Star Trek Actors Find Work on “Boston Legal”

Another Star Trek alum has found a place on ABC’s acclaimed hit series “Boston Legal” starring the original Star Trek big guy William Shatner as the wonderfully whacky lead lawyer Denny Crane.

According to StarTrek.com, Scott Bakula, who portrayed Captain Jonathan Archer for four seasons on “Star Trek: Enterprise” will guest star on the lawyer show.

The Enterprise actor revealed that he had recently finished shooting an episode of “Boston Legal,” however, without ever appearing in a scene with the infamous “Denny Crane!”

“I can tell you this, I have not one scene with Mr. Shatner. In fact, I didn’t even see him. He and I have still not met,” revealed Bakula.

The door could be open for Bakula to return for future episodes once the writer’s strike is over and full production on new scripts can begin, so perhaps those two famous Captains will get to meet up afterall. Bakula was a cast member on another popular show of the past that starred Candice Bergen, now starring as senior law partner Shirley Schmidt on “Boston Legal.” The two worked together on “Murphy Brown” and do have scenes together for “Legal.”

“I have a really great character that they wrote,” said Bakula. “[And] most of my work is with Candice.”

“The script that I shot was really wonderful,” concluded Bakula. “I get to sing a little bit, play the piano. Those are some little hints.”

“Boston Legal” has been a haven for Star Trek actors over the course of the show. Creator David E. Kelley is a real fan of Trek and loves working in scripts with Trek series and movie actors. His Trek references that are splattered throughout “Legal” are priceless.

Past Trek actors on the show have been Rene Auberjonois (DS9’s Odo) in a recurring role, John Larroquette, also a regular (ST:III The Search for Spock), Michelle Forbes (Ens. Ro Laren - TNG), Armin Shimerman (Quark - DS9), Henry Gibson (Nilva - DS9), Gary Anthony Williams (VG - Star Trek: Starfleet Command III), Michael Ensign (TNG & DS9), Ron Canada (TNG, DS9, Voyager), Leslie Jordan (Voyager), Mark L. Taylor (TNG), Joanna Cassidy (Enterprise), Ethan Phillips and Jeri Ryan (Neelix & 7 of 9 - Trek: Voyager), and many, many more.