# Enterprise, 2nd episode and I'm losing interest **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305 "2001-10-04T01:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/101 "2001-10-13T00:33:26Z")
The **Bad Astonomer** ’s [review](http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/enterprise.html) of the series, including his critique of the many astronomical errors. > [@](#): > > It was said that the Klingon home world is four days travel away. That comes out to about 8 trillion kilometers (just less than one light year) away from Earth at 80 times lightspeed. The nearest known star to us, Proxima Centauri, is about 40 trillion kilometers away (more than 4 light years), or 20 days travel time. I’m not sure how this inconsistency slipped past the Trek writers, to be honest, but late rewrites are usually the culprit. Again, I’ll note that while this is an error, it’s not a terribly big one. I would be remiss to ignore it though. > > However, I should also note that in several scenes, we see stars streaming past the window as the Enterprise warps past them. If it takes 20 days to get to the nearest star, then it should take roughly that long on average for just one star to flash by. I have heard some fans say that those aren’t stars we see going past, but pieces of space dust. That explanation doesn’t work; when the ship slow to subwarp, the streaks of light clearly coalesce into stars. So really, we should see the stars something like we do now: not streaking past, but moving verrrry sloooowly, like distant mountains on a long drive. Looks like **Bad As** isn’t the only bright person here! ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/102 "2001-10-13T01:38:04Z")
Originally posted by **jab1** : “…including his critique of the many astronomical errors.” Yes, if by many, you mean three, two of which (moving stars and sounds in space) we have to forgive because we demand a television show that looks and sounds good. The third one, 100c being too slow to go anywhere, is valid, but I think the writers were stuck between maintaining continuity and going for scientific accuracy, and you know how Trek fans are when it comes to continuity. As I understand it, the warp scale was structured in TNG to be Warp n = n[sup]3[/sup]c, up to n = 9. This would be a geometrical increase, but **mhendo** claims that it’s exponential, so I could be wrong. Anyway, even though TOS did not use this scale, it seems that that’s what they’re using for _Enterprise_, since 4.5[sup]3[/sup] = 91, which is about right for the numbers they were throwing around. At least they’re not going at “point five past light speed”. The Klingon Homeworld is called Qo’noS. They were originally going to call it Kling, but they thought that sounded silly. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/103 "2001-10-13T01:50:57Z")
Mrs. Plant’s TOS Star Trek Encyclopedia says warp factor = n^3 \* C. It does seem as though they are stupid or just don’t care; an eight week trip instead of an eight day trip would be more adventurous as well as more realistic; but hey, I just said you were correct about warp factor, and what’s realistic (or relativistic) about that? Hell, I give up! I bet you’re one of those Bozos that things Mr. Spock isn’t real, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/104 "2001-10-13T02:02:23Z")
Oh, by the way, I did not mean to give the impression that I had a problem with The Bad Astronomer’s review. I thought it was great, and the explanation for Rigel was genius. Kudos! ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/105 "2001-10-13T03:34:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \* > > **instead of pressing the Big Reset Button at the end.** > > Let’s get our terms straight. The reset button was widely criticized in Voyager. It is using time travel to drastically alter the situation at the lst minute. > We may very well see this is the Future Guy stuff continues, but the guy living due to medical care is not the “reset button”. > If Archer snuck into the time chamber and ordered the landing party to return to Enterprise before they were infected, that would be the reet button. \*\* Ah, but everything returning to the way it was at the beginning of the episode is a different manifestation of the Reset Button (or, maybe it’s just a different reset button - they have both the Temporal and the Episodic Reset Buttons). In essence, it allows the writers to pretty much scoff at continutiy, since every episode starts and ends exactly the same way. In other words, everything that happens in a given episode is irrelevant to what happens in the next one. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/106 "2001-10-13T14:16:44Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \* \*\* > [@](#): > > In other words, everything that happens in a given episode is irrelevant to what happens in the next one. \*\* No, the dog’s bladder is empty. Actually, that’s called “episodic television”. Like Bonanza, MASH, Combat, 12 O’Clock High. ^:)^ ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/107 "2001-10-13T15:02:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \* > \*\*I think the writers should have killed off Ensign Whatsisname \*\* Dude, some poor SOB is credited as “Tactical Crewman” in the Andorian Incident. I bet the poor sap buys the farm and satisfies your blood thirsty urges. ^:)^ [http://www.section31.com/stories/oct-2001/101301\_c.htm](http://www.section31.com/stories/oct-2001/101301_c.htm) ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/108 "2001-10-13T18:39:14Z")
T’Pol decides to bring along an entomologist (who just happens to be among the 82 crewmembers aboard this experimental starship) because the planet “has diverse insect life.” Leaving aside the oddity of a planet having animal lifeforms which are readily analogous to insects (or even termites, as seen in the teaser), I’m left to wonder, _How does she know?_ They made a point of not conducting any surface reconnaisance. How could they detect insect life from orbit? And how could they be aware of its diversity without collecting samples? I was heartened by the confrontation of Hoshi’s whining in episode #2. Hopefully, B&B plan very soon to tackle the issue of the crew being idiots. And when is the Weapons Officer going to get a character??? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/109 "2001-10-13T19:49:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheeGrumpy \* > \*\*T’ > > They made a point of not conducting any surface reconnaisance. > And when is the Weapons Officer going to get a character??? \*\* Did she say Vulcans would have conducted “extended scans” or “scans”? He will get a character when he gets to blow up something that can shoot back. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/110 "2001-10-13T20:11:36Z")
**Achernar** wrote: > [@](#): > > As I understand it, the warp scale was structured in TNG to be Warp n = n3c, up to n = 9. This would be a geometrical increase, but mhendo claims that it’s exponential, so I could be wrong. No, i think you are probably right. I’m a historian, not a mathematician, and i have always tended to use the terms “geometrical” and “exponential” somewhat interchangeably to describe a progression that is increasingly steep, in the way that the Warp factor is in the equation you describe. If anyone can explain the proper mathematical difference between the two terms, i’d be glad to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/111 "2001-10-13T21:21:19Z")
x^N, n is an exponent. x squared, 2 is the exponent. x cubed, three is the exponent. A geometric inrease is, I believe, a multiple x\*y as area is calculated. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/112 "2001-10-13T22:08:34Z")
**carnivorousplant** wrote: > [@](#): > > x^N, n is an exponent. > x squared, 2 is the exponent. > x cubed, three is the exponent. > > A geometric inrease is, I believe, a multiple x\*y as area is calculated. If that is the case, then it seems to me that the formula for warp given by **Achernar** , viz. warp n = n[sup]3[/sup]c is indeed exponential. Or i am not getting it? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/113 "2001-10-13T22:48:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\* > warp n = n[sup]3[/sup]c > > is indeed exponential. > > Or i am not getting it? \*\* 3[sup]n[/sup]C is an exponential function, sinvce the exponent changes. n[sup]3[/sup]C changes with the cube of n. (I think…I am merely an engineer, not a mathemetician Chronos? Where are you?) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/114 "2001-10-13T23:27:16Z")
**carnivorousplant** wrote: > [@](#): > > 3[sup]n[/sup]C is an exponential function, sinvce the exponent changes. > n[sup]3[/sup]C changes with the cube of n. If that’s how it works, i think i get it now. Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/115 "2001-10-14T02:14:25Z")
“The Andorian Incident”, hmm…are these going to be the same blue-skinned guys with the antennae from the original series? (And will they have mysteriously grown forehead ridges now…) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/116 "2001-10-14T02:44:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MEBuckner \* > \*\*will they have mysteriously grown forehead ridges now… \*\* Jeffrey Combs says the makeup is much improved over TOS. I wonder if there will be as much of a furor raised as the Klingon turtle head issue brings up. Here is a link: [http://www.section31.com/stories/oct-2001/101301\_c.htm](http://www.section31.com/stories/oct-2001/101301_c.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/117 "2001-10-15T21:23:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Dude, some poor SOB is credited as “Tactical Crewman” in the Andorian Incident. I bet the poor sap buys the farm and satisfies your blood thirsty urges. I think they may wait to kill someone off so it can be dramatic. this ship only has 80 some odd crew members, so its not like they can kill 10 of them without the stress level going up for the living, plus that increases the chances someone being friends with a redshirter, and with starfleet in its infancy, they have to fly all the way back to earth to get some new cannon fodder. Plus, they could tie in the first deaths with a storyline showing the birth of the Prime Directive or something like that. Finally got to see “starnge new world” saturday. St. Louis has Enterprise on at a different time each week, so it is like a big game of hide and seek… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/118 "2001-10-16T00:23:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\* this ship only has 80 some odd crew members, \*\* Makes you wonder about the mirrow universe…you know, where Spock jas a beard and the crew achieves promotion by assasination. You might end up with the Captain and The-Guy-Who-Does-Everything-Else. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/119 "2001-10-16T13:38:26Z")
Ideally the Prime Directive is still decades in the future. I want to know more (but have no expectation I’ll learn, while B&B run things) about all the pioneers leaving Earth to form such colonies as the ones we met in TNG’s “The Masterpiece Society” and “Up the Long Ladder.” What motivated their departure from Earth, in a time when there’s no privation or religious/cultural intolerance? Tell us more about the European Hegemony, “one of the first stirrings of world government,” as Picard once told Riker. The Earth/Romulan War will be fought without Earthlings ever seeing the Romulans. At that time, did even the Vulcans know the Romulans were their cousins? When you think about it, there’s quite a lot of backstory already built up, if the producers want to explore it. Of course they won’t. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305/120 "2001-10-16T16:45:41Z")
Wow, Jeffrey Combs on Star Trek? Definitely not an episode I’m going to miss–JC kicks major ass. I’ve lost track of the number of otherwise horrible movies he’s rescued by virtue of his acting skill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enterprise-2nd-episode-and-im-losing-interest/85305.md?page=7)