Robert Pісаrdo's Stаr Trek Wіsһ From 4 Yeаrs Ago Hаs Almost Comрletely Come True

Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Picardo stated four years ago what he wanted for his character in the immediate future, and his plans for Voyager's EMH, known simply as the Doctor, are so very close to coming to fruition. One element of his statement has already become reality, and although the second part of his wish has yet to materialize, the franchise has plenty of opportunities for Picardo to be completely satisfied.

Debuting in the show's first episode, Picard went on to play the Doctor in every season of Star Trek: Voyager. His artificial nature has already allowed him to show up far later in the Star Trek timeline than many of his former crew mates, which is an exciting prospect for the ongoing possibility of the Doctor's sprawling arc being fleshed out even more. However, there's one very specific moment that needs to happen for Picardo's four-year-old wish to come completely true, and it connects to the timeline of Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine.

Robert Picardo's Doctor Is Finally Back, In 2 Star Trek TV Shows

Picardo's EMH returned in Star Trek: Prodigy & is set to appear in Starfleet: Academy

Speaking with Trek Movie in mid-2020, Picardo confirmed he thought it would be "great fun to play the character again," especially after seeing Jeri Ryan reprise the role of Seven of Nine as part of the Star Trek: Picard cast. Thankfully, Picardo's was able to fulfill this desire when he voiced the Doctor as part of the Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 cast. Exciting as I found this animated reprisal, I was even more thrilled to discover he will play the Doctor again when Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is released in 2025 or 2026.

The Doctor's 2024 return in Star Trek: Prodigy was the first time Picardo had been afforded the opportunity to reprise the role for 23 years, when Star Trek: Voyager ended. It was also a huge tick in the actor's list of Star Trek desires. He wanted to play the character again, but the declaration came on the back of another statement about a reunion he implied he'd love to see Voyager's EMH experience.

Star Trek Has Yet To Reunite The Doctor With Seven Of Nine

Picardo & Ryan have both come back to Star Trek, but their characters haven't crossed paths

In the same 2020 interview, Robert Picardo also said he was sure the Doctor, "would be as shocked and impressed with the now fully human Seven as [Picardo] was," when the actor saw Ryan reprise her role in Star Trek: Picard. The Doctor became Seven's humanity coach when Kes (Jennifer Lien) left Star Trek: Voyager, so Picardo's character witnessing her development would indeed be a fitting moment.

Sadly, despite Ryan and Picardo having both now returned to Star Trek in the franchise's modern era, their characters have yet to cross paths again. However, there's still a chance for them to reunite if the much-desired Star Trek: Legacy ever happens, with Captain Seven in command of the USS Enterprise-G. Plus, if Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 gets the green light, that would also be a prime setting for the Doctor and Seven's reunion. It's less likely that the Star Trek: Voyager duo will meet in Starfleet Academy's 32nd century setting, but not impossible thanks to various sci-fi tropes.