I think I'd like to get a couple cents in here. First of all, I like enterprise. I don't love it, just like it, which is still more than I can say for most of the other stuff out there on TV right now. I didn't like Voyager. Still don't, but on occasion I'll be caught watching it cuz I'm bored. It was way too PC, and I ended up disliking pretty much every character on it- especially Janeway and her outlandinsh favoritism to anyone that belonged to a special interest group. She let the doctor get away with nearly killing everyone on the ship and disobeying her orders directly because he was a hollogram, she let the engineer get her job because she was rude, disobedient and just generally an unrelenting, moody bitch. She let the first officer get away with anything he did, and even risk everyone's life for what might or might not be his baby, if it even really existed, but granted he was too weak of a character to try too much. She let the borg damn near get away with murder because she was simply a hurt little girl that had been taken away from her family, but the helm guy got demoted and put in solitary confinement for adapting to her standards,adopting them as his own and trying to save an entire "world." I really liked TNG, but the beginning few seasons really did suck. But then, they were catering to the times, just like TOS did for their time, and BSG did for theirs.
Enterprise is much like that- they are catering to the times, and trying to bring in fresh, new viewers. True, a vulcan most likely would not be caught in a tight suit like that, and it is a contradiction to the Trek universe, but to be honest, I'm not complaining about getting to see her cleavage all the time. I wish they'd to the same for Hoshi. Anyone see that eppisode where Hoshi went through the venitlation system to let the weapons guy out of his room and lost her shirt? BOOYAH!!!!!! Where can I get uncensored outtakes of that? I like the fact that the cast makes mistakes. I don't like the ship- too big, too powerful, too advanced for the time. COntrols et all are fine, but the phaser thingies seem a bit out of place, as is the transporter. That was supposed to be something new in TOS, and here they have it decades before. Nope, doesn't work for me. I'm glad they don't use it that much. No shields is a nice touch. Don't like the revenge on the terrorist thing they have going on, but what you gonna do? It's shameless, and poor taste, and uncreative, but I'm sure they are getting pressure from someone somewhere to do something tying it all in to the 9/11 attacks.
Oh, BTW, anyone catch that one of these Xindi guys is a manitee type thing? I thought that was cool.
New series? Definately TMP, or shortly there after. I say go with the Enterprise B and tell her stories. Harriman (wasn't he in Ferris Bueller's day Off?) can be dumped if need be. Just say he was there for Enterprise B's maiden voyage, or to run her through her paces before she was handed off to a more distinguished captain when she was put on active duty. Been known to happen, and has even been established in the trek universe.
Ah yes, TMP (post first movie). Excellent designs, all around. They should be dusted off and used. Great sets, use them. The uniform idea. TMP does something that I personally like very much. Being in the military, I know full well about uniformity. The army expects you to have your uniforms starched every day, so much so that they can nearly stand on their own. The uniform of the day (everyday in fact)? Battle Dress Uniform (BDU). you know, those camiflauge uniforms you usually see reservists or guard guys in. Starched up, they don't breath at all. They hold in heat. They absorb heat. They are poorly designed. They are expensive. The boots suck- you need to get custom boots in order to be able to keep your feet in working order. There is no diversity in unform, despite whatever need there may be, save for coveralls for mechanics, or pilots. Uniformity is something I understand, but TMP took it to a new level. Why should the security guys look the same as everyone else? Give them some protective gear for god's sake. Good thinking. Why are the engineers in the same uniform as everyone esle? Give them some gear suited to their needs. I liked that alot, it made sense, looked good, and seemd to work well. The characters could be a little more loose in that time frame, and be more themselves. It wasn't all about PC, or obeying strict, poorly thought out orders. They had some guts to them, and they didn't play the same kind of HS pass the brunette around to everyone type of BS. Sure she had a cute face, but made that was one large, jiggly @$$.
Yep, That's what I'd like to see- Ent-B series. Sulu is too old for this as a captain, and I'd rather see ENT-B, than his passed on to another captain.
CK