6. EMH (Voyager)

Like Dr. T’ana, the Emergency Medical Hologram aka the Doctor from Voyager divides the audience and the crew. Because as much as we love watching Robert Picardo play the EMH, it’s hard not to feel bad for Voyager‘s crew. The EMH is endlessly arrogant, easily distracted by anyone who praises his horrible singing or holonovels. Yes, he knows how to treat his patients well, perhaps even better than biological physicians. But man, he seems exhausting.

“Seems” is the operative word there. Because Picardo is a delight, making EMH one of the consistently best characters from episode one, a rarity on Voyager. When paired with Kes, Seven of Nine, Tom Paris (or even Andy Dick, in one episode), the EMH makes for a compelling foil. Furthermore, one need spend only a couple of minutes watching a medical show to see that arrogant, uncaring doctors can be great TV.

5. Joseph M’Benga (Strange New Worlds)

Dr. Joseph M’Benga sits right at the center of this list because he can go either direction. M’Benga is an ideal character for Strange New Worlds, someone who showed up a couple of times in TOS, but never really had an established identity, giving the current writers plenty to work with. For the most part, writers have gotten it right with M’Benga, taking full advantage of actor Babs Olusanmokun’s distinctive voice and unique features to craft a person who exudes empathy and mystery.

M’Benga has been an MVP in several of SNW‘s best moments, whether he’s excitedly recommending Captain Pike’s breakfast offerings or reading a fairy tale to his daughter. Thus far, the show has handled his PTSD from the Klingon War well, making him a space age version of a Civil War physician seen in shows like Deadwood. However, the PTSD storyline also suggests that M’Benga is actually a black ops super warrior, and even featured him becoming space Hulk for a few minutes. SNW has been mostly great so far, and M’Benga has been a highlight. But if the supersoldier arc returns, it’s certainly going to knock him down a few pegs on this list.

4. Julian Bashir (Deep Space Nine)

With his soft features and gentle affect, Dr. Bashir seems a million miles away from the grizzled M’Benga or frontier medic Bones. Which is ironic, since Bashir becomes the only doctor on this list who gets on-screen, in-canon experience as a war time physician. Of course, that’s just one of several developments that occur across Deep Space Nine‘s seven seasons, in which Bashir transforms from a cocky, womanizing wiz-kid to morally complex but fundamentally good-hearted professional.

It’s a testament to Alexander Siddig as an actor that he not only excelled at playing all these aspects of Bashir, but made them feel consistent. As Bashir learned about his augment status and developed a relationship with the secretive Garak, he also grew more caring, his pride knocked down a few pegs and his empathy growing. By the time the Dominion War reached its boiling point, Bashir established himself as the right doctor for the times.