Star Trek Enterprise (Season 2d)

Season 2c -- Season 3a

Enterprise was really struggling at the end of the second season. They try to explore the characters. They try to hit hot, contemporary topics. They try to harken back to the sure-fire Star Trek villains. It all falls rather flat and feels forced. Especially the way they were clearly regretting setting the series before any of the other series had had a chance to introduce so many popular Trek elements. By the end of the season we see a clear reboot in progress…

Episode 46: “Horizon” 

How is the Enterprise—a ship that is the first of its kind and exploring space as yet unknown to humans—able to visit other ships with crews’ family on board?

Episode 47: “The Breach” 

Star Trek (and all sci-fi fantasy for that matter) are at their best when delivering a message. Except when they forget to tell compelling stories and just preach. And even more so when their message is such an easy, widely acceptable one as “prejudice is bad.”

Episode 48: “Cogenitor” 

And then there are the times when the preaching is lost in terrible scenarios that are obvious and flawed. Trek’s first religious tenant is “don’t impose your culture or morals on others.” They break it yet again here by introducing gender confusion to a species with three genders. People have a hard enough time grasping two these days.

Episode 49: “Regeneration”

When the Borg show up here you think, “there is no way this makes sense in the larger context of Trek.” Then they almost pull it off.

Episode 50: “First Flight” 

This is the best episode of this late run. Just a simple story with heart.

Episode 51: “Bounty” 

Somewhere in all the running around here there isn’t much of a story.

Episode 52: “The Expanse” 

This episode wants to set up a completely new scenario for the series going forward, but you get to the end and realize they merely announce that intent. Gotta wait for the next season to see where it will all go.