Star Trek: Every Lt. Barclay Episode Ranked Worst To Best

11. Life Line

A slightly controversial entry here, but Robert Picardo as the Doctor is perfection. Robert Picardo as Lewis Zimmerman is anything but.

Barclay sends news to the Doctor, via the MIDAS subspace array, that Zimmerman is dying. The disease that he has cannot be treated by any Alpha Quadrant physician and so Barclay ask the Doctor for anything he might be able to do to help. The Doctor goes one better and makes a house call, beaming across the galaxy (for the second time.)

At first, Zimmerman is resistent to the idea of an EMH mark 1 being able offer anything in the way of help. He is rude and abrasive, with poor Barclay doing everything he can to apologise to the Doctor and convince Zimmerman that there is still a chance. Even Deanna Troi is unable to sway the professor around.

It is only after an episode of brow beating the man into submission that the Doctor is able to finally cure him.

Life Line is not the best episode for any involved, although Dwight Shultz and Robert Picardo do always make a strong double act.