Beginning in 2017, Paramount+ has steadily been releasing new “Star Trek” shows, with each one set at a different place in Trek’s historical timeline. “Strange New Worlds,” for instance, take place immediately prior to the events of the original series, “Lower Decks” takes place a few years after the closure of “Star Trek: Voyager” nearly 100 years later, and “Picard” takes place a few decades further hence. This broad spectrum of Trek’s chronology has left the franchise merrily open for opportunities for references and for returning characters. Almost any character from the past is now close enough to at least one “Star Trek” show to make a guest appearance.
In a recent interview with TrekMovie.com, Billingsley playfully offered his own pitch for a return of Dr. Phlox. Although “Enterprise” takes place quite a long time before “Strange New Worlds,” there has never been an official statement as to how long Denobulans live. If they have a lifespan of, say 400 years, there’s no reason why Phlox couldn’t return. Or, as Billingsley has pitched, go for broke and give Phlox his very own show. His pitch runs thus:
“I have frequently pitched Old Fat Phlox, which is an hour. This is how it begins: Old fat Phlox is sitting on a box: [old man voice] ‘Back when I was on Enterprise … here’s a story to tell …’ And you see all these young people running around in their blue underpants. At the very end it’s back to me: [old man voice] ‘Well, that’s it! Stay tuned next week for another episode of Old Fat Phlox.’ And I’d be #1 on the call sheet, I get well paid. I don’t have to wear the rubber head.”