2. Give Robert Picardo's The Doctor a major, meaningful role
Robert Picardo’s return as the holographic Doctor is arguably Starfleet Academy’s biggest crowd-pleaser so far. Fans have missed his acerbic wit and moral warmth, and he’s far more than a cameo opportunity.
Star Trek has always been about optimism, mentorship, and the endless potential of what people can become. If Starfleet Academy follows those rules, it can bring back the spirit that has kept Trek alive for almost 60 years.
The show’s creative team should resist relegating The Doctor to comic relief or nostalgia bait. Instead, Picardo’s character should become a lynchpin of the Academy’s academic ethos, bridging old Starfleet values with new generations of cadets learning what those values truly mean in practice.
If the series treats him as a respected philosopher of artificial intelligence, his arc could restore the sense of optimism and moral inquiry many fans have been craving.