This was my second time watching Enterprise and my gut reaction was “hm no still not something that sticks with me” (same reaction I had after the TOS rewatch), but now after a shower and some time I think I’m upset? Like I feel like these characters were wronged and deserved better. Which is a very broad reaction that many people have when something that they liked watching has come to a close but obviously this show’s final finale really seems designed to engender that in a viewer.
And feeling upset means something about watching the show again got to me. Perhaps how flawed it is, both the intentional flaws of these pre-Federation characters who are trying to join a complex galactic community and the behind-the-scenes upheavals of each season as its creators tried to adjust its heading based on continually falling viewer numbers. Some of my fellow Star Trek fans bemoan that the newest stories have gotten away from the episodic nature of the earlier shows, but Enterprise’s first two seasons are all about that and don’t quite click. Then season 3 stretches a premise out for a little too long but is still the most memorable chunk of the show. And of course season 4 seemed to find a sweet spot with a series of short multi-part stories. It makes for some compelling ups and downs at least.