Star Trek legend teases “never-before-seen” side to iconic returning ‘90s character in new spin-off

As a huge Star Trek fan, I was thrilled to hear Robert Picardo hinting at what we can expect when his character, the Doctor, makes a comeback! It’s been almost 30 years since we first saw him, and I’m really excited to see what they have planned.

Robert Picardo, known for playing the doctor on Star Trek: Voyager, will return to that role in a new series called Starfleet Academy. The show will focus on the lives of young students training to become Starfleet officers.

My character has a surprising moment near the end of the episode, and I’m really curious to see how our longtime fans react to it, knowing the character’s history.

Following the events of Discovery, Starfleet Academy jumps forward to the 32nd century – a full 800 years after we last encountered Doctor Picard.

“It’s hard to say what he’s been doing for the last 800 years!” Picardo added.

The different Star Trek shows and movies now all connect, and the pilot episode includes a mention of my character having previously taught cadets in the series Star Trek Prodigy. This establishes that my character has a background in teaching.

He’s taught before and definitely has a gift for teaching, though he can be a bit self-absorbed and tends to lecture rather than engage in a conversation.

According to showrunner Noga Landau, the upcoming series will honor Star Trek’s legacy and also features Holly Hunter reprising her role as Nahla Ake, now as the chancellor of Starfleet Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is coming to Paramount+ on 15th January.

Don’t miss out! Add Starfleet Academy to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download it today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

Louise Griffin

Louise Griffin edits the Sci-Fi & Fantasy section at TopMob, writing about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before joining TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-01-12 21:07