CommanderM

Didn't think so. For a prequel series, it actually did not quite connect the dots as I had hoped.

Chris

Exactly, and I think that's what Martin meant by his well comment. There was so much backstory they could have explored, but didn't. While I can understand them wanting to do their own thing, it still would have been nice to get the background information.

CommanderM

I can only compare it to watching through ten seasons of Smallville wiating for Clark Kent to finally become Superman. When the story could have been told in six seasons.
With Enterprise, there is just so much they could have done in 4 seasons that they didn't do.

Chris

I think the writers finally started to understand that in the 4th season, with the arc about the Augments in particular.

lyb42

Why ‘Enterprise’ Is Getting Another Look and Why You Should Give It a Chance Too 
 | Star Trek News | TrekNews.net

They make some interesting points

Ouyyir i'ch'Rihan

One argument that is partially correct is "Star Trek just didn’t seem as fresh as it used to in the early 1990s," but that was not a major reason for the failure to interest fans. The situation was exacerbated by churning out television shows for several years without a clear idea of where they were going and consistent storyline. Of course the shows "got old."

"New fans are discovering Trek for the first time through these movies (the new crap) and are primed in a sense to consume more stories within this universe." In other words; Enterprise failed because the story was bad, but it has a future because new viewers have never seen Trek pre-dating the new movies, and therefore, have no expectations for the show to meet. I find his reasoning dubious.

Chris

Thanks for the link to the article Martin. I"ll have to read it later.

Personally, I thought Enterprise found it's footing in it's final season.

CommanderM

One reason why Star Trek by the time of Enterprise wasn't as fresh as the early 1990s stuff is they had gone to the well too many times with movies and spinoff series. By the time Enterprise found its footing in its final season it was too late.

Melanie Garcia

I agree, Enterprise came at a time where they didn't know what to do with it anymore, but I liked the last season. I wish it could have had the run that TNG, DS9 and VOY had.

Chris

I think the season long chase after the Xindi lost them a lot of their fanbase in the third season.

ETA: bumping the show around certainly wouldn't help it develop a loyal audience.

lyb42

That would hurt any show.

Ouyyir i'ch'Rihan

Usually American stations move shows around trying to find a time slot that increases viewers, so that is indeed a little unusual.

And that Xindi season must have been responsible for loosing quite a few viewers. Not a fact. Just an opinion based on my reaction to it. They obvious changed direction hoping it would increase viewers, but such a boring war that had nothing to do with the Trek universe stretched out over an entire season could not have helped with the show's popularity.

Melanie Garcia

Enterprise also had to deal with being broadcast in the final season that their network existed and had to also contend with the merge of their UPN network with WB's. CW network could only take so many series with them and Enterprise fell short in that regard.

Ouyyir i'ch'Rihan

I am completely ignorant of the current structure of American television. I have no idea what all those networks/channels are. It looks like 200 channels with nothing on has become 400.

CommanderM

You got that right.