Best "Star Trek" captain?

[RJM Corbet]

Definitely Kirk, followed closely by Pickard -- but there ain't no second place (and I might be a little biased) ...

 

[Atelier182]

I`m a fan on star trek the next generation and kirk era but the others i dont like.
so it`s deffinatly jean luc picard.

 

[paranoid marvin]

It's a bit like Docotr Who in many ways; the one you grew up with tends to stick with you.

Where's Khan on that list anyway?

 

[Shane Enochs]

I loved Picard, but I had to go with Janeway just because I feel she was a bit more human.

 

[mr kite]

You can`t beat originals
So it has to be Kirk for me .

One of the many reasons why I grew to love Sci Fi and the original Star Trek was a stand classic T.V. Series .
Without it there would`nt have been a Picard ( 2nd Choice )

 

[Miggy]

Picard was a champion of humanity

 

[J-Sun]

Here's an article where the author casts her vote for Kirk. Hard to argue with her central point. As a realistic character, Picard's more so but as a kernel for myth, Kirk has more mojo.

 

[Michael Colton]

First, I would like to say that I think this classic question should be phrased in terms of one's 'favorite' rather than the 'best.' Debating which is the best always turns out to be discussing one's favorite because each person has their own parameters for what 'best' means within the context of a Trek captain.

You can ask which was the most influential, which was the most successful within the Trek universe, which displayed the best leadership based on what you look for in a leader, which was the most moral, which was the most wise, and so on. The guidelines are so specific to the person responding that it really is asking which is your 'favorite and why,' not which is the 'best.'

My favorite is Janeway.

 

[JoanDrake]

First, I would like to say that I think this classic question should be phrased in terms of one's 'favorite' rather than the 'best.' Debating which is the best always turns out to be discussing one's favorite because each person has their own parameters for what 'best' means within the context of a Trek captain.

You can ask which was the most influential, which was the most successful within the Trek universe, which displayed the best leadership based on what you look for in a leader, which was the most moral, which was the most wise, and so on. The guidelines are so specific to the person responding that it really is asking which is your 'favorite and why,' not which is the 'best.'

My favorite is Janeway.

Well, why, then.


I liked Janeway too, she is definitely the most kind and understanding. The way she "adopts" Seven and sees through the formidable Borg façade to what is basically a frightened little girl underneath is downright poignant.

 

[Michael Colton]

The first reason is more of a personal one than having to do with her. While I had seen quite a bit of DS9, The Wrath of Khan, and a little TNG before Voyager, it was not until I saw Voyager that I really became a fan of Star Trek. It was the first one that I saw every episode, in order, the week they were aired. I still remember sitting there watching the pilot happy that I was able to watch a Star Trek show from the beginning and not feel like I was playing catchup, wondering who the characters were and what exactly they were out there for. So there is a nostalgia aspect for me with Voyager and Janeway. I have since seen every episode of all the Treks, but Voyager will always be my favorite.

But beyond that, Janeway felt the most human to me. She had the kindness you mentioned and it always seemed like she cared about her crew far more than all the others. That is not meant to be criticism of the others (they certainly cared about their crews) but a standout aspect for her. Janeway always felt like she had more depth and perspective to her character than the others did for me. Picard's moral quandaries were philosophical which was a plus, but they felt to me that they lacked the emotional gravity that comes with questions regarding people.

And this is obviously a personal preference - I have heard people say that is precisely one of the reasons why they prefer Picard over the others. The only significant criticism I have for Janeway's character are the moments when they made her breadth of knowledge a bit too grand. Sisko lacked depth, Picard felt inconsistent to me (especially now having recently rewatched all of TNG again), and Kirk is Kirk.

And the ultimate test for captains in my mind is always which one you would prefer to be a crew member for. That would be Janeway for me.

 

[Vertigo]

Picard was the best Captain for me but, sadly, I found The Next Generation to be the worst of the series!

I didn't watch enough of Deep Space nine to comment on Sisko. 'that man from Quantum Leap' was just limp. Kirk, though I loved him and the series at the time, was just too much an unrealistic Boy's Own action hero. Janeway was incapable of delegating; she always seemed to know more about the engine/communications/computers than the people actually commissioned to maintain them and was always diving in where she should have delegated (though I thought Voyager was the best and most realistic of the series). So Picard for me.

Oh and, in reference to Michael's comment, Picard is the only one of the lot I would have liked to serve under. He was always consistent whereas Janeway in particular I found too unpredictable to have wanted to serve under.

 

[Michael Colton]

While I would certainly put Jonathan Archer and the Enterprise series as my least favorite, I did not hate that show as much as most Trek fans until Season 3. I have an absolutely terrible time watching it after that - but the first two were bearable for me. Though, 'bearable' is not what quite what one wants from Star Trek, is it?

Oh and, in reference to Michael's comment, Picard is the only one of the lot I would have liked to serve under. He was always consistent whereas Janeway in particular I found too unpredictable to have wanted to serve under.

I can understand that, though her ability to weigh things from a more human perspective that I preferred probably led the unpredictability that others disliked.

 

[Michael Colton]

Also, for those interested, Shatner made a documentary called The Captains where he goes around and interviews all the actors that played captains in Star Trek. Despite Shatner's ego making him not a very good interviewer, it is worth a watch up until they interview that kid from the new Trek films. He also discusses his early hate for the conventions and how that changed, that sort of thing.

 

[BAYLOR]

The other were all good in their won ways by to me Benjamin Sisko ,was by far the most interesting an complex and believable Star Trek Captains.

 

[Vince W]

Kirk. Always Kirk (and not that Abrams version).

 

[BAYLOR]

Kirk. Always Kirk (and not that Abrams version).

I thought Chris Pine was pretty good as Kirk.

 

[Vince W]

I thought Chris Pine was pretty good as Kirk.

He was only okay to me.

 

[Michael Colton]

As usual, and as Abrams himself has said, Abramstrek and Roddenberry's Star Trek are two different creations. There is little point in comparing the two. The only similarity between them is that Abrams is borrowing characters and parts of the universe - the similarities end there. And he has said as much in interviews. Abramstrek is about adventure and action, something that was never a focus for Roddenberry or his Star Trek. After he passed away, the creators of the later shows tried to hold somewhat true to his vision. Sometimes successful, other times not, but they tried to keep it in the same universe and style. Abrams is explicitly trying to create his own universe within the contemporary blockbuster style. There is nothing wrong with that, but it has nothing to do with Roddenberry or what Star Trek was about. I hope it continues to do well and provides enjoyment for countless people, but comparing the two missteps from the start.

 

[logan_run]

I voted for Picard but I like JEffrey Hunter AS CAPTAIN PIKE.

 

[Jeremy M. Gottwig]

For most of my life, I would have voted Kirk, but the J.J. Abrams movies sort of soured me toward the TOS characters. That said, I ADORE the original cast movies... even #5.

So I'm voting Picard for now. Hopefully I'll learn to forget the J.J. Abrams movies.