FINALITIES II

Words Say Nothing commented on one of my last posts about 'Enterprise':

"I don't think it was necessary to see Archer's actual speech. Not all of it, anyway. A few snippets might have been okay."

Since writing that essay, I'm thinking along the same lines. Even that we were probably better off not hearing the speech at all, because the only thing worse in Toobworld than reruns might be redundancy.

In a way, the type of speech Archer would have presented to that assembly would have mirrored the speech he gave to the delegates six years earlier (in Real Time, just the hour before) in the episode "Terra Prime".

And that bit o' oratory was hardly a stem-winder. Maybe Jonathan Archer is just a bad public speechifier, because if he couldn't make a speech ghost-written by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens riveting, what could he possibly achieve with one of probably lesser quality written by B&B?

And the more I think along those lines, the more I'm reconciling myself to the idea that the true finale for 'Enterprise' was the two-parter of "Demons" and "Terra Prime".

These would be some of the key arguments:

1] All of the major players in the cast were served well with key scenes to highlight their characters;

2] the well-constructed plot remained focused on the inherent problems faced by an Earth struggling to reach out and shake hands with the galaxy;

3] and the script by the Reeves-Stevenses could take its place as one of the better grace notes for 'Star Trek' series.

(For me, the 'DS9' finale was best, but that's always been my favorite of the series.)

The only tweaking needed would be to juxtaposition the scenes of the conference with that private moment between Trip and T'Pol. As it was presented, that last scene is all the more powerful a closer, but I think its emotion could have infused our reception of Archer's speech and given the meaning to his words more heft.

In fact, I think a bit of a fanfic re-jigger to the finale could make it possible for the general fandom to perceive the "Terra Prime" two-parter as the true finale, and "These Are The Voyages" could be considered a one-off 'TNG' sequel. Perhaps even serving as the lead-off volley for taking 'Star Trek' in a new direction.......

How could it work? As Number Two of the Village would say, that would be telling. I've still got a few blog entries up me sleeve regarding this show for the rest of this week......

Yeah, I admit it. I'm a bit of a Trek-tease.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby