Summary

• The holographic Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager was one of the show's most dynamic characters, with compelling storylines that explored his journey toward sentience.
• Episodes like "Heroes and Demons," "Projections," and "Lifesigns" showcased the Doctor's growth and development as he grappled with his humanity and formed relationships.
• The Doctor had a range of episodes, including comedic ones like "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy," as well as dramatic ones like "Latent Image" and "Someone to Watch Over Me," making him one of the show's most beloved characters.

Some of Voyager cast by season 7. As an emergency medical hologram who was never intended to be activated for long periods, the Doctor filled the role of a non-sentient entity striving to become more human that characters like Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation had filled before him.

Although the Doctor's personality and interests were non-existent in Voyager's pilot episode, by the end of the show he was the character who arguably felt the most deeply and had the widest variety of hobbies, from singing to photography. These hobbies and the Doctor's vibrant personality often made for some incredible episodes, with compelling stories at the center to carry the plot. The Doctor had at least one episode in every season of Voyager that stole the show, and often had multiple episodes in one season that were some of the series' best.

15 Heroes And Demons

Voyager season 1, episode 12

"Heroes and Demons" was the first episode where the Doctor truly got to shine and began his journey on the road to sentience. It also marked the Doctor's first away mission when he was sent onto the holodeck to investigate a mysterious energy reading that was causing of Voyager's crew to disappear. "Heroes and Demons" foreshadowed many of the things that the Doctor would explore on his humanity quest, including romance and choosing a proper name. The episode was also the first to show the Doctor's true potential as a character, kicking off his stellar arc on Voyager.

14 Projections

Voyager season 2, episode 3

"Projections" was a fascinatingly existential storyline about the nature of existence. Whereas "Heroes and Demons" mainly displayed the Doctor's comedic abilities, "Projections" allowed the character to show his dramatic side, grappling with whether or not he was really a hologram after a loop from a holodeck malfunction caused his program to degrade and the Doctor to think he was human. "Projections" also brought in a connection to the wider Star Trek timeline in the form of a guest appearance by Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz), and delivered a compelling storyline from start to finish.

13 Lifesigns

Voyager season 2, episode 19

The Doctor's emerging humanity was on full display in "Life Signs," as he fell in love with a Vidiian doctor, Danara Pel (Susan Diol) while he worked to stop her worsening condition from the Phage. The Doctor's ineptitude with romantic relationships was charming and made for some hilarious moments, but the love that grew between him and Danara was genuinely heartwarming and packed an emotional punch, especially when the two had to part ways at the end of the episode. Stories of first love are universally relatable, and "Life Signs" showed the Doctor's truly vulnerable side for the first time.

12 The Swarm

Voyager season 3, episode 4

"The Swarm" was the first episode where the Doctor's sentience came into conflict with his programming. The episode was also the first time that Robert Picardo acted in two roles: the role of the Doctor and his creator, Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, in this case represented by Voyager's EMH diagnostic program. "The Swarm" demonstrated the range of Picardo's acting talents, and was a heartbreaking story for the Doctor, calling into question his right to sentience versus his duty to the crew. This question would come up other times during Voyager's run, but "The Swarm" demonstrated how worthy it was of exploration.

11 Real Life

Voyager season 3, episode 22

Another wonderfully dramatic episode for the Doctor, "Real Life," saw the character explore what it would like to have a family, with the Doctor soon realizing that life isn't as straightforward as it seems. "Real Life" is perhaps the best version of the "Doctor explores humanity" storyline that was so common on Voyager. The episode is hilarious, dramatic, heartwarming, and ultimately devastating, taking the character through the full range of human emotions with a cadre of great guest stars. Although many of the Doctor's comedic episodes were more popular, "Real Life" is one of his best dramatic stories.

10 Message In A Bottle

Voyager season 4, episode 14

A romp in all senses of the word, "Message in a Bottle" introduced the genius comedic duo of the Doctor and the EMH Mark II (Andy Dick). The two holograms teamed up to stop the Romulans from capturing a cutting-edge Starfleet ship after the Doctor was transferred to it, hoping to get a message to the Federation. Picardo and Dick's hilarious on-screen chemistry made "Message in a Bottle" one of Voyager's funniest episodes, and is especially noteworthy for being the first time the crew established direct with Starfleet since their disappearance.

9 Living Witness

Voyager season 4, episode 23

"Living Witness" was a fascinating Doctor episode and provided audiences with the only time Voyager ever showed a Mirror Universe variant of the crew. The episode featured a backup version of the Doctor's program setting the record straight about the USS Voyager's visit to an alien planet when he was activated by of the race 700 years later. The inaccurate portrayal of Voyager's crew provided a chance for the entire cast to have some fun, and the Doctor acting as the episode's focal point was a perfect choice, since he provided the necessary dramatic chops to carry the storyline.

8 Nothing Human

Voyager season 5, episode 8

Star Trek episodes with a real-world allegory are almost always guaranteed to be winners, and "Nothing Human" was no exception. The Doctor working with the holographic recreation of a corrupt Cardassian scientist to try and save B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) from a parasitic alien provided a chilling allegory to Dr. Mengele's experiments during WWII. The ethical dilemma this presented gave the Doctor a chance at another great dramatic storyline. Dr. Crell Moset (David Clennon) was a wonderfully complicated villain, and his chemistry with the Doctor made for a compelling episode from start to finish.

7 Latent Image

Voyager season 5, episode 11

Every Voyager character has an episode that's their best, and "Latent Image" is undoubtedly the Doctor's. The episode offered a gripping story that combined everything that made the Doctor a great character, including the conflict between his humanity and his original programming. Watching the Doctor grapple with big existential questions after he saved the life of Harry Kim (Garret Wang) while allowing another Ensign to die was the episode's highlight. It allowed Robert Picardo to take his acting talents to new dramatic heights, and the mysterious aspect of the episode's plot also added a thrilling layer as the pieces unraveled.

6 Someone To Watch Over Me

Voyager season 5, episode 22

The Doctor and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) were often paired up for Voyager episodes, but "Someone to Watch Over Me" was arguably the characters' best outing. One of the most hilarious aspects of Seven and the Doctor's relationship was his teaching her about humanity, but this running storyline took a surprisingly poignant turn when the Doctor began instructing Seven on the intricacies of dating and slowly fell in love with her during his efforts. The episode's funny moments were masterfully balanced by the truly heartfelt (and ultimately heartbreaking) unrequited love storyline that played out between Seven and the Doctor.