Manny Coto: Thanks everyone for logging on, ask away!

ewe: What is your favourite Star Trek episode?

MC: My favorite Star Trek episode of the Original Series would have to be "The Doomsday Machine." I wouldn't argue it's necessarily the best, it's just the one that pushed all my buttons as a kid.

GeeBee: How are writing assignments handled? Do you simply tell them they're assigned to write a story about a Vulcan Civil War or is it less vague?

MC: It's not less vague at all. The Vulcan Civil War in particular was pretty well worked out by myself before the writing staff began to seriously meet. We plot out the stories, sometimes together, sometimes I work alone. And then the stories are assigned to writers.

Atoz: Hello Manny! We (the fans) are all so excited by what we've heard of Season 4 so far! What aspect of the series are YOU most excited about?

MC: What aspect... I'm particularly charged by the Dr. Soong storyline. I've seen some of the final cuts and I'm intensely proud of how the episodes turned out. I'm also quite excited by "Home," which I thought turned out quite moving.

Geoffrey: Was "Storm Front" written/outlined when season three ended, or was it more of a "write us out this situation" type of thing?

MC: I'm afraid it was Number Two.

Hreod: Mr. Coto, I love the work you've done on Enterprise so far. Similitude was one of the best science fiction episodes of the series, one of the best in Trek. I'd like to ask, why Nazis? I mean, why not Russians or, since it's America that's been invaded, why not Japanese?

MC: It's hard for me to answer this one, since I must say that the Nazi storyline was primarily something that sprung from Rick and Brannon's minds. However, I think we were all attracted to the kind of pulpy "Amazing Stories" feel that Nazis seemed to convey. I'm also a fan of the alternate universe sub-genre, and the "Hitler Wins" scenario I've always found to be one of the more interesting ones.

Being Cuban, I would have preferred "What if Cubans Invaded America" myself, but it would have strained plausibility. At least we [Cubans] have Miami.

cloneofsloan: Manny... what writers inspired you growing up?

MC: My all-time favorite writer was Ray Bradbury. Harlan Ellison is a close second. Beyond that I would have to say J.R.R. Tolkein, Stephen King and George Orwell.

Also, Dr. Seuss.

designationlocutus: What was it like having Brent Spiner back on a Star Trek set? Did his charisma inspire the crew?

MC: Brent brought an incredible sense of energy and taste to the set. A lot of it also has to do with the fact that he was playing a somewhat nasty character and the way I wrote him, he was constantly jibing at our regular characters, which would provoke interesting reactions.

the_arrogant_q: Did you always want to write/create Science Fiction or is there something else that you wanted to do?

MC: I have only ever wanted to write and create science fiction. I'd die a happy man if I could do that for the rest of my life.

Police dramas, murder mysteries simply don't interest me. Give me an alien and a rocket ship any time.

D.N.R.: Have you ever attended a Star Trek convention?

MC: I have attended many Star Trek conventions. My first convention was the Orlando Star Trek con, I believe it was 1978 and it was the first Star Trek convention in Orlando. We were all very excited. The guest of honor was Walter Koenig and I waited in line for what must have been an hour (at least it seemed that long) to get his autograph. I also took a photo of myself and Walter, which is in storage somewhere in my garage, and I'm still trying to find it. They also had, in a glass case, a phaser from the Original Series, which we gaped at as if it were a holy relic.

Eric: Are there more episodes coming with actors from the other series?

MC: Yes, but I can't go into specifics right now.

neftoon: Manny, have you sat in the captain's chair?

MC: Yes. And it needs a cupholder.

TERRELL: I am a GREAT admirer of you, your work, your HUGE talent, and the direction you are taking the Star Trek franchise in! Thank you VERY much, Mr. Manny Coto! I've read you've been a Star Trek fan all your life? I too am a HUGE fan from TOS days on, and am an aspiring Teleplay/Screenplay writer with 5 Spec. Scripts registered with the W.G.A.-w., and ready to pitch to Star Trek Productions at Paramount, BUT... You know the "obstacles"; without an agent, etc and I wanted to ask... How did YOU get your start in the "biz", and what "tips" do you have for aspiring writers such as myself; that desperately want to contribute to the greatest franchise, EVER?!!! Live Long And Prosper!

MC: First and foremost, I would find an agent. It's not as difficult as some would make it seem. Write the WGA, get the list of agents who will read unsolicited material and start sending it out until you get a response. And if your work is any good, you will most definitely get a response eventually.

Once you have an agent (and I'm talking, of course, of a reputable agent) getting in the door of most TV series won't be a problem. It's always important to remember that if you are a good writer and if you have talent, you will eventually become a professional.

Don't believe that this industry is closed to anyone. And by the way, if you don't have talent, and persevere, you could still become incredibly wealthy.

Danny Boy: What do you think was the best episode from season 3?

MC: I would have to say "Twilight."

qlotti: Did you get to meet Gene Roddenberry at all?

MC: I never got to meet Gene, unfortunately, but I did get to occupy his office.

Avilos: In "Zero Hour" T'Pol says that the year is 2152. When earlier episodes have established it as 2154. Was this a mistake that was missed?

MC: It was a mistake, pure and simple.

RRRocketeer: I miss the technical speak that was common on TNG. It seems that technical stuff has been deliberatley excluded from Enterprise and indeed dumbed down. Will you be adding this back?

MC: Sometimes I find that too much tech-speak can impede the drama. We don't try to "dumb it down" but I must admit we do often try to minimize it. When we're writing scenes we try to express the characters' emotions rather than too much scientific jargon. This is not a criticism of TNG, and even though it sounds like I'm backtracking now, I do miss a lot of that great old tech-talk.

Matt: Would you ever want to direct an episode?

MC: I would love to direct an episode, but the chores of executive producing are too time-consuming for me to take the month that it would require to direct one of the shows.

DanT: Is there any chance that we might see any Original Series aliens like: The Gorn, Salt vampire, etc, or a Trelane-like character?

MC: Unfortunately, the Gorn, Trelane and the Salt Vampire seemed very much to me to be "first-contact" entities. I wanted to work in the Gorn, but when you watch "Arena" it's pretty clear we're seeing them for the first time.

Koshare: Will we ever see the Earth-Romulan war? That's what I was hoping to see when I first heard about Enterprise. Whenever someone would mention it in the original series, no one really wanted to talk about it. They simply said it was a dark time, then changed the subject. I think it would be good for all of us to see that. We're currently in a dark time of our own and to have Star Trek show us that there is a way back to peace, a way to put all of the anger and hostilies behind us, would be a very powerful statement.

MC: I think you definitely will see the Earth-Romulan War, I just don't know if you'll see it on Enterprise. And if you live long enough, you just may see it for real.

TerriL: Hi Manny, We are all dying to know who 'Chef' is! Are there any plans to reveal 'Chef'? Or do you feel it's better to leave the Mystery surrounding 'Chef' ? Thanks!

MC: I do want to eventually reveal Chef. But for the time being, he will remain a mystery.

Host: What are your duties as Executive Producer, aside from writing?

MC: My duties include making sure the writers are supplied with adequate amounts of coffee... I provide the occasional foot massage... and I regularly must remind Mike Sussman to bathe.

Seriously, my job involves creating storylines and mostly rewriting. Many of the scripts wind up going through my keyboard and between those two duties, it's a pretty full day. But on top of that, there are casting sessions, visits to the set to make sure that a piece of costume or makeup looks right, and then there is making sure that Brannon has taken his medication.

FredH: Travis Mayweather is one of my favorite characters. I think he was underused in Season 3. Are you planning on using him more this season?

MC: I am going to try to make an effort to use Travis more. Unfortunately, there is a very real truth that he is the man who flies the ship and sometimes it is a little difficult to justify taking him away from the wheel. If he weren't such a good driver, he'd be in more plots.

dax123: Have you felt that you have been strangled by the network in terms of creative freedom?

MC: Never by the network, just by Brannon Braga... just kidding.

In actuality, Rick Berman pretty much keeps the network from interfering too much with the storylines. We have wonderful creative freedom here.

Trinner_fan17: What do you all do when you're not working?

MC: With me, most of my free time is taken up by arguing with my girlfriend over why I'm working all the time... actually, there really isn't a lot of free time. I normally get in around 8:00 am and get home around 8:30 pm. And believe it or not, my favorite way to unwind is to watch Star Trek, a fact which drives my girlfriend absolutely insane. Right now I'm working my way through the Voyager DVDs.

neftoon: Did you get to help pick out the actress or actresses playing the Orion slave girls?

MC: Yes I did. And it was an extremely difficult chore. Sitting in a room watching beautiful women parade by was an experience I'll never want to duplicate...

AndromedaPromexis: If you could be a crew member, whom would you be?

MC: I'd have to be the Captain. Because at least in Kirk's era, he gets all the babes.

darrah: Are you enjoying yourself, or is it waaaay stressful in there? As a fan, can I ask if this truly turned out to be your dream-come-true job?

MC: It is a dream-come-true job... However it is also quite stressful, but it's a good kind of stress. Every day you're stepping into uncharted territory and it makes life always interesting and never boring... except for the times when I have to listen to Andre Bormanis pitch something. In those cases it is always a good idea to have a crash cart standing by to restart the pulse.

Scott: What's your favourite television show other than Enterprise?

MC: I was a big fan of X-Files, which next to Star Trek is my favorite show of all time.

designationlocutus: Aside from the Eugenics War and the Vulcan plots, are there any other Original Series plots that you have considered, and will they be set in three-episode arcs?

MC: Absolutely, we're working on one right now that could lay out to be a two- or three-episode arc. It involves running into the space hippies from TOS Season Three... kidding.

tallchief: Are the writers planning to give poor Archer a little lovin' this season??

MC: Yes, but I think Archer would probably prefer to have some loving from another character on the show, rather than our writers... I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

HoloDarlin': Hello Mr. Coto. I understand that Linda Park is an accomplished martial artist or is otherwise good at stage fighting, and that she would like to use that talent as Hoshi. And I'd like to see that, too! Is there any chance we'll get to see Hoshi in more fight scenes? Thank you very much for chatting with us.

MC: I wasn't aware that she was an expert in martial arts, maybe we can do something with that. Maybe we'll do an episode entitled "Kill Phlox!"

Oli4: Is it possible we might see the birth of Spock on Enterprise???

MC: I don't think the dates work out.

Vulcan3324: Would you consider having the Xindi re-appear or be mentioned in a later episode?

MC: I can't say for sure, but I think they're done.

Simaz: A lot of Trek fans love the fact that Trek has finally come to DVD, but are disappointed with some of the extras and special features... or lack thereof! is there any thought into including things like Bloopers, Deleted Scenes and Behind the Scenes Featurettes? These are the things that fans want to see!!! Will they be included in the Enterprise DVDs?

MC: I would love to see a blooper reel on the DVDs, but frankly, I'm not involved in that aspect of the show.

newespaña: Hi Mr. Coto. I'm a fan from Spain, where finally we can see "Enterprise" since last September, and I' ve always had that question... why do you think Latin/Hispanic characters have been so difficult to see in the Star Trek series? Thank you

MC: I don't kow why they've been difficult to see in the past, but keep your eyes open for the episode "Home" ... 'nuff said.

tripsyatlady: Will Shran and Lt. Talas be back this season? Jeffrey Combs rocks.

MC: Shran will be back, in fact I believe he's on stage right now shooting. I just saw some dailies involving him and Soval, which were quite intense.

Dr_Cochrane: Do you ever read fan's opinions posted on the message boards?

MC: I do skim the Message Boards every once in a while. I really envy fans today. When I was watching Star Trek for the first time, we didn't have the Internet so we'd have to make do by calling each other on the phone and congregating in the schoolyard to talk about our favorite episodes.

Capt_G_Man: Are there any plans to have a mirror universe episode in Enterprise? There has been much discussion on the boards about the possiblities and desire to see such a show.

MC: We do have plans for a Mirror Universe episode. I can't tell you when we'll pull the trigger on such an episode, but it is being discussed. We are planning on doing a Mirror Universe episode where Enterprise is still on Wednesday nights and commands 12 million viewers.

Antiman90: In all of the Star Trek Series and Movies who would you say is your favorite character?

MC: No question: Captain James T. Kirk.

Simaz: Will we hear more about T'Pol's Panar Syndrome which was mention in Season 2's Stigma this season?

MC: We will address T'Pol's Panar Syndrome in the upcoming Vulcan arc.

darrah: Mr. Coto, I heard you wanted Scott Bakula for your Odyssey 5 series. Are you happy to be able to work with him now?

MC: It's true, I did want Bakula for Odyssey 5, and I'm thrilled to be working with him now. He's a wonderfully warm individual and a terrific actor.

Risqman: When you were growing up did you read comic books, and if so was this an inspiration for you to start writing?

MC: I absolutely loved The Amazing Spider-Man, particularly the John Romita years. Although what spurred me to writing was reading "The Making of Star Trek." That book is what really opened my eyes to the fact that there were people who actually made a living doing this.

JC745: Will you have another episode involving the Borg or are they gone until the 24th century?

MC: I think the Borg are gone until the 24th Century.

Andy: There was a lot more action in Enterprise last season; with the reduced budget will you be able to have as much action in certain episodes?

MC: Actually, our budget reduction was mostly offset by the switch to digital, so we really aren't laboring under any less funds than last year. And yes, there is a lot of action coming.

darrah: What are your favorite movies of all time?

MC: My all-time favorite movies are "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Rosemary's Baby."

ObiJuan: Hey, Manny... since you're tied up with this chat, does that mean we're not going to be putting out any pages this afternoon?

MC: What do you mean?! Those pages were supposed to go out an hour ago! What the hell are you people doing?! You're all fired!

Vulcan3324: Are the actors ever directly involved in the writing of episodes?

MC: No, not yet. And you'll be glad to know that there are no plans for the writers to become actors.

Tuvok pi alpha: Whose idea was it to give the captain a dog? Porthos is so cute! Do you have any pets?

MC: I do have two pet dogs, Sunny and Rose. They run the household.

Keen: Would you ever consider sending your molecules through the vacuum of space and rematerialized?

MC: Only if when I come out the other end I'm 20 pounds thinner with twice the amount of hair.

Host Too: Thank you, Manny, for taking the time to chat with us today!

MC: I want to thank you all for joining me today and especially to thank you for all the warm comments and thoughts you've expressed to me via the mail or on the Message Boards. Your support of the things I want to do this season means a lot to us and I hope we don't disappoint you. And remember to get out the vote!

Host: Don't miss tonight's season premiere of "Star Trek: Enterprise" - 8pm (ET/PT) on UPN!

designationlocutus: Thank you for your time, and good luck with Season 4!

CPT.Sam: bye manny

XPrize: Thanks Manny! Keep up the Great Work!

Simaz: Cheers Manny!!!

Zagreus: Cheers Manny!!