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Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that humans don't always come off looking like the most competent race in this space opera. The show documents some of Star Fleet's early missions beyond the Milky Way, and most of the drama comes from the crew's frequent contact with new alien species. Some of these are friendly, some are wary, and some are immediately hostile; in many cases it's clear that mankind is the new kid on the galactic block, and we often have little concept of protocol. The thinly disguised contempt of some alien cultures (especially the Vulcans) toward the humans might prompt viewers to take a closer look at how people who think they're quite advanced present themselves to others who may have a different opinion.

Families can talk about how the show's interstellar race relations reflect issues we deal with in real life. The crew's encounters with new species and races are often marked by suspicion and wariness as both sides attempt to size each other up. Can you see any parallels in America's own history? In their frequent guest appearances, the famously logic-oriented Vulcans make little effort to hide their disdain for humans. Is there a limit to cross-cultural appreciation? Are there some acts that can everyone can agree are unacceptable? Families can also compare this show to other Star Trek series and movies.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Will Wade

In 1966, an revolutionary TV show debuted -- Star Trek was unlike anything that had been on the airwaves before. Its potent mixture of 20th-century issues cleverly disguised within 23rd-century adventures made it hugely popular, and it remains one of the popular culture's most influential sci-fi franchises, spawning feature films, comic books, novels, and several spin-off series based on the same underlying mythology. It's quite possible that a Star Trek show is on the air, somewhere, just about every minute of every day.

But by the time the real world entered the 21st century, the Star Trek franchise was being dragged down by its own weight. The complex relationships within the United Federation of Planets that govern the Star Trek universe, the rigid regulations of Starfleet, and the increasingly interconnected storylines between the various series and characters were all making it hard to actually tell a good story.

Instead of throwing out the rule book, the writers of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE decided to set their series in the wild-and-wooly 22nd century, before the Federation existed and long before any of the rules that govern the series were created.

Enterprise focuses on Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), the captain of the original Enterprise -- humanity's first starship capable of true space exploration. Archer and his crew have been asked to venture out into uncharted space. As a result, they're almost always the first humans to step foot on every planet they visit, as well as the first people to meet each new alien race.

Enterprise is a very conscious attempt to recreate the feeling of the original series, and liberating it from the heavy canon of the franchise gives the series the ability to react to new situations in ways that can be thought-provoking to the viewer -- without requiring the cast to wonder "What would Kirk or Picard do?"

But there's no getting around the fact that the show lacks the same punch as its predecessors. The original series was a breakthrough because cloaking the cultural battles of the 1960s in the guise of sci-fi left it free to explore just about anything; four decades later, that show still holds up thanks to its eagerness to tackle serious social issues, but the rather sterile environment of the Star Trek universe has become somewhat dated.

Though Enterprise doesn't have to adhere to all the elements of the Star Trek canon, it's still part of that rather stuffy universe, which can make it difficult for the show to go beyond simple storytelling. It's entertaining and spins a good yarn, but it sometimes lacks depth. Fans will certainly like any of the other Star Trek series. Those looking for a more modern sci-fi series that manages to address 21st-century issues in a compelling, thought-provoking manner should check out Battlestar Galactica.

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Content
		CS	adults	kids
Sexual Content With all those men and women stuck on a spaceship for an extended tour of the furthest reaches of the galaxy, it's pretty surprising how little romance occurs. There's not even much flirting. Still, one of the series' most important plot lines centers on the evolving romantic relationship between two of the main characters.
Violence Plenty of action, ranging from fistfights and shootouts to spaceship battles, but little blood or graphic injury.
Language No bad language. Apparently humanity has evolved a bit by the 22nd century.
Message
	Social Behavior The Star Trek universe features a fairly rigid social structure and tolerates few deviations from authority. That said, this show is set centuries before the others in the franchise and plays up the idea that Captain Archer and his crew are out there exploring the galaxy on their own. As a result, he has more latitude to follow his conscience instead of his orders, though in the end either path would lead him to roughly the same actions.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Some drinking, but characters rarely get drunk. One of the main characters becomes addicted to an alien drug in an important story arc.

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