Even though Star Trek is one of the oldest and most popular science fiction franchises, not all of its series or individual episodes got as much attention or love from the audience as they would have deserved. An individual taste is complex, and it can mean that even high-quality episodes end up underrated.
Star Trek: Enterprise had the disadvantage of running only for four seasons, unlike the standard seven seasons that were typical for previous series. It took a while to find its footing but was filled with memorable characters and strong plots despite that. Considering some fans' overly critical attitude toward Star Trek: Enterprise, it's important to shed more light on the series' most underrated episodes.
5 Fortunate Son
One of the advantages of Star Trek: Enterprise that people don't discuss often enough is that it gave space to all the major crew members, not just the main trio like Star Trek: The Original Series did. This episode centers primarily on Ensign Travis Mayweather and the fans learn more about Travis' past as well as his hobbies. They learn what it's like to work on a freighter and that it's a family business that creates tight bonds between the crewmen.
Anthony Montgomery's performance as the sympathetic, albeit at times slightly naive Travis is a strong draw, but not everyone was so charmed with the plot. Some fans pointed out that the moralization in the episode came across as too strong and forced. Others didn't appreciate the behavior of the first officer Ryan, who meets Travis and befriends him...only to turn around and go against the Enterprise's crew. Despite its mistakes, the episode offers a rare insight into the workings of freighters as well as into Travis' life, which makes it a valuable addition to the series.
4 Carbon Creek
Despite its high rating on IMDb (8.5 at the moment), the fourth episode of the second season was polarizing for the fans. Many of them appreciated the concept - a Vulcan group of scientists crashes on Earth in 1957 and has to integrate themselves among humans while they await rescue - but others weren't so happy about the fact the episode rewrote Star Trek history.
One of the most notable dates in the franchise's history is the 5th of April 2063 when the Vulcans made the first contact with humans in Montana. "Carbon Creek" changed the circumstances of the first contact, and as such, multiple people protested against the decision. On the other hand, since nobody ever learned that the Vulcans who ended up in Carbon Creek were aliens, the official first contact still holds true - as it was the first time the Vulcans didn't hide who they were from humanity.
3 A Night In Sickbay
A common denominator in Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek shows, in general, is that not every initial season is good. That was especially obvious in Star Trek: The Next Generation but Enterprise also struggled with the problem. One of the episodes with a lower rating is "A Night in Sickbay," which centers on Captain Archer who's spending the night in sickbay after his dog Porthos falls ill during a failed diplomatic mission.
Some fans criticized Archer for his behavior in this episode, particularly the fact that he's quick to anger and doesn't behave like a proper starship captain. On the other hand, "A Night in Sickbay" is a good example that even starship captains have tough days, and as long as they're able to overcome their problems in the end and see what they did wrong, everything turns out fine. What's more, the episode offers more detailed information about the work and life of Doctor Phlox, who's also the one who confronts Archer about his behavior.
2 Extinction
In the second and subsequent seasons, the average ratings of the episode climbed up. Yet "Extinction," the third episode of the third season, stands out among the rest as it only has a rating of 6.0 on IMDb. This time, several Enterprise crew members are changed to different beings and except for T'Pol, they no longer remember who they once were.
Some critical points included a predictable story, clichés, and questionable masks. While the visual effects are no longer as impressive as they once were, the actors, who are less relying on dialogue and more on body acting, give solid performances in the episode, and it's intriguing to watch how the crew will be able to deal with the crisis before it's too late.
1 These Are The Voyages...
The lowest-ranked episode of Star Trek: Enterprise is also the last one in the series, which hints at the fact that the fans weren't happy about how the show ended. To this day, many of them wish Enterprise had gotten several more seasons, or at the very least one so that it could close some remaining plot threads. But the largest problem the audience seems to have with this episode is Commander Tucker's death and the fact that Riker and Troi appear in the episode, and it's revealed that they were running a hologram program.
The good news is that the episode has several emotionally charged moments and some fans were happy to see characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation. What's more, an interesting fan theory suggests that Tucker's death was only a part of the hologram program and that in real life, he survived and went on to do more interesting work. So even though "These Are the Voyages..." might not have filled the audience's expectations, it still does the uneasy work of closing the series and opens the door for interesting questions and possibilities.