Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration (2003)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

Cybernetic beings are discovered in the Arctic–years before Starfleet will officially recognize them as the Borg. Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration explores the origins of the Borg and what that means for the future of humanity. Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) must race against the clock to ensure that the Borg can’t communicate with the hive, with the hope that he might save the universe from future chaos. 

A new Enterprise crew. A prequel to all that I’ve seen in the Star Trek canon. Yet, interestingly derivative of a series of moments already existing in Star Trek–though, I don’t mean that negatively. As a newer fan of the franchise, I greatly appreciated the series of easter eggs and callbacks to other Star Trek properties, particularly Star Trek: First Contact. While there aren’t too many original components present in Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration, the constant callbacks to beloved properties are welcome. That and the dollop of character development we get from some of these Enterprise crew members are enough to propel the episode forward, enough to intrigue audiences. 

Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration opens to a series of issues, including the theme song. Why in the world anyone believed “Where My Heart Will Take Me” by Russell Watson was an appropriate choice for any Star Trek property, I can’t quite fathom. The song itself is fine, but serves no purpose in Star Trek, only causing viewers to question the validity of Star Trek: Enterprise as a whole (before it even gets started). Beyond that is the issue of the trio of characters we meet at the top of the episode. This trio is, for lack of a better word, dumb. They make all the wrong decisions, again and again–and they are effectively responsible for the potential assimilation of the entire universe. Their incompetence is frustrating, and it’s a challenging start for viewers. 

As we transition to the primary crew, headed by Captain Archer–viewers are (re)introduced to a series of characters pertinent to Star Trek: Enterprise, but three in particular (with Archer leading the way) play a pivotal role in Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration. The others are Doctor Phlox (John Billingsley) and Lieutenant Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating). This trio, while clearly the main characters of this episode, aren’t given complete arcs–and I’m alright with that. The information we do get about these characters is intriguing–and the acting prowess of each resonated with me. The characters are written (and performed) in a way that allows them to remain “human” and accessible, while still being presented to viewers as stoic and powerful. Their use in this episode, while limited, is effective. 

Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration is a product of its time. The early 2000’s were a time of cheesy, campy cinema and television series that tended to work given the typical audience of the time. Many of the properties that fall into that category of campy, however, have failed to stand the test of time, and it’s hard to look back at them without admonishment. Again, Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration is a product of its time, and it effectively fails to stand the test of time. There are moments that transcend time and space (i.e. the characters), but the set designs that would have likely enamored viewers twenty years ago just don’t hold up. 

Star Trek: Enterprise - Regeneration is certainly intriguing, and there’s enough here that I really enjoyed the characters; that has me considering binging this series before continuing my trek through the greater Star Trek universe. Those characters, and the informal introduction of the Borg are enough to warrant a favorable review, and more than enough to call me back to the series in the near future. 

Directed by David Livingston.

Written by Gene Roddenberry, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Michael Sussman, Phyllis Strong, and André Bormanis. 

Starring Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, Connor Trinneer, etc. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE