Tһe EMH In Stаr Trek's Next Sһow Is Voyаger's Orіgіnаl Doсtor 800 Yeаrs Lаter & I Love Wһаt Tһіs Meаns

Ever since I heard that Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Picardo would be appearing in the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, I've wondered which version of Voyager's Doctor Picardo would be playing in the new Star Trek show. As a spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set in the 32nd century, but also features 22nd century transplants from the USS Discovery, like Mary Wiseman's Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly and Tig Notaro's Commander Jett Reno. The legacy Star Trek characters in Starfleet Academy will be helping to rebuild Starfleet after the Burn devastated warp-capable starships 100 years earlier.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's far-future setting meant there was a possibility that Robert Picardo might be the backup EMH from Star Trek: Voyager season 4, episode 23, "Living Witness." In that episode, the Emergency Medical Hologram is reactivated after being dormant for centuries, and clarifies what the USS Voyager was truly like to a 31st century society that's got it all wrong. While discussing Picardo's appearance on the TrekTalks streaming fundraiser, TrekCulture's Ellie Littlechild said Robert Picardo confirmed he'd be playing the original version of Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor—not the backup—and I love that.

I Love That Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor Will Be 800 Years Old In Starfleet Academy

How Will Robert Picardo's Doctor Change After 800 Years?

I love that Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor will be the 800-year-old original version in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, instead of a recently reactivated backup. We've already seen how just a few years have expanded the Doctor's program in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Prodigy, so it's almost unfathomable to imagine how much more advanced the Doctor will be after 800 years. Perfect recall will make Starfleet Academy's Doctor a true jack of all trades. Being alive for so long would theoretically make the Doctor wiser than anyone else on campus, too—like this generation's Groundskeeper Boothby (Ray Walston).

Even with 800 years of expanded programming, the Doctor's personality in Starfleet Academy might actually be closer to what we saw in Star Trek: Voyager season 1. Instead of being a shortcoming of limited programming, though, the Doctor's personality could cycle all the way around to irritable again, after watching "36 generations" of friends live and die. Picardo's Doctor will still have his signature dry wit, according to TrekCulture, but being alive for 800 years might make the Doctor less willing to make new friends. He'd appear standoffish to the new Academy class, even if he's dispensing much-needed wisdom.

What Was Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor Doing For 800 Years?

And How Did The Doctor Survive The Burn?

There's a lot of time to account for between the Doctor's most recent appearance in Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's 32nd century, so I hope we find out what Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor was doing for 800 years. Because the Doctor was continuously active during those 800 years, the Doctor couldn't have been on a starship when Star Trek: Discovery's Burn happened in the 31st century; otherwise, he'd have been destroyed along with it. As much as I like the idea of the Doctor being on every USS Voyager since the 2370s, the Burn rules it out.

With only 10 episodes, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy might not get too deep into the Doctor's personal backstory, but we could still see how the Doctor survived so long. The Doctor might have been stuck on an isolationist Earth with no way in or out until Earth rejoined the Federation. Or the Doctor might have been safe working in the Eternal Gallery and Archive. Most likely, the Doctor was at Federation Headquarters for centuries. Whatever happened in those 800 years, I'm even more excited to see Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy knowing he's the original.