The most important character fromStar Trek: Voyageris about to be the Doctor (Robert Picardo). AfterStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, thenextStar TrekshowisStar Trek: Starfleet Academy, expected to premiere on Paramount+ in 2026. Most modernStar Trekshows are set in eitherStar Trek: The Original Series' mid-23rd century orStar Trek: The Next Generation’s late 24th century, so they can easily feature legacy characters from classicStar Trekshows.Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, however, will be set in the 32nd century, making connections toStar Trekcanon difficult, but not impossible.
BeforeStar Trek: Discovery’s leap into the 32nd century, the furthest future point on theStar Trektimelinewas inStar Trek: Voyagerseason 4, episode 23, “Living Witness”. Set in the 31st century,“Living Witness” is about a backup version of the USS Voyager’s Emergency Medical Hologramwhich is reactivated 700 years after Voyager’s trip through the Delta Quadrant. After setting the record straight on Voyager’s involvement in a conflict between two neighboring societies, the Doctor’s firsthand knowledge of the 24th century makes him a noted 31st-century historian.
Starfleet Academy Will Make The Doctor Star Trek: Voyager’s Most Important Character In 2026
In 2026,Star Trek: Starfleet Academywill make the Doctor the most importantStar Trek: Voyagercharacter in modernStar Trek.While most of theStar Treklegacy characters inStarfleet Academyare from the streaming era’sStar Trek: Discovery, Robert Picardo’s Doctor stands out as hailing fromStar Trek’s 24th century. As the only character fromStar Trek: Voyagerwho’s active in a modernStar Trekshow,the Doctor will also be the only source ofTNG-era nostalgiafor fans who loved theVoyagernods inStar Trek: Lower Decks,Star Trek: Picard, andStar Trek: Prodigy.
Star Trek: Voyager Already Set Up Robert Picardo’s Doctor In Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Voyager set up Robert Picardo’s Doctor as both a great teacher and a 31st-century citizen. Will Starfleet Academy continue this story?
That might be a lot for one hologram to bear, butPicardo’s Doctor is also the rare 24th-centuryStar Trekcharacter who has a chance of still being around in the 32nd century. Starfleet Academy’s Doctor may be another backup version, but it would also make a lot of sense for the EMH inStar Trek: Starfleet Academyto be the 31st-century version fromVoyager’s “Living Witness”. That episode ended with the Doctor heading back to the Alpha Quadrant, so it could be interesting to see how theBurn fromStar Trek: Discoveryimpacted the Doctor’s journey home.
Star Trek: Voyager’s Other Characters Are Now In Limbo Without Prodigy & Lower Decks
Without aStar Trekshow in the 24th century,Star Trek: Voyager’s other characters are now in limbo.Star Trek: Prodigywas a worthy spiritual successor toStar Trek: Voyager, but even if Netflix renews the project,it will take at least 2 years forStar Trek: Prodigyseason 3 to materialize.Star Trek: Lower Deckswas the franchise’s other best bet for returningVoyagercharacters, since Mike McMahan’s recently canceled animatedTrekcomedy was set shortly after theending ofStar Trek: Voyager. And the hotly-demandedStar Trek: Legacy, starring Jeri Ryan as Captain Seven of Nine, still isn’t happening.
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Very Short Treks
McNeill also reprised the role of Nick Locarno in 2 episodes ofStar Trek: Lower Decks[*]
While2025 still looks good forStar Trek, the lack of a post-Voyagershow is disappointing for fans who still want the franchise to continue its “present” in the late 24th and early 25th century. Nostalgia for 90s-eraTrek, likeStar Trek: Picardseason 3’sNext Generationreunion, andStar Trek: Lower Decksdrawing heavily onTNG,DS9andVoyager,earns praise from longtime fans. As aStar Trek: The Original Seriesprequel,Star Trek: Strange New Worldscan’t mentionStar Trek: Voyager, but Robert Picardo’s EMH inStarfleet Academymay be just what the Doctor ordered.
