Robert Picardo reveals why he was brought in for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and it makes total sense

Robert Picardo is enjoying a major return to form these days. The 71-year-old actor is back with the franchise after two-plus decades away. He'll make his live-action return to the franchise with the expected 2026 debut of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, reprising his role of The Doctor, once again. It's a role that he's awfully familiar with, having played the character for nearly 200 episodes.

He appeared in 164 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, and 17 more episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy. The latter of which was his first return to the franchise since Voyager ended in 2001. Though, with Prodigy and unlike Starfleet Academy, this wasn't live action. Instead, he returned to Star Trek to perform a voice role for the first time in years.

Prior to Prodigy, the last time he leant his voice to the franchise was for Star Trek Online in 2014.

It only goes to show you that Picardo has done quiet a bit of work within Star Trek. He's been in or will be in four shows (Prodigy, Starfleet Academy, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine), numerous video games, a film (First Contact), and even a theme park ride.

He's been around, and he's very recognizable, which is exactly why he was brought in for Starfleet Academy. Speaking to TVO Today's The Agenda (via TrekMovie.com), Picardo revealed that he was brought in as a way to bridge the gap between the new and the old.

"I am a bridge. Our executive producer Alex Kurtzman has said, “You’re the bridge between the past of Star Trek and the future,” and that touched me to hear that. Yeah, I do feel that it’s a responsibility of a saga that has meant so much to now three generations… we’re working on three generations that find some kind of solace and comfort in the fact that humanity will not only have a future that far out, but that it will be a positive one."

Kurtzman is rightfully criticized for a lot that's gone down under his watch, but to say that he's missed on every decision would be a lie. Prodigy and Strange New Worlds are stellar, and Starfleet Academy may be everything Discovery should've been. He's also right in his assertion that Picardo is bridging generations in Starfleet Academy.

He's going to be one of the biggest reasons to tune in, as his performances on Voyager and Prodigy remain some of the best in the franchise's history and he's likely to bring some of that same energy with him to Starfleet Academy.