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When Star Trek Enterprise finally ran its course in 2005, it drew the curtain on nearly two decades of Star Trek on television. Although the series had its fair share of critics, it also had a loyal fanbase and left behind a roster of fine performers, who went on to headline some of the most honored series of the decade to come. Two of them were Vaughn Armstrong and Mark Moses, who reunited three years later in a completely different genre of series: AMC's Mad Men.
This reunion did not take place on a starship or through a parallel universe—it took place insidiously, in Mad Men Season 2, Episode 2, "Flight 1". Moses, a recurring player on the series now as Duck Phillips, and Armstrong, with a brief appearance as American Airlines CEO Shel Keneally, shared a corporate negotiation scene together. It didn't get a lot of press at the time, nor was it reported, but to Star Trek: Enterprise aficionados, it was an unassuming connection between two familiar faces—this time without warp propulsion or phasers.
Mark Moses played Henry Archer in Mad Men
To debunk a favorite myth: Mark Moses never played a Starfleet captain on Enterprise. Rather, he played Henry Archer, father of series star Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). Moses first appeared in the 2001 pilot, "Broken Bow," in a flashback scene showing Henry actively involved in early warp drive research—a glimpse into human space exploration of the deep reaches of space. His character on screen died before the main timeline events, so he only appeared in flashbacks and never interacted with any existing Starfleet characters, including Admiral Forrest.
Moses' time in Enterprise was brief but emotionally intense, giving the ideological foundation that characterized Captain Archer's journey. He appeared again in a flashback episode several years later, solidifying his place as an icon of scientific ambition and legacy in pre-Federation history.
Vaughn Armstrong: From admiral forrest to executive Shel Keneally in Mad Men.
With over 25 appearances in The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise episodes, Vaughn Armstrong is one of the busiest Star Trek actors. As Admiral Maxwell Forrest, a senior Starfleet officer who regularly advised and occasionally sparred with Captain Archer, he made a comeback as a regular guest star on Enterprise. Forrest played a significant role in many of the stories, particularly those that dealt with the war against the Xindi, human-Vulcan relations, and Starfleet politics.
On the other hand, Armstrong had a one-scene, uncredited appearance in Mad Men, no less for Trekkers to miss. In "Flight 1," he is matched against Moses' Duck Phillips in a dramatic sit-down with American Airlines. Armstrong plays Shel Keneally, the CEO of the airline, contemplating changing its commercials after a disaster. Although the character is tiny, the scene is the one and only time both Enterprise actors appeared on screen together, though in a very different universe.
No On-Screen Crossover in Enterprise, But a Crossover in Mad Men
In Star Trek: Enterprise, Moses and Armstrong never encountered each other as characters. Henry Archer, long deceased in the main timeline, doesn't make an appearance except in flashbacks, while Admiral Forrest only exists in the show's present timeline. So the reunion on Mad Men was the first time the two actors shared camera time, although in a completely different context.
The Mad Men moment passed unnoticed. There were no call-backs, no reference to the actors' shared Star Trek past. The scene itself lies in the gritty realism that is typical for Mad Men: corporate politics, decision-making post-tragedy, and power shifts. That's why this reunion is so fascinating—it wasn't done for recognition. Only someone with a clear memory of Enterprise and a good eye for familiar faces would notice it.
The genre shift: From sci-fi visionaries to 1960s realism
What is most fascinating about this crossover is the stark genre and tone contrast. Enterprise is centered on humanity's future, interstellar politics, and utopianism through technology. Mad Men, on the other hand, explored American culture, identity, and capitalism of the 1960s within the backdrop of advertising. But both programs required actors who had a strong understanding of understated emotional delivery and complex characters—something both Moses and Armstrong effortlessly provided.
Moses brought introspective intensity and tortured charisma to Duck Phillips, who was conflicted between ambition and personal demons. Armstrong, even in a cameo, exuded executive composure and implied tension that defined much of his body of work. Their two-domain versatility is a testament to the actors' versatility.
Other Enterprise actors found on Mad Men
Strangely enough, however, Moses and Armstrong were not the only graduates of Enterprise who appeared on Mad Men. Patrick Fischler, the actor who portrayed Mercer in the Enterprise episode "Judgment," enjoyed a recurring guest role in Mad Men Season 2 as Jimmy Barrett, another wisecracking comedian with a commensurately outsized ego. This added yet another layer of off-camera interplay between two widely different but highly acclaimed TV programs.
While none of these cameos were hyped or touted as "Star Trek reunions," they are a reminder of the interconnected nature of casting on television, where familiar faces appear in unexpected roles across different genres.
The Mad Men instant in which Mark Moses and Vaughn Armstrong appear on screen together may not have changed the course of television history, but for Star Trek: Enterprise fans, it's a lesser-known gem. Their first shared moment wasn't in space, however, but in a Manhattan boardroom, trading warp cores for airplane routes. It is a testament to television's close-knit acting community and how crossovers can go unrecognized—until someone pauses and exclaims, "Wait, didn't I see them together somewhere?"
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No hype, no in-jokes—just two really fine actors catching up, and unconsciously making a little but meaningful link between 22nd-century starships and 1960s skyscrapers.
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