With the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast coming back for the third (and final) season of Star Trek: Picard, bringing characters back seems to be top of mind for legacy Trek stars. Kate Mulgrew has a few thoughts about a live-action return as Janeway and now her Star Trek: Voyager co-star Robert Picardo is talking about some ideas to reprise his role as The Doctor.
Picardo sees Zimmerman as the key
In an interview with The Companion’s To Boldly Ask, Robert Picardo affirmed he is interested in reprising his role as The Doctor from Voyager, saying “the answer is yes, it’s fun to visit the character.” The actor also picked up on how legacy characters returning to Trek is a hot topic:
I’m really happy that Kate [Mulgrew] is now talking openly about it now. That they’ve established the precedent with Star Trek: Picard, there’s a passion in the audience out there to see the legacy actors again in new stories mixed with wonderful, younger, new actors. So, it’s certainly something I’m open to and the character lives on inside me.
Picardo preceded this by discussing how there is a particular challenge in returning as The Doctor, citing “the Data issue,” because, like the android, the holographic doctor “is not supposed to age.” The first season of Picard solved this issue by de-aging Brent Spiner as Data using CGI, although his return as Lore in season 3 seems to be forgoing this trick. Picardo noted that one solution to this is to play a different character (which Spiner also did in the first two seasons of Picard, playing two different members of the Soong family). Picardo already has a character in mind: Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of the Emergency Medical Hologram.
Picardo as Lewis Zimmerman and The Doctor in Voyager’s “Life Line”
The actor outlined his idea:
I could easily play Doc Zimmerman again, because Zimmerman is in the same timeline as certain of those Star Trek series… To me it’s a funny idea. What I would find very funny is to have The Doctor and Zimmerman working together… Let’s say you’re a 40-year-old person, imagine your 18-year-old self working side by side with you during the day on some very critical or important mission… Wouldn’t that annoy the hell out of you? I think there are a lot of comic possibilities if you can age down The Doctor to do a scene, now that there’s a giant age gap between The Doctor who’s 41 or 42 and his late 60s creator.
It could work
Picardo did play both Zimmerman and The Doctor together with comedic effect in the sixth season Voyager episode “Life Line.” Picardo isn’t just suggesting playing Lewis Zimmerman as he is now, but also bringing back The Doctor, who would look as he did on Voyager. This would bring back that same “Data issue” he mentioned, requiring the same kind of CGI de-aging, as he noted. Also, playing the characters together adds some complications for the production.
But Picardo is right, there is potential for comedy here. While it’s unlikely a future Star Trek show would include a de-aged Doctor as a regular character, doing a scene like this could be fun, and it would fit in nicely if Picard showrunner gets his wish for a spin-off series set in the early 25th century, a show that would likely prominently feature Jeri Ryan as Seven, who had a special bond with Picardo’s Doctor. Bob Picardo would make for a great cameo. But if Picardo wants a more recurring or regular role, he’s better off pitching himself as just Zimmerman or another character that doesn’t require special visual effects. And perhaps Picardo is just overthinking it; being a hologram, there is no reason why The Doctor couldn’t update his appearance, possibly even to match his own creator, or even the people around him; the alternate future in the Voyager finale, “Endgame,” did show him with a wife.
Jeri Ryan and Robert Picardo in Voyager
You can see a clip of Picardo talking about this idea from The Companion below.
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Can’t wait to see the Doctor, the whole Voyager crew, together!
Maybe it will happen in the last season of prodigy in animated form?
Would be amazing!
Yes PLEASE get the Doctor or Zimmerman back ASAP!! It’s still a little shocking to me he hasn’t turned up as the Doctor on the animated shows yet (although it looks like Starfleet has scaled back on the EMH program in general). The Doctor is one of the most popular characters in Star Trek and Picardo is just a gift to acting in general. To this day I still remember watching First Contact to a sold out theater and his appearance got the biggest applause when he showed up. It was obvious people had no idea he was in that movie.
If a Janeway show happens it would be crazy he wouldn’t be part of it in some way. Or whatever the next 25th century show will be.
Yes! Totally forgot the audience reaction in First Contact! I remember now, a big applause, people were screaming and I couldn’t hear what he was saying. :D
Yeah it’s a big reason why I love that film so much and his appearance especially. I didn’t expect the audience react so big at the time but it was a fun moment!
I truly enjoyed First Contact. It is my favorite Star Trek movie. It was amazing on the theater, equally satisfying watching it at home for what…25+ years!?
I loved FC but Picard totally wasn’t Picard in that movie IMHO
that was the point.
that his experience with the borg still under his skin and in extreme pressure he resorts to questionable actions, even insulting worf as well as killing and not saving crew members who became borg
I get that. Really I do. I liked the unhinged aspect of Picard. I just mean at some points of the movie he had sort of a Rambo feel to him.
I can totally understand what you are saying. He was not the TV Picard we were used to see for 7 years. We have never seen his “primitive and 20th Century” rage, as he said it to Lily, after he broke his “little ships.” :D
I totally forgot there were 2 VOY actors in that movie.
The legacy train seems to keep chugging along full throttle. Personal reservations aside, maybe it’s time to sit back, grab a drink (or several) and buckle up for the ride.
To be honest, that train started back in 2009 and it’s only been gaining more speed since! None of these characters ever went away. The Kelvin movies went back to the TOS characters and brought in Nimoy as Prime Spock in the first film. And then we got ‘Khan’ in the sequel. Now with so many new shows and most of them taking place in the TNG era again this is a great time to bring back not just the legacy characters but the original actors back as well. We know that’s what most fans want, so why not just do it? I’ve enjoyed seeing each and every one back so far, from Seven to Q, it’s great to see the franchise so revitalized in this way.
I’ve always said I would be completely fine to wipe the slate clean with a completely new cast of characters and setting with only hints of the past or future (and would love that for the next movie series if another one gets made by 2030). The irony is the last time we got such a clean slate was Enterprise back in 2001. I seriously doubt we’ll get something that original in terms of new characters and setting ever again looking at where the franchise has gone since 2009.
Correction. We got some white dude playing a non-Sikh character named “Khan” who bore no resemblance to the character in “Space Seed.” (Not that Kirk bore a whole lot more to the TOS character, but at least he had a very different upbringing.)
Yes, and why I also put ‘quotes’ around his name as you just did, correct? C’mon man!
And while I didn’t love Chris Pine’s Kirk either, he’s still 10 times better than Paul Wesley’s version so far.
It’s getting a little “George Takei wants his Captain Sulu show” with these Voyager actors. Too much “campaigning” for my tastes. I totally get why they would like to cash in on a new series as they are nearing or already in retirement, but I hope Kurtzman is not pressured too much by all of this.
For me, The Doctor was the most annoying main character in the Berman era…can anyone say: overrated! Lol
I’ll say it: Overrated.
The Doctor was one of my least-favorite Voyager characters. He just got right the eff under my skin. He started out tolerable – a cantankerous hologram stuck with a crap personality because his creator had a crap personality. Then the began singing and taking pictures and left cantankerous behind for conceited and self-important. At least that’s this fan’s opinion.
Yep!
What I love the Doctor! His cantankerous nature is what made me love him lol. We haven’t had a character like that since the original Dr. McCoy of course. He is one of my top 10 favorite characters easily! But as I always say, the fanbase is not a monolith. We’re not going to all love (or hate) the same things, so IDIC! :)
Well with the exception of Pulaski of course. No one matched McCoy like Pulaski did.
Yeah right! For some reason I forgot about Pulaski. Now talk about a character *I* couldn’t stand and that was definitely her. For some reason the cankerous thing really put me off. I really hated the character when she first showed up. I was so happy when she was gone in season 3 at the time. Now I like her a little more today since I rewatched TNG last year but Pulaski was easily in my worst 10 list along with Harry Mudd, those creepy kids from The Children Shall Lead, Space Hitler Georgiou, Shinzon and Q’s son, Q (ugh).
But the most cankerous doctor of them all is definitely Dr. T’Ana and I completely love her. Man, I swear to Kahless every time she opens her mouth with an expletive I bust up laughing. It was so smart to make her both a doctor and a Caitain because we know how grumpy cats can get. She has them ALL beat by a light year!
Yeah me too. McCoy was cantankerous in his own way but he was lovable. Pulaski was just, well, you know. *BAD*. And the way she treated Data… SHEESH! When McCoy was after Spock, well, Spock gave as good as he got and more. Poor Data just took it like an innocent kid and it came off like total bullying. And man she was so full of herself in a way McCoy never was. She was always up in Picard’s face in a way that totally wasn’t warranted because they didn’t have the dynamic McCoy/Kirk did. It was a totally forced TNG McCoy situation that failed at every. single. level.
Mudd was, mehhh… He was a product of the 60’s. Just leave him there where he belongs. I love Rainn Wilson but we totally did not need the character bac for DSC, even if they did try to modernize him. And for son of Q, I never liked the idea of the Q procreating. Real world religion aside, I never got the idea of omnipotent beings needing to procreate. For me anyways, the idea of procreation is to advance and continue the species. Once you reach perfection and omnipotence, you’re there. You can stop now.
I think that was a big reason why fans didn’t take to her, partly due to the way she treated Data. Again, this was early TNG and like you said, I think they were trying to find ways to imitate TOS but not too obvious. Bones always gave Spock mess for being an unfeeling alien and I guess they were trying to do the same thing with Pulaski and Data. But with Spock and McCoy, it came off like fun ribbing between friends. And Spock always gave it right back to him. With Pulaski, it just came off rude and mean spirited. Data was already one of my favorite characters in season one so yeah that really bothered me at the time lol. It just didn’t work.
Now that said, when I rewatched TNG and it was honestly the first time I watched season 2 in its entirety probably since it originally aired, she does come off better now. When you watch the entire season, you can see her softening a lot to Data by the end. If she stayed, she probably would’ve won over more fans in time, but we’ll never know obviously.
I completely agree with you about Q. The whole procreation thing just made no sense to me. Just keep them more mysterious. While I hated the original Mudd I actually liked Rain’s version a lot more. He came off 90% less creepy lol. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again but I guess that’s done since it would mess with canon if he showed up on SNW. But yeah like SNW haven’t done that enough lol. Anyway, this is getting a bit off topic but I’m very good at that! ;D
It was more than that. More than Data. Pulaski is actually the only Star Trek character that I did not connect.
For me was 2 things, the TOS vibe of the character. And also the removal of Gates McFadden.
I really got into the Star Trek Universe with STNG Season 3-4. At that time, not now, I really like the fact that there was a new crew, not a kicking ass always fighting Kirk…but a wise and brilliant diplomat Picard. All the other characters looked different. Pulaski was the only one who looked and behaved like from the TOS era.
During the summer months at college, I was catching up the first 3 seasons, watching reruns. I remember I was very upset Crusher was not on the show during that season.
Agreed about Gates McFadden. I always loved her and I always hated how criminally underutilized she was on the show.
Knowing this, from previous series, it surprises me what they are still doing in Discovery.
One of the main reasons I disliked Pulaski was that I disliked Diana Muldaur. This is entirely subjective, of course, but I felt that every character she played was pretty much the same, and they were all annoying in the same way. Even as Rosalind Shays on “L.A. Law” she was the same. Something about that woman’s affect rubs me the wrong way.
And I felt they missed an opportunity to make Pulaski a bit more interesting. I know that in early TNG they were supposedly going out of their way to avoid “too much” TOS-ness in TNG, despite the appearance of super-elderly McCoy in the pilot and the blatant remake of “The Naked Time” as “The Naked Now.” I thought it might have been interesting if Pulaski had taken a special interest in Geordi’s visual issues. Why would she be so interested in that? Maybe because her grandmother was (in this speculation) Miranda Jones.
One of my favorite Star Trek authors is Peter David. In his TNG novel “Strike Zone,” Pulaski and Data are having a conversation in which she is being, of course, condescending and insulting. Data is being polite and taking it. As their conversation is ending, Data says, “Doctor, it’s been a very educational conversation.” She thanks him and says, “I certainly hope you’ll be able to store it away somewhere.” Data says he hopes she will as well. Pulaski replies that, not being a machine, she wouldn’t know where. “Data,” the author writes, “without batting an eyelash, said with unmistakable inflection and intent, ‘I think, Doctor, you know where you can store it’.”
She did seem to soften at the end. You can tell at one point she really did seem to care for data. I remember in Peak Performance where Data keeps losing the game and Pulaski at first along with Troi was the one that coaxed Data into the game but later she genuinely felt bad and guilty when Data genuinely started to doubt himself because he couldn’t win. At that point she was no longer thinking of him as a walking talking set of circuits.
As for Q. I loved Q on TNG of course. Hated Q on VOY. I wish he never boarded on VOY. They totally cut him off at the knees. We should have never visited the continuum. We should have never deep dived into what the continuum is. I say the same thing about the Q that I do about “God” in Star Trek V. You don’t try to explain God. The minute you try to understand a God, they are no longer Gods. Gods aren’t gods if they can be understood or explained. That’s the whole point.
Yeah she definitely became at least more tolerable by the end. And Peak Performance is a really good episode. It’s one of those I used to skip but when I rewatched it recently I realized how good it was. And yes she especially had a great turn in that episode. That said, I’m still happy Beverly came back in season 3.
I sadly have to agree with you about Q on Voyager. I thought Death Wish was great, one of the better Q episodes. But yes it probably wasn’t a great idea to show who they really are. It’s just too difficult to do. And the other episodes were just awful. But sadly as bad as those episodes were on Voyager, they looked like Peabody episodes compared to Q in Picard season 2. (sigh)
Odo, too.
Picardo must be an amazing and talented actor, with his charm he quickly won both writers and producers. I don’t remember in detail, but long time ago in an interview, I remember him saying all the things he demanded for his character, he was worry to play a hologram, thinking of Data, with no emotions. With advice from others, he was lucky that he was able to give the Doc his “cantankerous nature”! (Tiger2, there is no better word for the Doc, for his personality) :D
He was amazing, to see his growth, being forced to be a Doc 24/7. I am still crossing my fingers to see his copy arriving at Discovery in the 32nd Century.
I heard of this as well but not that long ago. I think I heard about this on Star Trek day back in 2020 on the Voyager panel. But I remember Picardo saying he was originally worried he would just be more of an emotionless character like Spock and Data and he wanted to give the Doctor a real personality and pushed for him to sing, be involved in romantic relationships etc.
I’m so glad he pushed for those things because the Doctor became a more unique character. And just more fun too. And it’s crazy to cast someone like Picardo but then don’t use all his skills and abilities. And I think because of that, they went the direction that his character was gaining sentience.
Thanks to this message board, I rewatched The Swarm last night where the Doctor is starting to break down because he’s been running too long and added so many sub routines. It’s the first time we meet a version of Dr. Zimmerman as well. Picardo really shines in that episode playing two different characters and singing freaking opera on top of it. He’s just super talented and really love to see him again.
Wow. I couldn’t disagree more. Love the doctor!
Same here! Huge happy reaction to him in FC! When I think of some of the scenes in that film, it’s quite easily one of the very best of the ST movie franchise!
Actors like to work lol. They ALL do it man. How many times have we seen Chris Pine say he wants to play Kirk again in the last 5 years? Or Quinto saying he wants to play Spock again? Or the DS9 and TNG actors saying they want to do more roles? Even Shatner is still throwing out ideas how he can play Kirk again and they killed off his character over 20 years ago. It’s not regulated to just the ‘Voyager’ actors lol.
You clearly just don’t like Voyager, which is fine of course, but if were actors from a show or movie you DID like, don’t pretend like you wouldn’t be encouraging them on for it. Right?
And actors can’t win sometimes because look how fanbase gets literally angry when an actor says they want to move on from Star Trek or has no interest to do it again. Like now, suddenly Star Trek is no longer good for them or something. It’s a damn if you do, damn if you don’t situation.
Even for characters/actors I do like, I don’t want to see any double-dipping in two series given we have a limited number of series to cover the legacy actors who are not getting any younger. So even for the current actors, I would say no to SMG appearing on another Trek series, no to Mount getting a second series, etc. This is in contrast to the Voyager fans, who want another series with Seven and another series with Janeway. It’s like you all want to dominate the future series opportunities, which mean for those of us who want to see some DS9 characters and some Enterprise characters, we’re at risk on getting gypped out of seeing our legacy characters given your sort of well meaning unintentional greed to “control the board” on new shows with your particular fav legacy actors from one single series. Again, there are only so many shows to fit in these characters..
I would like to see the fan favs from all the Berman series get a couple characters on a show before they get too old — BUT IT NEEDS TO BE ONE SERIES EACH given there are only so many series to go around and not many years left for these actors. That’s the difference between our opinions here — you are campaigning for DOUBLE DIPPING with your two favorite characters from Voyager. I am just not down with that given fairness to the fans of the other Berman era Trek shows — it comes across as a bit greedy…my opinion. Ryan got Picard and Mulgrew has Prodigy…check, they got their legacy opportunity…time now to move onto DS9 and then Enterprise given the ages of the actors. Fair is fair.
No offense but I think you overthink these things a little too much! ;)
And aren’t you the guy who wants another TOS show?? I don’t understand the difference?Isn’t that also DOUBLE DIPPING? I don’t want that at all because it’s just rebooting another old show. We got that with the Kelvin movies. At least with stuff like Picard, we’re still going forward and with new situations and characters.
And I want to see WHATEVER characters they reintroduce. Voyager is not even my favorite show, DS9 is. And if they made another DS9 show, of course I would be just as excited about that one too (I’m actually watching the Lower Decks DS9 episode as I type this lol. My fourth rewatch—see how much I miss DS9 ;)). I’m pretty sure most fans would. At the moment, people are discussing a Janeway show for obvious reasons, but that doesn’t mean it will happen, we just have to see.
Personally for me, if I had to choose any show coming back, it would actually be Enterprise. Only because it got cut short and there still some great stories to tell in that era. And it’s much more popular now, especially with new fans. But the chances of that show happening over a Janeway show is probably zilch to none, so….
They are going to go with what characters they think will get casual fans to watch more. Having Janeway is a no-brainer in that regard. But to be honest I think ANY legacy character will probably get people to watch but the captains bring more interest for obvious reasons, hence why we got Picard, Pike and Janeway back now.
It doesn’t sound like we are as far apart as perhaps I thought. OK, I get all that.
I basically just want to make sure that it’s all of a sudden 2032, and we realize that Trek focused too much on post Voyager-derived shows in the 2020’s to the extent where the actors on DS9 are NOW too old to carry a new series. Heck some of the DS9 actors have already passed.
I don’t think that’s a concern. A. My guess is they are considering multiple kind of shows since we know they want to appeal to different audiences. B. Kurtzman commented at Comic Con they are discussing using DS9 characters in the future which IIRC you commented in that article that discussed it. So we already know they want to use more DS9 characters, right? I don’t think he was just talking about Lower Decks. A few could even show up in Picard.
Right now, all of this is just talk. I really hope Picardo shows up again as the Doctor or Zimmerman. But that doesn’t rule out anyone else from other shows showing up either since by last count there have now been nearly 50 legacy characters/actors who have appeared in main, recurring or cameo roles since 2017.
Maybe, however the “belt tightening era” for the streaming services is now in full swing, so I doubt the amount of new Trek shows we will get in the next five years will be as large as Kurtzman once intended.
We’ll see.
Oh and I’m pretty sure we’re not going to get a Seven of Nine AND a Janeway show lol. It will only be one or they will probably just put the characters on one show if they go that direction at all. It makes it easier now since Seven is in Starfleet, so relax!
I think most people just want another 25th century show with a few TNG era characters in it. I don’t think they are thinking this hard about it as you’re suggesting. I’m certainly not.
I’d love to mix Seven in with Kira, Jake, Worf and Bashir, plus a couple new characters. I am OK with Janeway having a recurring Admiral role, and I would hope Brooks would be willing to do that as well, but I’m just not all that excited about Janeway being a regular lead. Heck, I would welcome Tuvok as well.
And the Season 1 cliffhanger, and Season 2 first ep absolutely has to be a the two-parter mega ep where we somehow get Jadzia back! :-)
Nothing now will create more excitement and anticipation, than the Return of the Sisko. I think that moment deserves the ending of the next movie, the return of Avery Brooks to the franchise and the return of DS9!
I would love for Avery Brooks to return but IIRC I don’t think he wants too. Also, I can’t even think of a story that would do the return of the Emissary justice now that he is essentially a God.
Hear! Hear! We need to learn The Sisko’s fate! There are many reasons, but not least is the very reason why Avery Brooks insisted on adding the line, “…but I WILL be back.” I absolutely hope he would be willing to return to the role, but if not it should be recast to follow through on the scenario he himself set up.
That sounds cool. I’m pretty sure most fans would be into that mix if they are fans of most of the characters which most long time fans generally are.
You apparently missed the Neelix episodes.
Yeah, I thought to mention him, but even though he was such a cluster-F of a character (and the thought of him being intimate with Kess was a bit a of a grossout…lol), I still kind of liked the character — it was really the writing that was the issue. The Doctor I just thought was a know-it-all, annoying ass, regardless of the writing.
He’s an advanced A.I. hologram, of course he’s a know-it-all. ;D
And I know I’m only one of a few dozen people, but I would totally watch a Neelix show. But you’re talking to someone who would watch a Murf show too.I have little shame.
He takes a lot of crap, but it’s because of the bad writing for him, and the weirdly awkward Kess relationship thing with him doesn’t work for me. Take all that way, and I actually love the guy and would also watch a show based on him — yes!
If you really think about it Neelix was kind of in an inappropriate relationship with Kes
LOL, exactly!
I never considered their relationship inappropriate because they are aliens 400 years in the future living on the other side of the galaxy. They don’t adhere to the same age standards we do here on planet Earth. Biologically Ocampans are different. Kes is considered a fully grown adult at one years old. She can start producing babies at two years old. She only lives to eight years old. Anyone who is not an Ocampan would be considered inappropriate in that case since they die before they reach ten lol. Now that said, if Ocampans only date other Ocampans, then that would be different but we never got any real cultural deep dives into that species outside of Kes.
I actually liked their relationship in that regard because it’s one of the few times something truly felt ‘alien’ in Star Trek because it completely went against human norms.
But I know many people do feel that way and I just find it odd. They are not human. Biologically we would probably find all kinds of life out there that looks, acts and thinks very differently from us. But it also shows our 21st century mindset is still not yet open minded enough to have different perceptions of how other species live and think. I imagine here on planet Earth many species are in relationships with each other that would be considered age inappropriate for humans. But since they are animals, and different from us, no one thinks about it. But there are no cross species relationships on planet Earth like there is in Star Trek either.
And I also think because since it’s Star Trek and 90% of aliens look and act like human anyway we apply those standards. If Kes and Neelix looked like plants or something and one was two and the other was two hundred, we probably wouldn’t apply our standards on to them because they would already just feel completely alien to us in every way.
When the Doctor first debuted I kinda hated how advanced he was. Like Data was supposed to be the most advanced AI that ever existed and for all he was he still couldn’t feel. But it was like someone one day just snapped their fingers and BAM, here is the doctor that could feel and be human after a few eps and everything
I love Ethan Phillips’ story about getting stopped on the Paramount lot by Robin Williams who then proceeded to enthrall him with an improvised bit about Neelix. Warmed my heart when I read that.
I’m now picturing a glorious odd couple spin-off featuring Sela and the EMH as the leads, just for you.
Why not have Picardo or a stand in do motion capture for The Doctor with Picardo voicing and cgi-render Voyager era Picardo in? Take the de-aging out of it and make it as a CG character.
Cause that sounds seriously expensive for an ongoing character IMHO
It’s cheaper than other methods and less expensive than Saru’s makeup.
I want to see the Living Witness version of the Doctor in DSC. The timing should be roughly about right. Maybe 100 years off or so? Can’t remember.
Yep, it’s been a little over 100 years. Living Witness took place in the mid-31st century IIRC. This would be a perfect opportunity to bring the Doctor on that show. AND it may get some Discovery haters motivation to give that show another chance as well.
But what is really cool is that if you do the math, if the Doctor is still stuck using 24th century technology, he still is stuck 60ish years away from the federation. So maybe it might just line up a bit more?
Yes, unfortunately no spore drives in the 31st $#W% century! ;)
LOL!!! We all know how Janeway feels about animal based drives!
…which means he could have been killed in The Burn.
Oh, I totally missed reading your post amirami! I wrote the same thought in another post! :D
:-D It would be so cool, right!
New show coming…..Star Trek: AARP.
You are not too far off there…lol
This is mean, at some point, pretty much we all will be with the AARP status. There is space for all, the new and the old, really enjoy the return of all legacy characters.
True, yet, it is what it is.
The funny thing is Picardo is on the younger side considering both Nimoy and Stewart both returned to playing their characters at around 80 years old. There are still fans who want Shatner to return and that guy is now in his 90s.
Star Trek XII So Very Tired :-D
Simpsons reference :)
Again with the Klingons….
Get him as that backup copy that is centuries old on Discovery. Maybe he’s even captain of the Voyager-J.
It would be cool to see him play Zimmerman again, but it would be amazing to see the Doctor come back. Having him reprogram himself to be older seems kind of silly. It might be possible, but why would he ever do that? I’d rather they just deage him like they did with Data. I’m already skeptical about elderly Lore showing up, although I’ll wait to see what the explanation is before I complain.
I have a mutual acquaintance with Bob Picardo who said he was offered pennies for returning to Picard in a cameo role, which he turned down…and probably right to do so as well. It was derisory. But if that’s how much they value him then shouldn’t be begging them for a job, their thoughts on his character seem to be clear.
Well, in Picard it would make sense for him to just have a cameo, since he has never met Picard. I would imagine that they would offer less money for a cameo role. Especially for one who isn’t particularly important to the story. In a potential Seven of Nine show, it would make a lot more sense for the doctor to have a bigger role, in which case they would probably offer him more money.
In relative terms yes but when you have a multi million pound show offering an actor four figures to appear in an episode it is incredibly derisory.
Its funny I always thought the EMH and the Doctor would be the easiest to adapt to a more modern show. I mean we are talking about a hologram here so you can literally use the original version of the character from Voyager just copy paste the character or you could have the hologram add aging subroutines, we know holograms can add subroutines to their programs. This isn’t difficult at all.
When Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew came out and said they would like to do more live action Trek, it makes sense that other legacy actors chime in. I’d love to see him again. I wouldn’t worry about de-aging him with CGI. A simple “I changed the parameters of my program so I could age along with my wife and family.” Done and dusted. I hope we see him again, if it organically makes sense, story wise.
If The Orville gets renewed, I would like to see him there again. My second favourite Xelayan.
Okay, couple of things regarding The Doctor…
While Holograms generally “don’t age”, they can be reprogrammed to look like… anything! They could simply have The Doctor modify his appearance to appear older, maybe to help set his coworkers at ease (helps his bedside manner maybe???)
Now, if Lewis Zimmerman comes back into the plot, why couldn’t Zimmerman simply have made a new version of the EMH (with his own likeness), just as he did with the Mark 1 ?
Oh, I loved the dr! He was my fave character on Voyager! He was so vain, he was hilarious! Would love to see Picardo back!
I only wish they did a better job with de-aging Spiner in the first season. They leaned way too much on make-up and not nearly enough CGI. What they did with Q for a moment in the second season was perfect. A single fan showed it could have been done really well, requiring only a little bit of clean-up where the AI made some goofs.
Still surprised with all the Legacy characters being discussed they don’t get William Shatner.
They all wanna be Better Call Saul.
We got to have the Doctor back pronto! 👍👍👍