Enterprise cancelled

[Major Fischer]

I am reminded of a comment made by JMS some years ago about how Star Trek fans are, in general, not scifi fans. I grew up on Star Trek--and if I didn't think the price of box sets were outragious I would buy them--but I hate to tell you this.

I think Star Trek has been bad for science fiction on television.

For the past twenty years people with science fiction projects have faced an industry that on the whole believed that there was only room for one science fiction series on television. And that was Star Trek. Paramount and the Star Trek powers that be encouraged this thinking.

As a fan of science fiction, I've come to resent the way the community has been milked, and the market exploited. I resent that it was harder for JMS to sell Babylon 5 because of Bermen and others at Star Trek deliberately undercut him. I resent that as I grew up, my choices in science fiction on television have been limited because one formula dominated the market.

Did I want Enterprise canceled? No. Unlike some, I didn't need to have the competition cleared to believe that there was a superior product elsewhere. I had a remote control for that. I choose to use it, and obviously so did many other science fiction fans.

Am I glad Enterprise was canceled? Yes. I am glad it was canceled because I have a great deal of respect for the Roddenbery's vision. More than has been displayed by the stewarts of the Star Trek Francise for the last decade or more.

[emily_reich]

hmm... interesting viewpoint

i have to say though that i've been a trek AND scifi fan for years, and i'll watch any well-made scifi show i grew up on scifi (maybe i'm different than this stereotype cuz i started my scifi love with star wars and not trek, but i digress...)

i must say this is indeed a stigma that us trek fans carry with us, but it's very much because so many of the more "vocal" fans out there are trek "purists" (for lack of a better word) who believe either trek is the only good scifi or that ST:TOS is the only good trek and/or scifi...

sure, there are (sadly ) lots of people who believe this, but in defense of myself and MANY other trek fans out there, there are certainly millions of us who love all scifi or at least the genre in general, and believe the although trek is awesome, it is NOT the only scifi worth watching

i watch scifi friday religiously (i even watch andromeda!) and i truly believe scifi tv would be very dull with only star trek...



just my two cents in defense of us more *liberal* trek fans

[Major Fischer]

just my two cents in defense of us more *liberal* trek fans

No need to defend yourself. My fience uses a trek handle on the net, and I certainly watched enough Trek in my life to be able to quote epsiode title and plot for the better part of three series. I've put a lot of money into Star Trek over the years.

And I'm not saying that all Star Trek fans are not science fiction fans, but I do believe that there is a significant number who don't watch any other kind of science fiction and that's that. Like I said, somewhere there is a internet post by JMS on the subject.

I think my problem with the francise (and as embodied by Enterprise), is not with fan behavior, but with the way the fans have been treated. Like people who would pay a great deal of money for anything with the Star Trek name on it, no matter the quality.

[Dahak]

Actually some ST fans are really bad. In another board I am on some ST fans are saying that all non ST sci-fi sucks and that any SF fans who don't watch ST are traitors to geek kind or something like that. It's like after so long being me made fun of by other people they want it to seem like anyone who likes any other type of sci-fi show is even geekier than them.
I like most sci-fi but not all and I don't make fun of people who like shows that I hate. I might make fun of the shows but I do that for ST all the time and when the writers mess up badly (which is less often) I make fun of SG and BSG.
But ST needs to be changed some to fit with the times. The hyper-communism (which they never explained because it wouldn't work) needs to be killed off when the show comes back. They need to actually figure out how fast warp speed is and stick with it. Also ST is not a show that a season equals a year in storyline time really works. Keep giving us stardates because how many people know what they mean (I sort of do) and those who do will not bother to find out the "real date". Things like Riker being XO for 13 years but being "The Best First Officer In The Fleet" don't mix together very well. Either he is good and gets promoted or he wasn't there for 13 years.

[Major Fischer]

The universe was pushed beyond credibility because the people in charge didn't plan ahead enough and were milking it. It's sad, but when you put out product after product, and it succeeds by virtue of the name above the title no matter what the quality is, you stop caring about putting out quality.

Star Trek was at it's worst when it was an unquestioned success.

[Unas]

Do you think there was more technobabble after Roddenberry died? Frankly I'm sick of "rerouting this" and "compensate that". The franchise had a slightly campy feel to them when he was around and it was fun!

Some fans have been particularly harsh to Manny Coto for "breaking canon" but thats hypocrisy. Every ST show broke canon, even Roddenberry did, from Klingon ridges to what Trills look like to historical events. Beraga was already breaking canon in Enterprise before they brought in Coto.

[DownFallAngel]

Star Trek was at it's worst when it was an unquestioned success.

ST was it's worst when they put out Voyager, and turned the Borg into a bumbling idiot of a foe. An enemy that used to take whole fleets to destroy one cube, now took one stupid vessel? I think not.

ST:V was pretty good, up until they turned the Borg into a weekly villain that could easily be defeated.

[Bast]

I think going crazed on continuity is like trying to contemplate temporal paradoxes dont go there.

I think with the Klingions it had to be done , You couldnt have trek without any klingions thats why Voyager had B'lana Torres because they knew klingions would be a rare commodity in the delta quadrient. The TOS contridicted and had breaken its own continuity a few times while they should have still been more mindful not so much of each little inch of continuity but what was valued and sensitive to the majority of fans. The name Starfleet shouldnt exists yet, I wish they had been more careful about the techology shown and Klingion ships they brought in and made more new Pre TOS ones instead of showing birds of prey straight from TNG.

Season 1 was dull as hell , They literally chased comets! They had no idea of what they were doing making episodes that were just Voyager episodes beaten down recycled into a Enterprise one.Unexpected and shuttle pod 1 was great episodes because they were character driven and alot of good humour, They didnt really need much effects to make a great episode , Similitude last year was low budget. Really if they had just taken the direction they have now for season 1 or 2 the show could have worked from the start or been saved the following the year , After season 2 there was no going back you couldnt woe the 6 million average who came around in season to come back.

I think Stargate has a limit too, I think maybe SG1 should have ended by now rather then break apart the original cast and risk fading away.You have SGA as a good replacement why risk damaging that offspring syphoning to muchwriting and creativity away just to beat or tie a record with the X-files?

I have met the fellow jerk Trek fans who bash all other shows , I think part of it is that there afraid that star trek is gonna go like the dinosaurs and be driven out by new sci fi shows so they need to redicule and belittle other shows just make them feel more secure from their insercurity.Its sort of like Religous intolerance they are afraid this new group will steal their followers and demote their faith in the food chain.

[emily_reich]

I have met the fellow jerk Trek fans who bash all other shows , I think part of it is that there afraid that star trek is gonna go like the dinosaurs and be driven out by new sci fi shows so they need to redicule and belittle other shows just make them feel more secure from their insercurity.Its sort of like Religous intolerance they are afraid this new group will steal their followers and demote their faith in the food chain.

unfortunately i do think this might have a bit to do with it... it's people that act like that which make me afraid to tell people i am a trek fan...

[Unas]

unfortunately i do think this might have a bit to do with it... it's people that act like that which make me afraid to tell people i am a trek fan...

Fanatical Trekkies seem to have the biggest grudge against Star Wars. We're probably #5 on their list.

[animoid]

Yeah. For fanatical Trekkies, Star Wars isn't serious enough with technobabble.

But why reroute power or inverse polarity to the shields when you can repair your ship by kicking it really hard and yelling at it?

[emily_reich]

Fanatical Trekkies seem to have the biggest grudge against Star Wars. We're probably #5 on their list.

yeah... and i've never understood that... i love BOTH!!! was raised on star wars, saw star trek and was hooked!!

one's a set of movies, one's a tv show with a couple so-so movies and a couple good ones!! they're completely different in both story, setting, and medium... WHY the big hate between the two fandoms????

[emily_reich]

But why reroute power or inverse polarity to the shields when you can repair your ship by kicking it really hard and yelling at it?

ROFL!!! yeah, that must be it

what was i thinking? the answer was right in front of me the whole time!!

[shockwave]

the LA times ad:

[P38LOVER]

To all: Recently, it was with trepidation that I've just read that STARTREK: ENTERPRISE is being cancelled. I'm very sure that Gene Roddenbury will be turning over in his grave and Majel Barrett-Roddenbury was saddened with the cancellation. If the SCIFI Channel had any testosterone producing glands between its corporate legs, it would pick E'RISE up for continuing presentation, and not just reruns! It was a travesty to play it at the same time as other 'grabber' and sometimes the mental midget shows. It had to hurt the ENTERPRISE cast and team that this year, it was potrayed off of the SCIFI Channel's Quartet of shows on Friday nights. UPN sucked by changing ENTERPRISE's performance days. I tend to believe that UPN doesn't want to have a cerebrally challenging show on like the prequel to the original STARTREK series...perish the thought that some TREKKIE-TREKKER would dare not to buy the sponsor's product if the Nielson Ratings aren't 110% above top dead center! Just like with FARSCAPE, some networks don't realize that they have a dynastic show piece on their consolidated hands. I'ld love to be SCIFI Channel's Chief Of Programing and kick it in its administrative asses. I realize that most probably the decision by UPN was due to the 'Bean Counters' and 'Legal Eagles' who have no business being in positions of authority to demand that the show be cancelled or not picked up elsewhere. Shows like FEAR FACTOR are mindless so called reality drivel. If it was a vehicle to jumpstart Shannon Dougherty's shabby acting career, well, I don't think so. True Science Fiction lovers from readers-viewers of Jules Verne to Michael Crichton (I know bad spelling) will miss the excellent ENTERPRISE sagas. Since I worked in the Techology Fact World for a while, I know that today's fiction is tomorrow's fact...and I know that I'm not in the minority! SCIFI, before you lose viewers, get your communal heads out of your anal orifics and pick up ENTERPRISE...NOW!!!

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