Wow, Deus has major issues. I loved Zero hour! Figure it this way, season finales always end with a big "WAIT, what happened?". With Zero hour it was even better. You think it was all resolved in a single episode. Obviously Archer isn't dead. But still, it's all good! Earth is safe, and the Xindi weapon went bye-bye. We can all breathe. But then ... wait? This IS a finale right?? Oh yes...
That was my reactions. I mean, this episode didn’t need to leave off with the obvious cliffhanger: do they destroy the weapon? It creates an all new issue. How'd they go back in time, and what's up with the alien Nazi.
I happened really enjoyed it. And my message to Deus is this: Dude, lighten up. What's up with your anti-enterprise reviews??? It's a good show, give it some credit. All star trek shows have flaws, but they still made it on the air. It pisses me off how much criticism Enterprise is getting. "To boldly go where no one has gone before" right? They're trying. The show isn't TNG, DS9, or Voyager ... and thank God! I love all the series' (truly!) but it was time for something different. Enterprise is breaking the mold, and I'll be a faithful watcher for as long as it airs!
PS:I hope they fire Deus!
Deus, I always do appreciate your insights, but we were not disappointed with this ep, especially after reading so many negative reviews here at TrekWeb before seeing it. Sure, the writing was pretty weak in many ways. We always like to see Jeff Coombs as Shran, but his "O'Deus ex machina" appearance just in the nick of time was very contrived.
But this was a good "popcorn ep" without much brains, but with a lot of action. A lot of elements were good, like Archer blowing up the Reptilian and the implosion of the spheres. Nice visuals and edge-of-the-seat action. This is what has been lacking from Trek since TOS. So I give B&B a gold star for entertainment value.
The cliffhanger was pretty lame and out of place after so much suspense. But it did leave us scratching our heads, which was the whole idea. So the cheap device at least had its intended effect.
So anyway, this ep left us with some high hopes for the fall! Deus, have a nice summer break!
--------
GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show!.... You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME! -- William Shatner on Saturday Night Live (1986)
Did anyone recognize the species of the alien in the Nazi uniform at the end? Yes, yes, I know it looks like a vampire from Buffy. Seriously, though, I have the disturbing feeling I've seen this species before in a Star Trek episode.
This is going to keep me up all night.
I know of only two occasion where the Nazis have been used in Star Trek. The first instance was the City on the Edge of Forever in TOS and they didn't even appear in that episode but were merely mentioned when the alternate timeline was explained as having won World War II. The second occasion I know of was in a Star Trek Voyager that involved the Hirogen but if memory serves me they were only Holodeck recreations so they don't really count.
If anyone could let me know what other Star Trek episodes have featured the Nazie and what the circumstances were I'd appreaciate it because as far as I can remember this is the first time in Star Trek that a character has been thrown back in time into the midst of World War II since Archer appeared to be in a battlefield tent. While the Nazis may have appeared on Star Trek before I can't recall any episode where they appeared in similar circumstances to their appearance on Enterprise.
I don't need to spend time typing out elaborate reviews or thoughts when you just speak the sense that is necesssary and put it in a web page.
You sum up, once again, pretty much everything I was thinking, and challenged me to think differently about the occaisonal bit too.
I felt this has been a really good season on the whole, let down by a poorish end episode, and an apalling cliffhanger. Apalling. Just... well... *shakes head*
--------
Lydia: "I've never lost at mortal combat yet."
Diana: "Idiot. If you had, you'd be dead." -- V, "The Champion"
If B&B knew there was a chance that ENT would survive, but if so they'd be relieved of duty, perhaps the Space Nazi ending was their way of digging such a gawdawful deep plot hole that there would be no way for Coto, et al, to save face. But B&B, safely ensconced in some new project, would be able to feign innocence. "Star Trek died on THEIR WATCH, not ours!" they would cry...
I used to get furious when Id log onto Trekweb and skim over yet another of the skewed reviews that Odeus would write. Its very clear and has been so for years that the man lets his personal opinion about creative staff color his everythought of this show and other recent star trek incarnations. When he sees something on the show as bad.... 'hey, must be B and B's fault', and when something is good its 'hey, look what they did inspite of B and B...'
Along the line I just got sick of hardly relevant reviews, and stoped reading them, but somehow the season finale review caught my attention.
I must say that Odeus wouldnt know good story telling if it came up and bit him on the ass. The realization of where Enterprise was in those last scenes was truly one of the most exciting bits of Star Trek ever. After the show ended my roomate and I ended up talking about the episode for about 30 minutes, trying to figure out ways this coulda happened and what exactly it all meant... The episode definantly begen to drag somewhere along the middle, but If ever there was a great last minute touchdown to win the game, this was it. We both cant wait for the next season premiere.
Sorry about the hastily written post, taking a break from writing a rather long paper for a Political Science class and cant bring myself to pay much attn. to speeling and grammer. lol.
To those of you out there that have enjoyed this show and this season as a whole, Dont buy the hype that Star Trek is dead, run into the ground by lousy management and other crap you may read... its simply not true. I dont know what exactly inspires bitterness among so many, but Im pretty sure that its somehow something more than the quality of the show, perhaps some mass fanboy belief that they could do it better, i dunno. In anycase I applaud B and B for yet another entertaining season of Star Trek. GOOD JOB.
Zero Hour was a massive disappointment. The writing was clumsy and haphazard, and I totally agree that after a season-long arc we deserved to see some of the celebration.
The part about destroying the spheres ... I really thought there was an obvious reason to want to destroy them, but as usual B&B missed it.
At the end of Countdown the Builders used their influence in the Enterprise dimension to protect the weapon as it launched ... nicely destroying an Aquatic ship. They created a moving cloud of that pink anomaly.
During the race in Zero Hour, we hear an offhand comment about increasing the protection/anomaly to keep Archer away ... now, what I was expecting was for the destruction of the Spheres to eliminate that protective anomaly. As the weapon drops out into our solar system, the Builders create a protective anomaly shield, only to have T'Pol destroy the Sphere network disabling that shield.
Sure, Earth's system is outside the Expanse, but they could have done some sort of whiz-bang realignment of the spheres to extend their influence ... a shot of hundreds of spheres, more even than we were led to believe in earlier episodes, turning and focussing their power to protect the weapon.
Hell, the Builders talked of some mysterious final trick up their sleeves ... why not phase in THOUSANDS of spheres, spheres even in Earth's system and above the Klingon and Vulcan homeworlds.
There'd be a reason for T'pol to diable the network, because if she didn't then Archer couldn't even get to the weapon to destroy it. She wouldn't have pulled a Janeway, she'd have pulled a Spock sacrificing herself and the entire crew in a last ditch effort to actually DO something.
There'd also be a reason for the Builders to board Enterprise to try and stop them.
There'd still be that stupid magical Phlox injection, but it might have gone down a bit better had they actually given a purpose to the destruction other than Archer's word (something that's proven extremely flexible over the past few weeks).
B&B create the rules, they should have been able to structure them such that the ending drama would have made sense. When you cut back and forth between two competing action sequences it's usually done to disguise flaws in one or both ... if there were a kind of baton passing, Enterprise nearly being destroyed to allow Archer to get near enough to the Weapon to destroy it ... the action wouldn't seem as contrived.
They need to have reasons for what they do. Why did the Aquatic ship just jettison Enterprise? It made no sense for newfound allies to just chuck their new friends out the door and turn for home.
For that matter, why bother having them taxi'd back to Earth at all, write it so Enterprise could limp back to Earth under its own power. As written, we know that the Aquatic ship is probably thrown backwards in time too, but knowing B&B that's yet another thread they'll probably ignore.
As for the ending, my first thought was that Daniels desperately tried to snatch Archer out of the Weapon as it exploded, but in the resulting release of energy sent him backwards in time ... again, this exposes the fundamental problem with having a time-travelling "helper" such as Daniels. If Archer really is so important to the Federation, they'd meddle far more, saving him at the last second just to ensure their own timeline. God knows previous Trek characters moved heaven and earth, sidestepping the Prime Directive, to preserve the timeline.
What bothered me most about the finale was the sloppiness, and in truth that's what's bothered me most about the show in general. You don't have to be an anal bastard to write something so that it makes sense and yet is still vicerally entertaining ... under B&B's watch Star Trek has become popcorn eye candy, and as someone who loved TOS and TNG for its science fiction (not science-fiction-action) that's what disappoints me most of all.
know what's gonna happen? enterprise the entire show/mission is one big dream (a la matrix). that's why kirk/picard/sisko/janeway never mentioned any of the crew. that's the problem with prequels in an already established franchise.
--------
"LET THEM DIE!!!"
to me the ending totally halted all the momentum and excitement the episode builded to with a totally haphazard and anti-climax ending. I was expecting a huge hero's welcome by the tiny starfleet ships to the Crew of enterprise. I expected the show to end with Enterprise in dock getting ready for its orginal mission of exploring space. Now we have to put with Nazis rulling present day usa with some reptile xindi or who know whatelse pulling the strings for who knows how along. I have had enough of seeing this battle damaged enterprise..I want the shiny mint one back. I think we have had enough of time-travel and time-lines crap, the show need to start dealing with the foundation of the federation without timelines theme dominating the show.
And also what about the kick-ass space ships we saw in Xindi part 1. Where were they when that huge super-weapon was still million miles away from earth and speeding towards it. They should have been able to detect and intercept it..I was actually expecting a big fight in the end with earth space ships duking it out with reptile and insect xindi ships in the backdrop with archer team taking down the weapon from inside. I guess they must be short on FX budget.
Not a great finale but not a letdown too
--------
"The mighty Star Trek would fall before us"-B&B
For me the biggest disappointment in "Zero Hour" was the failure to address the problem with the entire Xindi storyline. The conclusion to this whole thing has to result in some resetting of time so that the initial Xindi attack on Earth never took place because said attack is never mentioned in any of the series that take place following "Enterprise." Kirk, Picard, et al make plenty of references to the Eugneic Wars but never once say anything about an alien attack on Earth that killed seven million people. Surely an event of such magnitude would have tremendous influence on all future Earth and Federation policies. So with all the talk of Earth's past on the other series they never mention this? Not likely. Therefore it was obvious from the start that somehow through time traveling that the attack would be undone. Oh well maybe next season. If not, major continuity problem for a prequel.
It would seem there are two camps of people here: those who like stories with continutiy, and those who like chaos. It's the difference between people who want to know that they're going somewhere, vs. the people who like the thrills of a roller coaster.
The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and of course, everyone has the right to like what they like. But Brannan and Braga are clearly aligning themselves with the proponents of chaos theory (I'd call it "cheap thrills", but that might sound perjorative...), and are rapidly distancing themselves from the continuity camp.
I submit to anyone who liked the cliffhanger of Enterprise to compare it to the Borg cliffhanger of TNG. TNG had its share of cheesy cliffhangers too - aliens and Samuel Clemons come to mind - but their cliffhangers usually were rooted in characters, or political / social / alien situations set up by the TNG "universe." The Borg was an exceptional example.
Like many people have expressed, I had high hopes for this season, and the Xindi arc. I hoped that Enterprise had finally found its groove. When the episodes have focused on the Xindi element, they have always been entertaining, often exceptional. When the shows have veered away from that story, they have often been confusing, incomprehensible, or merely sensationalistic - T'Pol and Trip, the crew meeting their ancestors. (Did no one else wonder why the "children" were so eager to help Enterprise? Couldn't they figure out if Enterprise DIDN'T go back in time, they wouldn't exist?)
Being from the continuity school, I appreciate what Deus said about letting a story finish up. After a season-long "misson", and a string of taut, well-written episodes toward the end, why not take a 15-minute breather and let the crew bask in the glow of coming back to Earth - see relatives, T'Pol go to rehab, etc. B&B could have introduced a new arc or teaser at the very end (Romulans, Klingons, whatever) that would have served to hook us for next year without putting us on a roller coaster ride back to the Nazis.
I can understand where you're comming from - a letdown compared to what happened before. But I give the episode a pass because those last 5 minutes were just a left-field completely random thing to throw at the audience. If anything, it was unexpected and kept me, as a viewer, interested. In the end, you should be wanting to tune in next week (or next season) to see what the hell is going on.
I never in a million years would have expected that ending, which is why I dig it so much. The randomness of it is what gets me . . . because I want to see where the hell they're going with it.
simply, its entertainment and the insanity of it kept me entertained.
--------
An elephant never forgets . . .TO KILL!
I could have lived with the episode's shortcomings until the ending. The crew of Enterprise thrust into World War II?! How many times Berman and Braga gone to that idea? Too many to count.
If Berman and Braga had any courage then Archer would have died.
BUT NO !!! Our would be hero can't perish. We have to have the temporal anomaly to explain away his demise. Archer winds up in a German Army camp being
I could read more of these reviews. While I think it's fair of you to give credit where credit is due for the better epiodes, I just love it when you rip into it, and take out B&B when you're there. LOL.
--------
When masterbation's lost it's fun...you're posting at Trekweb!
-----------
When a man lies he murders
Some part of the World,
These are the Pale Deaths which
Men miscall their lives,
All this I cannot bear
To witness any longer,
Cannot the Kingdom of Salvation
Take me home?
I am disappointed to see so many negative reviews about "Zero Hour". I thought it was terrific in every way. The only iffy part was when Trip and T'Pol started flirting near the end about her age. It kinda stopped the pace in its tracks a bit. Other than that, I really thought this was some of the best Trek I have seen. It made TNG seem kinda boring in comparison. Those WWII-era fighter planes over San Francisco looked amazing. What fun! Too bad we have to wait so long for the conclusion.
I am starting to wonder why I read these reviews. Everyone has an opinion, but that review seemed heavily biased toward the anti-Braga and Berman set. I never read the credits before the show begins. To be honest, I flip around to avoid commercials. I don't care who wrote the episode, I only know whether I (personally) enjoyed it or not. I bet if TOS, TNG, and DS9 had this many internet critiques, we would have all gone crazy by now.
As an aside here, I've been catching up with DS9 episodes on Spike and I cannot believe how close their storylines are to our current war on terrorism. A little prophetic at times - almost scary.
O'Deus I completely agree with what you say (first for everything!)...Zero Hour really does show the weaknesses in B&B's writing. My question for you is rather frivolous, but I was wondering nonetheless. Obviously you didn't like the episode all that much, I was just wondering why you gave it an Overall 8, whereas past episodes you have obviously liked a more have only recieved marginally higher, or even lower ratings (The Forgotten, Damage, etc.)
Really, I'm just wondering how you figure out you're Overall ranking of the episode.
I usually don't do this but since it is the end of the season and we're all in for a long hot summer and both the episode and the review have proven to be controversial; I'd like to say a few words on the subject. Not so much on the subject of the episode itself as the process of reviewing an episode.
Often when I begin a review, I don't know what the overall tone will be. I usually have all the basic facts and strenghts and weaknesses of the episode laid out before me, but the balance of whether I'll be harshly critical of those failures and view them as dragging down the episode or see the episode's strenghts as overcoming its weaknesses is something I often discover in the process of writing the review itself. Something about the actual act of putting digital words to digital paper sorts and unlocks my response to the episode to a degree beyond the simple analysis of flaws and weaknesses.
Zero Hour was not one of those reviews. There was never any doubt that I felt disappointed when I turned it off. To those attacking me for being biased against Enterprise, should consider this. There is no disappointment, without expectation. I and all those viewers here posting their complaints about being let down, could not have been let down, if they did not have hopes for Zero Hour and Enterprise as a whole.
Personally, Zero Hour recieved such a harsh review not because I dislike Enterprise but because the past few episodes set up higher expectations because of their quality that Zero Hour did not meet. So Zero Hour did not recieve a harsh review because I hate Enterprise but because I liked the episodes that preceded it. Had the previous Enterprise episodes been far more in line quality wise with Zero Hour, its review would have been gentler the way you treat an idiot nicely because there's so little you can expect from him. But once Enterprise showed that it could do much better, it becomes impossible to be satisfied with B&B's usual clumsy incompetence.
I don't however write reviews to express my like or dislike of an episode but to analyze what went right or wrong in the episode. I think I've done that here. And I am impressed by the number of people who have stepped forwards to say that the episode disappointed them and did not meet their expectations. Hopefully that message will be conveyed to B&B that Star Trek fans are prepeared to stick with Enterprise but that they want more. More than B&B can deliver but the kind of work we've seen this season from Coto, Black, Sussman and others.
--------
"Every terrorist is at war with civilization, and every group or nation that aids them is equally responsible for the murders that the terrorists commit. They kill without mercy. They kill without shame. And they count their victories in the death of the innocent...They have declared war on the civilized world -- and war is what they got."
President Bush
Yet again we have an episode written by B and B . Yet again it amounts to not very much and in the end is a load of B.S. ( I see a theme developing here)
I just hope two things happen in season four
1. B and B take a large step back from Enterpise and end up being exsecutive producers in name only .
2. If point one does happend I hope the new show runner(s) get out of this stupid cliffhanger A.S.A.P although I pity whoever it is who gets tasked with trying to find a way out of it.
I think most of the problem is people dont listen.
Phlox said their skin would be affected. The reason she goes after the spheres is because of the deal with the Xindi which they bring up at least once in this episode as well. Archer is on Degra's ship cause its faster then Enterprise who wouldnt have been able to open the same vortex or travel as fast.
The scene where Archer blows up the reptillian commander was very well done with the explosive in his back and the cutaway.
The scenes on the bridge were well done and almost anyone who played a Xindi was a wonderful supporting character.
I do agree that the Nazi thing has been overdone in Star Trek especially. Maybe Rick Berman likes the way the boots look.
No.
by prometheus 59650 @ 11:55:06 on May 31
RE: Come on
by O. Deus @ 17:00:15 on May 28
RE: Come on
by Jodeo @ 15:59:56 on May 28
If you took a look at the TrekWeb polls, you would observe that The Xindi was the third least liked episode of the season (even though it was supposed to be the big season kick off episode). Zero Hour seems to have been put in the same hands. In TV, your first and last at bats for a season should be left for your best players. You would think B&B would have learned that they're not the strongest writers on the team and to go with the same director again would spell trouble.
Deus - this was your finest review.
But at the time it was an ENJOYABLE watch, only when you analyse it you realize how pitiful the storyline is.
But at least it was fun. And it hasn't been that way in a long time. We need this every week, not just in the finale.
The only thing I want to know is was the ending...
1) Something to show UPN top brass in order to keep the show alive
or
2) The biggest gay sex act the Producers could perform on Trek before they are fired this summer.
Either way, even though it made no sense at all, you have got to admit it was spectacular. Its probably the only section of Enterprise I have watched multiple times.
Overall, the standard of SFX was terrific. The fight scenes hailed back to the Original Series. And for one brief moment, Archer was dead and we were cheering in our house. Even the Reed/T'Pol interaction was well done.
Only the physical set design let down the episode. Its now looking very dated. Very 1993. And little bonfires on the bridge of a starship are starting to look a little cheap.
Was it a Reman? Was this where Buffy monsters went after the show ended? I don't think anyone knows. But let me throw my hat into the ring and suggest... it was an Avian/5th Xindi species, with wings tied behind its uniform.
First, I'd like to point out that VOY "Killing game" and "Future's End" were the best eps of VOY - aside from FE being a bit dry, KG rocked hardcore - the best VOY got.
Second... Deus, man... holy crap! That review so hit the money! We went from THE COUNCIL and COUNTDOWN, BOTH eps racked up quality points and writing bonuses, acting and so on - that SHOULD make up good Trek. Then, we get ZERO HOUR. expecting it to rock as hardcore as the last 2 eps did, what happened??
Umm... Mommy... there's something dripping on my forehead... it stinks and it's yellow....
Thank you, Rick Berman and Brannon Bragga, for letting down the millions of fans you so wanted to help you save your jobs. Your ratings rose, but I bet that the extra viewers you gained will say "Wow... I want my hour back!"
--------
ARABORIAL XINDI: "You ADMIT klling him!"
DOLIM: "WITH PRIDE! He was a traitor!"
RED SUIT PRIMATE XINDI: "He was a member of THIS COUNCIL!"
DOLIM: "Degra destroyed a Reptilian ship! 22 crewmen died! I only regret not doing it SOONER!"
-Council Scene, "The Council"
I'd like to make a suggestion to B&B for their first episode of the next season. The Enterprise goes back in time to the late 19th century and kills HG Wells before he ever has the chance to write "The Time Machine." Then there would be no insipid time travel stories and novels, no Harlan Ellison writing "The City at the Edge of Forever" for TOS, and perhaps B&B and the "creative" minds (quotes intentional)at ST wouldn't have this tired and overused plot device to mask their total lack of original ideas.
OK, I'd hate to lose Ellison's "City", but what's one good hour weighed against hours and hours of illogical time-humping dreck we've had to endure from ALL the Star Trek franchises since then. I can see the ST brain trust sitting around, trying to come up with an idea, until someone says, "Hey! Let's send them forward/back in time! That always works!"
Deus, your review was right on!
Loved the ending, love how it has everyone all riled up. Some hate, some love, everyone beating the crap out of one another over it. It doesn't get any better than that!
--------
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
I expect that O. Deus will be open minded to people reviewing his review: What I like about your reviews are the details when you draw analogies between the story and todays world or litterature you know from elsewhere, or when you attempt to grasp the characters and point out when their identities come across poorly. Sometimes you point out plot inconsistencies that I haven't thought of but happen to agree with. That is very constructive, and I'm sure that B&B and the writing staff finds it useful too.
Regarding "Zero Hour" I see no similarity in this ending to Voyagers "Future's End" or "Killing Game". There were Nazi's in "Killing Game" but why is this a problem? Maybe you'll explain it further?
Regarding the "skin problem" when the crew on Enterprise becomes visibly affected by the radiation from the Expanse, I must say that I don't think it was silly. Perhaps it could have been better if their behaviour was affected as well, either because of the additional stress or simply because their brain was not immune. This could add an extra amount of realism, eventually, but I am no expert in science.
I think your first comment "Archer tackles the weapon, T'Pol tackles the Spheres" is spot on. Although you probably don't intend this sentence to mean anything beyond compressing the events in the episode, I think it points out their rather impressive success, that is close to being unbelieveable. Everything works out too perfectly. Well, the ending saves this from becoming too much of a superhero series, as it introduces a completely unexpected turn in events... This kind of storytelling can be effective and I think unexpected turns are not unwelcome unless overdone. So far it's not overdone.
Quote:
Unlike the Weapon, the Spheres aren't going anywhere so it's not clear why T'Pol is so desperate to destroy them even at the risk of destroying Enterprise and killing the crew
Eh? T'Pol is following orders. Archers made a deal with the Xindi: They were to help each other. The goal of the transdimensional beings are to expand the Expanse and everyone who stands in the way are in jeopardy.
The two plotlines (chasing the weapon and destroying the spheres) appear somewhat unconnected when we look at this episode and disregard the arc. You could say this is a tiny problem, but mostly affects those who haven't followed the arc.
You mention the resemblence of disarming the weapon, and movies like Insurrection, Generations, First Contact and Nemesis. That's a good point, that I hadn't thought of. Wether or not it poses a problem I don't know. I don't think it's an overused element yet.
There is one problem with your review in my opinion.
I have to ask why you point your fingers at B&B for things you don't like? You single them out. Yeah, you've heard this before and now you hear it again. But since you don't know who wrote what part of the story, this is a guessing game although you sound convinced. You are accusing them - because you don't like them? Do you think that's helpful? This is not meant to sound harsh. But if you're tired of people telling you this, B&B are probably tired of it as well.
I suppose I agree with about half of your review. Phlox's compound reeked of technobabble, as well as his throwaway line about "32.387560384 mega-terra-cycle-jules".
Now, I have a feeling it will come to light that if Reed and Co. hadn't returned on Degra's ship, they wouldn't be part of the new timeline, so that would explain why they had to come back to The Expanse in the story.
As far as the ending goes, I liked the Twilight Zone-ness of it. I guess it really depends on how it turns out. The premiere could be monumentally jump-the-shark stupid, but it could also be interesting and cool. I guess we'll find out in September.
--------
I don't dance -Angel
Deus, I agree completely with your assessment of the episode. It was rife with storytelling clichés, although most of them could be forgiven were it not for the asinine ending. I challenge every one of you who thinks the ending was "inventive" and "fun" to look beyond that and tell me how it makes any sense, and moreover, how it can be resolved in a way that does not further damage the show's frail continuity and credibility.
Another poster wrote that "You could sit there and nitpick each episode to death, or you could just sit back, ignore the continuity and storytelling gaffs, and enjoy Star Trek for what it is."
It's a very sad state of affairs when Star Trek -- once a thoughtful television series that tackled moral and ethical issues -- is now regarded as nothing more than an incoherent, inconsistent and ultimately irrelevant summer-movie rip-off for the small screen.
I had been warming up to Enterprise. The past few episodes were well done and had a lot of important character development; it really seemed, for a moment, that the series might redeem itself.
And then they blew all of that out of the water with that totally inane ending. Archer might as well have woken up to Jar-Jar Binks farting a Britney Spears song for all the sense it made.
Thank you, Bragga and Berman, for demonstrating your continued incompetance, and for undoing the hard work of your writing staff, production crew and the cast over the past year.
I have to disagree about the destruction of the spheres. It wasn't pointless. Archer had lied to the Aquatics to get their help. If T'pol and company had not succeded, who knows but that the Aquatics would turn on them.
"Help me save my people, and I will help you save yours" archer said. So, it had to be done, or we would have some ticked off space manatees.
If that was indeed a Reman at the end, then obviously we are seeing the beginning of the Romulan war with a temporal front in the 1940s. Also throw in a bit of foreshadowing of the formation of the Federation and Archer's role in it, and you have a fantastic prelude to the 4th season and beyond.
Your reviews are seriously lacking. We've been calling for more arcs, the Romulan War and the Federation storyline. We get all three in the season finale and still you find reasons to complain about it. The ending was fantastic. 90% of people who watch the show thought so. Some have said it's better than TBOBW finale in TNG. You are nitpicking and justifying your "job" as a critic by coming up with reasons why you didn't like the show. Enjoy it for what it was ... a good hour of entertainment and a reason to watch next year.
I too was very disappointed with the finale. I also felt there was a sharp decline in the quality of the writing. I was very nervous before the show when I found out who wrote the episode. The teaser and everything that followed only confirmed my fears. The three Xindi toasting with rats was a return Braga-style "shock" that reduced these increasingly complex aliens (see The Council) back to cartoon characters. Braga may think it's "cool," but to me it's just a cheap, juvenile attempt to rewrite "V". It makes me sad because there have been some truly great episodes in final third of the season; episodes I actually want to watch over again, like Harbinger, Azati Prime, The Forgotten, The Council and Countdown. Episodes that get me genuinely excited about the show. I felt my apathy return after Zero Hour, though. I can only hope that it's not a sign of the season to come. Note to B and B: please, please, please let Manny Coto run the writing staff. Let Enterprise fly: you guys are just bringing it down.
Uhhhh, Deus, I hate to rain on your anti-ENT parade, but are you sure you saw the same episode I did? Because what I saw with "Zero Hour" was exactly what a lot of really good STAR TREK or other television series delivers: a great action-packed season ender that completely rocks. Granted, it'll never be on the same level as Shakespeare or THE SOPRANOS, but ENTERPRISE has never professed it to begin with. There's always been a measure of cheese when it comes to TREK, some of it reeking, some of it with holes, but nonetheless tasty.
The ending of "Zero Hour" is a great cliffhanger ending that's left a lot of people asking, "How are they going to get out of THIS one?" And the shocker at the end is a great tease at that. So needless to say, we haven't heard the last of TCW yet.
Admit it, Deus. Even bad STAR TREK is better than no STAR TREK at all. All of the series have had their share of hiccups mixed in among the classics, and that's fact. Granted, Braga is stepping back some the next year to work on his non-TREK project, to make way for solid writers like Manny Coto or Chris Black to move the series forward. And Scott Bakula has stated that they're going to cut back on the episodes next year from 26 to 22.
While I've had a chance to fill in and review a few episodes for TrekWeb, I've tried to look for the positive aspects in each one. Once the final seven-episode arc kicked in, it went full steam ahead and never let up one bit. Granted, "E2" had plot holes in it and could have been left off the schedule entirely, but otherwise it's gotten lots better.
However, even I have to admit that a lot of these negative reviews are beginning to grate on me. Perhaps it's time to take a page out of Braga's book and step aside to let someone else do the reviews for TrekWeb, someone with a greater measure of objectivity to the series and the episodes. I'll be glad to step up to the plate.
I mainly disagree Deus with your assertion that the end of the episode was 'tacky'. It may give less of a Twilight Zone feel if you consider 'Zero Hour' in another light.
First, let me give you a brief history lesson (Trekweb visitors in general, not Deus). The Nazi regime as I'm sure you all know was fundamentally based upon the idea of 'Volk' i.e. the union of the people with a common culture, the so called 'Aryan race'. Hitler was a staunch believer in what is labelled 'Social Darwinism'-basically the notion that only the fittest will survive. Now, if you view 'Zero Hour' in this light perhaps it isn't as discontinuous and erratic as Deus makes it out to be.
Commander Dolin throughout the episode makes a number of clear allusions to the notion of Social Darwinism, for instance that the guardians have chosen the reptilians (whom, if you watch season 3 closely commonly talk of themselves as the SUPERIOR Xindi species-sound familiar? Social Darwinism!)to control the fate of all Xindi. If you look closely it is apparent there are numerous such allusions.
NOW it starts to make alot more sense poosibly why the writers decided to create an alternate timeline with the Nazi regime. Obviously there are links to season 3 in general and the episode itself to the Nazi regime (if you take the time to think about it in less two dimensional terms).
Obviously I can't give specifics since this is a cliff hanger but I hope that Trekweb readers will not have such a narrow view of this perhaps insightfully crafted episode as the interpretation that Deus presents. The ending may be anything but the 'Planet of the Apes' meets 'Twilight Zone' ending.
--------
'What is this Beverley Hills?' 'Nah, this is The Expanse'
(oops, I meant "guessed")
I personally think it was one of the greatest ENT episodes yet, because they finally realized that they shouldn't be so damn *S-E-R-I-O-U-S*. It was exciting and FUN, and wasn't trying to make another deep, though-provoking, existential point like the show has been doing all season. Don't get me wrong, season 3 has been much better as a whole - but it was time to shake things up and get back to a good, cheesy, old-ST style episode! That "WTF???" moment at the end was classic.
I wouldn't want every episode to be this way, but as someone else posted, some serious lightening up was badly needed. I can't wait for Season 4 now.
Another good review Deus, but I disagree with your conclusion that "Zero Hour" was not a good episode. "Zero Hour" was not as good as Countdown. But then again how could it be since it was clear from the very beginning that the crew would succeed in disabling the superweapon? Overall, I found the episode entertaining and, of course, expected (yet enjoyed)seeing the crew succeed in their missions to destroy the weapon and the sphere network.
I am intrigued by the space-Nazi twist. I certainly don't hate it the way you do, even though I acknowledge that it might turn out not to be very good. Your comment that it is silly is premature. It remains to be seen whether the plot device will work based on what the writers do with the scenario next season. Yes, Nazis are cliche, but so are so many other aspects of Star Trek and science fiction storytelling. The test will be to see if the writers can execute and make an interesting and entertaining story out of this cliffhanger. I hope so. But who knows?
I always enjoy your reviews even when, as here, I don't agree. Have a great summer.
I share your sentiments 100%. When I saw the Nazis at the end, I cringed. Rather than tease me, it's like a car accident -- you want to go by it (or, in this case, tune in next fall) to see how they clean up this mess.
I can forgive Spielberg for pulling out the Nazis for Indiana Jones III -- it worked. But to bring them up now -- unacceptable. If I was given the option of changing the era and locale, I would've dropped Archer into something more compelling, be it the late 1950s Soviet empire or a Mayan colon yfurther back in time. OR, if indeed Archer is in the present -- and I balk at the idea of Nazi uniforms remaining complete unchaged for a few hundred years (after, the ENT crew's uniforms don't quite match NASA) -- then use something more relevant; perhaps a faction of the Eugenics war: people associated with Khan or something. Heck, to see Ricardo Montalbahn or someone like him walk into that tent would have blown my socks clear off my feet and through the walls!
How did Archer get off the weapon? How can Enterprise get back to the future (unless the find Emmett Brown)? Who cares, as long as we have an ALIEN NAZI! (Hirogen: TAKE ME AWAY!!!)
Reality is big. Berman and Braga are small, and they both must go.
Y'know, after reading the above I kinda found myself drifting from the initial "Zero Hour" (positive) euforia to (negative) slow comprehension of the problems Deus is pointing at in his review. As I wrote in some other posts, for me Enterprise was always somewhere between the best of DS9 and the common of Voyager, and so I guess "Zero Hour" slides towards the later. While I think the separation of the crew works well (I admit - I was always a sucker for the "Return of the Jedi" style of action-splitting), the rest of the review pretty much agrees with what my stomach tells me now. Still, I will, as I guess everyone else, watch the next season premiere to learn if the cliffhanger actually leads somewhere else than the rehash of the same old, same old Voyager plots. Here's hoping.
--------
"It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way..." - Planetary
Zero Hour is yet another demonstration that Rick Berman and Brannon Braga understand nothing of the kind. Zero Hour's ending screams of unoriginality and desperation. Not to mention contempt for the same viewers who sat through a season of the Xindi arc expecting more of a payoff than Archer waking up in the Twilight Zone.
Wow. That's harsh. Usually, I find your opinions somewhat biased against Enterprise and B&B, but this is just unfair, Dues. 'Zero Hour' did a decent job of closing out the Xindi story arc, and might have kicked off another TCW-related arc in Season 4.
'Zero Hour' was FUN. No, it wasn't inspired Emmy-worthy story-telling. But if you sit back and enjoy the ride, it was enjoyable, and that's all I really expect from network television.
And you know what?? That same thing applies to TOS and most of TNG!! You could sit there and nitpick each episode to death, or you could just sit back, ignore the continuity and story-telling gaffs, and enjoy Star Trek for what it is.
I'm glad I don't watch television with a wet blanket like you.
(1)
