Enterprise 03-03-04

[Mark]

Enterprise - "Azati Prime"

The Enterprise's plan to steal the Xindi's superweapon comes under scrutiny when Archer, 400 years in the future, learns of a conspiracy to pit humanity against the Xindi.

Cast: Scott Bakula, Connor Trinneer, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, John Billingsley.

Guest(s): Rick Worthy as Xindi Sloth, Randy Oglesby as Degra, Scott MacDonald as Xindi-Reptillian, Tucker Smallwood as Xindi Humanoid", Matt Winston as Daniels, & Christopher Goodman as Degra's Assistant.

Welcome back, Daniels. Your mother and I kept your old room just as you left it...

 

[Wycen]

Enterprise - "Azati Prime"

The Enterprise's plan to steal the Xindi's superweapon comes under scrutiny when Archer, 400 years in the future, learns of a conspiracy to pit humanity against the Xindi.

Welcome back, Daniels. Your mother and I kept your old room just as you left it...

Oh crap. If this turns out to be something akin to Who Shot JR, this show is dead.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Great, ruin a perfectly good story arc by reintroducing that temporal cold war crap. You know, they could have spent the last couple of episodes actually having Enterprise find this out on their own, instead of mindless fluff and then Insta-Plot Hook (tm).

I have a theory... I think TPTB actually told the Enterprise staff to show filler during sweeps, because they figured their ratings would be lower, since the big three would be pulling out all the stops. Why waste storyline episodes, which arguably require more to jump into, during a period when your ratings will be low anyway? Better to have stand-alone episodes that won't alienate random watchers. SFC does the same thing, they actually show repeats often during November, February, and May.

 

[DMScott]

Great, ruin a perfectly good story arc by reintroducing that temporal cold war crap.

Well, they did have the TCW built in from the start - parts of the first Xindi weapon were from the future. Like so many other plot elements this season, rather than build them into the story and reveal them a bit at a time, the writers obviously decided to ignore it until a cheesy "reveal" episode.

This episode might indicate a Voyager plotline being picked up. 400 years in the future from the 2150s is the 26th century - in one Voyager episode where they visited present day earth, the villain had a "time pod" that was developed in the 26th century. Maybe Braxton will show up for a guest appearance - I'm sure we can all agree that what Enterprise really needs is more Voyager influences... (ducks and runs).

 

[John Crichton]

Well, they did have the TCW built in from the start

Just to go OT for a sec. Every time I read TCW I can't help but think of the TCW (Tasty Coma Wife) from Scrubs.

I digress...

Okay, as for the TCW: we all knew it was still part of the story. The whole reason this thing is happening is because someone has been screwing with the past. I like that part of the arc. It ain't great but it's better than filler.

 

[Datt]

Now you have me doing that John. Thanks. Of course it's not a bad thing to think about.

I thought Archer was going farther than 400 years into the future? Wouldn't 400 years put him close to the TNG timeline?

 

[Truth Seeker]

Early review.....

Aintitcoolnews site...gave a review on tonight's new last piece before the reruns..

*WARNING*...some spoilers ahead...some I say...

http://www.aintitcoolnews.com/display.cgi?id=17109

There might be a lag...methink many are seeking to see the possible revealing report.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Okay, as for the TCW: we all knew it was still part of the story. The whole reason this thing is happening is because someone has been screwing with the past. I like that part of the arc. It ain't great but it's better than filler.

That is true. I guess I just have a knee-jerk reaction when it comes to time travel and Trek. I sometimes forget that the show is constrained in what it can and can't do, because they have to stick to "continuity".

 

[John Crichton]

That is true. I guess I just have a knee-jerk reaction when it comes to time travel and Trek. I sometimes forget that the show is constrained in what it can and can't do, because they have to stick to "continuity".

It's okay. Maybe you just don't like the time travel thing. Enterprise has been a mixed bag for me. I still defend it and I do like but it's not great. I do hope Enterprise continues beyond this year. I'd like to see at least 5 full seasons just to see what they do with it. I'd love to see what a non B&B production team could do with it. Paramount has some good talent available to them. If you do a little research you'll find that some of the directors that have worked on Enterprise have worked on great shows like Buffy, Angel and Firefly. I do think Trek could due to take some risks and shake things up a bit.

The bottom line for me is that I like Enterprise but I usually don't mind if I miss an ep here and there. If I didn't have TiVo I would have missed considerably more eps than I already have from this season (bad timeslot and all). I think that after Enterprise is done there should be no Trek for a few years, at least on TV. Maybe a movie or mini-series. Let Paramount put together a creative team that works. Let some desire for Trek build up again and bring it back with a bang. The sick thing about what I'm saying is exactly what I said before Enterprise was on the air. It was right after DS9 ended and around the time Insurection (bleh) was released.

Um, yeah. That said, I am looking forward to this week's ep.

 

[DMScott]

I thought Archer was going farther than 400 years into the future? Wouldn't 400 years put him close to the TNG timeline?

Enterprise takes place in the 2150s. TNG is the 2360s (a second season episode mentions that it's the year 2364), 400 years after Archer would be the 2550s, give or take.

That is true. I guess I just have a knee-jerk reaction when it comes to time travel and Trek. I sometimes forget that the show is constrained in what it can and can't do, because they have to stick to "continuity".

I don't think they're sticking to continuity all that much. They've met the Ferengi and the Borg, changed first contact with the Klingons, and generally taken a hatchet to the continuity. I think it's more that they're constrained by the sensibilities developed through TNG, DS9, and Voyager - always find the diplomatic solution, always take the moral high ground at all costs, always fight non-destructively, and always have a deus ex machina that lets them win despite those restraints.

Time travel can be very effective when done right; the problem really is that modern Trek writers treat it as a cute gimmick rather than an opportunity to tell a meaningful story. By chance, the original series episode "City on the Edge of Forever" is on as I write this... if every jaunt through time was even half as well written, nobody would ever complain about time travel episodes.