WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Prodigy season 2!

Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 has raised the question of whether the Doctor (Robert Picardo) appeared on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Prodigy and Lower Decks are the only two animated shows in the current franchise, with Prodigy airing its second season on Netflix while Lower Decks‘ fifth and final season was announced earlier in 2024. Both shows operate at different points in the Star Trek timeline, and while Lower Decks deals with the post-Star Trek: The Next Generation era, Prodigy has become the spiritual successor to Star Trek: Voyager, bringing back multiple Voyager characters, including the Doctor.

The Doctor became one of Voyager‘s most popular characters while it was on the air, and is still beloved over 20 years after the show’s ending. When it was announced that Robert Picardo would be reprising his iconic role in Prodigy season 2, the news that another member of Voyager‘s cast of characters would be returning was met with enthusiasm. The Doctor’s presence in Prodigy season 2 has proven to be just as delightful as it was on Voyager, but one line has caused confusion about whether the character was on Lower Decks.

Robert Picado’s Doctor Hasn’t Appeared In Star Trek: Lower Decks (Despite Prodigy Season 2)

Prodigy season 2 implied that the Doctor knew the Cerritos crew

Despite a direct reference to the USS Cerritos in Prodigy season 2, Robert Picardo’s Doctor has never cameoed on Star Trek: Lower Decks. The Doctor’s Cerritos reference came in Prodigy season 2, episode 5, which was written by Jennifer Muro and directed by Ruolin Li and Andrew L. Schmidt. In one of the first scenes of the episode, while discussing the show’s core cast of Starfleet Academy hopefuls, the Doctor commented that he hadn’t “seen a crew this dysfunctional since the Cerritos,” referencing the starship that functions as Lower Decks‘ main setting.

Given the Doctor’s absence on Lower Decks, his mention of the Cerritos raises questions about how he knows the extent of the ship’s dysfunction. The possibilities for why the Doctor is aware of the hijinks of Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), and the rest of the Lower Deckers are endless right now. The Doctor may have actually worked on the Cerritos briefly, or he may be friends with someone on the crew, perhaps Dr. T’Ana (Gillian Vigman). Since Lower Decks rarely passes up a cameo opportunity, the series could hopefully elucidate its connection to the Doctor soon.

Could Robert Picardo Appear As The Doctor Appear In Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5?

Give Lower Decks’ cameo record, anything is possible

The Doctor’s Cerritos knowledge raises the tantalizing possibility that Robert Picardo could appear in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5. Given that Prodigy has already brought the character back to a newer Star Trek series, more appearances for him only make sense, especially in animation. With the renewed interest in Voyager‘s characters thanks to shows like Prodigy, Lower Decks is primed to continue the Doctor’s story in the modern franchise era.

Lower Decks has also already brought back other Voyager characters, like Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), so the Doctor certainly wouldn’t be a stretch. Likewise, a cameo for him would be a great way to explain his line in Prodigy and tie the two shows together. At heart, the Doctor has always been a humorous character, and Star Trek: Lower Decks is a comedy first and foremost, so the show could benefit from using the Doctor to its advantage.