In a move that will no doubt ensure his future on the convention circuit, Bakula has logged on as the new captain in Enterprise--the latest spinoff from Gene Roddenberry's pioneering sci-fi franchise.

Paramount Network Television is hoping that, Bakula, who first earned legions of fans during his five years as scientist Dr. Sam Beckett on NBC's sci-fi series Quantum Leap, will find favor with Trekkers as Captain Jonathan Archer.

Archer is described in a studio press release as "physical and intensely curious...with a bold personality." He is scripted to be a someone with "a strong sense of duty" but "a bit of a renegade" who is "not afraid to question orders or even disobey them if he feels in his gut that he is right." Some are already comparing him to a Captain Kirk type of guy.

Filming begins Monday on the new series, which is expected to be part of the fall schedule on UPN, the off-shoot network of the Viacom-owned studio.

The new captain will follow in the legacy of previous starship leaders--William Shatner's Captain Kirk, Patrick Stewart's Captain Picard, Avery Brooks' Captain Sisko and Kate Mulgrew's Captain Janeway--who've been beamed up since the original series debuted on NBC in 1966.

Bakula says very matter-of-factly, "Obviously, I love the genre and am a long-time fan of Star Trek." His arrangement with Paramount also includes a first-look production deal to develop telefilms, series and features.

After his Golden Globe-winning Quantum Leap ended its network run in 1993, Bakula starred in the short-lived 1996 TV series, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Since then, he's headlined a number of TV movies and had a small role as the gay neighbor of Kevin Spacey in Best Picture Oscar-winner American Beauty. He's also in the upcoming New Line Cinema feature Life as a House.

Meanwhile, other Enterprise cast members will include Jolene Blalock, John Billingsley, Linda Park, Anthony Montgomery, Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer.

Return to EnterpriseCrew.com