Summary
There are certain roles that you know will be present in just about every piece of Star Trek media. One of those is the Doctor, a more than necessary position for anyspace-faring crewto fill. Scientific and medical knowledge are certainly useful things to have when you’re exploring the final frontier.
Some of the most beloved characters in all of Star Trek are the doctors and with good reason. They’re regularly at the heart of moral dilemmas, something Star Trek does extremely well, letting the character develop and shine. Here’s our take on which are a surgical cut above the rest.
8Dr. Pulaski
The Next Generation
Dr. Pulaski isn’t always well remembered by fans of The Next Generation, but that isn’t entirely fair to her. She’s a good doctor, even if her aversion to transporters is a clear attempt to return to the days of Leonard McCoy with diminishing returns.
The reason she’s one of the best however is the same reason fans don’t like her, namely her struggle to see Commander Data as a person and not just a machine. This stance softens towards the end of Season 2, but it was a believable and important topic to explore.
7Dr. Phlox
Enterprise
Dr. Phlox had the struggle of being a good character in a show that fans never really got behind. Enterprise isn’t bad, exactly, it just doesn’t feel like Star Trek most of the time. He’s endlessly curious and, as one of only two aliens aboard the Enterprise, he stands out among the crowd.
Whether he would be as interesting in a better show is up for debate, but either way, Dr. Phlox is one of the most memorable characters in all of Enterprise. Just don’t look up what it looks like when he smiles. You’ll never unsee that.
6Dr. Culber
Discovery
Dr. Culber is an interesting case for, as Discovery goes on, openly fulfilling the role of both a medical doctor and counselor. Typically these roles have been filled by two different officers in previous Star Trek shows.
This means that Dr. Culber understands his patients better than a regular ship doctor does. He also has one of the most interesting character arcs in Discovery, one you’ll be happier to see for yourself than have spoiled for you.
5Dr. T’Ana
Lower Decks
Dr. T’Ana isn’t the first animated doctor in Star Trek history, but she is certainly the most distinctive. As a disheveled cat person, she doesn’t look like any other doctor in all of Star Trek, and she has the personality to back it up.
With a rough bedside manner and a love of cursing, T’Ana is honest to a fault and entertaining because of it. Lower Decks is a stark departure from the rest of Star Trek media and no character embodies that better than T’Ana.
4Dr. McCoy
The Original Series
Dr. Hank ‘Bones’ McCoy is the original and was a superb twist on what people might expect from a science fiction doctor. He was grounded, often folksy, with a mistrust of technology like the transporter. He made a perfect foil for the setting.
McCoy was many things, but first and foremost he was a doctor, and he was happy to remind people at any opportunity. Things he made sure to make clear that he was not included a mechanic, a magician, a coal miner, and an escalator. He probably didn’t need to say that last one.
3Dr. Crusher
Move over Dr. Pulaski, the people’s choice for Next Generation doctor is here. Dr Crusher has the benefit of many more seasons than Pulaski gets, so it isn’t a fair contest, but she still knocks it out of the park. She’s so accomplished that she even takes a turn in the captain’s seat.
Beverley Crusher has standout storylines, both in her own right and through her connections to others. Yes, that includes Wesley, who frankly isn’t as bad as some people say. How could he be, with a mother like Dr. Crusher?
2Dr. Bashir
Deep Space Nine
Dr. Bashir did not exit Deep Space Nine the same character that he entered; he truly transforms over the course of the show. When first introduced, he’s insufferably earnest, eager to a fault, and someone the other characters actively roll their eyes at.
His experiences on Deep Space Nine help him grow into himself, making peace with his nature as a genetically engineered human and living openly. He gains confidence and becomes an assured and charming character.
1The Doctor
Voyager
Not to be confusedwith Doctor Who, this The Doctor was a holographic emergency replacement who would be activated in the event a ship’s regular doc was incapitated, or just needed an extra set of hands. In the case of Voyager, their doctor died on the first mission and they were stranded decades away from home. Their holographic bone saw ended up being active far longer than intended.
Well, it’s sci-fi, so that means he became sentient. It’s far from an original story, but in this case, it was handled perfectly. The Doctor changes very gradually, often disturbed by his growing sentience before coming to embrace it. He develops his own interests, like opera, and even manages to smooth the rough edges off his borderline aggressive bedside manner.
