He's Dead Jim. Star Trek: Enterprise Is Officially Cancelled

Yesterday, UPN and Paramount Network jointly announced that this current season of Star Trek: Enterprise would be its last. For the first time in 18 years, TV would be without any incarnation of Star Trek, save reruns. Here is the full press release.

The latest, or shall we say late prequel series of the Star Trek franchise has been floundering in ratings since its first season, not seeming to gauge any interest among old Trekkies, nor new fans. As a long time Trekkie and sci-fi geek I was not surprised when this was announced.

It was a disappointing series that definitely squandered its potential from the beginning, eschewing what it could have been for the same tried and re-tred boiler-plate writing, zero character development, generic aliens, etc.

Enterprise is nothing compared to the compelling new Battlestar Galactica series on Sci-Fi Network. Although it's only in its first season and only 3 episodes have aired, Galactica has more substance and emotional resonance than all the past seasons of the Trek prequel combined.

Currently in its fourth season on CBS-owned netlet UPN, Star Trek: Enterprise was actually showing a modicum of promise this season, which decided to bring in new writers and a new showrunner with carte blanche to renovate a show steeped in shallow ratings.

Utilizing the mini-story arc concept instead of the previous year's season-long story, the writers would be able to send our ship on some mini-epic adventures while maintaining the continuing plot arc. Stories involving familiar elements of the established Trek universe would draw old fans back. Yet, unfortunately, for the fans, and the producers, it's all a matter of too little, too late.