When it comes to some of the guest appearances that Voyager has seen, there have been some well-known blasts from the past. In this article, you will also learn of some of the inside info regarding the creation of a few character names, as well as a couple of Voyager actors pulling double duty in other episodes and Star Trek productions.
Guest Appearances
It’s always a joy to revisit some of the lives of former Star Trek characters as they make guest appearances in later television series. Voyager brought back favorites, such as Quark, William Riker, Deanna Troi, Reg Barclay, Geordi LaForge and Hikaru Sulu.
Adlibbing Works
When Robert Picardo went out for the part we all know and love him for, he was supposed to read a line stating “Somebody forgot to turn off my program”. Instead, after reading the specified line, he also entered in the ad lib: “I’m a doctor, not a light bulb.” This may very well sealed the deal for him obtaining his role on Voyager.
Double Duty
Robert Duncan McNeill is the actor who played Thomas Eugene Paris, but did you know that he also made an appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation when he brought us the character of Nicholas Locarno. This role was seen in the episode titled “The First Duty.”
Double Doctor Duty
Did you know that Robert Picardo, who is known as the holographic doctor, can also be seen as the same type of character in the movie, “Star Trek: First Contact,” which was released in 1996?
A Gaggle of Firsts
Did you know that it was a tradition of the television series to introduce a character in Starfleet that shed light on a different species? Voyager brought us two to enjoy. Seven of Nine is known as the first Borg, while the Doctor is seen as the first hologram. While Neelix and Kez could be considered in this position, the series never really paid much attention to their function on the Starfleet.
Not a Permanent Fixture
The character played by Michael Dorn was called Lieutenant Worf (as if you already didn’t know) and he was quite popular. It was the hope of the higher ups that he would reprise his role in Voyager. Careful planning was even made to make sure he would fit into the plot and storyline. This idea never materialized when Dorn stated that he could not take on the role. Although not a permanent fixture on Voyager, he managed to present his character in the following Star Trek productions: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993); Star Trek: Generations (1994); Star Trek: First Contact (1996); Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).
Zimmerman
The original name of The Doctor was supposed to be named after a Star Trek production designer by the name of Herman Zimmerman. The name “Dr. Zimmerman” never came through, but in some of the earlier episodes, the name Zimmerman was used to make reference to The Doctor’s programmer. This name appears not only in Voyager, but is also seen in Deep Space Nine. It is also kinda ironic that the real last name of actress, Jeri Ryan, who plays Seven of Nine is actually Zimmerman.