Enterprise Idea from Thedigitalbits (1 Viewer)

[Shane D]

I really like thier suggestion about Enterprise today. So I just wanted to throw it out here too so if people don't visit that site.

From thedigitalbits.com:
use the successful strategy developed by 20th Century Fox (a studio that pioneered the TV on DVD push and continues to do it better than anyone). Release the first season of Enterprise on DVD ASAP. It worked for 24. When Fox released 24: Season One on DVD last summer, it was THE DVD to get. As a result, a bigger audience than ever tuned into Season Two when it was broadcast on TV. The strategy is going to work for Alias (Buena Vista is releasing BOTH Seasons One and Two of Alias before the end of the year). So why can't it work for Enterprise?

Release Enterprise: Season One on DVD in time for Christmas. Include the episodes in anamorphic widescreen video (a first for a Trek TV series on DVD) and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Pick the best three or four episodes of the season and have the actors record audio commentary (say, the main three on one episode, the other four on another). Have the series producers do a commentary on a couple of episodes too (like the pilot), and maybe even get some writers involved. Create the kind of behind-the-scenes features that you can ONLY do on-set, with a show that's currently in production. Create a lengthy documentary looking at 24 hours in the life of Enterprise, or the making of a complete episode from start to finish. What are the actors up to? What are the writers doing? What's cooking in the special effects department? You get the idea. Include outtakes, bloopers, gag reels and DELETED scenes - things Star Trek fans have been clambering for on DVD for years. Create animated, 3-D fly-arounds of the starships and props, and even interactive tours of the sets, that you can navigate with your remote control. You can even tease what's coming in Seasons Two and Three. Make the DVDs so cool, that not only will every Star Trek fan have to have them, but the home theater crowd's gotta have 'em too. Trek fans will have a chance to get reinvested in the show, and you'll pick up new fans too. Best of all, people who have missed the show thus far, for whatever reason, will get the chance to catch up when it might actually do the ratings some good.

That's just some free advice for you Trek execs at Paramount from your pals at The Digital Bits.


And the reason I posted all this, is just because I do like Enterprise, and don't want to see it flounder away, and with every episode I watch, I think to myself, I can't wait to see this on dvd. And I agree that this would probably generate a LOT of interest for the weekly show.

 

[Daniel Kikin]

Shane, you beat me to it and I totally agree. i enjoy Enterprise and releasing it on DVD would really help generate more interest in the show and we'd have Trek episodes in anamorphic widescreen.

The real question is how long until this thread turns into the typical HTF Enterprise thread?

 

[JamesSBarr]

Being a Trekkie, I was so dissappointed with the Star Trek: TNG Season 1, that I refused to get the other sets. I would like to see the DS9 sets however. The features are just not that great for TNG. As for Enterprise, The Powers that Be at Paramount (or in this case, the guy who thinks he's the reincarnated Gene Roddenberry, aka Rick Berman, and that guy who dates Jeri Ryan, aka Brannon Braga) are probably planning on taking their time

The Star Trek DVD library in my opinion didn't take off until Star Trek: TMP--DE came out. Before TMP, I had owned some of the Bare-Bones Movie releases, and thought that they weren't all that great. But I'm now getting the Collector's Editions, and I'm pleased with what's out. I've preordered my Star Trek V Collector's Edition, and cannot wait for the STVI and Generations CE Discs. (Personally I would love to see VI recut by Nick Meyer like he did for STII, and I would like David Carson to recut Generations to make it seem a little better and to explain where Geordi got that "nanoprobe" that Crusher took out of him, in what was the first mention of nanoprobes in Star Trek history.) First Contact is too good to mess with, Insurrection could use a little fixing-uping, and Nemesis, I would love to see even MORE deleted scenes than what is on the current DVD!

When the original series came out, I was pleased when Vol. 40 with the B&W& Color (with the Gene Roddenberry 1986 intro salvaged from the original VHS release) and the All Color Collector's Editions of "The Cage" At least TOS managed to salvage the "Next Episode" trailers featured on the old VHS releases. If you want the TNG Next Episode trailers, you have to go to Star Trek.com

The TNG Season 1 Extra Features were a little weak in my opinion. But at least I got to see rare behind the scenes footage.

 

[Jeff_HR]

There is nothing that Paramount could do that would sell this to me, super great special extras IMO just can't make up for the weakness of the show. IMHO the whole concept is flawed. But this is my subjective 2¢ worth perception.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

If it were a good show I would be all for this.
If people wernt watching it and it were a good show I would be all for this but as many puplications have said and fans alike, this show is boring and doesnt take chances, ie: B5 and Farscape.

I think some people may buy it but like Voyager these episodes arent good enough to watch over and over.

 

[Jeff_HR]

but like Voyager these episodes arent good enough to watch over and over

I beg to differ Sir! I will be watching many episodes of "Voyager" over & over.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I am not saying Voyager was totally bad but Id say at least 50 % of it was lazy writing just like Enterprise.
It hit the reset button at the end of every episode and it never really delved into the characters the way they should have.

Did we ever get to know Chakotay fleshed out? Harry Kim?

Who Janeway was?

Were we invested in the relationship with Tom and B'lanna?
Was there ever any tension or commaraderie between the crew to make good Drama, ie: DS9??

Was Voyager ever really in danger out there on the other side of the galaxy?
It just didnt feel it.
The only time the ship ws blown up and in shambles was in Year of Hell and we all know how that ended.

I can only think of about 10-20 episodes in Seven years that were rewatchable.
My point? This is when the lazy paint by number writing started and continued into Enterprise.

Having just started watching B5 for the first time I can see that theres thought gone into the overall story and character development that is missing from recent Trek.

I used to be one of Treks biggest supporters and even stuck with Voyager till the end but creating yet another show just to make money for Paramount is cheating fans of Sci Fi overall and Trek fans as well.

I feel that if Enterprise were truely good and it was just in a poor time slot and people were missing it, it would be a great idea to release on DVD so people could discover it but I feel that people have given Enterprise many chances, tuned in and seen that its just like every other Trek show manned by Braga and Berman.


It maybe 3 years-old, but Ron Moore's take on Voyager's lack of continuity could easily be applied to Enterprise: "The continuity of the show is completely haphazard. It’s haphazard by design. It’s not like they are trying desperately to maintain continuity of the show. They don’t care, and they’ll tell you flat out that they don’t care. Well, that is misreading the core audience. The Star Trek, hardcore audience loves continuity; they love accumulating data on these ships. They love knitting together all the little pieces, and compiling lists, and doing trivia. That’s been a staple of the Star Trek culture from the get-go. People really love the details. They love the fact that the details all add up and make one mosaic, and that the universe holds together. When you don’t give a sh1t, you’re telling the audience: don’t bother. Don’t bother to really learn this stuff, because it’s not going to matter next week, anything that happened this week." The writer-producers of Voyager maintain that they don’t want continuity, so people can watch the shows out of order, for example, now in five-nights-a-week syndication. Says Moore, "I’ve just never believed that argument, because it seems to me that you’re just underestimating the intelligence of the audience. You’re just saying the audience is a bunch of idiots.

 

[Howard B]

I was a ST fan from the beginning. I watched the original series as a kid when it was first run. For many years afterwards I was a faithful fan. TNG was the last quality ST entry in the franchise. Quite frankly I think lately the whole thing has become a dinosaur. I agree the writing has been bland and uninspired for many years. Enterprise is no exception. I can think of maybe one memorable full-time character on the show.
This franchise needs a lot more than an early release on Enterprise to boost sales and interest.

Cheers, Howard

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

DS9 was the last quality ST entry in the franchise. That includes movies.

 

[Jeff_HR]

DS9 was the last quality ST entry in the franchise. That includes movies

I think that the TNG films have suffered because they were so episodic like the series itself. I think that the 3 film story arc in TOS films helped to keep viewers coming back while picking up new viewers.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I agree about the continuing storyline in ST2, 3 and 4. It really felt like something big was going on, and had you begging for more.

The Next Gen movies are not only overly episodic, they are badly written. You know, I can't even call them "episodes." I call them "fits."

Star Trek Fit #9: Insurrection

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

After recently getting hooked on B5 since they were released on DVD, talk about a long arc and continuity.
Wow.
B5 is everything Trek wish it were and should be.

 

[Osato]

More fuel for this discussion.

Season 3 of Enterprise is not being carried in my region, Des Moines, IA. I would buy the sets to see this years episodes. I may have to do this anyway, but just something that will bug me, missing all of the shows this season.
The season 2 ending episode, had promise I thought.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

After recently getting hooked on B5 since they were released on DVD, talk about a long arc and continuity.

These are the things that make B5 so great. Often I hear so many people whine that the CGI on B5 was poor, or the alien makeup ridiculous. These people need to look past their poor perceptions and enjoy some real quality sci-fi.

As to Enterprise. I'm still hanging in there. For me, my favorite is Tripp. He, in many ways, more than any other character in Star Trek since TOS, captures the nature of the original series best. And I think he is so much like McCoy, in his actions, speech and mannerisms, yet he's clearly not just doing a McCoy impression.

 

[Chet_F]

"The season 2 ending episode, had promise I thought."

Yes!! Watched it again last night. DS9 was mediocre. Voyager was distasteful to say the least. I have my faith renewed in Enterprise but I am clearly the exception. I've watched every episode of every season of every variant of Star Trek that I know of. Out of all TNG was my favorite. I may pick up some of the box sets used.

I do agree with the original posters idea of a box set but I am afraid it simply will not happen. Enterprise is going to be another syndication whore like the rest of the series shows and releasing a box set will obviously undermine their bottom dollar with syndication.

Just my 2 cents.