I remember very little of this episode.
I do remember that it instantly had a black mark against it when I saw a ridged head Klingon - and this was supposed to be a prequel. This was before the retcon they did, of course.
It is most likely that I quit watching during the pilot - and never really went back, save for watching season four on dvd years later - as I had heard so much praise for that final season.
So, we have an opening scene of a Klingon/unknown alien chase through some fields.
The opening song reminds me of STAR COPS' approach. It also makes me wonder where exactly this song pops up in PATCH ADAMS.
I notice a dodgy Vulcan ear, where the join is quite visible. One of the perils of high def.
A Zefram Cochrane cameo.
I am finding the alien Doctor a little contrived and thrown together and maybe not thought through, so am not sure if I will take to the character, but I instinctively like the actor playing him.
In fact, I am liking all of the characters so far, possibly helped by the fact that not one of them has felt obliged to prove how tough they are by having a punch up in the ship's canteen - unlike DISCOVERY. How standards have fallen by the dark, soulless time of that brutal and ugly society of that programme's era.
Speaking of which, it is strange how the Klingons have turned into walking and talking turds by the time of DISCO.
Ah, so that is what a Suliban looks like. I knew the name, but had never, until now, had a species to put it to. Obviously based, at least in name, on the Taliban, which had (or were about to) come to such prominence in the dreadful news of September 11th.
Strange how the Suliban never got a mention in Kirk's time or thereafter?
Do these opening episodes really need to be feature length? Obviously the only reason is so that more sponsored advertising can be squeezed in, but I bet it could easily be shaved down to an hour, maximum and not lose anything important.
A temporal war has been mentioned. Wonder what that is all about then? Time will tell.
A gel decontamination scene - in case anyone was falling asleep. I suspect we will see a lot more of these in future, when the ratings start to dip.
I remember the advertising for ENTERPRISE included the slogan: "Meet Captain Kirk's Hero!", but - as much as I like the actor - I can't really yet see why Kirk would idolise Archer. Perhaps as the series progresses he will do flying kicks and tear his shirt when nobody is looking - or start making profound, theatrical, halting speeches about humanity. We shall see.
I am reminded very much of the Cally/Tharn scene from Blake's 7 in the T'Pol/Suliban scene. Surely co-incidence?
So, at the end of viewing, a nice opener. It didn't bore me at any point, although it could have been trimmed without damaging anything. I like the characters and the series is inoffensive.
I still think that prequels are mistakes, usually and that this is therefore a mistaken idea for a premise, but - aside from that - it has the Berman Era STAR TREK feel; and - whereas DISCOVERY's pilot was agonisingly annoying, this pilot need not hang it's head in shame. If it is wrongheaded - as a prequel - at least it did the best it could and the four seasons ahead should be at least an interesting curio for someone like me who never really engaged or followed this show beyond a cursory glance, until now.
6 out of 10
