Enterprise 25 Feb 03

[myrdden]

Plot

Archer and Trip are mistakenly arrested and sent to a penal colony aboard a prison transport.


Thoughts on the episode...


Eh. It wasn't bad but not memorable either. There really isn't much to comment on. Pretty standard plot with nothing unexpected or even overly entertaining. There were a few moments with Trip that were sort of funny but that's about it. Not a remarkable episode, but not bad.

I will comment that the writers need to remember that there are other crewmembers to write about. Is it really practical that the Captain and the Engineer always leave the ship? Or is it that these two always get into trouble when paired together? Whatever the case may be, they need more stories about the other characters.

I give this episode a 6/10 - not overly inspiring but it got the job done.

Myrdden

 

[Wolf72]

um so where are you from??

I have to wait until tonight to watch it ... (wed 26 feb)

*wolf kicks myrdden in the shin* ... not fair!!! ... well okay it is, but I don't have to like it.

 

[myrdden]

um so where are you from??

I have to wait until tonight to watch it ... (wed 26 feb)

*wolf kicks myrdden in the shin* ... not fair!!! ... well okay it is, but I don't have to like it.

You assume I have shins...

Myrdden

 

[Darius101]

The satellite feed to the stations are on tuesdays around 5pm EST .
I have a friend that tapes them for me without the commercials because the feed is without comercials. At least that is what he told me and he always comes through for me. I watch them after work on wednesdays.



Am I right? huhuhuhuhuhuh?

Darius

 

[Mark CMG]

They're making a big push for this episode and focusing on its episode name, rather than the Enterprise name in the ads. I wonder if this is something they will continue to do, or if they are just doing it to bring that "Atica" (sp?) feel to it as a "Prison Flick"...

 

[Wolf72]

what was the deal with the whole cannamar publicity? ... it seemed very voyager-like for all the pumping up they did.

 

[Mark CMG]

what was the deal with the whole cannamar publicity? ... it seemed very voyager-like for all the pumping up they did.

Judging by the ads and the tenor of the episode, I think they were trying to broaden the appeal and increase their audience with this episode, which also follows the idea that it was a "stand alone" plot.

Not a bad episode, IMO, but not overly inspired, either. It didn't advance the characters so much as affirm them. That, again, speaks to my assertion of its marketing focus.

No real complaints except that it makes me anxious to get to the next episode. If the ploy works, we'll all be watching it with a few extra people next week. *shrug*

 

[myrdden]

No real complaints except that it makes me anxious to get to the next episode. If the ploy works, we'll all be watching it with a few extra people next week. *shrug*

Does it really work though?

I mean the entire Star Trek franchise has a huge, rather devoted following. How does pumping up one episode (and a dull one at that) really influence the viewing public? Either people are going to tune in because it is Start Trek or not.

Sure ENT is a new series, but since it is part of the ST franchise it is just a continuation of a well established family of shows.

I think they need to focus more on satisfying their existing "customer base".

Myrdden

 

[Mark CMG]

Does it really work though?

I mean the entire Star Trek franchise has a huge, rather devoted following. How does pumping up one episode (and a dull one at that) really influence the viewing public? Either people are going to tune in because it is Start Trek or not.

Sure ENT is a new series, but since it is part of the ST franchise it is just a continuation of a well established family of shows.

I think they need to focus more on satisfying their existing "customer base".

Myrdden

Dull from our perspective, perhaps, since we're into the arcs and characters. But form the perspective of a new fan the characters are simple enough to identify with (and easy to pick out who since there are only two humans on the transport ship.) Couple that with it being a story that has been told before (falsely accused on the way to prison), so it "feels" familiar even if the setting warrants making a bit of a leap for the non-Sci-Fi fan. Didn't they also just rerun the film The Fugitive on the same station a week or two ago? That's astute programming, if you ask me.

As to satisfying the existing customer base, that's only going to go so far. Without increasing the market share, they are doomed to losing as people tend to drop off for reason personal or private, real or imagined, no matter what they do from week to week. If the internet is nothing else, it is a barometer of how little ST fans will tolerate tampering with their expectations even as they constantly cry out for innovation.

 

[myrdden]

As to satisfying the existing customer base, that's only going to go so far. Without increasing the market share, they are doomed to losing as people tend to drop off for reason personal or private, real or imagined, no matter what they do from week to week. If the internet is nothing else, it is a barometer of how little ST fans will tolerate tampering with their expectations even as they constantly cry out for innovation.

I agree with you regarding market share. I don't object to trying different strategies to improve the postion of the show. I'm just not entirely convinced that this particular strategy works overly well with such an entrenched franchise. But who knows? Still, if you are going to use this approach at least use a more exciting episode! Sure it was easy to identify with, but it was still boring.

Myrdden