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ENTERPRISE: Borderland ep

A

alm4rr

Diamond Member
from trekweb

The critics are chiming in this morning on tonight's "Borderland," the first episode in a series of much-publicized three-episode arcs that executive producer Manny Coto has promised will reinvigorate STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE. IGN Film Force just posted an advance review of tonight's episode at its weekly 'TREK Report'. The site gave the episode 3 out of 5 stars in a positive review and here are some excerpts from the article.

"After three episodes that seemed to exist only to fill space on the schedule, Enterprise returns to the flavor of the pilot episode with 'Borderland'." writes reviewer KJB. The review praises guest star Brent Spiner saying that he "immediately takes control of the episode, playing the evil genius with such relish that it's hard to take your eyes off him. There's an edge that has been missing for most of the series in this episode and Spiner is only partly responsible"

The site goes on to say that by the end of the first act the episode is "far and away the most interesting ENTERPRISE episode of the entire series.I'd be lying if I said the episode managed to make up for three years of lackluster plots, direction and storytelling but it makes a great attempt. The second half of the episode falls off slightly with **SPOILER DELETE**,, but ends with a great hook for next week's episode, 'Cold Station 12', named after the repository for **SPOILER REMOVAL** from the Eugenic Wars.

 
IESB also posted a positive review of 'Borderland', giving the episode 4 out of 5 stars.

Reviewer Robert Sanchez wrote that producer Manny Coto "is going where no one has gone before, okay well at least not since STAR TREK II THE WRATH OF KHAN. 'Borderland' is a bold attempt to bridge prior STAR TREK series to ENTERPRISE... 'Borderland' is an episode that truly lives up to the STAR TREK franchise and is quite obvious that someone new is at the helm of the series. Revisiting old TREK species is not enough to revive this series but the writing combined with the action is a sure winner. I am sure that some Trekkers would like to know how exactly is the Eugenics War going to be handled. So far so good, the clothing , the hair and even the attitude of the Augments should make hard core Trekkers happy.


Elsewhere, TV Guide lists "Borderland" as part of "Tonight's TV Hot List" and includes a brief logline for the episode "It's a Trekker's delight when NEXT GEN's Brent Spiner begins a three-episode gig as a long-removed (and sort of shady) relative of Data's original creator," writes reviewer Damian J. Holbrook. "Turns out the new face on the final frontier may have had a hand in inciting the wrath of a certain Khan back in the day, which means he could be the perfect person to bring that damn theme song to a grisly end."

Maureen Ryan at the Chicago Tribune also raves about tonight's episode, saying "If you've needed a reason to check out STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE, you definitely have it now."

She praises the performance of Brent Spiner, saying it raises the bar immensely.

"The zippy pacing is fun, but the real treat here is seeing Spiner in action," she writes. "Just watch the subtle play of emotions that wash over his face as he learns his 20-year-old Augments, whom he had hidden on a remote planet, are roaming free. Surprise, fear, elation, self-control; they're all given masterful life by Spiner in the space of a few seconds."


The New York Daily News declares "A three-part story starting tonight at 8 on UPN, is the best move since the series launched in 2001... The story is full of ambivalent shadings. With the scientist as well as his bioengineered rebel children, there are shades of gray in their motives and actions, and it's not clear, to viewers or to Archer, precisely whom to trust or befriend."


Eclipse Magazine also likes the episode: "It would seem that Coto has the series back on track. Maybe it's not that much further to that silk purse, after all."


The San Jose Mercury News wrote : "Finally, an episode of ENTERPRISE with some real kick. TREK veteran Brent Spiner turns up as Dr. Arik Soong, an ancestor of the scientist who created Data of ``Next Generation,'' and immediately injects the kind of energy (and humor) that has been missing from the series. Sure, the story line borrows more than a bit from the saga of Khan Noonian Singh from one of the best episodes of the first ``Star Trek'' series and the second ``Trek'' movie, but at least it's serviceable. And Spiner -- who will be around for three episodes -- has a great time playing the bad guy and poking fun at the deadly seriousness of the current crew."

And from the always negative Robert Bianco of USA Today :

"STAR TREK ENTERPRISE (UPN, tonight, 8 ET/PT) kicks off a three-episode visit from Next Generation star Brent Spiner, who plays a criminal ancestor of Data's inventor. Well, who knows, maybe he can help."

And finally, The Great Link gave the episode 4 out of 5 stars. Reviewer Michael Marek wrote that he "enjoyed this episode. It is largely successful in its goal of helping to 'close the loop between THE ORIGINAL SERIES and ENTERPRISE. Some fans, however, will probably see it the same way they saw the past appearances of the Ferengi and the Borg in ENTERPRISE, i.e. lacking in originality. It seems to me that there are few NEW ideas, particularly in ground that has been covered as thoroughly as STAR TREK. Creativity is in how ideas are reinvented."

"For me, 'Borderland' works." he wrote "Many of the nuances of the story feel 'right', and we learn more about the back story of the Eugenics Wars. The restructured management of the ENTERPRISE production team is definitely working in a new direction this season, and so far I like the direction they are heading."
 
Sweet. I don't know whether to download the HR-HDTV + 2.0 ac3 rip tonight or just watch it when it comes on... 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Chompman
Originally posted by: notfred
So does T'Pol get married or not?
Click to expand...

She got married last episode.
Click to expand...

Well, she was ABOUT to... But yeah.

I think that was this new guy's way of telling Berman that the relationship was a dumb idea. He wrote that episode so that they couldn't be in a relationship anymore, but so T'Pol could still be on the Enterprise.
 
cool looks like enterpise might make a turn around hopefull its not too late. if it makes it to season 5 I want the Romlan war I won't settle for anything else
 
The martial arts stuff against the Klingons was overdone, but I liked the episode a lot - Dr. Soong was an awesome bad guy - cynical, arrogant, and sinnister. Introducing the Orions was cool too, a nice tie in to the original series.

The MACOs got their asses kicked!
 
Originally posted by: silverpig
Sweet. I don't know whether to download the HR-HDTV + 2.0 ac3 rip tonight or just watch it when it comes on... 🙂
Click to expand...

whats the dif betweent he HR version and the 350mb HD edition that usally comes out?
 
Originally posted by: Falloutboy
Originally posted by: silverpig
Sweet. I don't know whether to download the HR-HDTV + 2.0 ac3 rip tonight or just watch it when it comes on... 🙂
Click to expand...

whats the dif betweent he HR version and the 350mb HD edition that usally comes out?
Click to expand...

HR = full 720p res (I think that's the res anyways). It's usually about a gig I think.
 
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: Falloutboy
Originally posted by: silverpig
Sweet. I don't know whether to download the HR-HDTV + 2.0 ac3 rip tonight or just watch it when it comes on... 🙂
Click to expand...

whats the dif betweent he HR version and the 350mb HD edition that usally comes out?
Click to expand...

HR = full 720p res (I think that's the res anyways). It's usually about a gig I think.
Click to expand...

well thats out my xbox won't be able to handle that
 
omg what idiots! too trusting of Dr. Soong. let the mutant leader get too close to the captain. they shoulda booby-trapped the docking port, it doesn't take a genius to know they're going to attempt a rescue of their father. idiots!

But awesome episode, Brent Spiner was awesome! 🙂
 
terrific episode.. didn't hear or read anything about it but downloaded it and watched it and immediately thought it was the best ep of the series. don't know what it was, but Spiner probably had much to do with it. the ending was great too, I was dreading a lame capture of all the freaks and Soong and a good-guys win ending. nevertheless the whole time I was of course rooting for the geneto freaks and Soong to kick enterprise's ass and high tail it outta there
 
Comments from another board:
Plot points:

If Soong suddenly starts condoning his augments killing people left and right, it will become impossible to believe that he left Archer and Enterprise alive an intact.

I will be curious to hear how many of the people the Augments shot and beat up on the Enterprise were only "stunned" or "knocked out", and how many of them were killed. Given that they massacred the crew of the Klingon ship (rather than beating them up and marooning them), it would be inconsistent of them not to have used lethal force on the Enterprise crew.

Given the inability of the Enterprise to engage two Orion ships that the Klingon ship was able to shoot up pretty quickly, does anyone believe that the Enterprise will be able to win a fight with the Klingon ship if it came down to it?

Given the exposure of the Klingons to the concept of Augments, does one really believe that a warrior society such as theirs (as presented in Star Trek to this point) would not begin massive efforts to augment themselves? Particularly after just two "human" Augments slaughtered the crew of a "Bird of Prey"?
....
Just out of curiousity, can someone tell me how Soong thought he was going to get over that wall with his hands cuffed together? In the position he was in when Archer released the lock that caused him to fall there was no practical way I could see for him to complete the evolution of getting over the wall.
Click to expand...
 
i finally watched it, nice seeing brent spiner back🙂 it was pretty good. enterprise has been pretty good the last two seasons heh. cg effects in hd are also sweet🙂 odd theres no white klingons at this period of time in trek eh?😉

as for the wall, isn't spiner enhanced? its hinted at i think..
 
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