Stardate 26.09.01 … or something like that.
Starring Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap), Enterprise, the fourth spin-off from the original 1960s Star Trek TV series, will be beaming onto the small screen Wednesday night on UPN (8 p.m. ET), but it’s like nothing you’ve seen before. Think The Right Stuff meets Lost in Space meets that wacky bar in Star Wars.
Though the show is not set in the distant future, it’s still a massive undertaking. So before you boldly go to watch the series, take a quick course in Enterprise 101.
Back to the future
This is a prequel, but it’s still set well ahead of our time-150 years from now, to be exact, and 100 years before Kirk and Spock’s heyday. Instead of phasers, officers are armed with glorified stun guns that malfunction at every turn. Instead of electrostatic shields, spaceships are encased in armor.
Space exploration and long-range travel are in their experimental stages and a new starship, the nearly constructed Enterprise NX-01, is poised to become the first Warp-5 (which means really fast) ship in the fleet. Other galaxies await, but the Enterprise’s construction must be completed first. That is, unless a dramatic, unforeseen event forces her out of port prematurely. …
A dramatic, unforeseen event
Humankind has already been introduced to alien life forms by this time–namely, the Vulcans. In the premiere episode a new species soon emerges, literally falling right out of the sky. On a normal day on a normal Oklahoma farm, a warrior from the Klingon race crash-lands his ship after a run-in with a race called the Suliban, leaving the poor soul stranded. How can he return home? Only the Enterprise can get him there fast enough to avoid any kind of interplanetary unrest.
But to do so, the Enterprise will need the right crew to accomplish the goal.
All hands on deck
One captain and six crew members lead the way. They are:
Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula): Eager to make the maiden voyage, Archer is almost childlike in his fascination with space. As a leader, however, he’s cunning–but a gambler. Still, as a tribute to his father–who designed the Enterprise NX-01–Archer’s hell-bent on success, tempering the gambler within him. (No Boy Scout, Archer isn’t above chasing women now and again.)
Sub-Commander T’Pol (Jolene Blalock): Decked out in a skin-tight bodysuit, T’Pol is certainly the eye-candy of the show, but don’t tell her that. A stiff-as-a-board Vulcan Science Officer, she provides some much-needed insight, though her official duty on board the ship is to study the (slow) advancements of Enterprise’s crew–those inferior humans.
Chief Engineer Charles “Trip” Tucker, III (Connor Trinneer): You just knew the engineering guy had to have an accent. Well, it may not be Scottish, but a good Southern drawl ain’t bad. Trip brings some humor to the show-a nervous naiveté–but would give Scotty a run for his money in the engine room any day. He’s lived a fairly guarded life, so any new alien encounters give him the willies.
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating): Reed’s a stern, straight-laced guy–military to the core. Actually, he’s a bit too into his armory-officer job, spending his free time studying and inventing deadly weapons. Not surprisingly, this Brit’s luck with the ladies is hurting.
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Helmsman Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery): A spaceship lifer, Mayweather’s spent his entire existence on various cargo cruisers. But, then again, he’s probably the only character on the show who can look at you with a straight face and brag about shagging three-breasted women. Mayweather is to space navigation what Huck Finn was to riverboats: seasoned, shrewd, and likely to embarrass you in front of others.
Ensign Hoshi Sato (Linda Park): The modern version of Uhura, Sato is a communications officer with a gift for translating new, alien languages at the drop of a hat. She’s got a bit of a confidence problem–unsure of how talented she actually is–but Archer’s steadfast belief in her abilities keeps her somewhat at ease. Sato, though, is a Starfleet officer who’s afraid of flying, so clearly anxiety issues will arise.
Doctor Phlox (John Billingsley): It’s unknown just what race of alien life form the doctor actually is, but what is known is that Phlox is a tad eccentric. Phlox has turned the sick bay into a bizarre collection of diverse plants and eerie animals that frighten anyone brave enough to enter that part of the ship. The doc’s an amicable guy, mind you, but that whole Island of Dr. Moreau thing is just plain creepy.
Should you watch?
Unless you’re a Dawson’s Creek junkie or a fan of NBC’s Ed (shows that air opposite Enterprise), give the show a whirl. Subsequent episodes find the crew traveling to distant planets that are inhabited by whores with frog-like snapping tongues, and in another episode, a semi-nude T’Pol gets up close and personal with Trip during an impromptu decontamination session; things heat up real fast.
Disregard the fact that the crew’s uniforms look like something you’d find at Buck Rogers’ yard sale, this is a show willing to take risks. Just look at the network it’s on.
Give us your opinion: Will Enterprise have the same staying power as its Star Trek predecessors? Click here to email us with your thoughts.
