprise,
the technical aspect is top notch. Even with the reported
budget cuts. The aerial shots of San Francisco, while totally
CG, look fantastically realistic. This show LOOKS like a
film.
The
characters are as real as any of other nighttime drama.
With three full seasons under their belts, and solid actors
behind them, the personalities are rich with intrigue. The
Xindi terrorist storyline of last year exposed the dark
sides of the key characters. Archer is more dangerous. Trip
is weathered. T’Pol is more emotional. And she didn’t
even take off her top in the season premiere!
But
the aspect that sets Enterprise apart from ANY
other Trek and most television is its continuity.
This show runs like a mini-series. Last season was a painfully
extreme example of the producers' and writers' ability to
focus on one really really really long story. It was like
a season of 24.
Continuity
has always been a big part of Enterprise. And the
season premiere was no different. Sure, this picks up where
the odd cliffhanger left off, so the story would naturally
continue. But subtle characterizations speak volumes. Like
Trip’s emotional state. “I was ready to come
home. Not be dropped into the middle of another –
situation.” It has no real relevance to the narrative
of the show. But it definitely helps map his character arc.
It all
adds up to a great show. This isn’t that crappy Trek
everyone tells each other about. Those people that go around
saying that this show should die probably haven’t
even seen it! Enterprise is solid. And if you’re
not watching it – watch it. And if your friends aren’t
watching it – make them. Invite them over for a Friday
night party and put it on. Put out some Cheetos, a wax Vulcan
ear, talk about the debates, or whatever, then people will
let their eyes linger over the TV and BOOM! They’ll
be hooked by Enterprise. They’ll leave your
party saying, "Gee, I shoulda been watching this LAST
SEASON!” And you can say, “Watch it this season.”
Good
advice. Watch Enterprise this season. You’ll
like it.
