4 replies on “Enterprise Discussion: “North Star””

1. Surprisingly good
   When I saw the description in the TV Times, I thought “No! Not another crappy time-travel nightmare!” If there’s one thing Trek never does well, it’s the abstract stuff like the dream sequence/holodeck mystery style episode.
   I’ve got no idea who thought a bunch of cowboys in space was a good idea. On hearing about this I was uncomfortably reminded of the dreadful voyager episode The 39s, the worst episode of any programme ever.
   However, despite the rather poorly done schoolteacher cliche, I found myself really enjoying this episode. The shootout at the end was truly entertaining; it’s not often we see Captain Archer having a heroic moment and this episode gave him what his character has always needed. Leaping through the gunfire to the rousing musical score was an emotive piece of television which hit me in the heart.
   Cool moments include Reed’s casual shrug as he phasers T’Pol and then the cowboy who was formerly holding her hostage; the Starfleet Marines leaping into the attack when the bullets started to spray; and best of all, Captain Archer’s shoulder simply exploding when he gets shot.
   Scott Bakula has always bugged me in Enterprise. With his stammered speech he sounds like someone who’s been hit over the head with a shovel. Season 3 has addressed this somewhat making him darker and edgier, and he’s also learned how to deliver a convincing line. Plus he looks cool in his cowboy gear. For the first time, Archer becomes something of a role model to young, impressionable Trekkers!
   I need to ask this question, which is unrelated to the episode: why is Enterprise still trying to find the Xindi homeworld when the Xindi kick their arses at every encounter?

   • Re: Surprisingly good

     I need to ask this question, which is unrelated to the episode: why is Enterprise still trying to find the Xindi homeworld when the Xindi kick their arses at every encounter?

     That’s their mission as humans – go into space, get your ass handed to you, then return with upgrades to beat the pants off of the offending parties. It’s patriotic (in a human-centric sense) and it’s what B&B think we want.

     Besides, you wouldn’t want to watch a Sci-Fi series that dealt with the formation of something called the “Federation” would you? If you did, that would mean the Communists/Terrorists/insert-cliché-group-of-choice had won!

     • Time Travel: B&B in La-La Land

       Besides, you wouldn’t want to watch a Sci-Fi series that dealt with the formation of something called the “Federation” would you?

       The “Federation” ? In Star Trek? Surely not! Whoops, Brannon and Braga had me brainwashed for a minute there.

       I wouldn’t mind a series of Trek which genuinely went its own way. The trouble with Enterprise is B&B hyped it as though we’d get to see the Trek we know and love actually come to be. We haven’t at all.

       All we’ve seen so far is a parade of Next Generation era monsters and a rush-through of weapons technology that is 100 years ahead of its time. Not to mention the avalanche of recycled Voyager plots. And some bastard managed to get his wicked way and turn every plot development into a time-travel adventure. HIT ME WITH IT, B&B THE DISASTER DUO!

       All time travel ever did for Trek was prove the incompetence of lazy, uninspired sci-fi hacks hired to copy each others’ ideas for five pounds fifty an hour.

       Oh wait, there was a second benefit: it proved that the twenty-first through twenty-fourth centuries never had anyone special or did anything important. How many times have we heard about famous twenty-second century artists, or a legendary songwriter who was born in 2335? Never – everyone is too busy using 20th century cliches while listening to Mozart and reading Shakespeare. What’s wrong with hearing about twenty-third century philosophy for example? Surely the Federation generations have more superstars than just Zephram Cochrane.

       Anyway, as for the Enterprise versus Xindi thing: despite some sensational performances from the entire cast, the tension of this plot is damaged by knowing that the Xindi could wipe Enterprise out at any time. Therefore, why are the Xindi bothering to build a megaweapon? Why not just send a fleet of ships packed with invincible warriors to Earth and have lunch at Starfleet’s expense? Why didn’t Starfleet send everything it had into the Expanse? Why is the NX-02 still 14 months away from completion? Didn’t they want to pressure the builders?

       • Re: Time Travel: B&B in La-La Land
         Damn, I meant Berman and Braga. I keep doing that. It’s Braga’s fault for having a stupid name.