Posted on 02/20/2005 6:43:05 PM PST by pabianice
"Timing is everything." We've all heard that one and it's true. Example: "Star Trek: Enterprise."
Paramount and UPN announced on February 2 that the show was being canceled at the end of this year's run in May. "Enterprise" had hit an all time low, with just a 2.5 rating the week before the announcement. UPN's decision to have placed it on Friday nights in the 'death slot' against the monster SciFi Friday lineup of "Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis," and a white-hot reincarnation of "Battlestar Galactica" almost certainly played a major part in the ratings drop for "Enterprise." However, weak to terrible writing until this season was also a big factor.
Well, the cancellation is official ... just in time for the new creative team headed by Manny Coto ("Odyssey 5") to have kicked in, and the change in the show is startling. The most recent shows have been fast, sharp, and nasty, breaking with the "I'm OK, You're OK" pablum spooned-out starting with Roddenberry's lobotomized "The Next Generation." This past week's "Enterprise" had espionage, danger, and an explanation of that 39-year-old riddle: why did the Klingons in the original "Star Trek" look so human when compared to later versions.
Now that the show has been canceled it is coming into its own with tight writing and interesting stories. Well, maybe Coto can find another show worthy of his talents. Paramount really screwed the pooch with they way they mishandled "Enterprise."
I liked TNG cause of Picard but the rest were lacking...I guess those of us that grew up watching the original even though it was on for just a few seasons became a cult following and not even better visual effects could erase that..........some of the movies I thought were decent...
20 years ago or earlier, it was easy to imagine life on different planets. Now we have a pretty good idea that space is empty and devoid of intelligent life, at least in our corner of the universe. So SF stories on extra-terrestial civilizations ring pretty hollow these days.
They don't seem to be off to a very fast start, but the fans are trying to mount a Save Enterprise campaign.
Of course that's true :-)
I'm curious how they explain it in the show. It resulted in a hilarious scene in Deep Space 9 when they time travel back to the "Trouble with Tribbles" episode with Worf.
Can you believe it? HTeir web site has a long list of "creative staff" but no credit for the music!
Rick Berman Creator, Executive Producer
Robert Blackman Costume Designer
Andre Bormanis Story Editor, Science Consultant, Writer
Brannon Braga Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Writer
LeVar Burton Director
Manny Coto Co-Executive Producer, Writer
Dan Curry Visual Effects Producer, Director
Roxann Dawson Director
Michael Dorn Director
Doug Drexler Illustrator
John Eaves Production Illustrator
Merri Howard Supervising Producer
Peter Lauritson Supervising Producer - Post Production, Director
Robert Duncan McNeill Director
Jim Mees Set Decorator
Denise Okuda Scenic Artist, Video Coordinator
Michael Okuda Scenic Art Supervisor
Garfield Reeves-Stevens Co-Producer
Judith Reeves-Stevens Co-Producer
Gene Roddenberry Creator, Executive Producer
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/ENT/creatives/index.html
I think Babylon 5 was tops.
Fans Unite in Attempt to Save Enterprise
Star Trek fans, discouraged by the recent decision to cancel Enterprise, have united to form a strong grass-roots campaign aimed at letting both Paramount and UPN know that they aren't going to give up the show quietly. The campaign's main thrust is that Star Trek does not need a "rest" and that it should have a place to air, somewhere, even if it isn't on UPN or CBS, the two most high profile Viacom-owned networks.
The strategy for getting the message across includes an ad in the Los Angeles Times that appeared on February 15 (and can be viewed via this link), protests outside the studio and UPN, letter writing, e-mailing, online petitions and even faxing their protests to Paramount. (The fax option, by the way, is the least effective. As a courtesy, please do not send Paramount any faxes. You can, however, e-mail us at community@startrek.com and we can pass your messages along.) We would also like to point out that there may be other campaigns underway to save show that request a monetary donation. We would urge caution before you part with your money as these groups have no connection to Paramount, nor are their activities condoned in any way by the studio.
The history of the campaign to save the show actually began before the end of the third season of Enterprise, as cancellation rumors then were rampant. Two main groups surfaced last year, SaveEnterprise.com and EnterpriseProject.org, both with one goal in mind — to keep the show from going away. In the run-up to the announcement of getting a fourth season, these groups were very vocal and production personnel and the cast were very grateful for their support. (Not to mention the positive feedback from fans across the globe!)
After the powers that be reached a deal for a reduced licensing fee between UPN and Paramount Network Television, the show was given the go ahead for a fourth season. It survived to reach the requisite number of hours to go into syndication (around 100) but was then given the ax this year when lackluster viewing figures followed the show's move to Friday nights at 8:00 p.m. Although the ratings never improved significantly to ensure a fifth season, the show featured decidedly stronger storylines and increased interest amongst long-time Star Trek fans who were intrigued by the plots that sought to tie in elements of the Original Series or Star Trek: The Next Generation. Sadly, it wasn't enough. Other factors were also in play, as Scott Bakula said in a recent STARTREK.COM chat, "Unfortunately we don't fit into UPN's business plan and really haven't for the last two and a half years."
Times change and the entertainment industry has evolved over the years. Sure, we would all like to see the show continue in some form. But the reality of producing live-action TV now is far removed from the days of three networks and a handful of shows that were watched by several million people. Nowadays the many offerings from cable networks have fragmented the audience to such a degree that viewing figures once considered unexceptional are now looked upon as viable for a show to continue production. Enterprise, however, does not fit into this category right now and the future of Star Trek remains unknown. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as Star Trek has been on extended breaks before: Ten years elapsed between the Original Series and the first movie, plus another eight years before production on TNG commenced.
There is one thing that is certain — Star Trek will never die. The fans posses the katra of Trek, they will never forget the show or let it slip away. They will always remember.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/9581.html
Science fiction pretty much saved my life, but shows like X Files are where it's at. I'd change my freepname to invisigoth but that would be like Rush changing his intro music :-)
I think that sticks with you--I know I still am attached to stuff I read/watched as a kid. But I always thought the acting in the old show cheesy. I enjoyed it, but TNG was just so gawdawful, preachy and dull.
I liked a couple of movies, but they were mediocre. There aren't too many great scenes in them, we just like spending time with those characters. But they're really embarassing, especially the next generation ones, in terms of acting and drama.
I'm not dumping on the fans, I don't care, it's not bugging me, and I get no joy out of the cancellation. I just never thought it was all it was cracked up to be.
Why is it on FR I read a lot of 'too much PC' stuff in Star Trek. Why is that?
Figures. It's not you, it's my bad luck--obsession with film music is a disease, Paramount probably just doesn't want to feed the addiction...
The morality in the show is PC--i.e. the "right" politics is always shown to be, uh, right. Euthanasia, abortion, the military, capitalism--as soon as I mention those topics, I know how ST will deal with them.
Hope that helps a little.
Science fiction isn't science fiction anymore. It's post-modernism with a beard. Make real science fiction and it will find an audience.
That T'Pol's a babe. I'm going to miss the cat suit.
good point
I know what you mean....but I was I think about 11 or so when it first came out and there were not many shows like it so we all thought Capt Kirk was awesome along with all the others.....I'm fascinated in space, more like astrophysics so it was just kind of neat......just like an old era passing when Kirk died.......I even cried.....silly me
You have a point. I liked Next Generation rather than the original.
Answer: The Klingons retrieved some of the engineered DNA from Dr. Sung's experiments salvaged from the destroyed bird of pray and mixed them with Klingon DNA. They were so impressed with the fact that two altered Humans destroyed a full crew, they wanted to match the experiments. The result was a Human/klimgon hybrid, a deadly desease, no brow ridges, and a directive from the High Council to methodically destroy all infected Klingons en masse to prevent a genecide. Now Flox has to find a cure.
Pretty good call. :-)
Agreed. This year has finally been watchable. The prior seasons were tripe. Star Trek will only be reborn once Berman and Braga finally burn in hell like they should.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.