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ST:ENT revisited in German

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ST:ENT revisited in German

Postby Kotik » Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:43 am

Hi y'all

Since I seem to have a major language assembly problem - I've got an archive ban to show for it - I've decided to go on therapy. I don't particularly like being banned, so I'll try to develop a bigger sensitivity for word and phrase choice. To do that I started to re-watch the series and to make it just that little bit more painful, I'll watch the German dubbed version for the first time. I'll try to make the reviews interesting and balanced and I would like to ask all, who read them, to point me at potentially offensive - or as it was lately called - charged language, so I can avoid such land mines in the future. Thanks in advance. I'm trying to add a satirical element, too, hoping that it will less dry reading that way.

Some observations about the German dubbed ENT:

One of the major problems with dubbing an English original is, that the different facets of the language get lost. In the German version all characters speak the same scientific standard German, which takes away a lot of the appeal, since suddenly there's absolutely no language difference between Trip and Malcolm, which makes most of the characters appear rather flat in contrast to the original. That could have been avoided by giving Malcolm a lower-saxony accent, Archer a northern German one and having Trip speak a thick Prussian accent. Unfortunately that is very rarely done in German dubbing, which is why there are only a handful of series' and movies, which are as good as the original. The most prominent example is "Hogan's Heroes", which makes extensive use of accents and as a result is even better than the English original.

Now for the first Episode review - Broken Bow (German: Aufbruch ins Unbekannte)

The intention behind the new Enterprise series was to show a prequel, the time during which Humanity found their space legs and on the first glance - it worked. The pilot created a whole different atmosphere than the other Star Trek series's. The characters are cooler, if not necessarily more competent. Quite frequently they appear puzzled by the situations they find themselves in and have no clue what the heck they're supposed to do. Early in the episode, when Tucker piles the orbiter into Enterprise, we get a first impression that these greenhorns should have ma moth in a phaser-beam's chance out there. Later they prove this by entering a wrong course, which T'Pol corrects in her unique know-it-all manner.

It is a matter of taste, if one prefers this new approach. One one hand, the protagonists appear much more human than the holier-than-thou, always well groomed über-heroes of past series's, who's main goal is to keep the ship tidy at all times and to invent new forms of rays, whenever they take a break from tidying the ship or from lecturing aliens on how to be a better human.

On the other hand, there'll be enough Trekkie's, who think that these slightly insecure, unexperienced characters are not Star Trek-y enough. Add to that the complete lack of Trek stalwart technology, like tractor beams, shields and holo decks and there'll be fans a plenty, who will not particularly like it.

Personally, I think that the Authors will not keep up the new concept for very long. Granted, in the pilot the technology seems to come from a different universe (although we're talking from a slightly backward and simple universe), but who honestly believes that the congregation of Voyager authors, who also create this series, will keep up this concept?

In one of the earliest episodes aliens are supposed to sell holo(!) technology to the Klingons. Since Voyagers later seasons ended in a complete technology overkill, which barely left room for any meaningful story line, and instead more often than not had to explain, why this or that technology couldn't be used that a particular time, one has a hard time that the same authors, who went completely ballistic when making Voyager, will keep up the Star Trek equivalent of horse and carriage with ENT.

When it comes to technobabble, the pilot gets it right in every way, because there is practically none. The disintegration of the Suliban helix, by flipping the off-switch on an enormous magnet must be the most harmless destruction orgy in Star Trek history,..., I mean future. One of the finest aspects for me was the sweet spot. If nothing else, it is, because it always has annoyed me that in Star Trek the whole space is filled with an unlimited supply of the finest gravity. Strange planets, ships, tiny shuttles - doesn't matter, nature or some generators do all the work and stand out by their utter invisibility. At least we already know that Maywheather is used to lower gravity, due to his long time on freighter ships. For Trek standards thats a revolutionary (because logical) approach.

Cue: Compatibility with the technology of Kirk's Enterprise

Contrary to what many fans say, who like the 'logical and chronologically plausible' look of the new old Enterprise, I think that there's no way to make the TOS era technology look anything like plausible anymore, after seeing ENT. Take for instance Dr. Plox's sickbay. What do we see? Exactly; screens, terminals and a bus load of equipment - a plausible interior. What did Bones have? Ikea shelves with nothing in them and that could be applied to almost all areas of the ship.

Let's be realistic, after the end of ST:Enterprise no one can take TOS seriously anymore. It would probably be best to position in in a different universe - preferably one, in which Vulcan hasn't been nuked by a Romulan nutter.

Let's have a look at the characters:

Cpt. Archer
He's the Kirk of the 21st century - no matter what all the Braga's and Berman's say. Kirk himself could be anymore Kirk-ish. Archer is a natural born fist fighter - which he promptly proves later on - and he seems to be quite the womanizer. The humanized Suliban woman, whom Archer meets after his short-lived detainment, after all has nothing better to do than going for a friendly smooch. There's not much more to say yet. Bakula plays Archer well, but now and then our Jonny appears to be a wee bit too arrogant and makes himself heard a few decibel too loudly. A quite interesting and not necessarily unsympathetic personality, if the writers manage to inject some diplomatic talent in the coming episodes. The worst case scenario would be to have him turn into the same photon torpedo fetishist that Janeway became in late Voyager episodes

T'Pol
In contrast to other Vulcans, she seems about as Vulcan as Simon Cowell. The traditional chamber pot hairdo has been spiced up by a few strands and her catsuit salaciously hugs the curved form of the good (im MEAN good) female. The cynically impish almost-smile that sometimes graces her face is obviously meant to stir up the inner Kirk in the hormone-controlled part of the male audience - short all the Trek viewers with a Seven-Of-Nine fetish.

One cannot avoid to notice that the decon chamber scene appears to be more than just a little contrived. Tucker and T'Pol, incidentally the most likely eye-candy for either gender, are the only ones, who picked up a mysterious spore and are standing half-naked in the blue-light and smear 10W40 all over each other and, in a friendly, professional manner, fondle each other's ears. Wow, someone needed it really badly, and I suspect it was Mr. Berman, who desperately needed it - an erotic scene for the pilot. It is of course complete coincidence that two rather firm Vulcan nipples try to pierce the skimpy fabric in full view of the camera.

Malcolm Reed
He didn't really stand out in any way, yet. He's calm and cool. To me he appears like the type of quite bloke with more suppressed aggressions than one could purge in a full day of blowing up ships and beating up aliens.

Charles "Trip" Tucker III
On first glance he seems to be the obligatory beau of the series, but he seems to have dry humour and coolness in abundance and his constant bickering (and the blue-light baby oiled petting) with T'Pol indicates, who are planned to be the designated 'Official Couple' of the series.

The story is relatively simple and is quickly told. A Klingon has to be delivered to Qo'nos, but gets abducted by the Suliban (of course any implied similarity to the term Taliban is entirely coincidental). The crew gets him back, despite all the technological and genetic inferiority engages in a few space dogfights, wrecks a space station and gets the heck out of dodge.

Of course it is completely illogical, how two space-greenhorns can wander into the space station of a superior race just like that and almost none of the skin cancer-ed flexibility artists notices the slightest thing. But that's consistent to good old Star Trek tradition. There never is alarm on enemy ships, when they get infiltrated by a much too small and untrained Starfleet kamikaze commando.

Conclusion:
The pilot has a lot of potential, but does not yet tell too much about the direction, in which the writers are planning to take it. The plot was solid, entertaining and full of action. After this solid, if unspectacular start we can rest assured that at least it won't be worse than Voyager.

Verdict: 6 out of 10
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Re: ST:ENT revisited in German

Postby Aquarius » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:28 am

Nice try, Kotik.

This thread is being locked because the only real purpose it serves is for you to play the victim in front of the entire community. For one thing, it's bad form to complain about disciplinary action we took discreetly behind the scenes out in public. We recognize an attempt to take a swipe at management when we see it.

Furthermore, if this was just about getting help, you simply could have asked for it, without the whole The Man Is Keeping Me Down thing. But we both know that this isn't about English being your second language. Most people would be mortified to find out that they may have inadvertently insulted someone or hurt their feelings. You've argued, albeit politely.

We also both know that, a couple of months after we opened, you came here, made a couple of posts, and then PMd me to tell me that you "know what we're going for" in terms of attitude and culture but you felt it would be boring. In fact, I remember you brought up "Barbie," by way of expressing your contempt for something you thought was too sweetly idealistic. And then you disappeared, until we began the reviewing contest.

So, you know exactly what got you into trouble.

We are very clear about common sense practices like "if you don't like it, then don't read it," and treating others with respect.

I realize that at other communities, charged language and shaming authors for writing what you don't like passes for acceptable behavior. If that's how you want to do things, that's fine, but do it there, not here.

We opened the Delphic Expanse in order to get away from that kind of unnecessary drama. You are more than welcome to play in our sandbox -- we've always felt the more the merrier-- but you will need to do it in a manner that is respectful to other members, your hosts, and the community at large.
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