What if the Doctor had been a Cardassian?

[suarezguy]

With Cardassians shown as interacting with humans much earlier than had before been implied? And presented as much more benevolent or ideologically diverse than they later became?

Might this have made [Phlox, probably renamed] and the show overall more popular?

 

[Tosk]

This brings back memories of the very first reveal of his look. And I was not the only one decrying his design as a lazy riff on the Cardassian design. Unfair or not, I can still see why I thought it.

 

[Tim Thomason]

It would've been neat to have Doctor "Phlokat" as a member of the Cardassian Union. Alot of his cultural quirks would have to be redefined (universal polygamy, overall polyamory), as well as his physiology (sleep cycles, bloating, fingernail stuff), since they really can't be reconciled with DS9's more mild take on the Cardassians. This would open up alot of questions on Cardassian history and historical revisionism, especially if Phlokat himself isn't much different from Phlox. I'm sure the creators wouldn't hesitate to explore the 22nd cent. Cardassians a bit more than they explored the Denobulans, so we would get some answers (and some insight into the Bajorans of that era as well).

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

It might've been more interesting if he was Deltan or Efrosian or Rhaandarite or one of the dozens of other races that are part of the Federation but haven't been explored or expanded upon. It wouldn't make much sense for the Cardassians to be so friendly in this era only to then swing to the other extreme and become one of the greatest hostile forces the Federation has had to endure for decades, with no explanation as to how/why.

 

[Oddish]

I was in "New Posts", so didn't see the Enterprise heading. For a moment, I thought you were referring to Voyager. Though that would have been an interest crew dynamic with a bunch of Maquis on the crew.

Regarding Phlox, I'm glad he was what he was. I just wish they could have explored Denobulan society a bit more. Especially their complicated family lives.

 

[Reanok]

There's a Enterprise novel that Explores Phlox family on Denobula and the compllicated family relationships when His daughter gets married in one of the novels.He returns to Denobula for the wedding and it's a good character arc for Phlox in the novel.And some of the family members in the story shows why their relationships are complex.

 

[DarKush]

It might've been more interesting if he was Deltan or Efrosian or Rhaandarite or one of the dozens of other races that are part of the Federation but haven't been explored or expanded upon. It wouldn't make much sense for the Cardassians to be so friendly in this era only to then swing to the other extreme and become one of the greatest hostile forces the Federation has had to endure for decades, with no explanation as to how/why.

Partly agree here. I'm with you on showcasing Trek aliens that haven't gotten much spotlight or development. I mean, is the Efrosian species name even canon? I would really like to see a live action Caitian crewperson, but I digress.

I disagree when it comes to canceling making Phlox Cardassian due to where the Federation and Cardassian Union are politically in the 24th century. That's two hundred years away. I haven't seen "Chain of Command" in a very long time but didn't Madred once talk about how the Cardassian military took power and I assumed that turned their society more militaristic? Perhaps we could have seen that happen during the course of ENT.

The easiest disagreement here is that Cardassian Phlox is an individual and not reflective of the sum total of his species. He could break a mold, or have issues with how the Union does things or how Cardassians are perceived or stereotyped across the quadrant. Like how the great ENT episode "Judgment" gave us a different side to Klingon culture, Phlox could've done for Cardassians, and fans in the know could feel a sense of foreboding already knowing what's in store between Earth and Cardassia in the centuries ahead.

To the OP, I think the idea of Cardassian Phlox is pretty neat and one I hadn't considered before. Like Bry, I would've made him a member of a less explored species, or just a plain old human. The human adventure had to begin somewhere.

If Phlox had been a Cardassian I don't think it would've made him more popular per se. I don't think Phlox's popularity was an issue for the series, though I could be wrong. Making him Cardassian though might have enticed a few more fans to give ENT a try and to stick with it, but I don't think it would've matter that much. The general public still wouldn't have cared and I doubt how much his inclusion would've helped against studio interference or far too often bland writing and characterization.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Is Phlox unpopular? Genuine question. I've just started a rewatch after many years and I find him to be one of the stand out characters.

 

[Reanok]

I like Phlox I thought he was an interesting character in the series.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

I adore Phlox. He was funny and bizarre and genial and optimistic, and Billingsley did a fabulous job with him. I dunno about the Cardassian thing... if he had been a typical Cardassian, that might have brought unneeded baggage to this show, and if he'd been an unusual non-typical Cardassian, then what's the point, since the Cardassians we know are hundreds of years off? Personally I would rather have journeyed to Denobula, the way we were supposed to do in Season 5, and learn more about Denobulans.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I'd never really made the physical connection before, but he does look like a Cardassian. Maybe they should have gone back to the drawing board with his look? I think he's different enough though.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Phlox being Cardassian would have made no difference to Enterprise's popularity.

I'd like to see his polyamerous society explored more. Maybe team Discovery can beam down and, erm, explore.

 

[FederationHistorian]

I don’t think there is anything about Denobulan culture that could not have been rewritten to be adopted by the Cardassians; all we know about Carassians during this time period is that they are poets. So, they are far and away removed from the military government of the 24th century, although rewriting the history of the Antarans’ conflict with the Denobulans to be with the Cardassians could have been treated as a sign of things to come for Cardassia by the time of TNG/DS9. And at least there would not have been a need to visit Cardassia, since we’ve already seen it.

At the same time, a Cardassian doctor would have been more interesting in the VOY setting, not just with the Maquis, but with Seska hiding her identity and allegiance to the crew. I agree with that sentiment.

 

[at Quark's]

I'm kind of divided on this. On the one hand, I think a look at non-military, non-insidious Cardassian culture would be interesting, as we got some tantalising hints in DS9 that it's not necessarily the entire population that is wired this way and that the military used to be less dominant in the past- much like not all Klingons are of the warrior caste and obsessed with honour even though that is the type we most often meet.

On the other hand, wasn't Enterprise placed in the 22nd century to get away from all these established 24th century opponents of the Federation in the first place and explore some other races, before they started to bring them all back in?

 

[Coops]

Assuming he'd be a he and not a she I'm pretty sure a Cardassian doctor would've been compared endlessly to Elim Garak, and probably not all that favourably.

 

[dupersuper]

Is Phlox unpopular? Genuine question. I've just started a rewatch after many years and I find him to be one of the stand out characters.

I like the actor, and like the character in most episodes, but Dear Doctor ruined the character for me overall. I don't want to watch a "hero" who committed genocide, or a "doctor" who doesn't know what evolution is when I watch Star Trek.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I like the actor, and like the character in most episodes, but Dear Doctor ruined the character for me overall. I don't want to watch a "hero" who committed genocide, or a "doctor" who doesn't know what evolution is when I watch Star Trek.

Ooh, that one's coming up for me I think? I thought it was one of the more celebrated episodes of ENT? Braga mentions it's a stand out for him and he wishes there'd been more of it in Season 1. Anyway, I'd better stay out of this thread till I've watched it 'cause now I already know too much.

 

[dupersuper]

Ooh, that one's coming up for me I think? I thought it was one of the more celebrated episodes of ENT? Braga mentions it's a stand out for him and he wishes there'd been more of it in Season 1. Anyway, I'd better stay out of this thread till I've watched it 'cause now I already know too much.

He did???? I just lost a ton of respect for Braga. Who else "celebrates" it????

 

[Phoenix219]

I like the actor, and like the character in most episodes, but Dear Doctor ruined the character for me overall. I don't want to watch a "hero" who committed genocide, or a "doctor" who doesn't know what evolution is when I watch Star Trek.

The worst part is, its not even the original ending, which WOULD have made it a great episode, and instead was made edgy on purpose!!! GRRRRRRR.

When watching Enterprise for the first time (within the last year or two to be honest) I actively skipped the episode, and have never seen it in its entirety. I am quite familiar with it from wiki's and memory alpha, and years of being on here. Heh.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

He did???? I just lost a ton of respect for Braga. Who else "celebrates" it????

From Memory Alpha:

"It was just a great episode of Star Trek. That's one I look at fondly." Braga further commented, "For a Star Trek episode to work, like 'Dear Doctor', it's gotta have a conceptual hook that's fresh, it's gotta have some sort of moral spine, and something that engages all the characters, most of the characters, in some interesting way. And if you look at that one, everyone's got a moment […] I thought 'Dear Doctor' was by far the best episode of the season. And it was very specific to Enterprise […] It dealt with a real issue. It had it all. It was charming, it was funny, it was well-paced, it had a good framing device, and it ended up […] dealing with a really good issue you'd never seen dealt with before. That's Star Trek at its best […] I wish they'd all been 'Dear Doctor's that first season."

And Wikipedia has:

Michelle Erica Green, whilst writing for Trek Nation described "Dear Doctor" as the "first truly great episode" of Enterprise and compared it to "Pen Pals" from Star Trek: The Next Generation and "Tuvix" from Star Trek: Voyager in the way that the ethical dilemma is presented. She enjoyed the "seamlessly interwoven subplots and moving character development" and the pace of the episode, but wanted to see more of the society of the two races.

Peter Schorn, writing a review for the first season for IGN, described "Dear Doctor" as one of the more solid episodes.

Jamahl Epsicokhan, on his website Jammer's Reviews, said that it was "by miles the best episode so far". He calls it a "real story" with an actual issue, and praises the performance of John Billingsley as Phlox.

The cast and crew:

The episode was received warmly by members of the Enterprise cast and crew. Anthony Montgomery said prior to the end of the first series that he "absolutely loved 'Dear Doctor'; I thought that was fantastic". After the end of the series, John Billingsley named the episode as one of his favourites as it was the first time he felt the character was three-dimensional, and executive producer Brannon Braga subsequently called the episode a "classic". Writer André Bormanis said that "Dear Doctor" was a "great example of a classic Star Trek / Science Fiction "what if" scenario that raised interesting and complex social issues."

Finally:

In 2016, Vox rated this one of the top 25 essential episodes of all Star Trek.

I can't remember it, no opinion of my own I guess until a few episodes down the line in my rewatch, but it's celebrated for sure.