Welcome to part 2 of our Enterprise deep dive! Often considered the misfit of the franchise, the show, which ran from 2001 to 2005, is often overlooked by Star Trek fans. Today, though, it's a fascinating time capsule of the era and an attempt to bring a new kind of energy to the Trek universe.
Casting Enterprise
Now that Rick Berman and Brannon Braga had Enterprise planned, they brought on seasoned writers and directors. Star Trek alums LeVar Burton and Jonathan Frakes also joined the creative team in different ways. Burton actually sat in the director's chair nine times over the course of the series, while Frakes reprised his role as William Riker for the finale. Star Trek: The Next Generation co-star Marina Sirtis joined him in the episode.
The team behind Enterprise faced the challenge of casting the bridge crew and, of course, the all-important role of ship's doctor. Casting directors chose TV actor John Billingsley for the affable Denobulan doctor Phlox, who had appeared in guest roles on Cold Case and Stargate SG-1.
For the role of Vulcan Subcommander T'Pol, showrunners wanted an actress similar in looks to Kim Cattrall, who played Lieutenant Valeris in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Jolene Blalock ultimately won the role and was pleased to play a Vulcan like her favorite character, Mr. Spock. Dominic Keating (security officer Malcolm Reed), Connor Trinneer (ship's engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker III), and Anthony Montgomery (ship's navigator Travis Mayweather) rounded out the rest of the bridge crew.
Casting for the captain's chair
Executive producers for Enterprise wanted one actor specifically to play Captain Archer: veteran TV and movie actor Scott Bakula. Bakula, who'd earned four Emmy nominations and won a Golden Globe (1992) for his work on the series Quantum Leap, is also known for being one of the kindest and most genial actors in the business (I can confirm this; I met him in August of 2024, and he's unbelievably sweet and funny!)
While Bakula was eager to take on the role of Captain Archer once he learned it would be a prequel, there were a few contract stipulations. For instance, he insisted that they would end filming before the evening so that he would be home for supper by 6 p.m. and spend time with his wife, actress Chelsea Field, and their two children, who were young at the time.
This may seem like an odd stipulation, but during Bakula's time on Quantum Leap, between filming, post-production, recording voiceover work and songs he sang on the show, and filming show ads, the actor had little time to spend at home. This his hurt his marriage to his first wife, Krista Neumann, which ended in divorce in 1995. When Enterprise producers approached him for the role of Archer, Bakula wanted to ensure they understood that his family came first.
Viewer reception for Enterprise
To further create a new type of energy for Enterprise, the showrunners chose a pop song, "Where My Heart Will Take Me," instead of using an orchestral theme. This divided the fandom almost instantly, as most hated it so much that one fan let Paramount and Scott Bakula know by wearing a sandwich board outside the gates of the studio lot!
Viewers who became fans of the show praised it for its unique characters, humor that mirrored the slightly cynical tone of the day, and its sex appeal (Who didn't love the decon chamber?) Some enjoyed that Archer had a pet beagle, Porthos, who he brought on board. Unfortunately, detractors of Enterprise found it lacking in Star Trek pedigree and much too cynical. However, when you consider the era, the cynicism was mostly a mirror of the times.
Enterprise is now available to stream on Paramount+ It's also available in a beautiful DVD box set, plus fans can currently watch all 26 episodes of season 1 for free on PlutoTV. Whether you enjoy the series or not, it has definitely earned its place in the Star Trek universe as what might happen when we do finally open the door to the stars.
Also be sure to check out the Enterprise deep dive part 1, and visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages for more Star Trek content.