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ECH: Emergency Comedic Hologram, or: how funny Robert Picardo is.

Sorak

Sorak

Lieutenant
Red Shirt
The Doctor - along with Tuvok - is my favourite character on Voyager. And he probably is the funniest in the history of Star Trek, in my opinion. His acerbic wit, talent for banter and repartees, his amusing sourness and brainiac, self-congratulatory manners are very simply fantastic. Much of this is to be owed to Robert Picardo, who portrays him in an effortless yet beautiful way.

Some examples to explain what I'm saying: the whole episode 'Life Line', to begin with. It's an endless list of wonderful witticisms and repartees, and not surprisingly it was written in part by Robert Picardo. I also fondly remember when in 'Dreadnought' Captain Janeway opens a comm-link with The Doctor only to then be distracted by some other problem. At the end of the episode The Doctor contacts her again, begging for someone to please, explain him what was going on:

"Please turn to your Emergency Medical Holographic Channel."
"Doctor, I forgot about you."
"How flattering."

The list is nearly endless. Robert Picardo has a flair for intelligent, clever, witty humour, and he contributes it to ST Voyager with excellent results. Moreover, you can see an actor truly enjoying his work and doing it with passion, which is gratifying to viewers.

Your thoughts? His is a very dry, subtle humour so I guess not everyone will like it or fully appreciate it, and it's perfectly okay. Personally, I find it wonderful. Not surprisingly, my favourite comedies are 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' and 'Withnail & I', two staples of the typical English dry wit based on absurd situations and clever repartees. Robert Picardo studied at Yale, he's a true intellectual and his humour is no doubt influenced by this. I myself will probably soon apply for a PhD at Yale, so I definitely see a pattern there. This concerns only me of course: I'm sure that most people here appreciate his clever humour. All the more because after one year on this forum I've come to realize that most users here are far more intelligent than the average :)
 
When recently rewatching the film Explorers, I stumbled across the fact that Picardo played three roles in the film: the hero "Starkiller" in the drive-in movie within the film, the main alien who does the stand-up routines, and that alien's father. To me, he's virtually unrecognizable, which is probably a testament to his talent. This little website gives some screen shots of the characters he plays, all of which are played for laughs.
 
He looks great with bleached hair! Yes, he's very talented. Apart from comedy, he can be very moving and touching. Those scenes in which he cares for his 'father', Dr Zimmerman, or he is generally wounded by someone, are very emotional and intense. Probably the best actor on Star Trek along with Patrick Stewart.
 
Shatnertage said:
He's definitely one of the best. He makes me wish that Trek was a musical!
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They really should have done a full-blown musical holodeck episode :)

As well as that acerbic wit, showed his range in episodes like 'Warhead' (?) where he got to show darker side and 'Latent Image'. Always reminded me of Spiner, and as good as Stewart as, I think they both are more versatile. I think the Trek producers were good at casting strong character actors who could handle broad range (and in this I'd include Robinson, Combs, Billingsley, Phillips, Auberjonois)
 
Voyager made excellent use of humor, and Picardo was the best. I still chuckle when I think of some of the costumes he wore: the President of Earth, the golf costume, dressed up as a clown in white. Picardo really set the bar high for the rest of the actors.
 
lurok said:
Shatnertage said:
He's definitely one of the best. He makes me wish that Trek was a musical!
Click to expand...

They really should have done a full-blown musical holodeck episode :)

As well as that acerbic wit, showed his range in episodes like 'Warhead' (?) where he got to show darker side and 'Latent Image'. Always reminded me of Spiner, and as good as Stewart as, I think they both are more versatile. I think the Trek producers were good at casting strong character actors who could handle broad range (and in this I'd include Robinson, Combs, Billingsley, Phillips, Auberjonois)
Click to expand...
Well said! Brent Spiner is a great actor, along with all those you mentioned.

I would also like to mention how good Dwight Schultz is. He really gives us an image of vulnerability through his character, yet, try to watch 'Nth Degree': he turns from shy and ill at ease in self-confident and charming in a few scenes: that's powerful, solid acting at its best. Truly, Star Trek has given us some of the best moments in TV history.

And now, a little treat:

"Isn't anybody going to sing 'Hail to the Chief'?"
"Mr President! How'd it go?"
"My performance was uninpeachable."


President-of-earth.jpg


It's things like these that make me crack up...
 
Sorak said:
He looks great with bleached hair! Yes, he's very talented. Apart from comedy, he can be very moving and touching. Those scenes in which he cares for his 'father', Dr Zimmerman, or he is generally wounded by someone, are very emotional and intense. Probably the best actor on Star Trek along with Patrick Stewart.
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Lifelines is awesome-squared when you find out that Robert Picardo also wrote that story!

Similarly if you can get a copy of the hologram's handbook - do it!
 
Picardo is so good in the role and I think he's way better and far more versatile than Brent Spiner.

I do agree that some of the Trek support actors were cast brilliantly - Auberjonois, De Lancie, Phillips and Billingsley in particular. I've seen John Billingsley in a number of TV shows and movies and he plays quirky roles really well.
 
henbane said:
Picardo is so good in the role and I think he's way better and far more versatile than Brent Spiner.

I do agree that some of the Trek support actors were cast brilliantly - Auberjonois, De Lancie, Phillips and Billingsley in particular. I've seen John Billingsley in a number of TV shows and movies and he plays quirky roles really well.
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No wonder my favourite character in Enterprise is Phlox then? ; )
 
Robert Picardo was the saving grace of Voyager in those earlier seasons. So hard to pick even a few standout moments, but I loved the pompous proud way he walked around when he first got his mobile emitter, and some of the things he said about being free to roam.
 
I don't know where I'd even start, listing fabulous Picardo moments. Even mr. teacake, who is not a Trek fan or watcher, has been stopped in his tracks walking past the tv and started laughing at The Doctor. He lights up the screen, such a fine actor, so expressive, a real joy.
 
Another one that just came to my mind, episode: 'Drone', 5x02


"Am I unwelcome here?"
"On the contrary, our primary mission is to explore new forms of life. You may have been unexpected but, given time, I'm fine you'll make a fine addition to the crew. After all you've got my mobile emitter driving your neocortex, so you're bound to make a dazzling impression, Ha-Ha-Ha."
" ... "
"That's called a joke..."
"Joke: a verbal comment or gesture designed to provoke laughter."
"I see you've got your mother sense of humor."


Only those who have seen this episode can understand how wonderful this exchange is. All I know is that I must have watched it ten times, but it still makes me crack up, especially when the Doctor makes that stilted laughter followed by One's uncomprehending silence.
 
Shatnertage said:
He's definitely one of the best. He makes me wish that Trek was a musical!
Click to expand...

That might not’ve gone over well with the studio. But at the 2001 Galaxy Ball, the castmembers present (all but Mulgrew and Ryan, I think) showed that they were really pretty good at singing. I’d’ve bought an album (did buy Picardo’s, would’ve bought Russ’ had I seen that it was for sale there).
 
Sorak said:
JanewayRulz! said:
"I'm on the voyage of the damned." :rommie: :rofl: :bolian:
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What episode is this one from? :lol:
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Season 1, episode 3, "Time and Again".

The entire scene is hilarious! :rommie:

EMH: (looking quizically at his tricorder as he tries to scn Kes) Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
NEELIX: What?
EMH: Hmm?
NEELIX: Is something wrong?
EMH: Yes, terribly wrong. Your brain is not on file. Either your government failed to transmit the standard 15-5-01 crew personnel report or somebody at Starfleet medical really fouled up.
KES: I’m not a member of the starfleet crew.
NEELIX: We came aboard at mid-expedition.
EMH: And no one asked you for your medical histories when you arrived? Of course not. That would be the ship’s Doctor’s job. My job, if anyone had bothered to tell me about new passengers, but I seem to be just about the last to know about everything around here. So, tell me, just how many other new arrivals are there?
NEELIX: Just us.
KES: And thecrew from another ship that was destroyed.
EMH: Another crew. That’s nice. This is the Emergency Medical Holographic system to Captain Janeway.
NEELIX: She’s not on board. She’s missing on the surface of a planet.
EMH: Missing. The Captain is missing. It seems I’ve found myself on the voyage of the damned. Very well. Please advise the highest ranking officer who is not missing, to see me at his earliest convenience. You may shut off my program now.
NEELIX: But you haven’t told us anything about her condition!
EMH: She is the healthiest member of her species I have ever seen. The only member of her species I have ever seen. You have a lovely brain. It will make a fine addition to our files. I wouldn’t worry. If your species has a history of extraordinary mental abilities, this may simply be your way of flexing those muscles for the first time. Living in space requires the body to make a variety of biological adjustments. This could be a side-effect of that process. Go home. Get a good night’s sleep and drink plenty of fluids.
KES: Fluids?
EMH: Everybody should drink plenty of fluids. Don’t leave without turning me off.
KES: Computer, end program.
EMH: (Waves as he fades) And call me in the morning.

:guffaw:
 
This is hilarious! I had forgotten about it, tonight I'll watch the episode again! (I of course possess all the seasons of all five series.)

The Doctor was so grumpy in the early episodes, constantly annoyed at being disregarded by the other crewmembers. Just love it.
 
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