Amazon.com: Described by series cocreator Brannon Braga as "a single episode that lasts 24 hours," the third season of Star Trek: Enterprise is arguably the best in the show's four-season run. With the epic "Xindi saga" as the season's primary story arc, the series found its tonal focus in the unpredictable space of the Delphic Expanse, where alien encounters and matter-warping spatial anomalies forced Capt. Archer (Scott Bakula) to make extreme decisions that tested his ethical boundaries. Realizing the need for a fresh viewpoint, Braga and cocreator Rick Berman hired Manny Coto, a TV veteran who conceived or wrote several of the season's finest episodes (not forgetting Mike Sussman and other members of the series' first-rate writing staff). Coto's involvement was instrumental in shaping the Xindi saga, which began (with season 2's cliffhanger) when Earth was attacked by a Xindi probe--a massive weapon which Archer must now destroy. This vital mission dominates season 3, deriving its potent drama from an impressive variety of characters and subplots focused on the five-species Xindi council, which finds its voice of reason in Primate member Degra (season regular Randy Oglesby) and rancor in the Reptilian Commander (Scott MacDonald), pivotal characters whose fates will be tragically intertwined.
Despite lower ratings and budgetary cutbacks (as evident in several ship-bound episodes with minimal casting), season 3 was equally strong as a showcase for the Enterprise regulars, with plenty of fan speculation rising from the sexy and soothing Vulcan "neuro-pressure" sessions between the insomniac Tucker (Connor Trinneer, better than ever) and T'Pol, whose hidden addiction to a toxic compound allows Jolene Blalock to mine the volatile depths of her character (who now sports a more appealing hairstyle and wardrobe). Meanwhile, security chief Reed (Dominick Keating) engages in heated competition with Major Hayes (reliable guest Steven Culp, from the first season of Desperate Housewives), the leader of NX-01's Military Assault Command Operation (or MACO), which Reed views with territorial suspicion. And while Enterprise still fumbled to develop the characters of Hoshi (Linda Park) and Travis (Anthony Montgomery), John Billingsley continued to bring clutch-player excellence to his role as Dr. Phlox in several highlight episodes including "Doctor's Orders" and "Similitude," the latter featuring equally strong work by Trinneer in an ethically complex (and fan-favorite) examination of the cloning--a typical example of Star Trek at its best.
The alternate timeline of "Twilight" also honors the classic Trek tradition, while "Harbinger" reveals the existence of the trans-dimensional Sphere Builders, whose moon-sized creations affect Enterprise throughout its season-long mission. Finally, the crucial appearances of blue-skinned Andorian Shran (Jeffrey Combs) bring both suspense and comic relief to the season's grim proceedings, adding depth and tentative alliance to Enterprise's pre-Federation politics--a crucial element that assumes greater importance with the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of "Zero Hour" and the surprises in store for season 4, which will bring Enterprise ever closer to the original Star Trek timeline.
DVD features Gathered on disc 7, the season 3 bonus features for Enterprise are consistent with features on seasons 1 and 2: Identical in presentation but different in content. The "Xindi Saga" featurette summarizes the creative and practical decisions that resulted in the season-long story arc; "Enterprise Profile" acknowledges the popularity of "Trip" Tucker and Connor Trinneer's successful effort to transcend the character's "hayseed" image; and "A Day in the Life of a Director" finds Roxann Dawson (aka B'Elanna Torres from Voyager) well in control as she helms the episode "Exile." As with previous DVD sets, three more "NX-01" files are hidden as "Easter eggs" on the Special Features menus, and they include further appreciations of the Enterprise writers, the work of costume designer Robert Blackman, and John Billingsley's hilarious anecdote about Phlox's prodigious sexual endowment(s). The outtakes are amusing but all too brief, perhaps owing to the higher stakes (and lower ratings) of a dramatically serious season. --Jeff Shannon
Description: Set in the 22nd century, a hundred years before James T. Kirk helmed the famous starship of the same name, ENTERPRISE takes place in an era when interstellar travel is still in its infancy. Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) has assembled a crew of brave explorers to chart the galaxy on a revolutionary spacecraft: Enterprise NX-01. As the first human beings to venture into deep space, these pioneers will experience the wonder and mystery of the final frontier as they seek out new life and new civilizations.
Star Trek Enterprise, 3rd Season The CD's are perfect, the show is incredible. I shop at Amazon a lot.
Greay buy! My husband is a huge fan so this was a must have. Great experience (as always) with Amazon.
Thanks,
Iris Washington Tucker, GA
A good show, and worth your time! I'm a fan, right from the start with Kirk and company. I was annoyed when ST:TNG came out, because I thought, "How could they?" But I gave it a fair chance, and loved it! Next DS9, haven't had the chance yet, but will eventually get to it (wasn't thrilled with the whole "war" premise). When Voyager came into the spotlight, I was skeptical yet again, figuring it couldn't have the real "Star Trek feel" being stuck in space. I didn't even watch it initially. But it is an excellent show too! Now to Enterprise - I swore to myself I'd give it a fair chance the first time around, and watched it religiously and in much anticipation for each coming week. I enjoyed the show while I was watching it, but found it to be hard to follow - especially with the multiple story arcs throughout the last two seasons. Being the devoted fan, I had to have it when it was released on DVD. I only recently opened and viewed each season, episode after episode and let me tell you, watching it in this manner made a lot of sense! I had come to realize how intricate the plots can be, the characters, multi-demensional, and the effects are truly amazing. The writers took a big, bold chance with continuing arcs, and that was a nice nod to the fans. They were not trying to carefully step on eggshells and write individual stories. They were giving a gift to fans, knowing those who were following each week would be the only ones returning for the next installment. Watching one eppy after the next, I was like, "Wow!" that's good writing! The characters were as they should be - newbies in the universe, and not knowing quite how to proceed. They were flawed, made bad (and good, really good) decisions. They learned from their mistakes and experiences, and grew accordingly - but never lost sight of the qualities that Roddenberry had envisioned for future of the human race.
the best? I have to say I didn't realize the show had so much trouble with low audiences and budgets until I read the official review. We watched and recorded it avidly when it was a regular program. I bought Enterprise season 3 as a Mother's Day gift for my wife -- we already own the first two, and I'm giving her season 4 for her birthday. We've been Star Trek fans since Picard and The Next Generation, but this is the best of the bunch, in my opinion. Season 3 exemplifies all the qualities that make Enterprise top of the heap -- great writing and acting in almost every moment of every episode. Archer ranks right up there with the other captains though his obsession with the Xindi threat (a logical response) sometimes makes him seem one-dimensional. The strong ensemble, however, makes up for that -- they all take turns as main characters in episodes and come off looking pretty good. My family and I enjoy the trips back in time, especially one to earth's past (that life looks frighteningly familiar!) and one to transplanted earth natives trapped in the wild, wild west culture. My younger son tells me I really nailed it as a husband when I bought this one. All in all, I'm glad we got it even though I wish they had dropped the price earlier. Oh well -- this show's worth it.
Interesting "Enterprise" I purchased the entire 4 season set but will review Season 3 only here. The things I really enjoyed about this set of 7 discs: The features. The special features on disc 7 and the individual, full length episode commentaries on some episodes are well worth the price of the set. The Xindi. I can't believe I am saying that since I wasn't very impressed by the Xindi arc and species when the episodes aired. Now that I have the opportunity to see these creatures and their spacecraft over and over, in freeze frame and slow mo and to learn more about their development I am thoroughly enjoying them. Caution though -- some of these species could be nightmare material (lol)when studied in depth like this. But hey, it's great fun! The thing I guess I didn't like has nothing to do with the product but rather with the show itself. I did not like the direction many of the characters took (or rather the writing of them). There seemed to be a lot of token violence, sexuality, and attempts to relate to current events. I prefer my "Star Trek" to tell stories true to its own realm and not be infiltrated by the values (or lack thereof) of the real world. I must say that these changes made for some interesting episodes, and having the opportunity to study these independently, hear commentary and get behind the scenes made even the crazy episodes worth watching again and again.
Anything Goes Trivia
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Trevor
