John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox) revealed recently that he expects the Enterprise episodes he's currently filming to be the show's last.

"I have a fairly pragmatic attitude," Billingsley told Dave Mason at the Ventura County Star, and pointed to the fact that Enterprise's ratings are still low, and Paramount doesn't need to produce any additional episodes beyond this season to get the required minimum for syndication. "I look at the economics. [..] My feeling is that after all these years, the people who are not watching Star Trek won't start watching."

If Enterprise is indeed cancelled, Billingsley said Paramount should not jump straight away into another television series, but rather should wait a few years and then put out a Trek film. He recommended that in such a movie, Star Trek should shift to darker stories that are more honest about human flaws such as bigotry. But one thing's for certain: "[Enterprise is] not going to be the movie franchise."

But for now, Enterprise still has at least ten new episodes left to air, including the two-part Mirror Universe arc, and Billingsley seemed to enjoy working on those episodes. "I was thinking about wearing a goatee," he said with a grin.

For more from Billigngsley, head over to the Ventura County Star (free registration required).

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