Home Home Leftcorner_menuBack menuBarBack
Community News Features About Us
Home | Submit News | Join | Settings | Logout |
Schedule
boxBottom
Advanced Search
boxBottom
News Tribblets
boxBottom
Stardates Calendar
Opinion Poll
Convention Listings
News Story

Features

Fan Enthusiasm Seeks to Curb Cancellation Worries With Second Hollywood Reporter Ad

Features

By Steve Krutzler / 07:24, 6 February 2004 / Enterprise

Fans of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE have rallied to save the show that officially isn't in jeopardy yet. It's no surprise when a popular series is cancelled after 13 episodes and an Internet petition immdiately crops up to champion its survival. In fact, it's a phenomenon that STAR TREK fans helped solidify with their historic letter-writing campaign to NBC in the late-1960s, winning a third season for the original STAR TREK series.

The lack of a major ratings turnaround and silence on the part of UPN network execs has fomented speculation in recent weeks that the newest STAR TREK series might make history of another kind and become the first since the original to go out early. UPN even reduced its order for the series from 26 episodes to 24 this season, confirming that the struggling network is pinching pennies. Recent rumors have ranged from cancellation at the end of this season, to the firing of producer Rick Berman, to the bittersweet theory of a final fourth year crafted only to improve a potential syndication deal.

One group of fans isn't waiting for the axe to fall, however. The ENTERPRISE Project collected donations last fall to run a full-page ad in the entertainment trade paper Hollywood Reporter, demonstrating support for the show. According to a new press release from the group, they've done it again. A second advocacy ad proclaiming fan support for ENTERPRISE will run in the February 24th edition of the paper.

"The campaign's purpose was to publish a collective letter to [UPN chiefs] Dawn Ostroff and Les Moonves, verifying that millions of fans consistently watch and highly value ENTERPRISE and look forward with anticipation to a fourth season and a long, successful run," writes group representative Anita Balestino in a release announcing the success.

"In only 16 days, Enterprise fans from across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe contributed enough funds to publish the letter on a full page in the Hollywood Reporter. They hope the publicized message to UPN's top executives will confirm the fact that audiences for ENTERPRISE are much larger than the current flawed ratings system reflects."

Tuesday's edition of the HR charges $3,385.00 for a full-page ad and the group says it has raised $3,664.80. Extra money will be donated to the The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in the names of Jerry Fleck and Kellie Waymire, ENTERPRISE's assistant director and guest actress who both passed away in 2003.

The ad, which is directed specifically to Ostroff and Moonves, reads in part: "Now, with new arc-driven stories that often examine the troubling issues of our own time, ENTERPRISE has reinvigorated its appeal to its audience, recaptured the praise of media critics and is reengaging the interest of former STAR TREK fans. The show has hit its stride and is gathering momentum to fulfill its enormous potential and emerge as a bona fide classic series."

You can learn more about the ENTERPRISE Project efforts here.



More Top StoriesComments
Nov 30J.J. Abrams on Star Trek Movie Themes, Characters, Bad Guy and Sequels6
Nov 28First Photos of the U.S.S. Kelvin Crew, Including Captain Richard Robau 45
Nov 28Cryptic Studios Reveals Details on Star Trek Online MMOPG10
Nov 27Kevin Sorbo Remembers Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda11
Nov 26Intel Launches New Star Trek Movie Sweepstakes Online
0
Story Archives...Browse:   
ENTERPRISE Mission Schedule | Logs by Season: 1 2 3 4
Episode Number Title Airdate

Talkback

52 comments Post New | Help
View:

RE: ENT v. VOY | Report this post to moderator
By: c.p. (Odo's file, contact) @ 12:17:38 on Feb 09, 2004

Well, I don't think they were THAT bad. I thought the characters had a lot of potential but weren't used as well as they could have been. I still love the crowded noir of DS9 and all the complications and resolutions that arose from it. I think they never found a way to build on that without just repeating the stories of the past and losing a lot of consequence, which is what DS9 had lots of.

Oh, and I really liked Janeway, actually.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

First two seasons left a bitter taste hard to get rid of | Report this post to moderator
By: SeanValen (Odo's file, contact) @ 09:53:21 on Feb 09, 2004

First two seasons comprised of more episodes of some shows that make a impact with half a season, then get canceled, if you look at Enterprise's first 13 episodes, are they your favorites, most likley not, now I haven't seen season three, but I get the impression its improving, but basically it means it's one season that should of been the quality of season one, only when the show is looking bad in terms of viewers, they do something, the best thing in this, is hoping berman and braga get fired, the idiots.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

Yeah, The Enterprise Project... | Report this post to moderator
By: Mr. Hippo (Odo's file, contact) @ 16:11:56 on Feb 07, 2004

...grass roots movement of fans no doubt paid for by Paramount Studios.

Star Trek has become the Howard Dean of science fiction thanks to Rick Berman, Brannon Braga and Paramount's cash cow mentality.

--------

"It's my duty... It's my duty as a complete and utter bastard."

- Rimmer (Timeslides, Red Dwarf)



"Your gangly attempt at being clever has been futile."

- Dieter (Dieter's Dance Party, Sprockets)


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

Too little, too late? | Report this post to moderator
By: Shaun (Odo's file, contact) @ 00:17:36 on Feb 07, 2004

This letter-writing business strikes me as an exercise in futility. Letter campaigns aren't what they used to be--if a show was saved from cancellation back in the '60s, when there were only three networks to choose from, and it had never been done before, well then, that was big news. But take a look around today... there are now dozens of different stations and hundreds of different programs to choose from. I'm not sure Hollywood or the world at large has much interest in keeping TREK alive anymore. And when was the last time a letter-writing campaign to save a TV show did any good? The only two I can think of off the top of my head were for "Starman" back in '86 or '87 and, more recently, for "Farscape." Guess what--both shows got shitcanned anyway.

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for STAR TREK. The only reason why I don't bother with "Enterprise" is because of Berman & Braga. If UPN finally agrees to bring back ENT for a 4th season, the ONLY way I'll tune in is if they fire B&B and replace them with Harve Bennett or Nicholas Meyer or Ronald D. Moore or Leonard Nimoy or William Shatner or Peter David or ANYONE ELSE who has shown in the past to have a healthy passion and talent for all things TREK. I got suckered into watching the season finale of the 2nd season, "The Expanse." I shut it off after the first 10 minutes. It had DESPERATION written all over it. I tried watching an episode or two this season and the Xindi are so ridiculous and ill-conceived that I just shook my head. I just DON'T CARE for this show, its story arc or its characters. Something tells me I'm not alone on this one.

The ONLY thing that could POSSIBLY save ENT (in my opinion) is nothing short of a complete and total overhaul of production personel. This Xindi nonsense just ain't cuttin' it. They need: A new executive producer, new writers (preferably established sci-fi and TV drama writers), new sets, new costumes, new actors, new production designers... the whole shebang. The only actors I'd keep would be the guys who play Trip, Phlox and Reed. Then, and ONLY THEN, would I even bother tuning into the first 5 minutes of the season opener of Season Four.

I realize it's a tall order. That's why I don't have a lot of faith left for "Enterprise."


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: Too little, too late? by Jadzia-Dax @ 15:11:44 on Feb 07
RE: Too little, too late...! by Spockjaw @ 13:10:30 on Feb 07

every victory has a price | Report this post to moderator
By: cjd (Odo's file, contact) @ 15:18:46 on Feb 06, 2004

hey all,

im enjoying season 3 of enterprise so far, but does anyone agree with me that when the crew win their war againest the evil xindi. that their ought to be some kind of price, like a bitter sweet victory?

babylon 5 had their lead character do something similar at the end of season 3. any ideas? plus im getting disappointed with the whole trip t'pol thing. i can only only personally imagine t'pol really going for a human like captain picard. any comments? :-)


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: every victory has a price by lemmiwinks @ 15:52:31 on Feb 06
    RE: every victory has a price by Jadzia-Dax @ 18:07:24 on Feb 06
       RE: every victory has a price by lemmiwinks @ 20:28:13 on Feb 06
          RE: every victory has a price by Jadzia-Dax @ 21:44:47 on Feb 06

The Glory Days of Voyager and the way the series should end. | Report this post to moderator
By: iam (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 15:06:47 on Feb 06, 2004

Ya know, I was thinking of Voyager the other day; a show had its amazing share of crappy shows, problems and I actually found myself missing the "glory" days of the show. Episodes such as "Year in Hell", "relitivity", That episode with the ship from the federation (W/John Savage), and I started to think how much I actually missed these people. Why would that be? It's obvious now... This was the last Star Trek show to have a scrap of quality and character depth written into it. Since the creation of Enterprise, which has unashamidly (sp?) messed with the established Star Trek Universe, I have felt that this show has almost nothing to do with Star Trek. It is simply someone else's interpretation of Gene's Roddenberry's vision. If this show ends up being cancelled I fully expect the show to end the way it should end.... (Enterprise finale suggestion!) Q shows up in the middle of an episode and informs the valliant crew of the Enterprise that this continuity should never have happened. The Creator if this alternate time line is revealed as "Future Guy" CAPTAIN BRAXTON of the Timeship Relativity!
The bad captain of time has created this time line of Archer and Co. to finally rid the universe of the pesky Captain Janeway and the good ship Voyager! Q reveals the true time line through a virtual tour of said time. While on the tour, Q sends the ship and crew of the Enterprise NX-01 to the future to destroy, once and for all, Captain Braxton. Fortunatly, Archer never has to pull the trigger himself as a failed escape attempt by Braxton ends with the time tripping captain scatering himself across the cosmos while making the mistake of utilizing the Enterprise's prehistoric transporter.
With the evaporation of Captain Braxton, Q sets right the rest of the cosmos and the original Robert April, Pike and Kirk Timeline is restored.
Meanwhile..... the crew of the NX-01 coasts through space wondering why they haven't been evaporated, finally after waiting for there last moments they continue on their way deciding that they quite possibly have been the victim of a cosmic episode of "Punk'd." The exterior shot of the enterprise begins to pull back and continues to pull back until it is reveiled that the universe is in a cube shape being held by...... Q.
"Why not.....?" Q says as he puts the alternate universe on a shelf. the end and the credits roll......


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: The Glory Days of Voyager and the way the series should end. by Krazy Joe @ 12:32:11 on Feb 07
    ENT v. VOY by Spockjaw @ 13:04:08 on Feb 07
       RE: ENT v. VOY by Krazy Joe @ 17:02:12 on Feb 07
          RE: ENT v. VOY by Steve Krutzler @ 17:21:29 on Feb 07
             RE: ENT v. VOY by Krazy Joe @ 16:15:17 on Feb 08
                RE: ENT v. VOY by Spockjaw @ 06:13:02 on Feb 16
             RE: ENT v. VOY by Krazy Joe @ 16:12:54 on Feb 08
             RE: ENT v. VOY by iam @ 11:17:04 on Feb 08

The Wrong Endeavor | Report this post to moderator
By: Spockjaw (Odo's file, contact) @ 12:14:39 on Feb 06, 2004

Why are people rallying to save a crappy show? They should be rallying to cancel it, as it is an embarassment to us, and all Star Trek that came before!

Perhaps then we can move on to better things for ST.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: The Wrong Endeavor by MoulinRouge @ 14:47:08 on Feb 06
    Maybe you just don't get it... by Spockjaw @ 12:54:25 on Feb 07
    RE: The Wrong Endeavor by c.p. @ 17:39:50 on Feb 06
    RE: The Wrong Endeavor by Xenoclone @ 15:47:20 on Feb 06

Sad | Report this post to moderator
By: The Flashlight (Odo's file, contact) @ 11:27:39 on Feb 06, 2004

First, even if I had extra cash lying around, I wouldn't be flushing it down the toilet on newspaper ads for a freaking t.v. show that should have been canceled at the end of season #1.

Second, it would help their ad's credibility if any of it's claims were actually true -

>>"Now, with new arc-driven stories that often >>examine the troubling issues of our own time

Please. Enterprise's plots barely rise to the level of superficial. The social commentary (and I use the phrase loosely) is shallow and hamfisted.

>>ENTERPRISE has reinvigorated its appeal to its >>audience

Completely untrue according to the ratings, as many have pointed out. If Enterprise were suddenly doing TNG-like numbers, then I'd say it had been reinvigorated.

>>recaptured the praise of media critics

And what media critics would those be? Even TV Guide has been critical of Enterprise. Mainstream critics fogot about Enterprise a long time ago. Are they referring to the various no-name "I have my own geocities website" Trek online critics that populate internet? Sorry, I don't count them.

>>and is reengaging the interest of former STAR TREK >>fans.

Again, not according to the ratings. The ratings issue is beyond debate now folks. If the ratings really weren't as bad as they seem, if there really was a legitimate way to spin the statistics in a positive direction, then Trek wouldn't be in as much trouble as it is now. The people in charge of the programming at UPN, Viacom & Paramount KNOW that the ratings are bad and that the show is underperforming.

And I take issue with referring to those not watching Enterprise as "former" Trek fans. Excuse me - I'm a Star Trek fan, have been for years and continue to be so. But I'm NOT an Enterprise fan. I find the show boring and juvenile. The Xindi storyline simply doesn't interest me, and beyond that I find not a single one of the characters compelling enough to care what happens to them. I haven't traded in my fandom membership card because of that. I continue to buy the DVD sets, and I watch TNG and TOS and DS9 on t.v. when I can. I'll even sit and watch a Voyager episode here and there. But Enterprise just isn't worth my valuable time.

>>The show has hit its stride and is gathering >>momentum to fulfill its enormous potential and >>emerge as a bona fide classic series.

The show is a bland, neutered bore. The Xindi arc was created because the show was adrift and clueless for the first two seasons. And once the Xindi arc is finished, the ship & crew will have to return home where the creative team will again have to figure out what to do with this ship of cardboard cut-outs. That's a dilemma they weren't able to solve before, and it's not something they will be able to solve now, because they've given up on Trek continuity. Eugenics Wars? Nope, abandoned that. Romulan War? Nope, no sign that we'll ever see that. Founding of the Federation? Haven't taken a single step in that direction in 3 years. Wasn't that supposed to be the entire point of the show?

Enterprise from the very beginning was a "gimmick" - you got to see the "first" of everything. The first transporter. The first phase pistol. The first encounter with Klingons. But once they ran out of "first" gimmicks, they had no idea what to do afterward.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: Sad by Krazy Joe @ 16:49:03 on Feb 07
RE: Sad by Krazy Joe @ 12:51:29 on Feb 07
you know what's really sad... by lemmiwinks @ 14:21:08 on Feb 06
    RE: you know what's REALLY sad... by Spockjaw @ 06:27:26 on Feb 16
    RE: you know what's really sad... by jasetkirk @ 20:15:01 on Feb 06
RE: Sad by Chakfan @ 12:49:40 on Feb 06

A flash of light | Report this post to moderator
By: Hbasm (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 09:44:36 on Feb 06, 2004

I wish it works... But eventually, we will have to donate enough money to produce the series on our own. Dumb world.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: A flash of light by The Flashlight @ 23:16:46 on Feb 07
RE: A flash of light by Cybersoldier @ 12:04:29 on Feb 06
    RE: A flash of light by steveleenow @ 18:48:41 on Feb 06
       RE: A flash of light by Gene's Ghost @ 18:58:39 on Feb 06

hmmm | Report this post to moderator
By: Victor (Odo's file, contact) @ 09:29:39 on Feb 06, 2004

I don't understand what they've seen that has inspired such loyalty. Author and writer Warren Ellis said recently that Trek fans just watch ENT, which features lightly revised episodes from previous Treks, for comfort.

I'm not certain he's wrong.

Victor


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: hmmm by iam @ 21:18:36 on Feb 06
RE: hmmm by MoulinRouge @ 14:39:54 on Feb 06
    RE: hmmm by c.p. @ 15:32:32 on Feb 06
       RE: hmmm by iam @ 21:22:40 on Feb 06
          RE: hmmm by c.p. @ 15:38:37 on Feb 07
RE: hmmm by jasetkirk @ 09:39:44 on Feb 06

Hmmm.... | Report this post to moderator
By: TheeBlueWolf (Odo's file, contact) @ 08:18:49 on Feb 06, 2004

I don't know how I feel about this.

--------

JOKE OF THE CENTURY!!!

When asked how Gene Roddenberry would feel, about Berman's handling of Trek...since his death. Berman responded, "I think he'd be very pleased. I think he'd be proud of what we're doing."


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: Hmmm.... by Osnard @ 09:26:10 on Feb 06
RE: Hmmm.... by MarkMat @ 09:05:52 on Feb 06
RE: Hmmm.... by jasetkirk @ 08:35:34 on Feb 06
    RE: Hmmm.... by Krazy Joe @ 10:01:08 on Feb 06
       RE: Hmmm.... by jasetkirk @ 10:22:54 on Feb 06
          RE: Hmmm.... by jasetkirk @ 12:05:53 on Feb 06
Promenade










TrekWeb Merchants
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.ca
Amazon.de
Barnes & Noble

Get Firefox!