h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yes, really. I actually like the Enterprise theme tune.

Not only is it different from all the other Trek tunes that have boldly come before, but it's a refreshing change from most other SF shows out there. They all seem to have followed the lead Star Wars set in using orchestral theme tunes, with the only deviations being in theme; proud and marching (i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek: The Next Generation) or grand and sweeping (Star Trek: Deep Space 9 and Voyager). Farscape tried a tribal theme, but still relied on the orchestra, and while Babylon 5's pilot episode was upbeat and appropriately urban techno-rock (after all, B5 was meant to be a city in space; I could almost hear car-horns in the music) it had retreated back to the old familiar, if somewhat edgy, orchestral score (with synths) by the first episode of the first season.

Okay, "Faith Of The Heart" is cliche and simple, and Russell Watson still sounds like Rod Stewart (even though Russ can actually sing). But as someone once said, "the reason it's cliche is that it's true". Enterprise itself has a simpler theme, and takes a thematic step away from the modern moral fables of Next Generation. It's more a frontier story (even if the audience has boldly been to these frontiers before) and Humanity is presented as a young race finally achieving its dream of expanding into the stars, taking its first tentative and yet very bold and very passionate steps into the bigger galaxy. What better than rock, an easily-accessible format steeped in youthful energy, experimentation and vitality, and a song that says "we will succeed, because we have faith in ourselves"?

Frankly, I think "Faith Of The Heart", or "Where My Heart Will Take Me", suits Enterprise down to its boots. Fine, fair enough, it's not your taste. It's mine, though, and I say keep it. It's a good little tune, and it's about time Trek had a change like that - even though the basic Trek show format (starship crew of explorers) has been kept. Maybe they shouldn't have stopped with the theme music...

Hooray! At last I've found something to disagree with you about Ormy!

I've been a Star Trek fan since the early 1970's but "My husband and I" both love the Enterprise theme song...

By the way...I hope you have a wonderful holiday and enjoy your white knuckle rides!

Well, each to their own! However, IMagINES, I have to say that I can't think of a musical genre *less* 'steeped in youthful energy, experimentation and vitality' than MOR rock. By that reckoning, Bryan Adams is avant-garde! The song just seems so corny and Hollywood to me, but that's possibly because it IS a Hollywood theme song. Rod Stewart's version was used in a dreadfully saccharine Robin Williams film called 'Patch Adams'.

I've only seen the first two-part story, but so far I'm disappointed with 'Enterprise'. I'd agree that it has a simpler theme, but to me that seems like 'simpler' as in 'dumbed down'. Captain Archer looks like an old-fashioned action hero: brash and macho, the Maverick Cop who Doesn't Play By The Rules, only out in space! I prefer a bit more complexity and ambiguity with my entertainment. Give me Picard and his modern moral fables any day.

And while I'm having a good rant, WHAT is Lieutenant Reed's accent all about?!? An American TV executive's idea of what English people sound like, that's what! NOBODY really speaks like that! The worst thing is that the actor who plays him is actually English. He comes from Leicester in the English east Midlands. Now if they'd let Reed have a strong Midlands accent, that would have been fun - though, admittedly, they might have had to add subtitles!

Ah well, I'm off on my hols now. Thanks for the good wishes, Gwennie!

I'm fortunate enough to have Sky TV so have already viewed the entire first series of Enterprise and I admit that I'm biased in my opinions regarding the show, which I'm thoroughly enjoying although this has no relation whatsoever to my drooling over the nice Captain Archer!

Now Cap'n Picard's character in TNG was......

Sad aren't I?

I started watching enterprise on sky, until I got bored enough to stop fighting for the remote (as I have to every time I want to watch anything on sky).

What was the point of that thing with the gel? (near the end of the feature-length first episode)? Is it me or was that an attempt to attract the testosterone-poisoned teenage boy market?

Hahaha! Guess I can't really argue with you there. MOR rock isn't exactly an experimental area. The genre *used* to be, though...

... and how many mainstream, pattern genres used to be experimental? Nice try, IMAGinES...

I'd argue with you on the overall Enterprise front, too... except I've not really been watching it lately. It doesn't help, of course, that it's on at ten thirty Wednesday night in Australia, and I get up at 6 AM to go to work.

But I still like the theme tune...

(Sigh) Anyway, enjoy your holidays!