Star Trek: Voyager - 10 Greatest Doctor Episodes
9. Lifeline
Thanks to Barclay's efforts, the crew of Voyager got monthly contact with their loved ones, and the Doctor was no exception. After receiving a letter from Barclay informing him his creator, Lewis Zimmerman, is gravely ill and no Alpha Quadrant doctors can help him, he asks to be sent in the next communication to help him.
When he arrives expecting to be welcomed by his creator, the Doctor finds an unwilling patient intent on avoiding his care. So begins a battle of wits as the EMH attempts to trick Zimmerman into cooperating with him. Every attempt fails, and so Barclay turns to his friend, Deanna Troi.
When Troi's initial attempt to get Zimmerman to cooperate fails, she and Barclay devise a cunning plan to get the EMH and his creator to come together. They alter his program to make it seem like it's failing and Zimmerman is convinced to help fix him. Once he successfully helps the Doctor, he allows the EMH to treat him.
It's a brilliant episode that provides a growing experience for both creator and EMH, as they are forced to acknowledge their biases about each other. While Zimmerman is not a main character, his growth in this episode is heart-warming, and Robert Picardo does an excellent job of portraying both him and the Doctor.