Exploring the Romantic Relationships of Doctors in Star Trek: Voyager

Article Overview

Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor had 11 major romantic encounters throughout the show, which helped him explore his growing humanity and emotions.

The Doctor's romantic history features several notable relationships. He had a deep connection with Freya but unfortunately, lost her. He fell in love with Danara Pel but they had to part ways when she went back to her own community. Additionally, there was Charlene, the holographic wife he created. However, the most intricate romance for the Doctor was with Seven of Nine. He developed romantic feelings for her but never expressed them. Sadly, his opportunity vanished when Seven began dating Chakotay.

Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor (Robert Picardo) experienced several romantic relationships throughout the series. Initially portrayed as a character devoid of past, personality, and interests due to being a hologram, the Doctor gradually grew into a dynamic individual, embracing the essence of being alive. His development resulted in him becoming a source of comedic relief on Voyager, engaging in various activities that allowed him to explore the wonders of humanity.

Among these pursuits, the Doctor frequently indulged in flirtation and even entered into full-fledged romances with several supporting characters throughout different episodes. Starting as early as the first season of Voyager, the Doctor was involved in multiple romantic storylines that delved into his increasing humanity and his ability to experience a wide range of emotions, including love. In total, he had eleven significant romantic encounters during the show's run, varying from minor flirtations to a heartbreaking, unreciprocated love affair with another main character.

11. Freya

Star Trek: Voyager Season 1, Episode 12, "Heroes and Demons"

Freya (Marjorie Monaghan) was the Doctor's first love interest, a character in a holodeck program based on Beowulf created by Harry Kim (Garrett Wang). When the holodeck malfunctioned due to the USS Voyager's encounter with photonic lifeforms, crew members began disappearing from the program. The Doctor embarked on his first-ever away mission to investigate and quickly formed a connection with Freya. They shared a kiss, but tragically, Freya was killed by another character during the episode's climax. Her death deeply affected the Doctor, but meeting her marked the beginning of his journey towards many more romantic encounters.

10. Danara Pel

Star Trek: Voyager Season 2, Episode 19, "Lifesigns" & Episode 25, "Resolutions"

After his relationship with Freya, the Doctor embarked on a significant romance with Danara Pel (Susan Diol), a Vidiian doctor whom Voyager rescued. While the Doctor tirelessly worked to save Danara from the devastating effects of the Phage, he ingeniously fashioned a holographic body for her, enabling her to assist him in treating her own condition. Collaborating closely, their professional partnership evolved into a deep love, resulting in experimental dating. Unfortunately, their romantic journey concluded when Danara's actual body was rejuvenated. Driven by her commitment to combat the Phage, she made the difficult decision to return to her own people. Nevertheless, she briefly came to Voyager's aid in the second season, providing her invaluable medical expertise when it was desperately needed.

9. Charlene

Star Trek: Voyager Season 3, Episode 22, "Real Life"

Unlike his other romances, Charlene (Wendy Schaal) was a relationship that the Doctor orchestrated rather than one that occurred naturally. To gain a deeper understanding of humanity, the Doctor made the decision to create a holographic family during Voyager season 3. In his persona as "Kenneth," Charlene became the Doctor's wife. Initially, the Doctor programmed his family to be flawlessly ideal, but this experiment in family life took a tragic turn when he introduced a random element into the program. This random element led to his daughter's untimely demise in a sports-related accident. Though the Doctor remained with his family throughout his daughter's passing, he presumably deactivated the program shortly after, resulting in Charlene never being seen again.

8. Daydream Janeway

Star Trek: Voyager Season 6, Episode 4, "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy"

Although a romantic relationship between him and the real Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) never materialized, the Doctor's daydreams about such a connection were broadcasted to the entire crew in the episode "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy." The Doctor had created a daydreaming addition to his program as a side project, intending it to be a source of amusement. However, when the program started malfunctioning, the Doctor found himself trapped in his own daydreams. To assist him, the crew had to project the subroutine onto the holodeck, granting them access to the Doctor's fantasies, which included his imagined attraction from all the women on Voyager's senior staff, including Janeway herself.

7. Daydream B’Elanna

Star Trek: Voyager Season 6, Episode 4, "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy"

Like Janeway,

6. Mareeza

fantasized about being in a relationship with B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) in the episode "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy." B'Elanna, however, felt embarrassed and annoyed upon discovering the Doctor's fantasies, especially because she was already committed to a serious relationship with Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill). Although the Doctor felt mortified that his private daydreams had been exposed to his fellow crew members, none of the women he fantasized about held it against him. Nevertheless, each woman made it clear that they did not share his romantic sentiments.

Star Trek: Voyager Season 6, Episode 12, "Blink Of An Eye"

Mareeza, an unseen character, shared a deeply tragic romance with the Doctor. When Voyager became ensnared in the gravitational pull of an unnamed planet, it became trapped in orbit. Upon further investigation, they discovered that this planet operated at a much faster pace than the rest of the galaxy, existing out of sync with normal time. The Doctor, being the only individual capable of safely venturing to the planet's surface, embarked on an away mission but found himself marooned there for a period equivalent to three years. During this extended sojourn, the Doctor encountered Mareeza, formed a profound connection with her, and ultimately, against all odds, fathered a son with her before finally rejoining Voyager via the transporter.

5. Tincoo

Star Trek: Voyager Season 6, Episode 13, "Virtuoso"

In Voyager season 6, the Doctor encountered Tincoo (Kamala Lopez-Dawson) from the Qomar race, who had never experienced music before. When Voyager made a stop at the Qomar's home planet, the Doctor became an instant celebrity by introducing them to music. He even contemplated staying on the planet, basking in his newfound fame and considering a relationship with Tincoo. However, it soon became evident that Tincoo was more interested in the Doctor as a conduit for music rather than being genuinely interested in him. Feeling disheartened, the Doctor abandoned his plans to remain on the Qomar homeworld, leaving his newfound fame behind.

4. Jaryn

Star Trek: Voyager Season 7, Episode 7, "Body and Soul"

3. Lana

One of the Doctor's last romantic encounters occurred with Jaryn, a Lokirrim woman who despised holograms. During their capture by the Lokirrim, the Doctor, Harry Kim, and Seven of Nine were forced to devise a plan. The Doctor transmitted his program into Seven's Borg implants to avoid detection. Within Seven's body, the Doctor developed a connection with Jaryn and found himself drawn to her. This unintended attraction caused friction between the Doctor and Seven, who did not consent to their flirtation. Although their relationship never progressed beyond this point, the Doctor managed to alter Jaryn's perception of holograms by the end of the episode.

3. Lana

Star Trek Voyager Season 7, Episodes 25&26, "Endgame Parts I&II"

Voyager's series finale, "Endgame," delved into an alternate future timeline where the Doctor found love in a human woman named Lana (Amy Lindsay). Following Voyager's return to Earth, the Doctor and Lana crossed paths and eventually decided to tie the knot. Their presence as a joyous couple at the Voyager crew reunion in 2404 seemed promising. However, Admiral Janeway's time-travel intervention in 2378, aimed at hastening Voyager's journey home, inadvertently erased the very future in which the Doctor and Lana had forged their connection. Consequently, it is highly likely that the Doctor never had the opportunity to meet Lana at all, regardless of Voyager's successful return with the Admiral's assistance.

2. Kes

Star Trek: Voyager Season 2, Episode 3, "Projections" & Season 3, Episode 18, "Darkling"

Throughout her time on Voyager, Kes (Jennifer Lien) and the Doctor shared a complex relationship. While their connection was primarily rooted in friendship and mentorship, there were instances where their bond ventured into romantic terrain. One such occurrence took place when the Doctor experienced a malfunction in his program, causing him to erroneously believe he was Lewis Zimmerman, his creator, and Kes was his wife within the confines of the holodeck during "Projections." Subsequently, in "Darkling," the Doctor's program malfunctioned yet again, resulting in a personality split reminiscent of Jekyll and Hyde. This darker side led to a possessive infatuation with Kes, hinting at romantic sentiments as well.

1. Seven of Nine

Multiple Episodes

The Doctor's most complex and enduring romance on Voyager was with Seven of Nine, a former Borg drone who joined the crew following Kes's departure in season 4. While their relationship was never officially defined, the Doctor developed romantic feelings for Seven as he guided her in discovering her humanity. In "Someone to Watch Over Me" in season 5, episode 22, the Doctor assisted Seven in exploring the concept of dating, but this ultimately led to him falling in love with her.

Throughout the majority of Star Trek: Voyager, the Doctor concealed his feelings for Seven, maintaining a strictly professional and friendly connection with her. It wasn't until "Renaissance Man" in season 7, episode 24, when the Doctor believed his program was in jeopardy, that he finally confessed his emotions. However, despite this confession, their relationship never blossomed into a true romance. Furthermore, the Doctor missed his opportunity when Seven began dating Chakotay (Robert Beltran) towards the end of season 7.

Editor's P/S

1. The Doctor's romantic encounters in Star Trek: Voyager were a fascinating aspect of the show that helped to explore his growing humanity and emotions. His relationships with Seven of Nine, Freya, and Danara Pel were particularly intriguing and complex, and they helped to show the Doctor's capacity for love, loss, and growth.

2. The Doctor's relationships were also a source of humor, as he often struggled to understand the nuances of human emotions. His attempts to create a holographic family were particularly amusing, and they showed that he still had a lot to learn about humanity. Overall, the Doctor's romantic encounters in Star Trek: Voyager were a memorable part of the show and helped to make him one of the most complex and interesting characters in the Star Trek universe.