Sometimes I think the failure of Star Trek: Enterprise, the latest in the popular science-fiction franchise of television spin-offs, to build a larger viewing audience is the dismal song that overlays the opening credits and video montage. Let's face it, Enterprise has done a pretty good job of capturing the feel of a Star Trek mission in the infancy of Star Fleet, and the actors -- while not the best the franchise has seen in its long history, certainly -- are doing a good job with the material.

But every time British singer Russell Watson begins crooning "Where My Heart Will Take Me," the series theme song written by songwriter Diane Warren, I'm grateful for my fast-forward button. It's not a horrible song, if you like that sort of '80s-hard-rock-singer-does-a-ballad sort of thing, but it's not something I want to hear every week -- and it certainly has no business on a Star Trek vehicle. While we can discuss at length the long-term appeal of the original series theme, Star Trek: The Next Generation began a tradition of majestic-sounding instrumental themes that continued through Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

But this song is just yuck, and the soundtrack album has it twice -- the TV version and a longer studio version. Like anyone wanted more?

As for the rest of this soundtrack album, it's a typical example of TV merchandising. A soundtrack album is logical because Star Trek fans are at times a bit obsessive, so they might buy one just because it exists. But, while the music composed by Dennis McCarthy to underscore the TV adventure is good when propping up the actions of Scott Bakula, Jolene Blalock and the rest, it doesn't make for exciting listening on its own. Unless of course you really like moody incidental music, in which case this will be right up your alley.

- Rambles
written by Tom Knapp
published 22 March 2003