John Shiban: I've Done My 'Enterprise' Homework

See Also: 'Minefield' Episode Guide

Former X-Files scribe John Shiban spoke recently about the ways he prepared for his new role as co-executive producer on Enterprise.

"I've seen every episode. I've finally finished my homework," he told Star Trek Monthly (via Scifi Pulse). "I’d seen a number when they aired, and liked what I saw, but working on the X-Files, as with any television show, there's not a lot of time to watch TV. Since I came aboard, they got me every tape and every script, so it's been a crash course for the last few weeks."

The writer went on to talk about the ways he's had to adjust to writing for the more family orientated audience of Star Trek. "I won't say there weren't a couple of moments in our first two weeks - when Brannon Braga would say, 'If this were X Files, yes, we would kill this person.'" he related. "As much as I love the Star Trek franchise and the Gene Roddenberry future, this is kind of a different animal, because it's much more like the Mercury astronauts going out there. For me as a writer, it's exciting to go in places where the characters don't know what's happening."

Shiban revealed a little about the episode he was working on - titled 'Mine Field'. "In my first episode, we're playing up the Archer and Reed dynamic," he said. "We don't know a lot about Reed, which makes him a very interesting character. We know what his favourite food is, and we know a little bit about his relationship with his parents. He and Archer don’t have a friendship that Archer and Trip have.

"We've got a situation in mind where they're forced together, so what do they learn about each other, and how do they work well together, how don't they?"

More from John Shiban can be found in the current issue of Star Trek Monthly, available now in the UK. Alternatively, extracts are available online here at Scifi Pulse.

Discuss this news item at Trek BBS!
 Add TrekToday RSS feed to your news reader or My Yahoo!
Also a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation fan? Then visit CSIFiles.com!