Recycling actors for "Enterprise".

[t_smitts]

From the beginning, as we all know, Trek series have recycled guest actors in new roles. Partly, this is because it's hard to find people who can endure heavy alien prosthetics and still give a good performance, but I think "Enterprise" kicked it up a notch further. It seemed with virtually every episode we had at least one or two guest stars who'd played a role in a previous series. Certainly almost all the actors playing recurring characters (Forrest, Shran, Soval, Silik, Future Guy, Harris, and all the main Xindi) had played roles before. I suppose you could argue that it's fun to see if you can spot familiar actors (i.e. Suzie Plakson, Joseph Ruskin, Andreas Katsulas, John Schuck, Fionnula Flanagan) in new roles.

I noticed they even did something they hadn't really done before and cast series regulars from previous series in new roles. I don't think most people considered "Oasis" or "Acquisition" very memorable, but I admit it was fun seeing Rene Auberjonois and Ethan Phillips in new roles, not to mention Roxann Dawson's voice coming out of that repair station computer in "Dead Stop". (Brent Spiner doesn't count).

I wonder if that would've continued, had the series gone on. I think it would've been neat to bring back, say Nana Visitor or Tim Russ (who done a number of different roles before Tuvok anyway).

Where there any regulars or guest stars from previous series you would've liked to see come back in a different role?

 

[Melakon]

When the series was just starting, I was either here or at another site, and did a tongue in cheek proposal of William Shatner as an angry Klingon determined to destroy the Enterprise. With Jeffrey Combs adding yet another character to his long list as his lieutenant, who was named K'Ching. I don't think Combs had appeared as Shran yet. In the same post, I suggested Combs in an episode playing 7 different roles.

 

[t_smitts]

When the series was just starting, I was either here or at another site, and did a tongue in cheek proposal of William Shatner as an angry Klingon determined to destroy the Enterprise. With Jeffrey Combs adding yet another character to his long list as his lieutenant, who was named K'Ching. I don't think Combs had appeared as Shran yet. In the same post, I suggested Combs in an episode playing 7 different roles.

I don't think anyone would've bought Combs as a Klingon but that's okay because he created a character who was tough in his own right.

I would've to have a couple of other people who'd guest starred on the original series in new roles. There aren't that many who were still working into the 21st century. Besides the three that did appear on "Enterprise", the ones I could think of were Lee Merriweather (Losira), Michael Forest (Apollo), and Phil Morris (the latter, I assume would've been the most likely to come back).

Besides that, some other people it might've been nice to see again were Judson Scott, Carolyn Seymour, W. Morgan Sheppard, David Warner, Harris Yulin, Lawrence Pressman, John Glover, Alan Oppenheimer, Robin Curtis, and James Sloyan.

 

[Tosk]

I don't think anyone would've bought Combs as a Klingon

Why not? If Stephen Root can play one, anyone can.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Although very cliche, it might have been cool to see a former Trek regular playing an ancestor of their original character.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

It's a shame we never got to see Shran on the main cast, Jeffery Combs kinda deserved it after all his years and roles on Trek.

 

[Tiberius]

Although very cliche, it might have been cool to see a former Trek regular playing an ancestor of their original character.

*Ahem*

 

[Mutai Sho-Rin]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The OP specifically mentioned Spiner at the end of paragraph 2.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Although very cliche, it might have been cool to see a former Trek regular playing an ancestor of their original character.

*Ahem*

LOL. Oh yeah, forgot about him...

Well, I wanted more.

 

[Levi]

I am currently on Episode 24 of the first season and I have already noticed a great cast of supporting and guest actors on the show! A lot of familar faces for sure and some recycles, but I am very pleased I've been seeing some of my favorite actors on the show, and it's still the first season!

 

[t_smitts]

I am currently on Episode 24 of the first season and I have already noticed a great cast of supporting and guest actors on the show! A lot of familar faces for sure and some recycles, but I am very pleased I've been seeing some of my favorite actors on the show, and it's still the first season!

There's a number of familiar faces to come. The Vissian Captain in "Cogenitor" should look rather familiar to you. So should the female Andorian in "Cease Fire". DEFINITELY the Klingon lawyer in "Judgment" and the non-Tellarite bounty hunter in "Bounty"!

Without really spoiling season 3, I can tell you that pretty much all the actors who play the Xindi have made other Trek appearances before, most of them several times.

As I said, I think, after a while, spotting actors you'd seen in other Trek appearances is part of the fun.

 

[Tiberius]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The OP specifically mentioned Spiner at the end of paragraph 2.

And why shouldn't Brent count? The OP didn't give a reason, just said Brent doesn't count.

 

[cylkoth]

here's a number of familiar faces to come. The Vissian Captain in "Cogenitor" should look rather familiar to you. .

And the Vissian engineer's actor appeared in an episode of DS9 & VOY.

 

[t_smitts]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The OP specifically mentioned Spiner at the end of paragraph 2.

And why shouldn't Brent count? The OP didn't give a reason, just said Brent doesn't count.

Because in that case, the resemblance was INTENTIONAL. It was clear that Arik Soong was meant to be an ancestor of Noonien Soong.

Conversely, the character that Rene Auberjonois played wasn't at all intended to have any connection to Odo. The Ferengi that Ethan Phillips played wasn't intended to have any connection to Neelix.

here's a number of familiar faces to come. The Vissian Captain in "Cogenitor" should look rather familiar to you. .

And the Vissian engineer's actor appeared in an episode of DS9 & VOY.

Yeah, but he's not nearly as recognizable as the captain is, both for his previous Trek and non-Trek work.

 

[Tiberius]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The OP specifically mentioned Spiner at the end of paragraph 2.

And why shouldn't Brent count? The OP didn't give a reason, just said Brent doesn't count.

Because in that case, the resemblance was INTENTIONAL. It was clear that Arik Soong was meant to be an ancestor of Noonien Soong.

Conversely, the character that Rene Auberjonois played wasn't at all intended to have any connection to Odo. The Ferengi that Ethan Phillips played wasn't intended to have any connection to Neelix.

That may be, but:

Although very cliche, it might have been cool to see a former Trek regular playing an ancestor of their original character.

 

[ReedEnterprise]

I think a lot of it is that they know the actors and know how they work. I have noticed that Donald Bellisario does that a lot with his different series, past and present. Case in point, Scott Bakula will be in his new NCIS spinoff.....

 

[GalaxyX]

It's a shame we never got to see Shran on the main cast, Jeffery Combs kinda deserved it after all his years and roles on Trek.

I like him as Weyoun, love him as Brunt, FCA!

But he really really took it up 2 levels in Enterprise as Shran!

He was practically the only character I had fun watching every time. He out acted everyone on that series hands down.

When did Susie Plankson show up on Enterprise?

 

[t_smitts]

When did Susie Plankson show up on Enterprise?

Suzie Plakson was in "Cease Fire".

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

If I had one of these in my super large yellow lidded recycling bins provide by The Council (and useful for stuffing old tv's and other non-recylable shit into, with a layer of PC newspaper on top) I would RECYCLE THE ACTOR myself. I would extract him, tenderly, and recycle him into brand new teacake pleasing material. It would be a huge green success!!

 

[Ro_Laren]

I don't mind recycled guest stars on Star Trek episodes. IMO, the fans like it and it is therefore a good move on behalf of TPTB. Of course, the recycled Trek stars that most fans didn't like on Enterprise was Frakes and Sirtis on the finale. When I say "most," I'm not including myself. I've said it on this board before, but the only thing I didn't like about Troi and Riker in the finale is that they weren't a post-Nemesis version of themselves!