Just Add More Guitar
22/01/08 00:27 Filed in: Music
You got to wonder what is going on behind the
curtains sometimes. In this case, behind your frail
CRT or your shiny new plasma or LCD panel, or more
directly, on the other end of that RG-6/U coaxial
cable.
When the last Star Trek show Enterprise
premiered in 2001, its evitable decline in rating
started right away. In fact the 1st episode received
the highest Nielsen rating of 7.0 in the
entire show, with the 2nd episode garnered 2nd
highest at 5.7. (Wikipedia: List of Episodes) 2
years and 50 episodes later, at the end of
Season 2, the rating dropped to and hovered
between 2 and 3.
Then Season 3 came, and a few changes were made. The one viewers would notice first, literally, was a new version of the introductory main theme song (song, not just a theme, it's a song). The other changes includes that the captain of Enterprise, once the exemplary model of compassion, courage, acumen and all excellent qualities there are of the 22nd Century humankind, has declined into a persistent agitative state in Season 3.
In the midst of falling ratings and unimpressed fans, it would make sense that the minds behind the show would to do something to salvage the situation, and so let us assume they did, and that the theme song is one of these changes.
Before: Theme for Season 1 & 2 Where My Heart Will Take Me
Despite criticism from polarized fans, the main
theme is by all accounts a very fitting one, given
that everything about the series is supposed to be
different from the traditional Star Trek. Gone are
the bold, bombast main themes with French horn,
strings, timpani and the rest of brass going at 110%
capacity. In a positive light, the new theme is a
much more personal, solitary effort.
Also gone are the credits flyby in bold trek typeface at Warp 8.4, instead we see familiar and relatable images like a sea-worthy Enterprise, a doctored clip of space shuttle Discovery with the name changed to read Enterprise, the Sojourner mars rover, and other things of more earthly origin (see a full list).
With the new inspirational pop theme all these present a clear message: this is no longer Boldly Go where No Man has Gone before, this is Boldly Go where No Man has Gone before, Alone, For the First Time, Ever.
After: Theme for Season 3 & 4 Where My Heart Will Take Me with 100% More Upbeat!
Now why does the new theme sounds more like Degrassi: the Next Generation, than Star Trek: the First Generation? What had transpired would entail such a damnation of the original theme?
Producer: "Latest focus group shows that our core viewer of 17 ~ 28 Caucasian male find the intro theme too long, and many changed the channel by the time the story starts, can you speed it up?"
Guy at Mixer: "Ok, let's give it a straight regular tempo, let the drummer beat in 4 instead of 2, so it would perceptively feel faster, and shave 10s off "
or,
Creative Head: "Response from Advanced Showing of Season 3 is that Archer gets all moody and gloomy chasing the Xindi, viewers feel too depressed, can you do something to lighten it up at the intro?"
Guy at Mixer: "Sure, let's fill that empty song with some real rock beats, and a bit more exciting electric guitar flares, and get the keyboard guy to whip up some Hollywood strings for backdrop"
or,
Marketing Head: "Some of the traditional trek fans are abandoning the show, we feel we need to broaden our market appeal. I'm specifically talking about the fairer sex, which, aside from the young, technologically minded, is largely untackled. We can start by giving some empathizes on the sex appeal of Archer, yes, more of these inter-species sexual tension sub-story-arcs. And later we might consider more complicated relationship web. Definitely more stories for Hoshi and that alien girl. Oh, and one last thing, the music, give that intro theme a bit more, well how would I put it... think country-feel, upbeat, definitely more upbeat."
Producer: "Excellent ideas, I'll think about it. Meanwhile I'll ask the guy at the mixer what he can do with the music, it's about time we get something less dull... perhaps just more guitar will do"
Whatever transpired, it didn't make the theme any better. Not to suggest that the original is not without flaw or not cheesy ("And they're not gonna hold me down no more, no they're not gonna to change my mind"), but whatever merits it had before, there is very little remained after the transfiguration. And just as it should, the change elicited criticism from the fans who actually liked the original theme, and did nothing to appease those who disliked it before.
Note to Producers and Creative Heads: When you run out of ideas, don't do this! Change for the sake of change has often disappointing results; stop fixing things that's not broken.
Then Season 3 came, and a few changes were made. The one viewers would notice first, literally, was a new version of the introductory main theme song (song, not just a theme, it's a song). The other changes includes that the captain of Enterprise, once the exemplary model of compassion, courage, acumen and all excellent qualities there are of the 22nd Century humankind, has declined into a persistent agitative state in Season 3.
In the midst of falling ratings and unimpressed fans, it would make sense that the minds behind the show would to do something to salvage the situation, and so let us assume they did, and that the theme song is one of these changes.
Before: Theme for Season 1 & 2 Where My Heart Will Take Me
Also gone are the credits flyby in bold trek typeface at Warp 8.4, instead we see familiar and relatable images like a sea-worthy Enterprise, a doctored clip of space shuttle Discovery with the name changed to read Enterprise, the Sojourner mars rover, and other things of more earthly origin (see a full list).
With the new inspirational pop theme all these present a clear message: this is no longer Boldly Go where No Man has Gone before, this is Boldly Go where No Man has Gone before, Alone, For the First Time, Ever.
After: Theme for Season 3 & 4 Where My Heart Will Take Me with 100% More Upbeat!
Now why does the new theme sounds more like Degrassi: the Next Generation, than Star Trek: the First Generation? What had transpired would entail such a damnation of the original theme?
Producer: "Latest focus group shows that our core viewer of 17 ~ 28 Caucasian male find the intro theme too long, and many changed the channel by the time the story starts, can you speed it up?"
Guy at Mixer: "Ok, let's give it a straight regular tempo, let the drummer beat in 4 instead of 2, so it would perceptively feel faster, and shave 10s off "
or,
Creative Head: "Response from Advanced Showing of Season 3 is that Archer gets all moody and gloomy chasing the Xindi, viewers feel too depressed, can you do something to lighten it up at the intro?"
Guy at Mixer: "Sure, let's fill that empty song with some real rock beats, and a bit more exciting electric guitar flares, and get the keyboard guy to whip up some Hollywood strings for backdrop"
or,
Marketing Head: "Some of the traditional trek fans are abandoning the show, we feel we need to broaden our market appeal. I'm specifically talking about the fairer sex, which, aside from the young, technologically minded, is largely untackled. We can start by giving some empathizes on the sex appeal of Archer, yes, more of these inter-species sexual tension sub-story-arcs. And later we might consider more complicated relationship web. Definitely more stories for Hoshi and that alien girl. Oh, and one last thing, the music, give that intro theme a bit more, well how would I put it... think country-feel, upbeat, definitely more upbeat."
Producer: "Excellent ideas, I'll think about it. Meanwhile I'll ask the guy at the mixer what he can do with the music, it's about time we get something less dull... perhaps just more guitar will do"
Whatever transpired, it didn't make the theme any better. Not to suggest that the original is not without flaw or not cheesy ("And they're not gonna hold me down no more, no they're not gonna to change my mind"), but whatever merits it had before, there is very little remained after the transfiguration. And just as it should, the change elicited criticism from the fans who actually liked the original theme, and did nothing to appease those who disliked it before.
Note to Producers and Creative Heads: When you run out of ideas, don't do this! Change for the sake of change has often disappointing results; stop fixing things that's not broken.
Disclosure: I have not yet finished watching Season 3, and am therefore unable to comment on the effectiveness of guitars or whatnot on how the rest of the show turned out.
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