Essential 'Enterprise'
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 12:57 pm
My wife has never seen a single episode of Enterprise, and only has a passing familiarity with Star Trek (Original Series or Next Generation). Not what you might call a die-hard fan. (She also wonders why I spend my time writing fan fiction when I *could* be writing my own potentially-marketable stuff. I think others on this board have probably heard *that* from people they know.)
Anyway, If she were to attempt to read my fan fics, I don't think she would fare very well without a basic understanding of the show's characters and background. So, here's the challenge:
What are the essential episodes that a person unfamiliar with Trek lore would need to view to be sufficiently informed of ST:ENT that they could start reading, understanding and (I would hope) appreciating Enterprise fan fics (and in particular TnT fics)?
Broken Bow (s1E1) would certainly be on the list, but beyond that? Probably The Andorian Incident (s1e7), Shadow's of P'Jem (s1e15), Fusion (s1e17), The Seventh (s2e7), The Expanse (s2e26), Impulse (s3e05), Similitude (s3e10), Harbinger (s3e15), Azati Prime (s3e18), Damage (s3e19), E2 (s3e21), Zero Hour (s3e24), Home (s4e3), Borderland (s4e4), Forge (s4e7), Awakening (s4e5), Kirshara (s4e9), Babel One (s4e12), United (s4e13), Aenar (s4e14), Bound (s4e17), and Terra Prime (s4e22).
Is there a case to be made for adding episodes from other series to the list? (for example, 'Balance of Terror' from TOS, which explains the 'Don't Know What Romulans Look Like' canon)
Any additions or deletions to my list above? I notice I only had 2 episodes from season 2... Surely there were more episodes worthy of inclusion. Also, I am shooting for a list that will provide the necessary understanding of the show's character's strengths and weaknesses and motivations and backgrounds, not necessarily a list of the 'best' episodes. Since I aim for it to be the 'essentials', I'm striving for brevity.
Thoughts, ideas or recommendations?
Anyway, If she were to attempt to read my fan fics, I don't think she would fare very well without a basic understanding of the show's characters and background. So, here's the challenge:
What are the essential episodes that a person unfamiliar with Trek lore would need to view to be sufficiently informed of ST:ENT that they could start reading, understanding and (I would hope) appreciating Enterprise fan fics (and in particular TnT fics)?
Broken Bow (s1E1) would certainly be on the list, but beyond that? Probably The Andorian Incident (s1e7), Shadow's of P'Jem (s1e15), Fusion (s1e17), The Seventh (s2e7), The Expanse (s2e26), Impulse (s3e05), Similitude (s3e10), Harbinger (s3e15), Azati Prime (s3e18), Damage (s3e19), E2 (s3e21), Zero Hour (s3e24), Home (s4e3), Borderland (s4e4), Forge (s4e7), Awakening (s4e5), Kirshara (s4e9), Babel One (s4e12), United (s4e13), Aenar (s4e14), Bound (s4e17), and Terra Prime (s4e22).
Is there a case to be made for adding episodes from other series to the list? (for example, 'Balance of Terror' from TOS, which explains the 'Don't Know What Romulans Look Like' canon)
Any additions or deletions to my list above? I notice I only had 2 episodes from season 2... Surely there were more episodes worthy of inclusion. Also, I am shooting for a list that will provide the necessary understanding of the show's character's strengths and weaknesses and motivations and backgrounds, not necessarily a list of the 'best' episodes. Since I aim for it to be the 'essentials', I'm striving for brevity.
Thoughts, ideas or recommendations?