Is there any way to improve "Carpenter Street"?

[Escriba]

Imagine you are writing an alternative third season and there are those little episodes that you can change. Imagine:

- You've made "Exile" a little more interesting.
- You are having doubts about "North Star", but, well...
- "Chosen Realm" has to stay because it develops the story about the spheres.
- You've dumped "Damages" because you've changed "Hatchery", "Azati Prime" and "The Forgotten" a little.

But... but... what about "Carpenter Street"? Is there any way to make it interesting or you decide to dump it and not to stand on ceremony?

I find the episode stupid, but maybe it's because I didn't see the potential. Maybe the fact that Archer and T'Pol are taken to 2004 and not to another year means something. Because, why then? Yes, I know, it's because the show was shot in that time, but is there any way to give it a reason?

[justTripn]

Throw "Carpenter Street" out an airlock.

[Alelou]

Well, obviously, you send Trip and T'Pol back instead of Archer and T'Pol.

OR you have Archer and T'Pol actually converse about something interesting instead of wasting all that time with some retread character from Starsky and Hutch. And give Trip and the rest of the crew a cool subplot on the ship while A & T are off doing their thing.

If you're looking for a real challenge you could get into the Reptilian POV and try to make at least one of them halfway sympathetic, just to see if it's possible, but hey we're writing fanfic here, we're not getting paid for this.

But most of all you tell Escriba to get her butt in gear because you're waiting to read those chapters!

[krn]

you don't send the alien to 2004.

But then that's common sense, thus not good tv. If the writers hadn't fracked Archer & Trips relationship it could have been a great buddy episode.

[Alelou]

you don't send the alien to 2004.

But then that's common sense, thus not good tv. If the writers hadn't fracked Archer & Trips relationship it could have been a great buddy episode.

Yeah, I agree on that last point. But it is kind of charming watching an alien and a human both confused by 2004 earth.

[dialee]

I totally agree with KRN, it would have been a wonderful buddy episode between Trip and Archer or Trip & Malcolm.

I can't even remember why it had to be T'Pol.

[JadziaKathryn]

Because, to steal Rigil-isms, it was the Super!Archer and Sidekick!Polly show. Carpenter Street was before the hearing-impaired among the writing staff heard the death knell for A/T.

[Asso]

I must say that I never have been able to see "Carpenter Street" wholly.
IMO, that episode was nothing.
Because nothing it was able to show.
So, how could this episode turn into something very interesting?
Rewriting it totally.
Maybe (as many of you are suggesting) bringing together Archer and Trip, instead than Archer and T'Pol.
But... Canon is that.
Who knows?
Could it be possible that Enterprise(and Trip) does something from far ? (and from the future?)

[JadziaKathryn]

Here's what I want to know:

Does Daniels have any skills other than making his technology do cool tricks? I mean, he's got some nifty technology, but that's about it. It was one thing when he was trying to counteract TCW stuff in the ENT period. Then he has to get Archer to save the future after the Suliban muck it up in Archer's time. But now all of the sudden he's completely unable to do anything, in any time period, without Archer.

And where did the Xindi get the ability to time-travel?

[Escriba]

But most of all you tell Escriba to get her butt in gear because you're waiting to read those chapters!

*Military salute* Yes, ma'ma. Immediately, ma'ma *Escriba runs to write for her dearest life*

OK, so make it a Archer and Trip episode, while T'Pol distresses a little after "Similitude". Yes, yes, it's a good idea, I can do it.

Then he has to get Archer to save the future after the Suliban muck it up in Archer's time. But now all of the sudden he's completely unable to do anything, in any time period, without Archer.

And where did the Xindi get the ability to time-travel?

*Maniacal laugh* Ohhh... thank you... I think I HAVE A PLAN. Heheee...

[Drogna]

Here's what I want to know:

Does Daniels have any skills other than making his technology do cool tricks? I mean, he's got some nifty technology, but that's about it. It was one thing when he was trying to counteract TCW stuff in the ENT period. Then he has to get Archer to save the future after the Suliban muck it up in Archer's time. But now all of the sudden he's completely unable to do anything, in any time period, without Archer.

And where did the Xindi get the ability to time-travel?

The time-travel stuff never seemed to work particularly well in my opinion, and just got worse as it went on. What got me about this episode was why mess about with bioweapons if you have time travel? You could just kill one pivotal figure (for example Zefram Cochrane, Henry Archer) and Earth would be in real trouble. Or if that doesn't do it, blow up Enterprise while it's in space dock. That should buy plenty of time to finish off the doomsday weapon. In fact why even bother with that - go back to Earth before humans have evolved and kill off the amoebas we evolve from. Easy. If you're determined to kill the entire human race with a bioweapon, a little research on the internet would have provided them with an answer without having to kidnap people of different blood types.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Whatever you decide to do, there is one rather important plot point in Carpenter Street that has consequences for the overall arc that has to be addressed. Namely that Archer used the Xindi bodies and equipment he got hold of in this episode to convince Degra to break with the other Xindi later on.

[JadziaKathryn]

If you're determined to kill the entire human race with a bioweapon, a little research on the internet would have provided them with an answer without having to kidnap people of different blood types.

But... but... but... villains don't think! They are simply eeeeeeevil.

[Alelou]

The Transdimensional Axis of Evil: Sphere Builders, Reptilians, and Scriptwriters

[Drogna]

The Transdimensional Axis of Evil: Sphere Builders, Reptilians, and Scriptwriters