'Broken Bow' Preview Generates Positive Buzz

On Thursday night Paramount held a special screening of the Enterprise premiere, and judging from the online reaction, the audience thoroughly enjoyed it.

Introducing the episode, co-creator Rick Berman thanked studio executives and the work of the "extraordinary cast and crew," according to a report at StarTrek.com. "This project has been two years in the making," he said. "I hope you'll be as proud of it as we are - but either way, there'll be coffee and cake afterwards."

Many past and present Trek celebrities turned out for the event, including TNG stars Brent Spiner (Data) and LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge), as well as Voyager's Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris) and Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres). Behind the scenes wizards such as visual effects producer Dan Curry and scenic art supervisor Mike Okuda were also in attendance.

Shot in the High Definition format, 'Broken Bow' was projected onto a large screen in the 16:9 widescreen viewing ratio, which until a few years ago used to be the exclusive domain of feature films. "I wish everyone could see it this way," said one attendee. "But I have no doubt people will be very impressed when it shows on TV. It's arguably the best pilot episode of any of the Star Trek series."

Two members of the audience have posted reviews of the pilot online. 'AristoMenis', who worked as a CGI artist on Voyager and Deep Space Nine, awarded the episode a score of four out of five. "Over the course of 2 TV hours at a Paramount HD equipped cinema, 'Broken Bow,' the premiere episode for a bold new series simply called Enterprise, has miraculously reinvigorated and re-invented a franchise that appeared to be in it's twilight years," he wrote in a review posted at Menithings. "It should be said that Enterprise is good, really good. In fact it's the best, most fully developed premier episode of any Star Trek incarnation to date."

The review paid particular attention to the series's opening sequence, which features images of exploration set to the song 'Faith Of The Heart' (story). "The title sequence is a radically contemporary departure from previous Trek openings," AristoMenis wrote. "Set to a voiced song that flirts dangerously close to adult contemporary cheese, a montage of pioneering moments of discovery from both past and future history is cross-dissolved with schematics of ocean maps and star charts. The brave concept is saved from the cringe factor through the use of taste and restraint seen in previous Trek title sequences."

Scott Bakula (Jonathan Archer) and John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox) were cast members singled out for praise. "Bakula's Jonathan Archer is perfectly cast," the review said. "The actor fills the captain's shoes so confidently that it feels as though he's been playing the role for years. Another standout is the Alien doctor Phlox. At first impression he almost resembles Voyager's mildly annoying Neelix, yet after a couple of scenes, his accomplished acting skills lend the character a sense of wisdom and dignity without unnecessary cuteness."

TrekWeb's Lynda Foley also attended the screening, and commended the episode for its depiction of a better universe. "Enterprise carries the spirit of optimism and exploration that Roddenberry originally crafted," she wrote. "Enterprise displays the camaraderie and pride of a united Earth, working hard to live a free and moral life while learning not to impose it's viewpoint on other life forms. It is a sometimes difficult task for this new crew, but they learn and adapt. Enterprise combines the arrogance of a free and secure people with the trepidation of a species that is the 'new kid in the galaxy.'"

The official site has a full report online, complete with a photo gallery. The Menithings review can be found here, while Foley's report on the evening is available at TrekWeb.

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