Starfleet Academy: Robert Picardo Discusses The Doctor’s 900-Year Development
Humans may only live for around 100 years on average, but thanks to science fiction like Star Trek, we can explore life beyond that span. One of the key players in this exploration is Robert Picardo, who played the holographic Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager. He’s returned to the franchise in Prodigy and is now set to star in the upcoming series Starfleet Academy.
Picardo recently spoke at Trek Talks about his character’s growth from Voyager to Prodigy and now 900 years into the future at Starfleet Academy. He shared his thoughts on the legacy he’s built as The Doctor and how he’s protective of that legacy while also building on it in the new series.
During his time on Voyager, Picardo’s character went through tremendous growth, starting with nothing and slowly developing a human-like personality over the seven seasons of the show. Now, in Starfleet Academy, set in the 32nd century, The Doctor is a fully grown holographic being teaching at the Academy. According to Picardo, it was producer Alex Kurtzman who believed that The Doctor teaching cadets just made sense given his journey on Prodigy.
Reflecting on his approach to Starfleet Academy, Picardo considered how a 900-year-old artificial intelligence would differ from a human. The Doctor’s digital memory is crystal clear, making past relationships feel just as present to him now as they did centuries ago. This unique perspective adds depth to The Doctor’s character as he navigates life in the far future.
Starfleet Academy, set to premiere in 2025-2026, promises to be an exciting new chapter in the Star Trek universe. Joining Picardo in the series are actors like Holly Hunter, Kerrice Brooks, and others. Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated show!
