TV Guide Online, February 16, 2004

Spaced Out

By Matt Roush

Is it time to give the Enterprise crew, and us, a rest?

Let's face it. Does it even matter that Star Trek: Enterprise is having the most exciting year for a Trek series since Deep Space Nine signed off in 1999? Truth is, most people would think that's damning with faint praise.

They'd be right.

After nearly 600 episodes since the franchise returned to TV in 1987 with The Next Generation, it's only fair to admit we're suffering from battle fatigue-or Trek-haustion.

It's not entirely this show's fault. Enterprise is now well into a season-long mission to save Earth from a powerful enemy, the Xindi, while crossing a treacherous expanse of space. Unlike the first two seasons, Enterprise has a sense of purpose these days, a renewed urgency.

The current run of new sweeps episodes ends on a suspenseful note March 3, as the ship is crippled in a Xindi attack while a captured Archer (Scott Bakula) frantically tries to negotiate.

Still, it seems too little, too late. Even when the scenarios pull out the stops, as in the recent sexual encounter of Vulcan hottie T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) and southern-fried officer Trip (Connor Trinneer), they tend to have a recycled feel. It would help if the rest of the cast weren't the same usual bunch of gung-ho ciphers.

UPN hasn't yet renewed Enterprise for next season, and it's looking iffy. (One trouble sign: UPN is moving the show to 9 pm/ET in March with The Mullets as lead-in.) To be honest, a mercy killing might be just the ticket. Extinction now could preserve Trek's freshness for later.

But not without resolving the current story. If this season ends on a cliff-hanger, without a season to follow, UPN owes it to its fans to wrap things up and give us hope for Trek's future.

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Matt can be reached with your comments at this webpage. Remember Scott's suggestion to counter bad press with positive responses by mail.