Star Trek: Voyager - 10 Greatest Doctor Episodes

The Doctor faced his biggest emotional storyline and gut punch up until that point in this season 3 episode. While using a holodeck program to experience a "normal" family life, he soon finds himself in a situation that cuts him to his very core.

This episode sets up the natural progression of the Doctor's growth well, as his "perfect" family is changed by B'Elanna to resemble a real family in real situations. He goes through situations every parent has and learns that he cannot organise and control things the way he would like.

When his holographic daughter is injured in an accident and given very little time to live, the Doctor is forced to face a situation that no-one wants to. As his daughter dies in front of him with his wife and son by his side, the EMH experiences grief for the first time.

This episode makes it clear that the Doctor has evolved from when he was first activated. The fact he stops the program and refuses to go back once his daughter is injured demonstrates how his emotions are developing.

Its a heart-breaking episode that provides an excellent storyline for the EMH and allows viewers to see him in a "real life" situation.