Brikar

Not a BAD episode, but like Deus says in his review at TW, it just wasn't great, either.

I think the plot of it all wasn't bad, it's the fact that there wasn't enough discussion about the ethics and morals of what was going on. Yeah, you don't want to overdo it, but a little heavyhandedness can go a long way, especially on the show that's been so devoid of deeper meaning in the past as "Enterprise" has been. They could have had some interesting conversations between Archer and Soong. I would have liked to have seen Soong just a little bit more upset that his plans were falling apart, and that the children he loved so much had become a bunch of dastardly murderers.

There's really not much of an issue with the Augments, since they sort of had to fend for themselves their entire lives. They lived hard lives, and grew up to be hard people. I would have liked it better if they had so truly believed in their superiority, that they actually were superior in more ways than just being able to take stun blasts and do funky flip-kicks. They really weren't outsmarting anyone at any point.

I know that if it had happened my way, people would be ripping it that it was this huge rip-off, but you know, I really wanted to see Archer and Malik truly struggle against each other, in a tactical sense. And I would want to see the entire Enterprise crew coming together to defeat the Augments, and show us that, YES, damn it, Archer really does need each and every one of their talents on the bridge. So long most of the characters on this show have been so useless, and I think this was a wasted opportunity to bring them all together as a team for one really fun, kick-ass ride of a third episode.

As it is, this three-parter plays out fairly well. But I can't keep thinking about how much differently I think I would have done it. You can tell that they're struggling to move into this new direction... But they're holding back.

No one is saying, "Fuck it. Let's go all out." EVERY episode needs to be "Let's go, come ON!" Y'know? They're saying, "We're doing Star Trek: Enterprise." But no one is doing ENTERPRISE! Rah rah rah! Go all out, take those chances, man. Do it!

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Bean

I enjoyed the episode. I agree, it could have been more, but the scene at the end with Malik staggering for the console just SCREAMED Wrath of Khan, and looking back, I'm glas that they didn't overdo the superiority thing for fear that the whole arc would have seemed like a Khan tribute. That being said, I loved the reference the to the Botany Bay anyhow.

One of the things that I really feel like nitpicking was the simple resoltuion with the Klingons. I think they should have had some more Klingon casualties, stirring up the tensions between Earth and them abit more. I guess I'm still looking for those "disastrous consequences" Picard spoke of. The way the writing has been going lately, I was expecting them to take a chance and actually have the warhead detonate on the Klingon colony, so I was genuinely suprised when they stopped it.

Overall I think they did pretty well with the first of their "mini-arcs" and The augments was still better than most of the first three and a half seasons. I can;t wait to see how they handle the Romulans lateron in the season, if the writing int he last four episodes is any indication, I'm gonna love it.

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"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

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Deslok

Manny Coto is a fan for sure, but I think he's excercising caution, and reasonably so. I think that when compared to the past three seasons of ENTERPRISE, the current season is far and above the rest. ENT's new season has far exceeded my expectations, since my expectations have been brought to an all time low, it isn't difficult for the current crop of ENT to be enjoyable.

Brikar, I don't think they're going to go for it like you say. One thing I think they've captured that the first three series had is the sense of adventure. The sense of adventure on ENT is closest to TOS than TNG or DS9. The stories that are woven aren't on a par with them, but the vibe is definitely there. I'm hoping that they can increase the quality of the stories as time passes. Coto can only be testing the waters right now, waiting to see what people respond to and how they respond. So far, I've liked nearly all of what I've seen of the new season. I think the mini-arcs will weave together to form a larger loose arc of it's own, with elements of TOS, TNG, DS9, and maybe even VOY in a way that makes the STAR TREK universe cohesive again... well, here's to hoping.

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Bean

I think you're right about testing the waters. I think he's also aware of the general fanbase response to what B&B have done, and realizes he needs to move away from that completley. He seems to be trying to do that, but not all at once as to render the first three seasons obosolete. I want to forget about the first two seasons as much as any other B&B critic, but I'd rather not see some form of reset button, or just have it all majically forgotten. I think that's the mentality Coto is trying to appeal to.

__________________
"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

--James T. Kirk

Brikar

I get what you're saying about "testing the waters" or moving with "caution," but I think six episodes into the new season is enough caution, yes?

Deslok, I really can't agree about that sense of adventure. I get it sometimes, when they kick out a good episode here or there, but for the most part, I don't think the first three seasons had it. I think "Borderland" had it to an extent, and bits of "The Augments". But I think in order for the show to have a sense of adventure, that the writers should be adventurous themselves. I think if they do that, then it'll bleed off onto the audience, and we can get really jazzed about new episodes.

It's been clear for some time now that ENT, as a show, doesn't want to be a deep character drama, which has always been fine with me. It very much wants to be a fun adventure show, which I think is great - but they haven't succeeded. Watching it, I don't get the sense that these people are adventurers, that they're on an "adventure." I get the sense, often, that these are people going through the motions. It's rare that I feel a sense of danger, which is very much needed with a sense of adventure, when watching "Enterprise."

Part of it is that the crew seems so superfluous. Everything is Archer, Archer, Archer. Just once, I'd like to see him let someone ELSE do something. I'm not saying Archer can't be the focus of most episodes, that's fine - Kirk was. But the rest of the crew need to contribute, they need to be trying. Instead, they just sit there and take his orders. He thinks of everything, and he practically does everything by himself, and there's no adventure there.

I'll probably have more to say later, but I'm tired, and rather upset that "Smallville" sucks so much ass, and that a person I was acquainted with apparently committed suicide last night. (That sentence is not in order of importance)

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http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

Cymro

Deslok was refering to the first 3 series, (TOS, TNG, DS9), not the fist 3 seasons of Enterprise.

On a side not, it's good to see you back, Des.

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Brikar

Heh, oh...

__________________
"A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown."

http://olympusmans.blogspot.com
http://benforrealz.blogspot.com