Star Trek

[JJtheCool]

BBOvenGuy wrote:

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This is not your father's Star Trek. It's not Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, either.



However, there is one way that Enterprise is more like the original Trek than all the other spinoffs - it's much more a reflection of the real world times in which it's being made. Although I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing.

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Good point, Bob. Although w/ the way our country is going about our business in the world, the series reflection on how this is shaping up, providing a cautionary tale in the process, could make it a good thing.

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The way Archer & co. are behaving really disturbs me, to the point where I keep hoping it's supposed to be disturbing, and that sooner or later there will be some kind of "what the hell are we doing?" moment when they'll all snap out of it and come to their senses. But I doubt it. Not if the Xindi really are the bunch of cartoon-villains that their first appearance has made them out to be.

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Having watched tonite's ep it seems Archer is getting worse in his behavior as this story goes along. Trip I could understand him being this way, but Archer's attitude is more worrisome. He is the Captain after all, and Captain's are generally supposed to be above this kind of stuff.

JJtheCool

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*Sigh*

[Sheridan]

I saw the TNG pilot on video at an OU summer school. Me and a bunch of mature students laughing at how cheesy 'Encounter At Farpoint' was. Seven years later I was glued to Sky One miserable it was all over. Couldn't really pick a favorite ep from each series, much easier to do it in categories:

comedy: Trouble With TribblesTrials and tribbilations(ClassicDS9)

Character story: The Inner Light(TNG)

Drama: Best of Both Worlds(TNG)

Action: Favors The BoldSacrifice of Angels(DS9)

Willow: ...I have to tell you....

Tara: No, I understand you have to be with the person you l-love

Willow: I am

[WebWarlock]

Yeah my dorm did a special "Star Trek" night when "Encounter at Farpoint" aired. Boy was it bad. And then I was there watching, with the same girl actually, "All Good Things" which was in my opinion the best ever ending to a series.



I mentioned in another thread that to be some of the best Trek episodes ever dealt with love and the lengths people will go for it. For example:

"City on the Edge of Forever" Kirk's love for Edith Keeler

"STII: Wrath of Kahn" Spock's love (don't pretend it was anything else) for his friends and crew.

"The Inner Light" Picard's love for a life he could never have himself.

"Duet" Kira's love for her people.

"The Visitor" Jake Sisko's love for his father.

And the book "Imzadi" for Riker's love for Troi.



I do like the action ones, but they fade for me after a while. My wife and I still love "Darmok" and we joke about things that would be in our own Tamarian dictionary (we are geeks you see).



Warlock

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Web Warlock

The Other Side,
home of Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks: Available October 31st, 2003!

“Well-behaved women rarely make history.” - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich,
Professor Harvard University.

[Kalita]

Well, tonight's Enterprise was somewhat better than I'd hoped; the 'beguiling seductress' was still a big part of the plot, but there was other stuff going on too.



As far as she went, there were a few interesting moments as far as Kiten-interest goes; I'll -spoiler- them for the plot fanatics:

She's got this weird ability to approach people, calm them, get their interest, then do some funky scan-thing over their temples, down their torso, and back around their hips to their spine; she does this first to the captain, and leaves him oddly confused over the whole thing afterward. Later, she's looking over the transporter when Hoshi (!) shows up. Evil girl turns on her charms, and Hoshi's drawn right in. They go into a turbolift together, Hoshi being very interested in learning languages (heh, hem) from her.



The big scene, though, is in T'pol's quarters (!!!) when she's in her skivvies waiting for the nightly neuropressure session with Trip. Evil girl shows up yet again and has trouble calming the subcommander enough to move in. She eventually does, but T'pol wakes up just as her spine is getting the scan treatment. Big tossy girl-fight ensues, your usual cliche. Trip manages to open the door; finds T'pol unconscious and is knocked to the floor by Evil girl. She gets out, but he calls security and she's collared.



It's certainly somewhat interesting to see the only two female regulars interacting with another female character, but as it's all Evil and against their will, it's still not really worth getting too excited about. But, there you go.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. "

- Margaret Mead

[sam7777]

Enterprise is having another poor ratings season and is facing being the first Trek iteration to fail to air for seven seasons since the first one:

Moonves Says UPN Can Improve, But Lackluster Ratings Not Winning ENT Much Confidence

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UPN and CBS president Leslie Moonves speaks in the Hollywood Reporter today about the STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE network's woes this season. Although rival WB has been hit harder this year, UPN has finished last in most major demographics thusfar and lacks a clear ratings hit. Although the first half of season three has plugged the ratings hole from last spring, Moonves is decidedly cool on ENTERPRISE's future.



"We need help Wednesday. The numbers are disappointing," Moonves says. He goes on to say of ENTERPRISE, "It's one thing we're going to look at."



This season ENTERPRISE has declined 24% in the Adults 18-34 demographic, and while the WB's competitor SMALLVILLE has out-performed the sci-fi franchise, the move has contributed to declines for the Superman prequel. ENTERPRISE did score its highest ratings since last December with the November episode "Similitude" (story) and has posted gains on the second half of last season. However, speculation swirled last week after Paramount confirmed that UPN has reduced its order for ENT from the traditional 26 episodes to 24 (story), bringing it in line with most dramas, but marking a distinct change for STAR TREK.

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I watched the season opener but wasn't inspired enough to keep watching.

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I see dead lesbian cliches

[BBOvenGuy]

That's too bad, because I think Enterprise has been on a comeback this season. I didn't expect the USS Payback storyline to work, but it has. I guess just getting out from under the continuity mountain of TNG, DS9 and Voyager did them good. Too bad the ratings don't agree.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

[sam7777]

Trek since the original series has had the luxury of 3-4 guaranteed seasons. This gives them the chance to retool the show that others don't get. They haven't always made the best of this advantage.



Enterprise News Not So Bad?

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There's no reason to worry for the survival of Star Trek: Enterprise, despite a shortened schedule this year. That's according to a report at Sy Fy Portal, which quotes an inside source as saying that the show is not in immediate danger of cancellation. In spite of scuttlebutt about a possible cancellation, Sy Fy's report says that Enterprise's voyage will continue.



"The ratings for the show are above expectations. Critics can attack us against Superman all they want. But we're holding our own." The insider suggested, however, that the show's future would not be 100% certain until UPN made an official pronouncement.



The unexpected decision last week to shorten Enterprise's third season, from 26 episodes to 24, suggested several possibilities. One was that UPN was considering an early end to the series, and that a fourth season – also of 24 episodes – could fulfill the show's 100-episode obligation.



Another suggestion was brought forth by an IGN FilmForce reader with acquaintances behind the scenes of Star Trek. According to his information, Enterprise is an expensive and difficult show to produce, and Paramount just can't afford to put out 26 new installments this year. If there is a budget shortfall, it's not clear to what extent the show's ratings could be responsible.



Also boding well for the show is UPN's denial of the rumor that Enterprise might be moving to Fridays. Mediaweek's Marc Berman received assurances that the show would stick to Wednesdays after hinting at a change in his daily column.

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TrekToday News Bullets

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TrekZone.de reports that Germany's SAT.1 has stopped airing the second season of Enterprise due to low ratings that are no longer acceptable.

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Press-Enterprise (subscription) , CA - Dec 22, 2003

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With its ratings at a measly Warp 2, "Star Trek: Enterprise" might be the first

"Trek" since the original not to make it to the seven-season mark.

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Putting the Roddenberry Back in Star Trek

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Many fans may point to the loss of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, as a leading factor in the franchise's decline. As a visionary and a captain, his shoes at Paramount may never be filled; however, the decision-makers behind Enterprise and the ongoing Star Trek films may bring on another Roddenberry to address some of their most pressing problems.



Eugene W. Roddenberry, one of Gene Roddenberry's sons, tells Sy Fy Portal that he is in negotiations to become an official representative of Viacom-Paramount. If the deal is made, Eugene would serve as a conduit and liaison between the studio and the franchise's fans. It is hoped that Roddenberry Junior might heal the rift between Star Trek's producers and the once-devoted viewers who have become disenfranchised and disinterested in recent years.



Roddenberry, who has long had an online Trek-related presence through his online store, says the negotiations are part of the reworking of the Roddenberry family's merchandise deal. It's not clear yet how much influence – if any – with Star Trek's producers Roddenberry would have.



Could this be a sign that Viacom-Paramount is finally addressing their own unwillingness and inability to make a product that fans want to watch? Does it mean that the studio is willing to do less dictating and more creating? Roddenberry seems to think it's possible.



"People always ask me if I know what [Star Trek executive producer] Rick Berman is doing, because people think I have him on speed dial," Roddenberry said. "Paramount could be listening to me on how to get the fans more involved, and how to not keep pissing them off. We could help make Paramount more user friendly. It's a waste of time and money for them to be the evil empire.



"I think they're open to some new ideas. They don't have to let the cat out of the bag on everything, but it is OK to leak a few things here and there, and strategize. It might be a bit more of a pipe dream, but the door is open. Negotiations are being done, and they seem willing to use my connection to the audience and the fans for good."



Producer Rick Berman is more and more the man that fans point fingers at when they criticize the decline of their favorite sci-fi franchise. Longtime Trek writer Ron Moore told IGN Filmforce in an exclusive interview this week how Berman's hold and control over the franchise was beginning to grow even while Roddenberry was still alive, back in the heady days of The Next Generation.



IGNFF: When you talk about the rise of Rick's influence in the show, and the transition from Gene to Rick, these "rules" that pop up seem quite arbitrary…



MOORE: Well, we certainly felt that they were, at times. I remember when we started, Rick had a rule that he said was Gene's rule – and I don't know that it really was…



IGNFF: But he could claim anything by that point.



MOORE: Yeah. Rick's rule was that you couldn't mention Kirk or Spock, in any context. Their names were not allowed to be mentioned. And it got to the point where – Ira probably told you this story – where he and I were working on "Sarek" in Season 3, and Sarek is doing this whole mindmeld thing with Picard, and we're dealing with his life and his mental well-being, and to an extent his emotional well-being. And how can you not mention Spock? And Rick was like, "No. You can't mention his name." ... It was absurd. And years later, this came up in some context with Rick, and Rick just looked at us like, "I never said that. Did I? Did I ever have that rule? I don't know why I had that rule." But it didn't matter anymore.



Friction between Berman and the writers became more and more frequent as TNG wrapped up and Deep Space Nine took up the Star Trek torch. The writing staff frequently ended up lying to Berman and and going behind his back just to make a product they were happy with.



Every series since TNG has slid in popularity and ratings, with Enterprise experiencing a serious case of doldrums. Last week's Thanksgiving episode was one of the least watched Star Trek episode ever.



Will getting in touch with the fans rejuvenate Star Trek? Eugene Roddenberry is willing to give it a shot, if Paramount is.

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I see dead lesbian cliches

[BBOvenGuy]

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Enterprise is an expensive and difficult show to produce, and Paramount just can't afford to put out 26 new installments this year.

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Considering that the norm these days is a 22 episode season, Enterprise is still ahead of the game at 24. That makes me feel a bit better.



And also...

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Producer Rick Berman is more and more the man that fans point fingers at when they criticize the decline of their favorite sci-fi franchise.

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That sounds a lot like what happened on Doctor Who with John Nathan-Turner. When he took over the show at the end of Season 17, he was hailed as someone who would inject new life into a tired old show. But the changes were largely superficial - I remember an interview once where he said one of his greatest accomplishments was "getting Tom Baker to wear makeup" - and he stayed too long. By the time the show was cancelled nine years later, he was going down in history as the person who "ruined" it.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

Edited by: BBOvenGuy  at: 12/30/03 4:42 pm

[sam7777]

Bob: I fear that this once devoted trekker who taped every iteration of tek falls into this category:

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the once-devoted viewers who have become disenfranchised and disinterested in recent years.

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Even with your good review of the Xindi storyline, I cannot get motivated enough to tune in to try even one episode. My Trek malaise even extends to other SciFi shows. I've gotten so bored with spaceship shows that I have not bothered with Farscape, Andromeda, Battlestar Galactica and Fox' short lived and shitty spaceship show. I think that Star Trek would have been better off if they had let the franchise rest after Voyager for a few years. I can't help seeing the creation of Enterprise as being more for UPN than because the producers had any more trek stories to tell. TV has always been primarily about money but lately it seems to me that network are keeping their shows/franchises on the air well past the sell date.



ETA: One thing that you can't take away from Star Trek is the inspiration factor: Mars Was No Bar to Boy With a Dream

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Mars Was No Bar to Boy With a Dream



LIKE any schoolboy growing up in the 60s and 70s, Mike McKay wanted to be a pilot and dreamt of life on other planets.



That, of course, when he wasn't hiding behind the sofa from whichever monster was trying to exterminate Dr Who that particular week.



Unlike most schoolboys, however, the Belfast man did an aeronautical engineering degree and a Masters in computer science at Queen's University and then took off for the European Space Agency (ESA).



He's been there ever since, spending the last 20 years in Dalmstadt, Germany, where, at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), he has been leading a mainly sleepless existence for the past two weeks.



This is largely down to the fact that, as flight operations director, he is the man in charge of the Mars Express mission - the first planetary mission launched by ESA.



However, Mike knew this Christmas was going to be a little bit different, which is why he and his Swedish-born wife and their three children had Christmas dinner with his parents in November and why his family spent the last three weeks in Sweden with his wife's parents.



"I always wanted to fly, and I used to go down to Newtownards airfield when I was about 15 or 16.



"There, I'd be sweeping out the hangar or washing down aircraft; just doing odd jobs and occasionally someone would ask me 'do you want to fly? I've got a spare seat'."



There were other influences, too, including one James T Kirk of the USS Enterprise.



"You grow up watching Star Trek and you start thinking about the future and space travel and that's very inspirational.''



There was also the moment, in 1969, when Neil Armstrong took that first small step.



"It was early in the morning and we were all brought down and we sat there waiting and waiting for them to come out," he said.



"From that era on, of men on the moon, space became much more of a public domain. Where else would you want to work but in space? That's where aeronautical engineering and computing came together.''



And two weeks ago is when it all came to a climax.



"This is probably the best Christmas present I've ever got,'' he said.



Despite Beagle 2, the mission has been a resounding success, he claimed.



"What these guys have managed to do (with Beagle) is incredible. At the same time, we were supposed to put it down in a landing site 200km long by 50 across.



"From the very precise targeting that we did we brought the landing site down, from 200 by 50, to 31 by five, so we really put them exactly where they wanted to go.



"Just to be able to do that at 160 million kilometres distance is a hell of an achievement on its own.''



This weekend, he reverts to domestic life as he is reunited with his family, but he won't have long to rest on his laurels.



"I'm also responsible for the lunar mission SMART 1 - Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology - and we're flying an ion drive, which is Star Trek technology today.''



The SMART 1 is also a test bed for the technology needed for the kind of deep-space exploration carried out by Kirk, Spock et al, but it'll be a while yet before Captain Slog becomes a reality.



"The real Enterprise is going to be well after our lifetime, I'd say, but we could probably see men on Mars.



"I'm just starting to work on the Aurora programme and that's preparing a whole set of missions to build up to manned missions to the Moon and to Mars in a timescale of about 2020 to 2030.''

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I can't imagine a certain other spaceship show by JW inspiring anybody. Star Trek has done alot of good in getting kids interested in science and changed the world for the better. Very few TV shows can say that.

Edited by: sam7777  at: 1/7/04 12:02 pm

[BBOvenGuy]

Oh, the original Star Trek has played an enormous role in the development of our modern space program, and our modern technology in general. From Nichelle Nichols inspiring African-Americans to become astronauts to the number of NASA scientists and engineers who grew up watching the show, to the basic cellphone design that we have, you can see Trek's influence everywhere.



And you just don't see much of that in SF on TV or in movies today. Most of it is "techno-fantasy" - swords and sorcery with ray guns - and I think that hurts our potential for future generations of good scientists, engineers and explorers. (So much so that I'm working on a new kids' novel about a Moon colony, and I'm trying to make as inspirational about a real possible future as I can.)



I'd hoped that by going back in the timeline of the Trek universe, Enterprise would be able to recapture some of that thrill of exploration and discovery - and they did try, but unfortunately they fell flat. They've gotten out from under the continuity pile that was smothering them and they're making some decent episodes now, but the old Trek spirit still isn't there.



The only show where I see any of that "thrill of exploration and discovery" theme these days is Stargate SG-1 - with two great "nerd" characters in Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

[sam7777]

The fate of Star Trek: Enterprise is in doubt after the cancellation of Jake 2.0: SCOOP: Scared on the set of ENTERPRISE?

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UPN suits and ENTERPRISE producer Rick Berman dispelled the rumor that the program would move to Fridays but did confirm that a shorter run was in store for the third season. Nevertheless, the news was downplayed as a minor issue and not one serious enough to deliver a deathblow to the struggling series. But last week's abrupt and unexpected cancellation of JAKE 2.0, the series that followed on UPN directly after ENTERPRISE, may have sent a pulse of fear through the cast and crew. At the very least it prompted an individual to write in and tell us what they say the scuttlebutt is on the set right now...



"I have a source inside Paramount saying the ENTERPRISE set is awash in rumor of its move to a new timeslot with perhaps its ultimate cancellation on UPN.



"Apparently, TREK staffers were assured by higher-ups at UPN, including people in Les Moonves office, that ENTERPRISE and JAKE 2.0 were safe. After all, JAKE 2.0 was signed to complete this season's run of episodes.



"But with the hammer coming down on JAKE this week, in addition to the 'trimming' of UPN's order of ENTERPRISE episodes this season, Star Trek's executives fear the promises given were disingenuous at best and are running on 'Red Alert' mode to save ENTERPRISE from cancellation doom, and this may include shopping the show to another network or cable channel."

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I see dead lesbian cliches

[BBOvenGuy]

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this may include shopping the show to another network or cable channel

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I wouldn't place too much hope in the SciFi Channel on this one. They've just signed on to run the fifth (and final) season of Andromeda next year, plus they've got S8 of Stargate SG-1 and the new spinoff, Stargate: Atlantis. And after them, next in line is probably Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica, which got better ratings than Enterprise during its miniseries run in December.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

Edited by: BBOvenGuy  at: 1/20/04 7:33 pm

[sam7777]

UPN plans reality show on the Amish

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Its "Star Trek: Enterprise" might not be soaring through space next season but, back on Earth, UPN hopes to bring the Amish into a reality show.



At a recent news conference, CBS chairman Leslie Moonves - who oversees sister network UPN - discussed some of the network's upcoming plans.



He said the fate of the "Star Trek" prequel, now in its third season, is uncertain and will remain so for the next several months.



But Moonves and UPN entertainment president Dawn Ostroff did announce plans for a yet-to-be-titled reality show later this year in which five sheltered Amish teens live in the outside world. "It's going to be ... interesting," Ostroff said.



Meanwhile, network execs must decide what to do with "Enterprise."



Despite a change in the series' storyline and the addition of "Star Trek" to its title, the ratings haven't improved from the previous season, Ostroff said.



Moonves and Ostroff said UPN will review its 2004-05 schedule in April.



"We just picked up three drama pilots. We'll pick up a few more after that," Moonves said.



"You see the new stuff, you see the old stuff, and you compare and say, 'What is the better schedule?'



"So it's not like, 'Gee, if "Enterprise" is up 10 percent between now and May, it will get picked up.' It's rather - you know, it's not a science, but it's, 'All right. How do we build Wednesday better?' 'Does it include "Enterprise"?' Very possibly. 'Does it not?' Possibly as well."



It's possible that, instead of being cancelled, "Enterprise" could move to Friday nights, Moonves said.



"Star Trek: Enterprise" co-creators and executive producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga tried to attract viewers with a story arc this season in which the USS Enterprise searches for an alien species that attacked Earth during last season's finale. But while liking some episodes, some fans have expressed disappointment with the series at gatherings of "Star Trek" clubs and on Internet chat lists.



The series has fallen short of the popularity of "Star Trek: Next Generation," but Ostroff noted "Enterprise" will have many twists and turns for the rest of the season.

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[urnofosiris]

Oh sorry, my brain shut down after I read the Amish in a reality show.

[Hemiola]

Um...I don't know about any problems current "Trek" fans may be having with the series, but I certainly didn't have any problems last night with T'pol's "neural pressure" interaction with Trip's "girlfriend" !

[BBOvenGuy]

Neural pressure with Trip's gf is all well and good, but what the frilly heck was that scene later, which ended up with T'Pol's "experiment in human sexuality?" For crying out loud, let's just trash 35 years of established continuity with the Vulcans so we can try to pump up our ratings with cheesy sexual titillation, why don't we?



I'm a bit miffed about that, in case you didn't notice.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

[sam7777]

This long time trekker can't even be bothered to set DVR to tape it. From what I'm reading here, I am not missing much. This could well be the first Trek after the original series to be cancelled before 7 seasons.

[BBOvenGuy]

Well that's the thing, apart from the cheesy sexual titillation they're actually telling a surprisingly good story this year. Better than most seasons on Voyager, if you ask me.



By the way, I know I've been hanging around the Kitten for too long, because when Lieutenant Reed had his big fight with that Major guy, I kept expecting them to start making out.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

[sam7777]

Bob: Agreed on Voyager the last 3 seasons were pretty forgettable but that's part of Enterprise's problem for me. After being tired of Voyager, I'm simply not prepared to give it that much of a chance. I just don't have faith in the creative team anymore. I tried it for a season and a half which is way more than the 1-3 eps I give most shows nowadays.



ETA: Looks like Berman's days may be numbered.

Cinescape Scooper: Scott Bakula Involved in Devising ENT Future Sans Rick Berman

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Cinescape's anonymous 'scooper' has returned with a third report, following up on previous rumors about the future of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE. Previous reports have suggested that Paramount television chief Garry Hart is contemplating the removal of producer Rick Berman in coming weeks.



Tempering the report with the same caveats as previous scoops, Cinescape says the source's latest information suggests Hart may already be formulating plans for a post-Berman STAR TREK production team.



Cinescape's scooper claims that Hart recently met with actor Scott Bakula to discuss "the future leadership and direction of the show" -- a meeting that did not include Berman. "As I mentioned previously, although there had been talk of replacing Mr. Berman, there was no mention of his possible replacement," the source says. "Hart may now be working with Bakula to put a new production staff in place to save ENTERPRISE."



UPN chief Leslie Moonves made it clear in comments last week that a fourth season for ENTERPRISE is currently undecided. Cinescape cautions that it still has not been able to independently confirm any of the scooper's reports, instead relying on the fact that this source provided information about the reduced season order before it was publicly announced to suggest that the information may be credible.



For the full report, visit this page.

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Edited by: sam7777  at: 2/18/04 10:16 pm

[tyche]

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By the way, I know I've been hanging around the Kitten for too long, because when Lieutenant Reed had his big fight with that Major guy, I kept expecting them to start making out.

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Oh yeah, me too. In fact, my husband and I were sitting there yelling "Just get over it and have sex already!"

btw, next week's ep looks kind of interesting with the crew rebelling against the captain. Mutiny on the Enterprise...

[sam7777]

Star Trek fans are unhappy with UPN:

Fans Ask, Has UPN Abandoned 'Enterprise'?

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By Michelle

February 21, 2004 - 7:31 PM



UPN, the network whose biggest asset when it launched was the then-new Star Trek: Voyager, is under fire with new accusations that it has abandoned the Star Trek franchise, leaving Star Trek: Enterprise facing cancellation.



"In recent interviews, CBS chief Les Moonves - whose duties include overseeing sister network, UPN - openly doubted whether the series will be renewed," noted a new doom-and-gloom article on Enterprise in The Ottawa Sun.



"The irony is Enterprise actually isn't bad - it's vastly superior to the last spinoff Voyager and at least as good, if not better, than Deep Space Nine," opined writer Kevin Williamson.



As previously reported, Enterprise star Scott Bakula also recently griped about the lack of network support for Enterprise.



"This is...free ad time, which is more than we get on UPN!" he joked on The Wayne Brady Show earlier this week when Brady praised the series' third season.



This week The Hollywood Reporter noted that UPN has given pilot orders to three additional sitcoms for the fall, including I Do, I Did, Now What? to be executive produced by Kate Hudson.



The wedding comedy will join the male buddy show Me, Me, Me and a yet-to-be-titled show featuring the members of the Latina band Soluna.



Members of a fan-run web site dedicated to seeing Enterprise renewed, The Enterprise Project, report that after writing to Garry Hart of Paramount Television to show support for the series, Hart responded directly to encourage the fans.



Hart recommended that fans let the network know of their enthusiasm, e-mailing the following message:



"Thank you for your continued support for Enterprise. Please also let UPN know of your support."

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It will be a shame if Enterprise is the first Trek to fail to get seven seasons.



ETA: The current Trek iteration may be lacking but there's no denying the great influance of Trek. Trek inspired people to do science and inspired women and monorities to belive that they could do anything. Star Trek was a true cultural phenomenon IMHO and has even be an inpiration for new technologies:

TREK TECH

40 years since the Enterprise's inception, some of its science fiction gadgets are part of everyday life

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In the 23rd century universe of "Star Trek,'' people talked to each other using wireless personal communicators, had easy access to a vast database of information and spent hours gazing at a big wall-mounted video screen.



On 21st century Earth, that future is already here.



People talk to each other on wireless communicators called cell phones. They have instant access to infinite amounts of information on the Internet. And they can spend hours staring at a big wall-mounted plasma or liquid- crystal display TV watching reruns of "Star Trek." That is, if they can afford one.



Indeed, 40 years after "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry outlined his vision for the groundbreaking science-fiction TV series, some of the once- futuristic personal technology depicted in the voyages of the starship Enterprise have become a reality.



Moreover, "Star Trek" has influenced a generation of engineers and scientists, inspiring them to engage in the future they saw on TV and to "make it so."

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It's a long article with great pix so check it out. How many of today's "classic" shows will still be talked about 40 years from now. How many will be remembered for social strides rather than the same old cliches? IMHO no genre show will ever have the impact of Star Trek. Trek showed that a TV show can be more than one man's "vision" or soemthing to put between commercials. It's sad to see it degrad into a cash cow for UPN. I hope the franchise gets a rest after Enterprise. I have no doubt personally that folks will still be talking about it 10, 20 and even 30 years from now.

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I see dead lesbian cliches

Edited by: sam7777  at: 3/17/04 10:01 am

[tyche]

Quote:

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www.syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1325



'Star Trek: Enterprise' To Get 12-Ep Renewal



Author: Michael Hinman

Date: 03-30-2004

Source: SyFy Portal

UPN is not pulling the plug on "Star Trek: Enterprise" yet.



Two sources have told SyFy Portal that UPN has decided to give the Star Trek spinoff series an initial 12-episode commitment for a fourth season, which could be renewed to a full 24 episodes. The network cited steady ratings against healthy competition for the decision.



Star Trek has been a mainstay for UPN during its near 10-year existence, beginning with "Star Trek: Voyager" in 1995 through the current third season of "Enterprise." The fifth series, however, has struggled in the ratings over the last few years, but did see some minor improvement with the new Xindi arc that began this year.



Two things that have hurt "Enterprise" this season has been the continued strong success of "American Idol" on Fox as well as the moving of "Smallville" to the same timeslot on main competitor The WB. While "Enterprise" may not receive its full season order as in previous seasons, the move does show that the people at Paramount and UPN are confident they can still continue with "Enterprise."



It's unclear whether or not executive producers and co-creators Brannon Braga and Rick Berman will continue to helm the series, however. An announcement to the fate of "Enterprise" is expected within the next two weeks.



Please note that none of this has been confirmed by Paramount Television or UPN, so treat it as any other rumor would be treated.

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Did I ask you to dress like a Republican? - Grace, Joan of Arcadia

[sam7777]

One UPN affiliate confirms that Enterprise will be renewed next season:

Affiliate Claims 'Enterprise' Will Return This Fal

Quote:

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Star Trek: Enterprise will return for a fourth season, the programming coordinator for UPN 11 in Seattle, Washington has told the Trek Nation.



"We are happy to confirm that Enterprise will return this fall on UPN," wrote Kathy Walker of KSTW.



Walker said that the affiliates were being told that the final episode of the 2003-4 television season - "Zero Hour", scheduled to air on Wednesday, May 26th - was to be billed as a season finale, not a series finale.



UPN has made no definitive statement about whether or not Enterprise will return in the fall. An official announcement is expected at the network's upfront presentation in New York on May 20th.



Until the network itself or Paramount Television confirms that the series will return, any news about Enterprise's future must be treated as tentative, subject to change by the network or the production company.

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It's also possible that they were confused by UPN's press release for May sweeps that described Enterprise's last ep as a season finale.

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I still see dead lesbian cliches

[WebWarlock]

I love Trek. I do. And I watch Enterprise. But I am finding myself not really caring if it is canceled or not.



Of course I would miss it, but you wont catch me send cards (or hot sauce, or crackers, or balloons, or anything) to UPN to keep it on the air.



I think we need Berman to step down or aside and let some new blood (or old blood as the case were if the rumors about Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart wanting to EP are true) and let someone else run the show.



Warlock

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Web Warlock

Coming Soon to The Other Side, The Netbook of Shadows: A Book of Spells for d20 Witches

"I’m so glad that I know more than I knew then.

Gonna keep on tryin’ till I reach the highest ground." - Stevie Wonder, "Higher Ground"

[sam7777]

Here's an article about Enterprise's chances on UPN:

Beyond the Rim 6: Enterprise endgame?

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t’s the cliché of the moment. As sure as you can guarantee that the flash of a Janet Jackson breast, or the arrest of Janet’s brother, will get the American media frothing with anticipation—similarly Star Trek is the other media darling right now for a quick, pointless, yet easy to understand article.



So who am I not to join in on the fun?



Star Trek seems to have two purposes in life these days. Firstly, it can provide easy articles for the media. Reports like those that reveal Picard will be killed are great for the trashy tabloids. They can fill space, but people have forgotten about them by the time the news turns out not to be true. You can bet your bottom dollar that in that article, there’ll be assorted references to “Trekkies”, “sci-fi nerds” and “beam me up, Scotty”.



Sadly, Star Trek also has another use now, and that is provided from its apparent death rattle. It’s doing badly enough that numerous puff pieces can sprout up (mostly on the internet), but isn’t dead enough that it’s not worth writing about. And if there’s something the media loves, it’s when somebody or something falls from grace. Along comes Star Trek.



Looking around at the coverage, it’s easy to see the complete non-entity nature of the reports. “Insiders” and “sources” telling the in-the-know outlets that—shock horror—Star Trek: Enterprise is in trouble. Well, it’s pretty obvious that the powers that be at Paramount and UPN are hardly celebrating ratings wonders for the current TV incarnation when it’s shed around 9 million viewers since its premiere over two years ago. But, of course, if the outlet has a “source”, who are we to argue with the remarkable insight?



The sources often go on to reveal tantalizing details like the show may be cancelled—but then again may not. When it comes down to it, the way we’ll find out is of course when UPN comes out and tells us.



...



So although I’m tackling the matter of Enterprise here, you won’t get any sources, insiders, informants or scoops. Anyone these days can create a news item with vague threats of doom and cancellation and look authoritative. Let’s just look at UPN, Enterprise and whether this show may come to an end any time soon.



So do I think it will be cancelled? I think the chances are uncomfortably high.

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OTOH Futon Critic is predicting a renewal and a move to Friday:

Needs, Wants and Haves: UPN

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I still see dead lesbian cliches

Edited by: sam7777  at: 4/20/04 11:56 am

[BBOvenGuy]

A move to Friday isn't necessarily a good thing, since the SciFi Channel has pretty much staked out that turf. Enterprise would be going against Stargate SG-1 paired with either Stargate: Atlantis, Andromeda or Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica. UPN is such a small network that competition from a cable network would be strong enough to affect its numbers. Back in December the Battlestar Galactica miniseries got better ratings than both UPN and the WB.

"The stories we tell - that's us explaining how we think the world works. Once we speak it, once we say it aloud, that makes it real for us - and real for everyone else who hears it too. When we tell a story, we invite people to visit our reality. We invite them to move in. Our stories are the reality we live in." - David Gerrold, The Martian Child

[urnofosiris]

I loved ST TNG, that is what got me into Star Trek. I tried to watch most of the old ST series, but I could not get into it, though I loved the original cast and I liked the movies. I was rather apprehensive about DS9 at first and it turned out to be one of my favourite shows in general. When Voyager came along I started watching it without the apprehension, but as it turned out I could never get into it. I blame the casting for it. Janeway, Kes and the doctor were the only characters/actors that appealed to me. I gave up on it after Kes left the show. I never even bothered to watch Enterprise. I know what liberties they are taking with the continuity of the Trekverse and I can't stand that. I wish they would make a DS9 movie (for TV, it doesn't have to be a feature film). I really miss that show.

[sam7777]

DrG: I would love to see a DS9 movie as well but I fear that however much I liked it, DS9 is the forgotten Trek.



Berman does have a new Trek project in the works:

Rick Berman: "Prequel" Film in the Works, Plus Developing New Series With Braga

Quote:

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After over a year of silence on the future of the STAR TREK feature film franchise, producer Rick Berman has finally dropped the first hints of a new theatrical project for the franchise. The news comes in the new issue of Dreamwatch magazine, just coming out in the UK.



Speaking in issue #117, Berman confirms for the first time that he is now developing a STAR TREK feature film project: "I am involved in the very early stages of what could be the next STAR TREK movie," reveals Berman, in an excerpt provided by Dreamwatch. "It's something I will be producing with two other producers."



Unwilling to offer many details he cryptically describes it as "a prequel" without any further elaboration. The names of his producing cohorts will have to remain unknown for now, as well. This follows a report earlier this week from Dark Horizons that Paramount may be working on a project the site described as "Starfleet Command." Coincidentially, former TREK producer Harve Bennett (STAR TREKs II-VI) revealed recently that several years ago he had pitched a Starfleet Academy-based STAR TREK movie concept.



On the television front, while the future of their first series remains in limbo, Berman confirms that he is developing a non-STAR TREK sci-fi series with partner Brannon Braga. Both Berman and Braga have development deals with Paramount. If a new series begins development in earnest, TrekWeb insiders suggest Berman and/or Braga might take a reduced role in a fourth season of ENTERPRISE, though this is entirely speculation.

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I would like to see less of Berman and Braga on Trek and have them "retired" like Roddenberry was (during TNG). Like Roddenberry, they have run out of ideas IMHO and a new team is needed to bring a fresh perspective to the franchise.

_____________________

I still see dead lesbian cliches

[Gatito Grande]

I just caught DS9 the other night on SpikeTV (hadn't seen the show since it went off the air). While I wasn't a huge fan, I am definitely looking forward to seeing (and taping, off DirecTV, not a crappy broadcast) "Rejoined" again. For its time, that kiss between Dax and her former (and female) lover totally rocked!



GG Terry Farrell was sometimes disparaged as "looking like she just stepped out of a Robert Palmer video," but I always thought she did a credible job as Jadzia Dax (her Hotness was never questioned! ) Out



Never bought her marriage to Worf, though.

[sam7777]

GG: I have all of DS9 on tape so I haven't caught the Spike iteration since that channel is locked out on my cable box (can't stomache the testosterone factor). I'm glad someone is running DS9 but wish it was someone else.



Trek fans put the fan in fanatic long before every genre show going off the air became a national tragedy:

UPN Inundated With "Save ENTERPRISE" Calls

Quote:

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The effort to save STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE being waged by the fan group SaveEnterprise.com has made an impact, according to a new press release.



After urging fans to call UPN's offices voicing support for the fifth STAR TREK series, which faces daunting renewal prospects heading into the network's Upfront presentation on May 20th, the network switchboard has added a special mailbox just for SaveEnterprise calls.



"...it was decided that the members of SaveEnterprise.com warranted a dedicated voice mailbox," writes the group in a press release. "Therefore, when you call all you need to do is ask the operator for the 'SaveEnterprise.com' voicemail and you will be redirected."



The press release states that UPN officials assure callers that all messages will be heard. The group urges fans who support the show and want to see it renewed for a fourth season continue to call UPN at 310-575-7000 and ask for the "SaveEnterprise.com" mailbox (or press 3 after normal business hours).



"May 20, 2004 is fast approaching, we need to rally more support for the show as time is of the essence," they write. "Everyone needs to call in NOW! Call several times a day, if possible. Our goal is to flood UPN with calls from 'SaveEnterprise.' Remember, we are going into the closing week [with] momentum on our side, let us not waste it."



For more about the effort, visit SaveEnterprise.com.

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Good luck to them though I doubt it will make a difference. UPN has already decided on the show by now I suspect given that the upfront presentaitons start mid-May.



ETA: 'Star Trek' voyage could end Shrinking audience may threaten classic

Quote:

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After crossing galaxies and time, the U.S.S. Enterprise could soon meekly go where it hasn't gone in years: dry dock.



A third year of shrinking audiences means potential cancellation for UPN's Star Trek: Enterprise -- and the first season in 17 years without a Star Trek series.



Couple that with quiet on the film front, after 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis had the movie series' smallest box office ($43.3 million), and fans of the Paramount franchise face the prospect of no new Star Trek on the near horizon for the first time in a quarter-century.



Aware of that possibility, Trek fans organized to make Enterprise's salvation easily the top pick in USA TODAY's recent Save Our Shows survey with 70% of the vote.



Longtime Trek executive producer Rick Berman doesn't believe the end is here. He cites a general critical view that Enterprise (tonight, 8 ET/PT) is having its best season creatively, with a season-long story arc, a Trek first. ''Right now, I'm optimistic the show is going to be picked up for a fourth season,'' he says.



Steve Krutzler, editor of fan site TrekWeb.com, agrees that this has been the best season, but adds that even devoted fans are divided over whether the series should continue. He speculates that Paramount could consider first-run syndication if UPN drops the show.



Even if Enterprise were renewed, Berman concedes the franchise could take an unaccustomed break in the near future.



''As to whether it could use a rest for a while, that's a valid question,'' Berman says. ''I think, eventually, Star Trek will be taking a breather.''



The franchise has had inspirational value, encouraging many fans to embark on scientific careers, says Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for space science. The loss of Trek would be ''a sad statement'' if it reflected declining interest in ''exploring and dreaming.''



UPN likely won't reveal Enterprise's fate until it announces its fall slate next week. Viewership is off 43% from its first season, and the series suffered its lowest-rated regularly scheduled original episode in April (2.9 million).



Although Enterprise attracted 12.5 million viewers when it premiered in 2001, the sci-fi series now trails UPN's new ratings leader, America's Next Top Model, and even some of its comedies. UPN could shift focus from male-skewing shows, such as Enterprise, to those that attract women, after the success of Model.



''The pivotal question is really how UPN sees the Star Trek franchise within its total strategy going forward,'' says Stacey Lynn Koerner of media firm Initiative.

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A break for the franchise would not be a bad thing. Critical acclaim dos not matter to the network as much as ratngs and demos. I think UPN will keep Enterprise one more season if they think they can make enough money with a 100 ep package.



ETA2:Enterprise has been renewed for a 4th season. Goes to show that sometimes fans can make something happen and Trek fans have always been the best at supporting their franchise:

Fan Campaign Claims 'Enterprise' Is Renewed

Quote:

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UPN has decided to renew Star Trek: Enterprise for a fourth season, the SaveEnterprise.com fan campaign reported today.



The official UPN press presentation of the network's Fall schedule isn't scheduled until Thursday, but a press release from the campaign quoted unnamed production sources as saying the show would definitely be back. The site reported Star Trek executive producer Rick Berman would be flying into New York this week in order to make the official announcement himself.

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Though this still qualifies as a rumor, I trust the Trek fans to tell something based on fact and not raise false hopes as opposed to just circulating boundless rumors as other fan groups have been doing. Rumor is that they may move Enterpise to Fridays which is considered a death slot but I think if "Joan of Arcadia" can make it as a new show on Fridays and "JAG" can succeed in it's Friday move, Enterprise certainly has a chance. Too many whine about the Friday time slot but a good show can make as Joan and JAG have shown. Timeslot is only one factor in the success or failure of a show IMHO. I think I'll give Enterprise another look next season.



ETA3: It's official. Enterprise has been renewed and is moving to Fridays at 9pm:

2004 Broadcast Upfront Presentations: UPN

Quote:

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STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE (Friday, 9:00-10:00 PM), the latest in the “Star Trek” franchise, is now entering its fourth season. A prequel to the original “Star Trek” series, STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE takes place during the early pioneering days of deep space exploration when interstellar travel is in its infancy and 100 years before Capt. James T. Kirk takes the helm of the famous starship. As the season opened, a mysterious and deadly race of aliens called the Xindi had attacked Earth, killing millions of people. Having discovered that their next planned attack will completely destroy Earth, Capt. Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the crew set out on a gripping new mission to track down and put an end to these enemy aliens. With the fate of the planet in their hands, the crew faced strange new life forms, dangerous unexplored regions of space and difficult moral questions. In addition to being more action packed with spectacular special effects, this new season will take STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE into further uncharted territory, while advancing last season's critically acclaimed storylines, including Vulcan Sub Commander T'Pol's (Jolene Blalock) blossoming relationship with Chief Engineer Charles “Trip” Tucker III (Connor Trinneer) and mysterious twists in the familiar timeline. The series also stars John Billingsley as Dr. Phlox, Dominic Keating as Lt. Malcolm Reed, Anthony Montgomery as Ensign Travis Mayweather and Linda Park as Ensign Hoshi Sato. Rick Berman and Brannon Braga are creators/executive producers. STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE is a production of Paramount Network Television.

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Edited by: sam7777  at: 5/20/04 11:44 am