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The worst Star Trek captain would consider returning to the franchise

The actor behind a certain Star Trek captain is open to coming back to the sci-fi series at some point, it's just that nobody's asked

Scott Bakula in Star Trek: Enterprise

The cavalcade of returning faces in Star Trek Picard season 3 has opened the door for all sorts of returns to the sci-fi series. Any Star Trek captain or former Starfleet cadet is fair game to show up again. That includes Scott Bakula, who could get another shot after the so-so (to be kind) Enterprise.

Talking to TrekMovie, he revealed that he’ll happily entertainment any conversations about coming back as Jonathan Archer. “I’ve been doing this too long to ever say never or no to anybody,” he says. “I talk to everybody about stuff. So, sure.”

Whether or not any asks him is the other question. From the sounds of his remarks, nobody’s called him about returning to a Trek TV series or science fiction movie yet. That’s not unexpected since Picard is more preoccupied with the Next Generation cast, and Enterprise’s general reputation means it isn’t at the forefront when it comes to nostalgia.

That said, it has its fans, and if an animated series were to acknowledge the Enterprise, he’d hear the opportunity out. “I’ve done a bunch of animated voice-over work and animation, so I enjoy it,” he says, adding: “It just hasn’t come across my desk. But I do appreciate being referred to as ‘legacy’ as opposed to ‘old Trek’. That’s very nice.”

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Kicking off in 2001, Enterprise ran for four seasons. Aiming for a less effects-driven drama series, the show mostly centered on captain Archer, commander Trip Tucker, and sub-commander T’Pol, on their missions aboard the Enterprise. It was a prequel, starting a full century before The Original Series.

Established fans didn’t think the thriller series captured the intrigue of Star Trek, while new fans largely bounced off it because the storytelling wasn’t on the level of The Sopranos or The Wire. It’s a black sheep of the franchise, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be redeemed somehow.

Have a look at our guide to the Star Trek movies, and the Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 release date to continue boldly going places.