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UPN Renews 'Star Trek: Enterprise'

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the not-sure-if-thats-good-news-or-bad dept.

Tycoon Guy writes "TrekToday reports that 'Enterprise' has been renewed for a fourth season. UPN will make the official announcement on Thursday, but production executives already told the SaveEnterprise.com fan campaign the show will be back, and the show's actors have been ordered back to work. The only snag? It looks like 'Enterprise' might be moved to Fridays next year, and Firefly fans can tell you what a great place that is..."

22 of 665 comments (clear)

  1. Good news... by jrj102 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well, this is good news. Enterprise is not my favorite flavor of Trek, but it's better than nothing. Besides, there have been a couple good episodes this season.

    I'm sure some people would have revelled in an Enterprise cancellation... to them, I'd like to pose a question which always bugged me: if you don't like a show, you don't watch it, right? If you don't watch it why would it matter to you whether or not it is cancelled? It just seems so mean-spirited to wish for a show's cancellation-- over a hundred people lose their jobs as a result, and I'm not talking about high-paid actors, I'm talking about camera men, editors, janitors-- normal people. It's not fun losing a job, folks.

    Anyway... on with the flame fest.

    --
    jrjBlog
    1. Re:Good news... by digitalsushi · · Score: 5, Funny

      To boldly go ... and then stop briefly ... and then boldly go again, where no one has gone before!

      --
      slashdot: where everyone yells sarcastic metaphors to themselves to understand the issue
    2. Re:Good news... by DrEldarion · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's the same with the people who wish episodes 1 and 2 (and probably 3, when it comes out) of Star Wars weren't made because they think George Lucas "ruined" the series with them. Or people who wish that any Final Fantasy game past 6 was not made (even though 7 was the second best in the series after 1, you bastards).

      Many people (myself not included) would rather have nothing at all than something they don't like when it comes to their favorite TV shows / movies / etc.

    3. Re:Good news... by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Agreed, it's become the thing to do to take pot shots at Enterprise around here. That's fine, everyone is entitled to their opinions. Here's mine: Enterprise is getting better. Traditionally, Trek series hit their prime in season three, and this is no exception.

      As for Friday nights, well, that's what TiVo is for, right?

    4. Re:Good news... by RatBastard · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's not that Lucas "ruined" anything. It's that Episode 1 and 2 were crap! They were badly acted (from actors we KNOW can do better!), badly written, badly directed and badly concieved. The only good thing about Star Trek were the special effects, but SFX are a dime a dozen. Good stories are much harder to find.

      And yes, I'd rather not have to wade through pools of drek and offal when I want to indulge my craving for science fiction. I would rather have a few well crafted diamonds than a mountain of coal.

      That mountain of coal exists because there are some people, myself NOT included) who will tolerate anything, no matter how badly made, just because it is science fiction.

      --
      Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
    5. Re:Good news... by LoadStar · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Well, this is good news. Enterprise is not my favorite flavor of Trek, but it's better than nothing. Besides, there have been a couple good episodes this season.

      I'm sure some people would have revelled in an Enterprise cancellation... to them, I'd like to pose a question which always bugged me: if you don't like a show, you don't watch it, right? If you don't watch it why would it matter to you whether or not it is cancelled? It just seems so mean-spirited to wish for a show's cancellation-- over a hundred people lose their jobs as a result, and I'm not talking about high-paid actors, I'm talking about camera men, editors, janitors-- normal people. It's not fun losing a job, folks.

      Is it really better than nothing? The fact is, a bad series can have an impact on the entire franchise. The fact that Enterprise has garnered lackluster ratings - at best - and has had very few really good episodes from a creative aspect makes the chances of more Star Trek (whether it be TV or movie) less attractive to both viewers and Hollywood executives.

      To pull the argument that cancelling the series puts people out of work is rather pathetic actually. Does that mean that we should keep trash on the air, just because people worked on the series? Imagine a schedule full of shows like "The Mullets" just because people didn't want to cancel the series because it would put people out of work... *shudder*

    6. Re:Good news... by platos_beard · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, it may be worse than nothing, but its better than Voyager.

      --
      What's a sig?
    7. Re:Good news... by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The only good thing about Star Trek were the special effects

      I strongly disagree with that statement. I wish I could search my history and find the previous lengthy post I made about TNG (it was a gem) but I let my /. subscription expire.

      In any case, how can you say the only good thing was the effects when you had moral issue based episodes like these (off the top of my head in 5 minutes at the office):

      • Measure of a Man (TNG - Individual Rights)
      • Symbiosis (TNG - Drug Addiction)
      • The Drumhead (TNG - Kangaroo Court run amok - scary when you consider what's going on nowadays)
      • Who Watches the Watchers (TNG - Religion)
      • The Hunted (TNG - Veterans Rights)
      • The High Ground (TNG - Terrorism)
      • Devil's Due (TNG - Religion/myth busting again)
      • The Masterpiece Society (TNG - Genetic enhancement/engineering)

      I'd also point out the good storyline based episodes:

      • Yesterday's Enterprise (TNG - Federation at the height of a losing war -- probably the model that DS9 used for the last two years of it's run)
      • Sarek (TNG - Picard has to absorb the emotions of Sarak -- a great acting performance by Stewart)
      • Family (TNG - Followup to Picard's trauma inflicted by the Borg - no reset button like Voyager)
      • The Wounded (TNG - Mission to stop another Federation officer who lost his family from getting revenge)
      • Darmok (TNG - Attempt to communicate with an alien race - probably my favorite episode of Trek ever made)
      • The Inner Light (TNG - Picard lives a lifetime as a member of another race - probably the second best episode of Trek ever)
      • Relics (TNG - Scottie's comeback!)
      • Chain of Command (TNG - Picard is captured and tortured by Cardassians - another fine performance by Stewart)
      • All Good Things (TNG - Humanity's limitless potential is revealed - what better way to end the series?)

      Those are just the TNG episodes that I can name off the top of my head (yes I'm a Geek -- but I don't know the stardates anymore). DS9 had quite a few standout episodes too -- though I think TNG tackled the moral issues more often.

      Star Trek under Gene Roddenberry was always about the story. Under Paramount it's about T&A and appealing to the unwashed 16-24 male demographic.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  2. Theme Song by crapnutassneck · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please tell me they are leaving that dreadful theme song behind.

    --
    .-=Wit is educated insolence=-. -Aristotle
    1. Re:Theme Song by Skater · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm gonna go out on a limb: I think the theme song is the best theme song ever written for any series. It captures the mood of the series perfectly. The first time I heard it I didn't like it, but then as I watched the opening sequence again I realized what they were trying to do and how well the song fit.

      All good art is controversial. ;)

      --RJ

    2. Re:Theme Song by DrEldarion · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dammit, now Gin and Juice will be the theme for the next series.

      These are the voyages of the starship Escalade...

    3. Re:Theme Song by chfriley · · Score: 5, Informative

      >the theme song is the best theme song ever written for any series

      I agree it is good, but it wasn't written for the series. ;-)

      It was on the Patch Adams soundtrack in 1998. (They re-recorded it for Enterprise and I like the re-recording better than the Rod Stewart version).

    4. Re:Theme Song by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...its five year mission, to style and profile, to seek out new sources of bitches and money, to boldly go where no pimp has gone before. /cue visual FX of "The Star Ship Enterprizzle," newly pimped out by West Coast Customs (drop down LCD screen!), as it slowly cruises past a planet. Snoop blasts from the racks of interstellar subs mounted on the rear decks, and the neon mounted on the underside of the ship casts a funky purple glow across the planet's surface.

    5. Re:Theme Song by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Please tell me they are leaving that dreadful theme song behind."

      There's an FAQ out there for the cartoon series Transformers. If you read the FAQ, there's a question about an acronym (the term of it escapes me at the moment) that defined an argument that would never disappear. There were two characters that were physically very similar, just different colors. (Rumble and ... Frenzy I think? The little tape dude whose arms turned into smashy things...) In the cartoon, the blue one was Rumble, and the black one was the other dude whose name I can't recall. In the comic book, the colors were reversed. The comic book people thought they were right, the cartoon people thought they were right. Result? A never-ending argument that just wound people up for no good reason.

      Every time somebody mentions the Enterprise theme-song, I think of that FAQ. Why? Because the color of that particular Decepticon doesn't mean a damn thing to the show or the comic book. Everybody's right, yet it still goes absolutely nowhere. It's just some point for people to butt heads on.

  3. Friday night? What are they, crazy? by The+I+Shing · · Score: 5, Funny

    We just know how Star Trek fans are all out paintin' the town red on Friday nights.

    What UPN should do is just send small cheap TV sets to every collectible card shop in the country, so fans of the series can watch the show while playing Magic: The Gathering in the back.

    While they're at it, they should send some Red Bull and Cheetos, too.

    --
    You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
  4. UPN has holes on Friday night... by LostCluster · · Score: 5, Informative

    Fridays are definitely a death slot on the UPN network. Many UPN affiliates, even some the network owns, have Friday-heavy packages to air games from the local MLB team. Stations affected include...

    Boston's WSBK "UPN 38" which airs "Friday Night Baseball" Red Sox Games nearly every Friday night in the season.
    Connecticut's WCTX "UPN 8" is part of the Mets broadcast network.
    Seattle's KSTW "UPN 11" is the flagship of the Mariners broadcast network.

    In short, it's hard to get anything to work on UPN Fridays during the start of the TV station because about a quarter of the network just plain falls apart on any given Friday night due to baseball coverage when its in season.

  5. However, in an attempt to "UPN it up..." by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...the ship's comm officer will now be played by Mo'Nique, who will bring her distinctive brand of head-swiveling, big booty jokes, and "You go girl!" onboard to make the Enterprise the funkiest space trip ever! Also joining the cast will be Erik-Michael Estrada of the smash pop group O-Town. The jokes will be 'out of this world' as Erik-Michael asks the captain if they can put hydraulics on the ship or at least get a "La Raza" license plate frame. The new captain of the ship will be played by the whitest man alive - Al Gore. He can't dance and his slang is busted, but he can get them through all the interstellar police stops!

    Come join the cerebral fun on UPN!

    1. Re:However, in an attempt to "UPN it up..." by dr_dank · · Score: 5, Funny

      To boldizzly goizzle wherizzle no mizzle hizzle goizzle befizzle.

      --
      Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  6. The real answer is simple... by Torgo's+Pizza · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Renew Enterprise. Cancel Berman and Braga.

  7. Sci-fi fans in general... by badboy_tw2002 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Can never be happy. Stay with me on this one before you hit that mod button :). Basically either you have shows people liked that get cancelled in their prime, thus to be lauded forever as the best show ever if only it had been able to reach its potential...

    OR

    You have them where they go on too long and thus should have been cancelled long ago. Thus you have purists that only recognize seasons 2,3,5, but not 4 where they went to that alternate dimension, what were they thinking!.

    I guess this can be said for most shows, but it seems to apply more to scifi for some reasons. I think really only Babylon 5 went out on the perfect note, mainly because thats when it was supposed to happen.

  8. Damn by RoderickMcDougall · · Score: 5, Funny

    There goes my hopes for the return of Quantum Leap :)

  9. The ST series I want to see. by soldeed · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Personally, I find the usual format of star trek (one captain/crew/ship) limiting. After all there is supposed to be an entire FLEET of ships zooming around the galaxy, but it seems there is ever only ONE ship having interesting adventures. I would like to see a anthology ST series, sort of like the old Police stories series where you feature a different ship/crew every week (or two). You could use the premise of history lessons at starfleet academy to set up each episode and tie the series together. It could be called 'Star fleet chronicles' or some such. Of course, whatever type of series they make, they need better, more imaginative scripts, that aren't retreads of the same old tired themes. (time travel, alien possesion, ect.) That and I wish they paid more attention to continuity. I don't read Star Trek novels, because they have nothing to do with series or movie cannon.