Mad Menhosts a surprising reunion of actors fromStar Trek: Enterprise. Matthew Weiner’s Emmy-winning prestige drama aired for seven seasons on AMC from 2007-2015, largely putting that cable network on the map, and providing breakout roles for series leads Jon Hamm, Elizabeth Moss, and Vincent Kartheiser.Star Trek: EnterpriseprecededMad Men, airing from 2001-2005, as the flagship drama of United Paramount Network and the firstStar Trekprequelseries.
Conceptually,Mad MenandStar Trek: Enterprisecouldn’t be farther apart.Mad Mencentered onDon Draper (Jon Hamm), the creative director of Madison Avenue advertising agency Sterling Cooper (later Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce).Mad Men’s depiction of the hard-drinking, chain-smoking, womanizing 1960s was a far cry from the 22nd-century optimism and adventure ofStar Trek: Enterprise, whereCaptain Jonathan Archer(Scott Bakula) explored a galaxy full of aliens and danger. Yetboth series were stylishly retroand stood out from other TV series of their time.
Mad Men’s 1960s setting allowed it to referenceStar Trekin its later seasons. InMad Menseason 6, former Sterling Cooper copywriter Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis) penned a spec screenplay for an episode ofStar Trek. Deborah Lacey, who played Sarah Sisko, the mother of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 7, portrayed Carla, the maid of Betty Draper (January Jones). Surprisingly,the most significantStar Trekreunion onMad Menhappened with twoEnterpriseactorsin season 2.
Every time I rewatchMad Men,I’m still surprised by a scene with Mark Moses and Vaughn Armstrong reunited fromStar Trek: Enterprise. Moses played Henry Archer, the father ofCaptain Jonathan Archerand the inventor of the NX-01 Enterprise’s Warp 5 engine. Armstrong was Admiral Maxwell Forrest, Captain Archer’s commanding officer in Starfleet, although Forrest was killed off midway throughStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 4.
Mark Moses also played Naroq inStar Trek: Voyagerwhile Vaughn Armstrong has played multiple roles in theStar Trekfranchise.
Mad Menseason 2, episode 2, “Flight 1” bringsMark Moses and Vaughn Armstrong together in a scene. InMad Men, Moses playedHerman “Duck” Phillips, head of accounts services for Sterling Cooper. Armstrong was Shel Keneally, the CEO of American Airlines. Duck wooed American Airlines to become a client of Sterling Cooper after a tragic plane crash that killed Pete Campbell’s (Vincent Kartheiser) father. Unfortunately for Duck, Keneally was fired from American Airlines a few episodes later, which doomed Sterling Cooper’s bid.
Vaughn Armstrong only made that lone appearance onMad Men, while Mark Moses recurred even after Duck Phillips was ousted from Sterling Cooper at the end ofMad Menseason 2. Vaughn Armstrong’s Admiral Forrest never shared the screen with Henry Archer onStar Trek: Enterprise; Henry was already dead and only appeared in a flashback inEnterprise’s series premiere, “Broken Bow.” Thus,it was an unexpected treat to see Armstrong and Moses togetheras Shel Keneally and Duck Phillips onMad Men.
Mad Menseason 2 also features another actor recognizable fromStar Trek: Enterprise.Patrick Fischler has a featured role as comedian Jimmy Barrett in Mad Men season 2.Barrett was a client of Sterling Cooper who had a particular disdain for Don Draper,who was sleeping with Jimmy’s wife, Bobbie (Melina McGraw). Barrett got revenge on Draper by telling Don’s wife, Betty, about their affair. In retaliation, Don decked Jimmy when they ran into each other in a New York City gambling hall.
Three years before he played Jimmy Barrett onMad Men, Patrick Fischler played Mercer inStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 4’s episode, “Terra Prime.” Mercer was a physician and a member of Terra Prime, the xenophobic terrorist cadre run byJohn Frederick Paxton (Peter Weller). After Mercer used stolen DNA from Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer) and Subcommander T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) to clone their baby, Paxton had him killed. The ties betweenMad MenandStar Trek: Enterpriserun surprisingly deep.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Cast
Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.
Mad Men
Mad Men is a drama series set in 1960s New York, focusing on the lives of competitive men and women working in Madison Avenue’s advertising industry. The show explores the social mores and cultural dynamics of the era while delving into the personal and professional challenges faced by its characters.
