Enterprise 09-10-03 (Season Premiere!)

[uv23]

but I found that this scene didn't seem to fit with the mood and tone created by the rest of the episode, really breaking the flow.

I agree. Other than that discontinuity, I enjoyed the episode. Good season opener. I like the inclusion of the military types and I thought the villain was acted convincingly.

Rants: I am once more dissapointed by the absolute crap cg effects, especially considering the show's budget (then again I'll always complain when people don't use real miniatures and models). And I thought the opening theme was actually worse; it sounded like a wishy washy blend of the old crap song and a classical score, as though the two were being mixed together by an incomeptent DJ who couldn't decide which track to give prominence to.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I thought it was good in comparison to last years episodes but it better be at least average for this year or I will finaly give up on it. I did like the ending with the Xindi Council.

 

[Mort]

Overall, I liked the episode and I really liked the possible new villains – suitably menacing and mysterious.

That said at least two things really bugged me:

1) I agree that the gratuitous nude scene with Jolene Blalock was wholly unnecessary; it added nothing to the episode and actually seemed completely out of place.

2) I’m getting sick and tired of the writers putting Archer in situations that no reasonable ship captain would be in. This was an unknown environment in an obviously dangerous situation, I don’t care how irrational the crew is because of tragedy – their first thought would not be “I know, lets send the most important figure on the ship to watch him nearly get killed again.”

 

[Mouseferatu]

And I thought the opening theme was actually worse; it sounded like a wishy washy blend of the old crap song and a classical score, as though the two were being mixed together by an incomeptent DJ who couldn't decide which track to give prominence to.

Before I comment on this, you should all know where I'm coming from.

I've hated the opening theme since the first episode. First, I find the song itself boring and seriously overwrought and sappy. Second, I dislike the singer's voice. And third, I'm an enormous fan of rousing orchestral scores for sci-fi. Yes, people have argued that it was worth trying this way because it hadn't been done before on Star Trek. I'd respond with, "There's a reason for that."

Okay, now that the prelims are out of the way...

I feel that even if I accept the notion that some people liked the song, and that some people felt it was appropriate for Enterprise up to this point, that it is absolutely inappropriate for the tenor of this season. We're not exploring anymore. We're not expanding the human frontier, or showing how perseverance and grit pay off. We're at war. The Enterprise is on a 100% military mission. This is--if today's episode, the teaser for next week, and the various hints we've heard to date are all accurate--a much darker, grimmer season than the past two. Surely now, even if not before, an orchestral score, or at least something other than "Faith of the Heart", is more appropriate.

I actually found that, even more than the gratuitous nudity, was one of the only few major downsides of the episode for me. I wanted something stirring and exciting, not syrupy enough to send a diabetic into shock.

Where are the main themes from Deep Space 9 and the third season of Babylon 5 when you need them?

 

[Wycen]

I'm still confused as to the debris field.

I believe the debris field is the result of the Xindi planet being destroyed. It was supposed to be destroyed 400 years in the future, but scans showed it had been destroyed 125 years ago.

So, did the temporal war alien lie to Archer about the cause, or is he part of the cause or is something else in the works?

 

[Mouseferatu]

I believe the debris field is the result of the Xindi planet being destroyed. It was supposed to be destroyed 400 years in the future, but scans showed it had been destroyed 125 years ago.

So, did the temporal war alien lie to Archer about the cause, or is he part of the cause or is something else in the works?

Of course, the Xindi homeworld to be destroyed in 400 years may simply be the world to which they moved after their first homeworld was destroyed.

(Note: I don't actually think the explanation is going to be that mundane/that much of a cop-out. But I just thought I'd throw it out there.)

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Well, anyone care to give a plot synopsis for people like me, who will see the new episodes approximately in 1 year (if it works well )?

Mustrum "The only series I don`t want to get spoiled is 24, at least until now" Ridcully

PS:
This is my first post since the board update, because I didn`t figure out I had to change to the new adress! Oh, look at all the new functions!

 

[John Crichton]

Well, anyone care to give a plot synopsis for people like me, who will see the new episodes approximately in 1 year (if it works well )?

Mustrum "The only series I don`t want to get spoiled is 24, at least until now" Ridcully

PS:
This is my first post since the board update, because I didn`t figure out I had to change to the new adress! Oh, look at all the new functions!

http://www.aintitcoolnews.com/display.cgi?id=16045

Spoilers, of course.

 

[John Crichton]

My thoughts

In short - I enjoyed it.

It wasn't great nor did it blow me away but I was dissappointed when the hour was over. Nothing really new to see here but what was there was done well.

Aliens

I liked the look of the Xindi and miners alot. The miners reminded me of a race from Star Wars, which is maybe why I liked them, but they looked cool and the foreman worked as this week's slimy adversary.

The "Xindi Counsel" worked for me. I like the concept of many species forming a not-so-amicable collective. I look forward to more scenes with them.

Crew Members: New & Old

Nothing too exciting here but they didn't detract from the show and their action scene was well done. It was good to see Gavin (from Angel) back on another show. I like that actor.

Trip's personal issues, Archer's determination and Malcolm's problem with the new soldiers were addressed and not as completely predictable as I thought. I didn't mind the doc's solution to Trip's sleeping problem as that character has proven on more than one occassion to be willing to try anything to cure and patient. The fact that T'pol is a knockout was obviously part of his plan to help/distract Trip from his problem.

Archer's new 'tude works and I think Bakula can pull driven off very well. Is the Archer character a great character? No, but neither was Sisko and I still loved DS9. He is a plausible character that I happen to like. It will be interesting to see how far Archer is willing to go to get what he wants.

I thought Malcolm's problems with the new troops would be a little more dirty than they ended up being. It seemed to get tightened up in the end a bit too cleanly, which isn't really a bad thing since it was basically glossed over and the marines did whoop some butt in the rescue operation. I was hoping that the marines would provide some interesting conflicts and relationships aboard Enterprise would remains to be seen. I hope the writers are thinking the same thing.

Boobs

Didn't jar me at all. Yes, Jolene Blalock is gorgeous - she reminds me of a woman I work with. Anyway, I found that scene very lighthearted and laughed out loud more than once which I think was intended. She was obviously trying to be coy (in a Vulcan way) and not doing a great job at it. Trip's response was quite funny and entertaining. It will be interesting, or at the very least amusing, to see where their relationship goes.

Overall

Acting was good all around, especially the alien foreman. The effects didn't blow me away but weren't distracting. The main action scene clicked and clearly showed what the new troops are capable of. New theme - I couldn't care less. I don't hate it and don't love it. I usually skip the credits anyway unless I watch it live which I almost never have time to do.

Final Grade: 2.5 out of 4 stars - Entertaining & engaging. I want to know more about the Xindi.

4 = Classic. Blew me away from start to finish.
3 = Very good. Entertaining and a worthwhile experience.
2 = Average. Watchable but flawed.
1 = Terrible. Unwatchable dreck.
0 = I wish I had that time back. So bad that I may never watch the show again.

 

[Eridanis]

I really really really want to like ENTERPRISE. But the writing just puts me off again and again.

I decided to start fresh this season and give it another go. Then, like three minutes in to the episode, when they're in the new control room, Archer says something along the lines of, "What did this space used to be used for?" I lost it. Are you teling me that the captain of this spaceship, Earth's great hope, doesn't know his own ship inside & out? It's like me going away for the weekend, my wife having WHILE YOU WERE OUT come in and redo the basement into a rec room, and me coming home and saying, "Gee, honey, this is great! What did this room use to be?"

Yes, yes, I know that they're trying to cover exposition with that line. But why not make Archer seem less like an idiot by saying something along the lines of, "Where did (gadgetXYZ) go, that used to be in this storage compartment?"

Sigh. So I went downstairs and tried to install Startfleet Command III on my computer - which didn't work either. Maybe someone's trying to tell me something.