These Are The Voyages…

DVD, Enterprise S4 (These Are The Voyages…)

A tragedy, that's what it was. No, I'm not talking about the controversy of setting the finale of 'Enterprise' firmly in an episode of 'TNG,' or the untimely, self-sacrificial death of Trip. I suppose I'm not even talking about the end of the series itself, really. The tragedy is that after eighteen consecutive years (seven of which were pulling double duty), 'Star Trek' on TV had come to an end with no sign of a new series to follow, something that remains true to this day, with no sign of a series even as we approach the fiftieth anniversary. But what a run it was, and if anything can remind you of that, it is without doubt 'These Are The Voyages…' I guess the camps are divided into those that see it as the valentine to the eighteen years of Trek that Berman and Braga intended it to be, and those whom were horrified that the series ended with, essentially, an addendum to 'The Pegasus,' a seventh season episode of 'TNG.' I am wholeheartedly of the former, and yet again I have to say that the Trek writers, for all their faults, knew how to conclude a series in style, great style! I think the bitterness of some may stem from regret that we had to have a finale only halfway through what should have been the series' 'full' length of seven years (at least!), and perhaps some anger at Berman and Braga for seemingly giving up the series they'd birthed for non-Trek projects, as if they were getting tired of this universe (small wonder when you consider how long they'd been a part of it), and perhaps that is the only truly controversial decision of the finale: after handing off the reins to Manny Coto they didn't allow him the opportunity to write his own finale.

Except, in a way, he already had. As he's diplomatically stated in the past, he viewed the previous two-parter, 'Demons' and 'Terra Prime' as the true conclusion to the series, and I can see his point of view, as that is the last of 'Enterprise' contemporary to the time it was set in, this Holodeck episode with its framing device, being set aboard the Enterprise-D in the 24th Century. I have to say, I can't hold back any longer: the Enterprise-D looked amazing in widescreen! Both inside and out, it is, as Worf would say, glorious! I first noticed it as Riker and Troi walk down those familiar corridors, how sleek the widescreen aspect ratio made it all look, how shiny, how beautiful. Although there were some key, memorable moments I recalled from the episode when I first saw it back in 2006, I was surprised to discover I'd forgotten just how many of the old 'TNG' sets had been recreated - it was stunning! First you have the old familiar yellow-gridded Holodeck which first tips us off that this isn't Kansas (or even the Kansas NX-09), any more. I mentioned the corridors, which looked straight out of 'All Good Things…' We also see Troi's quarters, Ten Forward (meshing seamlessly with stock footage, which I was unsure hadn't been newly created until I read Memory Alpha), and even, amazingly the Briefing Room. It's… it's… so tangible. You can almost see Data walk into the room, followed by Picard, Beverly, Geordi and Worf. It truly is an achievement, and one that rivals the 'In A Mirror, Darkly' two-parter from earlier in the season. I'd go so far as to say it rivals 'Trials and Tribble-ations,' the fantastic thirtieth anniversary slam-dunk from 'DS9,' for sheer delight.

What's great about these sets is that they aren't dead and lifeless, they're living and breathing, full of crewmembers walking by in those old familiar uniforms (just as Troi prefers some period colour and movement when she visits the NX-01), the sounds and sights of a wonderful time in Trek history incredibly recreated. We even have a little conversation between Troi and Data over the comm system, which was magnificent, I'm so appreciative of Brent Spiner that he would do that. Even though it's just a small thing in the grand scheme of the episode, it shows how much dedication and care all those that worked on this episode had for it. No trouble was spared. Riker and Troi, considering it was made eleven years after the episode they originally created, are so close to how they looked then, it's an all-around stunning recreation of a time period we thought we'd never see again, on a par with any time an old era has been revisited (be that 'Star Trek VI' in 'Flashback,' 'TOS' in 'Relics,' or the other examples I've already mentioned). I genuinely can't understand how anyone that loves Trek as a whole entity could be the slightest bit put out, because it really is such a gift to a viewer like myself. Obviously, I can see it from the view of those that only like 'Enterprise,' and even the cast members themselves feeling a little overshadowed. I just don't know how you could love a TV series that is the product of other spinoffs, and not be enthralled by the chance to relive those other times.

The cast were good sports, bringing their A-game to proceedings, not displaying any animosity in their performances as true professionals, but the reality was that the series hadn't performed as the smash-hit it was designed to be, and the responsibility for that can be spread far and wide. The point is that it got cancelled instead of being allowed the chance to end naturally over a few more years (and the way it was going, it would have improved even more, I'm certain of that), so if anything, we should be grateful that we got to peer into that future the series might have eventually reached in real time. I'm not saying it was a sure thing that it would have lasted ten years, but they may well have skipped ahead here or there to cover the Earth/Romulan War, and the founding of the Federation. I noticed that the word 'Federation' was never used once (except for Troi noting these events led to the Federation), it was still being called a coalition or an alliance, although 2161 would have been when the Federation came into existence. That's the real tragedy of the series, that we weren't afforded the chance to get to these key moments in Trek that we were dying to see. Maybe it was unwise, in hindsight, to start so far before them, in 2151, perhaps '53 or '54, a couple of years before the Romulan War, would have suited better: time to gear up for it (as certain arcs in Season 4 were doing), without beginning the series as a war-focused story, though Romulan intrigue could have been the main arc of the series, with Romulan undercover agents instead of Temporal ones.

The choice of the Temporal Cold War as backdrop for the series was one of the big mistakes. It wasn't the choice that was the mistake, it was not utilising it fully, not turning it into what we wanted to see, instead of reluctantly paying lip service or the occasional, backhanded inclusion because it was decreed by the studio, and the writers didn't really want it. For once I agree with the studio's position: they reportedly wanted another 24th Century-set series, and I suspect that would have done better, if not significantly better, than this 22nd Century show. But failing that, having seen how Berman wanted to pursue this prequel idea (back when prequels were still viewed as a good idea since 'Star Wars Episode I' had come out), giving them the directive to make the future part of the past was, for me, a masterstroke. There was talk of having Picard or Guinan, little carrots for us to look forward to, and the idea that agents were hopping through time after agents of other races to stop misdeeds, and Archer and crew might be called upon at any time to be a part of something so much bigger than themselves (imagine them being told their efforts helped to save the Khitomer Accords, or prevent Earth's destruction in the Borg attack, events throughout known Trek history could have been mentioned, or even visited - I always hoped that for the fortieth anniversary they would do a 'Trials and Tribble-ations' version of 'The Best of Both Worlds,' Archer aboard Picard's ship at this critical time). That repercussions could reach even into the other series' was a big solace for me as one none too keen on a pre-Kirk era series, even though exploring Trek's past in 'Star Trek: First Contact' worked so well.

I should have had faith because the pilot was incredible, mixing action, adventure, great character, effects and a setting and technology you could believe in. Just as 'Smallville' started out so good, exploring a pre-Superman, young Clark Kent, discovering the well-known powers, this was going to be the elements of what made 'Star Trek,' 'Star Trek.' Unfortunately, they ditched the TCW concept at the beginning of Season 4, having used it, but not well enough for my liking, most visibly to create the Xindi arc. Silik and the Suliban, and Future Guy were this series' Borg, Gul Dukat, or Dominion, and should have figured into the plot right up to the finale. Not that I'm bashing the finale for that as it had already been dealt with, if unsatisfactorily. Basically, I was really keen on the Temporal Cold War for the fact it would be a link to the future and could permit other characters, races and places that we loved from the other series' being part of this series. The TCW was a logical and legitimate way for those crossovers and interactions to take place. And then they didn't. The closest we came was Zefram Cochrane on a monitor in the pilot (the requisite character from a previous Trek production appearing, to validate this new crew and send them on their way - and it was good, and much appreciated!), and Brent Spiner coming back to the fold as an ancestor of Data's creator. Even 'Voyager,' stuck in the Delta Quadrant, did a better job of bringing in those wished-for familiar faces. All this will explain why I was so overjoyed that both Riker and Troi (not to mention the D), came back for this. I would happily have watched a series set on the USS Titan that Jonathan Frakes proposed (presumably after riding this appearance, and realising he could still play Will).

A key to my enjoyment and blessing of this episode, is that despite so many seasons of Trek and hundreds of stories, they were still, when pushed, able to come up with a new spin: have the story set completely on either the Enterprise-D or within its Holodeck. Now, 'The Pegasus' isn't one of my favourite episodes, but it is a good one, and showing the kind of attention to detail and continuity that now seems forever lost to Trek was a wonderful move. That's something else that this episode apparently marked the end of: a time when Trek was kept internally consistent like a real history, with pretty much only the same actor playing a character. With the subsequent Abramsverse creation of an alternate timeline and the opened possibilities, like Pandora's Box, of new actors playing old characters, Trek has become just like the comic books and their 'cinematic universes' where there is no definitive history, characters can happily be played by different races or genders, regardless of what the character was before, and it's all about rehashing the same old names with a slightly different spin because they're recognisable to the general population who aren't interested in the details of this universe, rather than treating it as a real history, that meant the death of an actor would spell the end of that character, to live only in the past, a real past, which fortunately we can revisit by watching old episodes again. As much as 'Enterprise' had its own problems, at least it was set within the constraints of the 'TOS' universe, not some aberration that is designed to appeal to the widest possible audience at the expense of its uniqueness.

I could hazard a small criticism and say that the idea of Riker watching these characters on the NX-01's final adventure, in order to decide whether it would be a good idea to spill the beans to Captain Picard about the true nature of his mission, might be a little slim. But what it does is give us an excellent framing device in which we get to see these characters interact with each other one last time, as well as with Riker, and Shran, leading to an important speech by Archer in front of all the delegations of the alliance (eighteen races according to the episode). And within that device is another framing device when Riker goes from observation mode (interesting idea that you can switch between participating and observing events in a historical holo-record), to revealing himself as Chef, that mysterious and elusive unseen figure who talks with each of the crew! Originally, if Shatner's guest appearance had panned out, Chef might have been revealed to be William Shatner, but William Riker was an excellent consolation prize, and I remember the reveal when I first saw the episode: after so many mentions of Chef, we were finally going to see him, and of course Riker is using that role to talk to the crew. It's a fun little inside joke along the lines of Captain Mainwaring's unseen wife in 'Dad's Army,' and it's a lovely touch, because you don't expect Riker to be communicating with the 'Enterprise' characters, so it just adds another layer of joy to the proceedings. It's the same feeling when we get to see Riker dressed as a MACO and going on the mission to rescue Shran's daughter.

That whole subplot, of Archer being called on one last time by his old friend (who's characteristically deceived everyone about his death until he needs help!), and rushing off on a 'fool idealistic crusade' as Obi-Wan might have put it, put me in mind of the decommissioning of the Enterprise-A in 'Star Trek VI,' and that before the ship was taken into mothballs they had one last adventure to partake in. There's a poignant feeling of things coming to an end, just as there had been in all the series finales over the years, the crew wondering where their next assignments will be. Poor Travis, though, once again he appears to have never moved from his Helm seat in the last six years, and hasn't aged a day, so I'd say that historical detail was probably very accurate! To be fair, he does pilot one of the Shuttlepods on the rescue mission, but if I'm being really critical, it would have been great if every character had a key role to play, and evidence that they hadn't stood still as characters in the six years we didn't see. But that was ever the nature of this series, and one of its failures: in trying to recreate the spirit of 'The Original Series,' they also recreated its fault of underdeveloped supporting characters that were generally given short shrift. At least they each had their moment with 'Chef,' which was a charming way of exploring their thoughts on the end of the series, as well as giving Riker the food for thought to advance his decision.

I also appreciated that it wasn't only 'TNG' the episode spoke to, and the eighteen year run of 'modern' Trek (it's difficult to call it modern, now that ten years have passed since its end, and twenty-eight years since it began!), the whole episode based around that time period, and wonderful little moments such as Archer and Trip toasting the next generation (meaning those who would be taking out Warp 7 ships, but also a literal name-checking of the series that began the golden age of Trek, in the same way that Zefram Cochrane spoke the words 'Star Trek' onscreen for the first time ever), or Malcolm saying of the mothballing of the NX-01, "All good things…" in honour of the 'TNG' finale. It was also 'TOS,' that was included, with Troi visiting the program and noting T'Pol's science viewer, Riker telling her he thought they also had them on Kirk's ship. But the most fitting and heartwarming tribute of all came at the very end, as we the Enterprise-D manoeuvre off into space with Captain Picard speaking those iconic words (now retconned by 'Star Trek Into Darkness' as the Captain's Oath, though I prefer the suggestion it was part of Archer's speech, taking inspiration from Cochrane's own), of the opening titles, followed by Kirk's Enterprise and the good Captain continuing the words, and finally Captain Archer, finishing it off over the Enterprise NX-01 as it sails off into space and a beautiful gas cloud. What greater tribute to Trek could there be than those three iconic ships and captains voices, sharing the screen and signing off, three generations that we'd travelled with throughout our own lives. Not since the literal signing off of the 'TOS' cast at the end of 'Star Trek VI,' had there been such an affecting display of tribute in an ending.

For some reason, however, there were still people that found the episode a complete abomination, a slap in the face. One of the reasons may have been the surprising choice to kill off Charles 'Trip' Tucker III. Not that the series was ever going to return, despite original longterm plans for the crew to take over the film series once they were done on TV, mirroring the business decision of 'TNG' - the series hadn't done well enough for that to happen, sadly (even though a script was being prepared that would have dealt with the Romulan War, and I can't imagine they wouldn't have brought back at least one or two of the 'Enterprise' cast if that had happened, considering they were from that timeframe, even though it was planned for a new set of characters). But still, it was a shock to the system to lose one of the cast in the final episode. They avoided doing that with Janeway or Seven of Nine in 'Voyager,' and technically, none of the main cast died at the end of the 'DS9' finale, either, so perhaps we were overdue a tragic death at the end of a Trek series? In a way I like that they did it, as it continued the tradition of at least one main character being killed off or leaving for other reasons in every Trek series (including the films), but I can see why people would be upset. I never fully warmed to these characters, unlike the other series', but Trip was probably the first guy I thought had potential when the series started, and it meant something that he died.

One thing I thought was very clever was a repeat of the old tactic used when Spock's death was leaked before 'Star Trek II' had come out. They got around it by apparently killing him in the early minutes, only for us to realise it was a simulation. Similarly, they play with our expectations, as we knew someone died in the finale, and on the mission to rescue Shran's daughter Trip almost falls to his death, saved by Captain Archer as phaser blasts fly around his precarious position. It's later that his real end comes, selflessly sacrificing himself to save his captain and friend by doing the only thing he can think of, and blowing a conduit to prevent the invading aliens succeeding in their plan. I thought there'd be nothing left of him, so I was glad he had a moment in Sickbay with Archer as Phlox tries to save him. It was a reckless act, and I can imagine that a better way to die could have been found. You feel that if this was just some other episode of the series he'd have fought them, or caused a diversion, or someone else would have come along and the alarm would have been raised, but at the same time Archer was expendable to those ruthless aliens, Trip useful to them so they let him live. Trip didn't want Archer's speech to go unspoken, but perhaps it would have been better if he had to give the delegates some special information that would draw them together, thus forming the Federation, as it's more that Trip wanted to save his friend's life, rather than thinking of the alliance, but he wasn't afraid to do the right thing, and the only thing he could come up with on the spur of the moment in that impossible situation.

While I wasn't opposed to Trip's death, in spite of it being a horrible way to go, and unnecessary in some ways, I liked the way it was handled in the aftermath. One of the scenes that always stuck in my head after the episode was seeing Trip again when Riker goes back earlier in the program so he can talk to the engineer: the last appearance of Trip, with that final shot of him leaving, carrot in hand, turning back to say “I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.” It speaks on more than one level, but is also an endearing last memory that recalls the carefree, ‘homespun’ Trip we first met, and far from being a jarring moment that pulls us out of his death, it's such a nice little moment in the same way that at Tasha Yar's memorial service she spoke to her friends again. So yes, it can be seen as an unimportant, wasteful sacrifice, or, as I view it, a poignant end for a character we liked a lot. And if all else fails then we can say that this isn't actual history, this is a holographic record of history, and not all the details are necessarily one hundred percent accurate. Perhaps (as the non-canon novels supposedly posit), Trip didn't actually die, and it was all a Section 31 ploy for him to become an undercover agent. Or perhaps he did die, but it was in a more meaningful way. Because it isn't an episode we're watching exactly, but a 24th Century view of an episode, it could be altered if the character was required to return in future. And I can imagine Trip and Connor Trinneer returning to Trek at some point. Perhaps not the Abramsverse films (an ancient Archer, or old T'Pol would be more likely if an 'Enterprise' appearance were a possibility), but maybe in ten or twenty years when there's some series that does a time travel episode and wants an 'original' actor to return as their character…

The time of the episode is as important to me as the setting, and though you could say there are a couple of time periods associated with the episode, 2370 is when the framing story is set, and 2161 when the holoprogram takes place, ten years have passed for me, with the episode originally broadcast in 2005, and my first viewing of it in 2006, and now this time period I'm writing in now, is 2015. So there's a feeling of sympathy between the fictional and real time, with ten years mentioned a lot, as that was how long it had been since the NX-01's mission had begun. Watching it like that, has an effect, not the least because I still wait for a new series to take up the reins of the Trek Universe, though I fear that when it does come back it will either be so unrecognisable as to be painful (as in another universe that I don't care about - the multiverse theory has a lot to answer for!), or too familiar (as in simply recreating 'TOS' again). In which case this is the final episode of 'true' Trek. Thanks to people's complaints and negative opinions we'll probably never see something like this again (although Leonard Nimoy's grand appearance in 'Star Trek XI' had a similar feeling), which is an absolute die-cast shame - crossovers are a wonderful thing when done right, and this did it superbly. I wish it were a feature-length finale as all the other modern series' had, but it must be remembered it was a halfway house, not quite the time to end the series, yet giving us a definitive conclusion that is satisfying in so many ways.

And there are so many incidental delights, whether it be adhering to the rules we've come to expect from Trek (a reminder that the NX-01 just isn't as powerful as a lot of other alien ships, proved by the aliens catching up and boarding her; no exterior shots of the ship during Riker's holoprogram, because it isn't there!); or closing the circle (Phlox performing his stretched smile again; Porthos and the promise of cheese; especially Archer noting that their last visit to a planet will be Rigel X, the first they visited at the start of their mission); or interesting little details that are always hovering under the surface of Trek (Riker's NX-01 uniform vanishes when he ends the program, appearing to be merely a holo-coating; holo-T'Pol's head moving slightly when Riker plants a kiss on her cheek, as if the Holodeck is compensating so that real people don't knock themselves out on solid objects when they make contact, even when the program's paused); or the details that make you wish we could have seen those six missing years (was it the loss of Trip and T'Pol's 'daughter' that ended their closeness of six years before, or something else?; T'Pol saying goodbye to Trip aboard the Shuttlepod reminding me of Dax seeing off Worf, before her tragic end in 'Tears of The Prophets'), and especially the literal tributes to many of the behind the scenes crew that had slaved long and hard to bring Trek to us (Ron B. Moore was one of Riker's Pegasus crewmates; Andre Bormanis and Dave Rossi are the most recognisable in the crowd at the speech, among others).

Many of them can be regarded as stalwarts of Trek, those that weren't as famous as the actors, writers, and perhaps even the directors, but nevertheless contributed to the continuing saga and kept it ticking over. Michael Westmore, makeup expert responsible for so many iconic aliens, even gave us some last great new ones, with the green, scaly-faced villains in particular a strong swan song of design. But it all had to end. Where did the series go wrong? Was it a victim of circumstance, as many claim, with a troubled studio and network that never truly embraced it? Was it the exhaustion of trying to work new stories into such an established universe, with not enough new blood? Was it, as some claim, that there was just too much Trek to watch? This last claim is ridiculous, as it doesn't matter how many episodes or series' or films, those that enjoy the world and style want more of it, want to see the details further explored. 'Enterprise' was designed as an answer to that second criticism, with a completely different setting that was also recognisably Trek, humans forced to work with aliens from a technologically inferior position. But they weren't always brave enough to embrace the setup they'd created, and without the familiar tropes to fall back on (Holodeck and transporter malfunctions; time travel), they struggled to come up with significant stories. Earth and humans in this period were just too much on the back foot and hadn't risen to importance in the galaxy. If only they'd been able to chart that rise more effectively, it could have been the best series. Instead, overall, in my opinion, it was the least effective.

The characters weren't given enough development to thrive and create something the actors were thrilled to play, the writers made their own constraints and instead of using them as an advantage, became drowned in restrictions, too caught up in the idea of Earth's danger, yet also not enough - we didn't really explore Earth society in this century, but neither did we often feel that this ship was out alone and without aid, the Vulcan's babysitting, the Andorians around to lend a hand. Yes, these things were the beginnings of the Federation, but they felt disconnected without a strong through-line (beyond Shran and Soval), and while I would have hated the series to ignore established races, maybe their mission should have made such contact rare and special, just as 'TNG' pretty much refused to revisit the familiarity created by 'TOS' in order to become something different, before eventually playing with those toys once they'd become established with their own identity. Like 'DS9' they should have built on the little we already knew of the period, or like 'Voyager' should have been far more alone and distant - the Delphic Expanse should have been what the series dealt with on its wider, series-long scale, full of weirdness and wonder. Either do that or delve into the internal politics and cultures! But the series hovered somewhere between, not committing, unsure of itself, an impression of 24th Century style with more rudimentary technology.

With Season 4, so much of what had failed before, became a solid base for success. We did learn about the Vulcans, the Andorians, and even the Romulans. We found out new things about the Klingons (even if we could have done with a recurring character for that race), and we felt the oncoming events that would shape the Federation. I could get by the fact that Vulcans were no longer restrained and a race we could look up to (I've said it before, and will again: one of the biggest mistakes of the series, just when that race should have been its coolest, like an elder brother that shows the humans how to do it, then the humans are impressed, but still find their own style), because they began to change (even T'Pol started to take on board the Syrrannite teachings and became more reserved, although it didn't appear she'd advanced any further by 2161, except in emulating T'Pau's hairstyle!). Other Starfleet ships were beginning to follow the Enterprise's lead (I'd have loved a Columbia TV series!), with the impression of a fleet (it was Starfleet, not Star-one-ship). Although I love the drama and intensity of the first half of Season 1, I think as a whole, Season 4 edges it as the best of the series, and that's a rare thing. Usually a series goes out with a whimper, or at least has signs of decline.

I personally think 'TOS' Season 3 is really good (possibly because I've seen and heard about those episodes less than the first two, so it feels fresher), Season 7 of 'TNG' definitely has a lot of less impressive episodes, and the last couple of seasons of 'Voyager' had a strong sense that the series wasn't reaching its potential after Seasons 4 and 5 got better and better. It just shows that 'Enterprise' was cut down in its prime, and should have been given the chance to reach full potential. Sadly, with the way TV is now, we'll unlikely ever see a seven-season epic, each season consisting of twenty-six episodes, with time to breathe and discover the characters; to live with them. There's far too much to watch, and the most we'll get is a miniseries, or something designed to last two or three years. But what I've enjoyed in rewatching this series is rediscovery. Sometimes episodes aren't quite as good as you remember, sometimes they're better, with the perspective of age to affect your perception. It's also fascinating from a TV history point of view to see what Trek was like in each decade, and so it's more sad that we have such a gap, with nothing on TV to demonstrate how it might have developed. The first widescreen Trek series didn't get a chance to fully live, but I salute it, with all its faults, and with all its trials, it was more Trek history for us to engage with, long before we had to call it the Prime Universe. Let's hope that history never forgets the name 'Star Trek,' and that 'Star Trek' remembers its history.

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