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Rewriting Trek History

© Christopher B. Jones

Spoiler Warning: This article contains information about the plot of “Carbon Creek." If you have not yet seen the episode and do not wish to learn of the story, please view the show first and then visit us again.

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Way back in 2000, before we really knew what the fifth Star Trek series would be about, I pointed out the dangers of writing a show set between TOS and TNG/DS9/Voyager. At the time there was a petition drive underway on the Internet aimed at pressuring Paramount to base the new series on the voyages of the Excelsior under the command of George Takei’s Hikaru Sulu. Plopping a new series right in the middle of established Trek history would have placed the writers in a minefield of potential contradictions that would have no doubt sent fans into a letter-writing fury.

When it was announced that the new series—Enterprise—would take place before established Trek history, I praised it as a stroke of genius. The move offered creative freedom in a time period that was hardly touched by prior Trek canon. It’s hard to contradict what has yet to be written.

There are pitfalls, however, and as we enter season two many would argue that Berman and Braga have fallen into a number of them. Case in point: last week’s episode, “Carbon Creek.” Entertainment Weekly’s “What to Watch” for September 25 said that the episode somewhat diluted the significance

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