Why Enterprise Failed?

[Ranger REG]

I saw the Voyager pilot and immediately suspected that the show was going focus on the overly-mystical nonsense that plagued the worst episodes of TNG, and therefore would suck.

And what overly-mystical nonsense are you talking about in your above near-nonsensical statement?

 

[Dark Psion]

Okay, this I don't get.

I saw the Voyager pilot and immediately suspected that the show was going focus on the overly-mystical nonsense that plagued the worst episodes of TNG, and therefore would suck.

No, the key aspect of Voyager's premise is that it would be free of the franchise. Off in the Delta Quadrant there would be no Klingons, Romulans and Star Fleet. New worlds, races and technology.

Add to that a Starfleet crew having to work with a Maquis crew, Both would have to adapt to survive. And the starship Voyager does not have any Starbases to get new supllies or be repaired, they have to make do with whatever alien technoligies they can find, barter for and even steal.

A flawed crew of on a failing starship in unknown space and everyone knows that somewhere out there between them and the Alpha Quadrant are the Borg!

 

[VorpalBunny]

No, the key aspect of Voyager's premise is that it would be free of the franchise. Off in the Delta Quadrant there would be no Klingons, Romulans and Star Fleet. New worlds, races and technology.

Add to that a Starfleet crew having to work with a Maquis crew, Both would have to adapt to survive. And the starship Voyager does not have any Starbases to get new supllies or be repaired, they have to make do with whatever alien technoligies they can find, barter for and even steal.

And that in a nutshell is why Voyager is sub-par, IMO. The show has no relevance to the Alpha Quadrant. TNG & DS9 both contributed to the Trek canon and furthered the "storyline", while Voyager didn't. I mean, do you think we'll see Vidians, Hirogen or Kazon in Trek ever again? Most likely not, because in the "big picture" they're 70,000 light years away and really don't matter to the Federation, Gorn, Klingons, Tholians, and other denizens of the alpha and beta quadrants. Additionally, it's hard to get jazzed about a Trek show that as a rule will not include the iconic races and political climate of Star Trek: the stuff that makes Star Trek "Star Trek" and not "Lost in Space: The Next Generation".

Even the inter-crew "conflict" didn't go anywhere. The Maquis assimilated *very* easily into the Voyager crew and Starfleet - to the point where they were given and readily accepted "honorary" Starfleet comissions and even marrying Starfleet personnel.

 

[drothgery]

And what overly-mystical nonsense are you talking about in your above near-nonsensical statement?

The thing that got them to the Delta Quadrant (and couldn't get them back) and Kes, for starters.

 

[Umbran]

The thing that got them to the Delta Quadrant (and couldn't get them back) ....

If spotty long-distance transport is "mystical", then Trek has been myscial since the first transporter accident back in TOS. And Kes wasn't at all mystical in the pilot, as I recall it. Her powers didn't become evident until much later. Teh only thing special abouty her at that point was her short lifespan.

 

[mojo1701]

And that in a nutshell is why Voyager is sub-par, IMO. The show has no relevance to the Alpha Quadrant. TNG & DS9 both contributed to the Trek canon and furthered the "storyline", while Voyager didn't. I mean, do you think we'll see Vidians, Hirogen or Kazon in Trek ever again? Most likely not, because in the "big picture" they're 70,000 light years away and really don't matter to the Federation, Gorn, Klingons, Tholians, and other denizens of the alpha and beta quadrants.

Remember what Q said: "Humans aren't supposed to be in [the delta] quadrant for another hundred years!" So, if it were set 100 years later (at least), then possibly...

 

[Ranger REG]

Remember what Q said: "Humans aren't supposed to be in [the delta] quadrant for another hundred years!" So, if it were set 100 years later (at least), then possibly...

Now you know why Q is pissed at Humaniti and constantly nag at Picard.

 

[Ranger REG]

The thing that got them to the Delta Quadrant (and couldn't get them back) and Kes, for starters.

You mean the existence of cultures more advanced than humans? Shocking, isn't it.

Yes, we have replayed the scenarios in our minds in other messageboards and mailing list. "Why didn't they plant a time bomb that detonate AFTER they got transported back?" "Why didn't they sacrifice one person -- perhaps Kes and Neelix, or one voluntary starfleet crewmember -- to ensure the bomb have utterly destroyed the Collector's Array so it won't be used or salvaged by the Kazons?"

Umbran already explained Kes.

 

[Staffan]

And that in a nutshell is why Voyager is sub-par, IMO. The show has no relevance to the Alpha Quadrant. TNG & DS9 both contributed to the Trek canon and furthered the "storyline", while Voyager didn't. I mean, do you think we'll see Vidians, Hirogen or Kazon in Trek ever again? Most likely not, because in the "big picture" they're 70,000 light years away and really don't matter to the Federation, Gorn, Klingons, Tholians, and other denizens of the alpha and beta quadrants. Additionally, it's hard to get jazzed about a Trek show that as a rule will not include the iconic races and political climate of Star Trek: the stuff that makes Star Trek "Star Trek" and not "Lost in Space: The Next Generation".

On the other hand, this offers an opportunity to actually "boldly go where no man has gone before." In the TNG era, the Federation and the surrounding empires are pretty well-known, so adding too much new stuff grates on the sense of disbelief. Adding new stuff on the other side of the galaxy, however, is a lot easier.

Even the inter-crew "conflict" didn't go anywhere. The Maquis assimilated *very* easily into the Voyager crew and Starfleet - to the point where they were given and readily accepted "honorary" Starfleet comissions and even marrying Starfleet personnel.

That's what we call "wasting a good premise." The issue at hand was that the Voyager pilot presented us with an exciting and interesting situation, part of which was that the Maquis and Starfleet would have to work together. The fact that they totally fumbled the follow-up to that premise doesn't mean it wasn't a good premise to begin with.

 

[VorpalBunny]

On the other hand, this offers an opportunity to actually "boldly go where no man has gone before." In the TNG era, the Federation and the surrounding empires are pretty well-known, so adding too much new stuff grates on the sense of disbelief. Adding new stuff on the other side of the galaxy, however, is a lot easier.

Maybe, but DS9 managed to introduce the "new stuff" on the other side of the galaxy AND still managed to give fans a decent helping of Klingons and Romulans. Hell, it even made the Ferengi a watchable race.

That's what we call "wasting a good premise." The issue at hand was that the Voyager pilot presented us with an exciting and interesting situation, part of which was that the Maquis and Starfleet would have to work together. The fact that they totally fumbled the follow-up to that premise doesn't mean it wasn't a good premise to begin with.

I agree, it was a good premise - but the fumble was symptom of lousy storytelling - IMO a major contributor to the (for lack of a better trem) continuing "downward spiral" of ENT and Star Trek in general. Did the writers not have enough time in 7 seasons and 270+ episodes to deliver some Maquis/Starfleet conflict?