Star Trek: Enterpriseended before its time.Enterprisebegan airing in 2001, with the first episode coming out a few months afterStar Trek: Voyager’s finale. BecauseEnterprisewas set 100 beforeStar Trek: The Original Seriesand a decade before the United Federation of Planets was founded,Enterprisecould tell stories of early space exploration that would be impossible in any otherStar Trekseries. Indeed, thebest parts ofStar Trek:Enterprisehappen when Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) is forced to grapple with strange new worlds without the support of Starfleet which is taken for granted in the rest ofStar Trek.
WhileStar Trek: Enterprisecould have been able to sustain several more seasons, United Paramount Network (UPN)canceledEnterpriseafter season 4. Although ratings forEnterprisewere strong in season 1, they dipped in season 2, and creative changes in season 3 were not enough to raise ratings.ForStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 4, Manny Coto was brought in to replace Brannon Braga as showrunner, but, ultimately, it wasn’t enough. Nevertheless, there is a lot to love in the existing four seasons ofEnterprise, along with some details that can justify the lower ratings.
4Star Trek: Enterprise Season 3
24 Episodes, Jun 09, 2025 - Jul 16, 2025
Season 3 is the worst season ofStar Trek: Enterprise. After ratings fell in season 2,Enterpriseseason 3 was reworked to focus on a more serialized narrative and the existential threat of the Xindi in order to raise ratings and broaden appeal; but it didn’t quite work.Enterpriseseason 2 ended on a cliffhanger after a Xindi superweapon killed seven million people on Earth, and season 3 was dedicated to the search for the Xindi primary weapon. So,Star Trek: Enterpriseseason 3 was dominated by a single-story arc.
Star Trek: Enterprise Cast & Character Guide
Star Trek: Enterprise introduced new faces to the prequel series set a century before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series.
Star Trek: Enterpriseseason 3 took on a much darker tone than previous seasons. While shows likeStar Trek: Deep Space NineandStar Trek: Voyagerwere no strangers to showing the darker side of Star Trek,Enterpriseseason 3 hit differently. For one,DS9andVoyagerstill had other, lighter, episodes to break up the overall tone of the darkest seasons of the shows. Since the Xindi weapon hunt was the only arc inEnterpriseseason 3 meant that,if viewers grew bored of the Xindi storyline there was nothing else interesting to tune in for.
Captain Archer never faces real consequences for actions that would be war crimes in otherStar Trekshows.
But perhaps the most important reasonEnterpriseseason 3 fell flat was the way the narrative treated Captain Archer. BecauseEnterpriseis set before the founding of the Federation,Captain Archer and the Enterprise were operating with very little oversight.In the episode “Damage,” for example, Captain Archer steals a warp core, stranding another ship in a dangerous region of space. Episodes like that are compelling on their own, but the fact thatEnterprise’s Captain Jonathan Archernever faces real consequences for actions that would be war crimes in otherStar Trekshows makes season 3 disappointing as a whole.
3Star Trek: Enterprise Season 1
26 Episodes, June 30, 2025 - August 04, 2025
Enterpriseseason 1 has the highest rating on Rotten Tomatoesof any season ofStar Trek: Enterprise, andthe overall quality ofEnterprise’s inaugural season lives up to its reputation. Some of the arcs that work best inEnterpriseseason 1 are the conflict between the Andorians and the Vulcans, and the corresponding uneasy alliance between humans and Vulcans. Since all three species are founding members of the Federation, their being so divided at the start ofEnterprisecreated instant intrigue.
Every Captain Of The Enterprise In Star Trek Ranked, Worst To Best
Star Trek’s iconic Starship Enterprise has had some amazing Captains over the years, from Captain James T. Kirk to Captain Seven of Nine.
Perhaps the biggest drawback toEnterpriseseason 1 is the Temporal Cold War, which continues throughout the rest of the series. 5 of the 26 episodes inEnterpriseseason 1 are devoted to the Temporal Cold War - more than any other season. The Temporal Cold War was an invention ofEnterprise, and in some ways, it felt like a distraction.The most interesting plots inEnterpriseseason 1 involve establishing humanity in the galaxy, and the Temporal Cold War pulls attention away from those stories.
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Nevertheless, the high points ofStar Trek:Enterpriseseason 1 are iconic. PerhapsEnterpriseseason 1’s best episode is “Dear Doctor,” where Captain Archer and Doctor Phlox (John Billingsley) grapple with how much help to offer a pre-warp civilization. In the end,Captain Archer has one of the most iconic lines in all ofEnterprise, setting up thePrime Directive for the rest ofStar Trek.
Someday my people are going to come up with some sort of a doctrine: something that tells us what we can and can’t do out here – should and shouldn’t do. But until somebody tells me that they’ve drafted that directive, I’m going to have to remind myself every day that we didn’t come out here to play God.
2Star Trek: Enterprise Season 2
26 Episodes, August 23, 2025 - August 09, 2025
In a lot of ways,Star Trek: Enterpriseseason 2 is similar to season 1. Although most of the arcs inEnterpriseseason 1 are interesting,the episodic format ofEnterpriseseason 2 makes the entire season just feel more likeStar Trek. The high points of Enterprise season 2’s storytelling feel reminiscent ofStar Trek: The Original SeriesandStar Trek: The Next Generation.
These early tensions between the Klingon Empire and Starfleet are the seeds from which that conflict will bloom.
Enterpriseseason 2 thankfully moves away from season 1’s focus on the Temporal Cold War, and that shift makes room for other, more interesting plotlines that explore the early days of Starfleet. For example,a major conflict inEnterpriseseason 2 is the openly hostile relationship Captain Archer forms with the Klingon Empire.InStar Trek: Discovery’s 23rd century, the Federation will have an open war with the Klingon Empire.Enterprise’s early tensions between the Klingon Empire and Starfleet are the seeds from which that conflict will bloom.
Captain Archer Did 6 Amazing Things That Star Trek: Enterprise Didn’t Show
Star Trek: Enterprise only lasted four seasons, and audiences never got to see Captain Archer’s accomplishments that happened after the NX-01.
But, as with season 1,Enterpriseseason 2’s greatest strengths are how it reflects on exploration without the guide of the Prime Directive. In two different episodes, “The Communicator” and “The Cogenitor,” Captain Archer has to face the terrible consequences that come from interfering with other species. IfStar Trek:The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Voyager’s Captains chafe against the Prime Directive,the crowning achievement ofEnterpriseseason 2 is that it convinces viewers of just how necessary the Prime Directive really is.
1Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4
22 Episodes, August 15, 2025 - June 11, 2025
Season 4 is not only the best season ofEnterprise, but also one of the best seasons inStar Trek. Much likeDeep Space NineandThe Next Generation,Star Trek: Enterprisereally grew into its own as it progressed, even if Captain Archer didn’t grow a beard. Once Manny Coto took over as showrunner, he introduced mini arcs, each of which took a few episodes to examine the most interesting storylines inEnterprise. From the inverted-theme song introducing the Mirror Universe, to the increasing philosophical and political conflicts on Vulcan,season 4 tookEnterprisewhere no one had gone before.
Star Trek:Enterpriseseason 4 offers the earliest insight into the Mirror Universe and its history.
Of course, no praise ofStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 4 is complete without acknowledging its series finale. “These Are the Voyages…” isStar Trek’s most hated finale, since it wrapped up the show not by focusing on the crew of the Enterprise NX-01, but by centeringCommander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) fromTNG. But the finale was a response to an abrupt cancelation, and it was one blight on an impressive season. More importantly,“Terra Prime,” the penultimate episode, was already a perfect finale, allowing Captain Archer to confront Earth’s xenophobia, foreshadowing his role in the Federation.
I’m Glad Star Trek: Enterprise Season 5’s Shocking T’Pol Plan Didn’t Happen
If Star Trek: Enterprise continued, a plan for season 5 to introduce T’Pol’s father would have upended the Vulcan Science Officer’s life.
Beyond the series' conclusion,Star Trek:Enterpriseseason 4 has some incredibly solid and entertaining episodes. Jeffrey Combs' Thy’lek Shran battles Captain Archer in “United,” rounding out not only both men’s characters but also offering insight into the foundational values of the Federation. The episodes “Affliction” and “Divergence” established an in-universe reason why Klingons looked so different betweenTOSandTNG. On the whole, season 4 ofStar Trek: Enterpriseis the best season of the show because of its combination of innovative storytelling and dedication to uniquelyStar Trekstories.
