Which Voyager doctor is Robert Picardo playing at Starfleet Academy

Robert Picardo will repeat his Star Trek: Voyager role in the next Star Trek: Starfleet Academybut the actor may not be playing the most famous version of the EMH Mk I. Picardo was an important part of Star Trek: Voyager cast throughout the show, and his character’s recent resurgence speaks volumes about how beloved the unnamed doctor from the USS Voyager was and still is. After a recent return as the Doctor as part of Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 cast, his legend continues to grow beyond the series where the character debuted.

The first version of the Emergency Medical Hologram had the physical appearance and abrasive personality of Doctor Lewis Zimmerman, also played by Picardo. The Mk I eventually became obsolete when Zimmerman revised the designbut with the USS Voyager isolated from the rest of the Federation, Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew were unable to upgrade their EMH, and the Doctor evolved to become a valued part of the Voyager family. However, when Picardo returns in Starfleet Academythere could be a big twist.

Robert Picardo may be playing a different Star Trek: Voyager Doctor at Starfleet Academy

Picardo may be about to return to his role as Voyager’s backup EMH in ‘Living Witness’

There were numerous versions of the EMH Mk I as it was originally designed as a short-term medical assistant. While Star Trek: Voyager often implied that copying the Doctor’s program was no easy task, there is a part of the program that reveals that Captain Janeway’s ship had a way of resurrecting Picardo’s character if he was destroyed. In Star Trek: Voyager Season 4, Episode 23, ‘Living Witness’, Voyager’s EMH backup module is located centuries in the future. Although the Doctor integrates into the alien world’s society, he eventually sets a course for Earth after a “I miss home.”

The period of approximately 700 years that passed in “Living Witness” means it could easily be the 32nd century when the backup EMH arrives on Earthwhich is when Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is defined. So while the original Doctor may have also survived this long, it’s a bit of a coincidence that the timelines match up so perfectly. As such, Picardo may not be reprising his role as the version of the Doctor who arrived home in Star Trek: Voyager finale, but rather the backup EMH who finally arrived home after leaving in “Living Witness.”

It’s unclear exactly when Voyager’s EMH backup module was left behind.but since “Living Witness” is technically a distant place Star Trek: Voyager sequel, it’s safe to assume that the episode’s version of the Doctor only shared a few memories with the main version of Picardo’s holographic character. The backup EMH understandably has the same personality traits as his counterpart, but his “Living Witness” experiences and beyond would have resulted in a divergence between the two beings.

Robert Picardo has played other versions of Star Trek: Voyager’s Doctor before

Star Trek often kept Picardo busy

The ubiquity of the EMH Mk I in a given period of Star TrekThe 24th century means there was ample opportunity for Robert Picardo to play his holographic brothers. One of the most prominent cases occurred near the end of the Star Trek Season 7, Episode 19, “Author, Author.” After Voyager’s Doctor writes his in-universe holonovel, Photons be freeThe episode reveals the countless repurposed EMH MK Is that have been put to work in the dilithium mines after being rendered obsolete by newer medical holograms.

The other versions of the Mk I in this scene are played by Picardo, as is the distorted version of the Doctor in Photons be free after Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) jokes about the story. Picardo also played on the EMH of the USS Equinox in Star Trek: Voyager season 5. However, Picardo played variants of the Doctor on other weapons of the Star Trek franchise. He didn’t just make a cameo Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, episode 6, “Doctor Bashir, I Presume”, but Pciardo also made a brief appearance as EMH of the USS Enterprise-E in 1996 Star Trek: First Contact film.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3 Renewal Could Provide The Doctor With A Rare Storyline

If Picardo isn’t playing backup EMH at Starfleet Academy

Although Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 has not yet been renewed, the season 2 finale made it clear that Voyager’s Doctor will continue to be a big part of the animated show’s future. It’s very satisfying to see what the character is doing so much later Star Trek: Voyageris ending, but if he’s playing the exact same EMH in Starfleet Academy like he did in Travelerand if Prodigy is renewed, it will be possible to witness two distinct parts of the Doctor’s timeline in separate, active programs.

Although actors returned for established rerun Star Trek roles beforeThey often appear in only one project at a time. One of the few exceptions is the return of Johnathon Frakes as Will Riker in Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard approximately at the same time. That said, the two shows aren’t as far apart from each other as Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy are set to be, so Picardo’s potential prize for appearing as Star Trek: Voyager‘s Doctor twice at the same time would be much more impressive.