Fans donate $3 million in attempt to save "Enterprise"

[Rowdyboy]

British entrepreneurs have collected 3 million dollars in order to convince UPN and Paramount to continue producing "Enterprise".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4312767.stm

[Ravenseye]

1. I hope it helps, but I don't see it happening.

The bottom line is that their ratings are just not good enough. Fan write-ins and campaigns have saved shows before, but I just am doubtfull it will work this time.

The show is hampered by their poor showing in their first two seasons. Their attempt at a revamp in the third also failed to increase ratings, as the numbers continued to drop. The fourth season while far superior to the previous three is probably too little, too late.

I wonder how the scheduling has affected the ratings though. Putting the show on Friday at 8pm isn't a slot that would seem to bring in tremendous numbers. Not only is it placed in 'the geek spot' expecting all star trek fans to be staying home on Friday nights, but is going up against Sci-Fi's friday lineup of Stargate and now Battlestar Galactica. A direct head to head on Friday night of two of the top science fiction franchises currently on the air doesn't seem to be a good slot.

Perhaps it would be better if Enterprise made the move to Sci-Fi. If CBS/UPN doesn't want the series, I would think that it could find a good home on the Sci-Fi channel, which incidentally would bring it back 'home' to the NBC family, where the franchise began.

A Friday night lineup of Stargate SG-1, Star Trek Enterprise, and Battlestar Galactica would certainly be a powerfull reason to not have a life on Friday nights.

[Enraged_Ape]

4. I agree

It's an absolute shame that this show had to struggle four years before it really started to find itself. Although I was never a fan--in fact, I hated it--I know a lot of people really, really liked what the show was becoming.

Enterprise was a pretty expensive show to produce. I know Sci-Fi has always been very skittish about renewing their biggest show ever, Battlestar Galactica, even though the UK also kicks in for some of the cost. If Star Trek is no longer a demonstrated ratings winner, it's just not worth it to them.

This franchise really needs at least a couple of years off to recharge the enthusiasm batteries. And when it does come back, it needs a new creative team (Coto can stay) and some serious retooling. I'm hoping a couple of years in the "time-out corner" will finally dispense with the technobabble, the deus-ex-machina technology, the ham actors with latex knobs glued to their heads, and all the other trappings that have slowly poisoned the franchise over the last few decades.

[Enraged_Ape]

2. They could have saved three million dollars...

by starting a write-in campaign three years ago to get rid of the ridiculous Tommy Lee Jones impersonator. "Trip" the Engineer warped this show over the shark from day one.

[Rowdyboy]

3. Its just pledges from corporate millionaires, anyway

They haven't actually spent a nickle yet.