The Return of Dr. Phlox: A New Frontier for Star Trek
John Billingsley, the actor behind Dr. Phlox in Star Trek: Enterprise, is open to returning to the Star Trek universe on Paramount+. Fans are eager to see the beloved character make a comeback, and Billingsley's enthusiasm for reprising the role has sparked speculation and excitement among the Star Trek community. With the potential for Dr. Phlox to reappear in new Star Trek series, the possibilities for his return are as intriguing as the character himself.
The Legacy of Dr. Phlox
Star Trek: Enterprise's John Billingsley believes that 'Dr. Phlox is still out there,' and he is open to returning in Star Trek on Paramount+. Billingsley played Phlox, the Denobulan Chief Medical Officer, in all four seasons of Enterprise. Along with being the first extraterrestrial doctor in Starfleet in the prequel set a hundred years before Star Trek: The Original Series, Dr. Phlox was something of a 'witch doctor' who used alien leeches and all manner of offbeat practices to heal his patients in the NX-01 Enterprise's medical bay.
John Billingsley as Dr. Phlox.
Promoting his new movie, The Shift, in an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, John Billingsley was asked whether he would be interested in reprising Dr. Phlox in a Star Trek on Paramount+ series, and his answer is yes. While joking that he could either play Dr. Phlox or his son, 'Phil Phlox,' Billingsley revealed he has had conversations with the writers of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and possibly even Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas.
T'Pol and Phlox
Billingsley's enthusiasm for returning as Dr. Phlox is evident in his statement, "I'd be delighted to come back. In fact, on the picket line, I was having some conversations with some of the writers on Strange New Worlds. And I can't remember whether or not I've spoken to Terry [Matalas] about this, but I was definitely saying, 'Yeah, Dr. Phlox is still out there.' I'll put the old rubber head on."
Phlox Enterprise Sickbay
The Possibilities of Dr. Phlox's Return
John Billingsley broached the idea that Dr. Phlox can still be alive in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' 23rd century, and even possibly in the early 25th century of Star Trek: Picard. Denobulans are a species introduced in Star Trek: Enterprise, but how long they live has not been definitively established. Therefore, it's feasible that Doctor Phlox could be alive in Strange New Worlds a hundred years after Enterprise concluded. It may not be as logical for Phlox to still be kicking around in Star Trek: Picard's time frame, but, as Billingsley quipped, he can also play Phlox's son, 'Phil.' Meanwhile, the USS Enterprise in Strange New Worlds has a Denobulan cadet aboard.
The cast of Star Trek Enterprise pose for a promotional image
There's growing interest from fans to see Star Trek: Enterprise's characters return on Star Trek on Paramount+. Enterprise was not well-regarded during its original 2001-2005 broadcast run on UPN, but time and streaming have been kind to the prequel, and a more appreciative audience has found the show. Star Trek: Enterprise's 22nd-century setting makes it a challenge to import its characters into later eras of Star Trek, but there are all manner of sci-fi ways to make it happen, and John Billingsley's Doctor Phlox is one of the few Enterprise faces who could make sense to appear hundreds of years after the NX-01 was mothballed.
Star Trek Enterprise
The Fan Anticipation
Fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Dr. Phlox and the rest of Enterprise's cast to the Star Trek universe. With the availability of Star Trek: Enterprise for streaming on Paramount+, a new generation of viewers has discovered and embraced the series, creating a resurgence of interest in the characters and stories from the show's 22nd-century setting. The potential for Dr. Phlox to make a comeback has ignited excitement and speculation among fans, who are eager to see how the character could be reintroduced into the expanding Star Trek universe.
