ANALYSIS:

STAR TREK: ENTERPISE continued to gain steam as the writers decided to have one main storyline arc running through the entire season. Captain archer and the crew of the Enterprise enter an area known as the Expanse as they search for the Xindi super weapon which is being constructed to destroy the Earth. Captain Archer has to make some tough decisions and ethical calls to find the weapon and to stop the Xindi. Also we see the Xindi POV as they race to construct the weapon and watch the Enterprise search for the weapon. The Xindi council is held together by very fragile bonds. Will that be their undoing or can Archer use that to convince some of the five Xindi species to stop the launch of the weapon (or will Archer be too consumed to just destroy the weapon at any cost)? The third season is very relentless at times and the last seven episodes are one big concentrated long story compared to how every other episode is connected. This season is the closet to the storytelling of the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series (to the way events carry over from episode to episode). The big addition of writer Manny Coto will lead him to be the show runner for season 4.

 

I find this season of ENTERPRISE to be strong and full of great character arcs that pay off in spades.  You also have CARPENTER STREET which features characters who share names with characters in John Carpenter’s Halloween and episodes with good twists at the end like DOCTOR’S ORDERS while other episodes play on the damage caused to the enterprise crew and the loss they experience.  The stakes are raised and the characters even compromise what the values they hold dear to finish the mission to stop the Xindi weapon from destroying Earth.   Then you have stinkers like EXTINCTION, NORTH STAR (the Western episode), SIMILITUDE (the ethics of cloning Commander Tucker to save an injured Tucker), and EXILE (the Beauty and the Beast episode as Hoshi gets an alien stalker).    Other than those lows of the season, the third season of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE is an impressively strong season.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

DISC 1-

Text Commentary for THE XINDI by Mike & Denise Okuda (2005)

 

ARCHIVAL MISSION LOGS (which are non-anamorphic widescreen and ported over from the DVD release):

THE XINDI SAGA BEGINS- the writers, Scott Bakula, and John Billingsley discuss the Xindi arc and various episodes including THE EXPANSE, THE XINDI, ANOMALY, and DAMAGE

STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE MOMENTS- SEASON 3- writers and cast discuss certain standalone episodes (TWLIGHT, CHOSEN REALM, SIMILITUDE, HARBINGER) that indirectly tie into the Xindi arc and the climatic episodes that set the stage for the cliffhanger ending to be resolved in season 4.

 

DISC 2-

New audio commentary for IMPULSE by David Livingston and David A. Goodman

Text commentary for IMPULSE by Mike and Denise Okuda (2005)

 

Audio commentary for TWILIGHT by Mike Sussman and Tim Gaskill (2008)

 

DISC 3-

New audio commentary for NORTH STAR by David A Goodman and Chris Black (where they admit this might have been  bad episode while the actors really enjoyed being in this Western set episode) along with the old audio commentary by Michael DeMeritt (2005)

New audio commentary for SIMILTUDE by Manny Coto and Connor Trinneer along with Manny Coto’s 2005 audio commentary for the episode

 

Deleted scene for CHOSEN REALM

 

DISC 5-

New audio commentary for THE FORGOTTEN by David A. Goodman, Chris Black, and Connor Trinneer as they talk about the process of writing episodes for the show and some of their memories aren’t as good about the episode (where Connor’s memories are the best)

 

Two deleted scenes for E2

 

DISC 6-

New audio commentary for COUNTDOWN by Chris Black and Andre Bormanis

Text commentary by Mike & Denise Okua (2005)

 

This disc has a new featurette and a three part retrospective documentary both in Anamorphic High Definition Widescreen-

IN A TIME OF WAR (3 part retrospective documentary on season 3):

PART ONE: A CALL TO ARMS- The writers and Scott Bakula talk about the direction of season 3 in addition to Brannon Braga saying the season long Xindi plot was loosely plotted out in case it didn’t work out while one writer wished they wrote about the Romulan War instead of the Xindi.  Also Brannon remarks how they finally got the mix of writers correct for season 3 with the hiring of Manny Coto (who really wanted to get it right since he is a big Star Trek nerd).

PART TWO: FRONT LINES- the cast and writers talk about the highs and lows of season 3.  John Billingsley comments on how he disagreed with what Captain Archer did in ANOMALY and it made him uncomfortable since he believes the Captain is the moral compass of the show.

PART THREE: FINAL CONFLICT-

Interviews with the actors who play the main two Xindi aliens and the writers talk about the conclusion of the season (and the cliffhanger which Brannon Braga left for Manny Coto to resolve next season).

 

TEMPORAL COLD WAR: DECLASSIFIED- a twenty minute look at the Temporal Cold War arc through the first three seasons with the main focus being on season three stories featuring Daniels and interviews with Brannon Braga and the actors who played Daniels and Silik.   Also it is mentioned they would have revealed Archer to be future guy if STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE went on for longer than four seasons.

 

ARCHIVIAL MISSION LOGS (non-anamorphic and ported from the original DVD release):

ENTERPRISE PROFILE: CONNOR TRINEER (17:15)- he talks about the Trip and certain moments in the character’s development including how it is to film a love scene and playing the clone Sim and various behind-the-scenes story like filming out in the desert.   Also the casting director talks about how he is impressed with certain actors when cast like Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Colm Meany, and Connor.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DIRECTOR: ROXANN DAWSON (17:27)-  is a detailed behind-the-scenes look on her directing the episode EXILE from all the decisions she has to make (editing, camera angles, the one set constructed for the episode that allowed for lots of different camera work, and getting the day's shooting back on schedule).

BEHIND THE CAMERA: MARVIN RUSH (15:44)- behind-the-scenes with the director of photography of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE

ENTERPRISE SECRETS (4:12)- talk about the use of back lot sets for outdoor scenes for the STAR TREK shows

 

The outtakes have some amusing moments as usual including Bakula still being the funny man.

Photo Gallery

 

NX-01 FILE 07- the Phlox nude scenes in DOCTOR’S ORDERS

NX-01 FILE 08- the development and design of the Enterprise uniforms

NX-01 FILE 09- Martin Sussman talks about E2

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  Season Three of TSAR TREK: ENTERPRISE is one of the best seasons of STAR TREK on TV which has a few stinkers, but overall the arc and character development are strong.  The retrospective documentary is also worth watching.  I can’t wait for season 4 to come to blu-ray and I wish this show had more than four seasons because the second half of this series is fantastic.

 

This blu-ray review is (c)1-16-2014 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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