4.22: These are the Voyages

[Dave]

TrekToday are reporting that Brent Spiner is to have a minor, off camera, speaking part in this. Spiner broke the news during the Vulkon Orlando science fiction convention, which was also attended by several Stargate SG-1 and X-Files actors. According to TrekToday reader Dale, Spiner said he will be speaking four lines in the finale, which were written by himself.

The Enterprise series finale has been rumored to take place partially during a specific Next Generation episode. I've read that it might be 'The Pegasus' and that Riker goes to the Holodeck to ask Archer's advice about whether to tell Picard about Admiral Pressman's illegal activities. Presumably, Spiner's speaking role means Data will be heard over a communicator in one or more scenes.

Of course, all of this remains rumour and speculation.

[Dave]

Brannon Braga speaking at the Stark County branch of Kent State University:

from Trek Today
Of the Enterprise finale, "These Are the Voyages...", which Braga co-wrote with Rick Berman, he said that the episode looked at "the most important day in the life of this ship, which is its last day, the day the Federation is founded." He added that he felt such a storyline ended an era of Star Trek by bridging this series will the ones that went before, calling it, in words Berman has used in interviews, a valentine for the fans. He also admitted that some of the Enterprise cast members were not happy with the finale and its use of characters from The Next Generation.

[Dave]

It seems that Paramount have released pictures from this. (probably in order to dispel all the discouraging rumours)

from Trek Today

Photos from the final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, "These Are the Voyages...", depict Captain Archer and the crew of the NX-01 six years in the future of current series time.

The images, posted at StarTrekUK.com, show the events being witnessed in retrospet by Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), who are on the holodeck of Captain Picard's Enterprise even further in the future.

StarTrek.com indicates that during the episode, Archer and his crew return to Earth to see their ship decommissioned and the Federation charter signed. Previous stories have indicated that the events of the episode take place around the time period of the Next Generation episode "The Pegasus", in which Riker is torn between two commanding officers and his responsibilities.

The photos also confirm that a subplot of "These Are the Voyages..." deals with the Andorian commander Shran (Jeffrey Combs) and his search for his missing daughter.

Some of the photos show Riker in uniform as a MACO, firing a weapon and traveling in a shuttlepod along with Mayweather, as well as T'Pol confronting Archer and assisting Shran.

At least there is actually closure, the events did really happen, even if we only see a holodeck reconstruction of them. At least they aren't reconning 'Enterprise' away as was rumoured!!

But I can understand why the appearance of TNG characters in the final episode of 'Enterprise' might upset 'Enterprise' fans. Picard never came back to TNG in 'What You Leave Behind' or met Janeway in 'Endgame'. Kirk didn't need to appear as a ghost in 'All Good Things'.

It would fine if the appearance was in a standalone episode, but the finale should be an 'Enterprise' finale. It is the admission of failure by B+B.

[Dave]

The fact that the need to defend themselves says it all:

from Scifi Wire

Producers Defend Enterprise End

Star Trek: Enterprise producers Brannon Braga and Rick Berman told SCI FI Wire that they understood the recent disparaging comments made by cast members about the final episode, but stood by their execution of the series finale. "You have to remember, under normal circumstances, most people probably would have thought this was a very cool episode, because it has a great concept driving it," Braga said in a conference call with reporters. "But when it's the final episode of a series, emotions are running very high."

The most vocal objection came from cast member Jolene Blalock, who plays T'Pol on the show. "I don't know where to begin with that one," she recently said of the finale. "The final episode is ... appalling."

The episode, titled "These Are the Voyages," features Star Trek: The Next Generation stars Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis, who reprise their roles as Commander Riker and Deanna Troi. The pair will view the episode's historic events through a holodeck recreation. Berman said he thought that the opinions expressed by Blalock had to do with the episode's references to the previous Trek series. "The feeling was that if this was going to be the finale of Enterprise, then why bring characters in from another series?" he said. "But I think when people see the episode and realize that to be able to truly pay the respect to our characters that we have, we've couched it in a unique fashion of being able to look back on them, and I think it's going to be a very positive response towards the Enterprise crew."

Braga said that he was aware that the Enterprise cast had some minor issues with the storyline, but there were no serious objections during the production. "There were a couple of people who were slightly uncomfortable with the fact that we have Next Generation characters in the show, and it is a different kind of episode," he said. "But there were no serious complaints. And none of the actors have seen the episode, so they can't be dissatisfied with how it turned out."

I think he says it all himself here: "Under normal circumstances, most people probably would have thought this was a very cool episode". But, it is a series finale, the end of a series that many people love. Hey, after watching this Season, I count myself among them. It is not a normal episode. On the other hand, Voyager set a precedent, using Barclay and Troi in the final Seasons. And I grant them the fact that they didn't get much warning, and Sirtis and Frakes were probably already booked. Also, the final episode of 'Star Trek' TOS wasn't all that special either. I still think it's not right, but I'll wait until I've seen it.

[ray gower]

In fairness:-

There is some excuse for Barclay and Troi in Voyager, perhaps not a good one, but it is workable. TNG and Voyager were set in similar time spans, B & T had merely progressed up the promotion ladder and into new jobs, same as La'Forge in his brief appearance.

As for TOS, I don't think they had as much notice of cancellation. The Season ended and they never started again.

Still think the only truly fitting end to this series would be the sight of Enterprise blowing up, perhaps in some heroic last stand that creates the Federation?

[McHorde-Trooper]

4.22: These are the Voyages

As a Finally it sucked, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

It had some funny / semi-clever references:

Like when Archer tells Hoshi not to get used to the command chair.
That one made me literally laugh out loud . . well more of an extended chuckle, but . .

Or the mention of "next generation".

And the reference to "All good Things" (which was in my opinion an excellent Next Gen finally).

The line about a new there being a new Enterprise some day seemed to be a way of saying to the fans that sometime a new Trek show might be made.

I think the story was pretty sketchy and the story telling was not so good.

Riker's motive for viewing watching this historical holodeck program is hard to believe until he reveals his secret. But, even then it's kind of tacky because Riker has probably dealt with issues like that before.

I think the Pegasus stuff related to an actual episode of Star Trek the next Generation, but it's been so long since I've seen it that I don't remember at all. Why didn't they seem to think of that kind of issue when they made the episode?

Trip's death was pointless . . not that I mind, but it served no purpose.

Talking to trip after he died in the show was either stupid editing or story telling.

The crew members talking to Chef Riker . . . those were some nice scenes, but they played more like a halfway decent fan fic.

It was strange how nice it was seeing the Next Gen stuff, but it doesn't make up for the over all shoddy job on the episode.

[Mariel]

I think Jolene Blalock said it best, this episode was appalling. I would have been better as a filler episode, but it was a terrible finally. I don't understand why they Riker and Troy needed to be there or why they had to kill off Trip. I will now go crawl off and read some shipper fic and hope that it give me some solace.
:blpaw:

[Dave]

Having had most of this spoiled already there isn't much left to say. I found myself agreeing completely with McHorde-Trooper's comments about it, but like him, I found it better than I expected.
.

Originally posted by McHorde-Trooper
I think the story was pretty sketchy and the story telling was not so good.

Riker's motive for viewing watching this historical holodeck program is hard to believe until he reveals his secret. But, even then it's kind of tacky because Riker has probably dealt with issues like that before.

Trip's death was pointless . . not that I mind, but it served no purpose.

Talking to trip after he died in the show was either stupid editing or story telling.

The crew members talking to Chef Riker . . . those were some nice scenes, but they played more like a halfway decent fan fic.

It could have been made more believable if people had looked the right age:

The NX-01 Enterprise cast had changed little in six years, and Porthos seemed very sprightly for a 10+ year old dog (jumping on tables.)

Troi and Riker looked very much older than they should have done, and Data stopped saying stupid things like the 'check for rain' long before that season of TNG

[Brit Chick]

Don't know what more to add to the comments above. I did enjoy watching the epsiode and taking it for what it was - it was fine - but I agree, it should not have been the finale. It would have worked just as well in amongst perhaps another Enterprise story mid season.

Trip's death was pointless - other that it was trying to show us just how far he would go to protect Archer, but we kinda knew that anyway.

I did get a little sad a T'pol packing away his things and the little Frankinstein figure reminding her of his fondness for Horror movies!

And any lessons to be learned by Riker - he had probably had the chance to learn many times before.

Enterprise should have been allowed to bow out in its own blaze of glory with a totally enterprise ep...........but ya know what, I really did like seeing the Enterprise D again! and the voiceovers at the end from Picard, Kirk and Archer were a nice touch.

[Dave]

Originally posted by Brit Chick
Enterprise should have been allowed to bow out in its own blaze of glory with a totally enterprise ep...........but ya know what, I really did like seeing the Enterprise D again! and the voiceovers at the end from Picard, Kirk and Archer were a nice touch.

I didn't say that but I agree about the ending. Excellent way to go, and Archer did get the final voiceover.