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Sphinn Community - Who's the Best Star Trek Captain?
At the Google Groove during SMX several of the Sphinn moderators and admins got into a heated debate about an important question, who's the best Star Trek Captain, Kirk or Picard?
I'm an old school guy with a "damn the torpedoes full speed ahead" approach, so it's obvious I'm a fan of the classic Trek and Captain Kirk. However Picard really seems to have captured the hearts of many of the other Sphinn administration. So in a completely un-scientific and non structured way, voice your opinion below.
PS: Someone came by and made the suggestion of Janeway, but I'm guessing that had more to do with the alcohol than anything else, and since Sisco came is a LT and was only promoted mid series run, he totally doesn't count ;-)
49 Comments
Comments
Picard all the way! Even if I didn't grow up on Next Generation I'd still think Picard rocked. Kirk was way too careless with the crew and his position.
Then again, maybe I'm just slanted because I love "Earl Grey. Hot."
I believe we were actually debating who was sexier, not who was the better captain. Either way, Picard wins both categories...
P.S. Just accept it Michael and move on with your life ;-)
Janeway was so the best captain. The kick-ass, prime directive be damned attitude of Kirk when needed; the thoughtfulness of Picard as well. She was just different, her own captain and could have taken any of them.
Picard. That accent is so sexy! And the way he said, "Make it so, number 1"...oooohhhh.
No question ... Picard. He had charisma! "Make it so!"
Clearly you people are all quite delusional ;-)
Picard Captian of the Love Boat in Space? Are you kidding me? Just try and convince me counseler Troy wasn't Cruise Director Julie.
Janeway, ok now that's just too funny, I mean really she was afraid to put the moves on Chakotay. Kirk would have had the dated three green aliens in that amount of time.
Ok, so if we're voting best captain, I'd have to say Picard. I just love Patrick Stewart's delivery: he can be helpful and caring until you piss him off. He can dish out the pain in a very matter-of-fact way.
At the risk of bringing the haters, I think Voyager was overall the best Trek series. Janeway was pretty ballsy (stealing stuff from Borg ships!) and there were some great new stories there, where Nextgen was full of rehashed Kirk era episodes.
I love being a geek!
Anyone but the awful Janeway.
Maybe Picard just about swings it, but I'd probably opt for Sisco if I could.
Give me the Borg anyday. Those cats could do 0 to warp 9 in nothing flat in a frigging cube.
I think the Borg are really the twitterers a century from now. Think about it ... real time communications from all members of the collective, only the tool will not require an external interface at that time. It will be integrated.
In fact at SMX West, I think a few of the Twitterers were saying to Matt McGee, Loren Baker, and myself; Resistance is futile. We will assimilate you!
Ha ... I escaped without assimilation!
Oh..certainly Picard..I had a terrible habit of saying "Make it so numba 1" I have since grown up a little..(ok so I moved on to other obsessions)..
Jeff: You just rock. Now THAT's a post..lol
@jeff wrote "We will assimilate you!
I'm thinking that if being assimilated into Twitter would have made me look like "Seven of Nine", I would have joined Twitter MUCH sooner!
Come back to the "good side" Kim ... she's part of the (anti-twitter) Federation!
What ... no votes for the new Kirk in Star Trek XI? (chris pine)
http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/01/21/star-trek-teaser-trailer/
Cmon Michael! Did we not settle this in Santa Clara? Picard wins hands down. Who would follow Kirk into a wormhole? Without Spock by his side, you'd never see the Enterprise again. For that matter, without Spock, Kirk would have been dead sometime early in season 1 of OST.
Danny, Janeway, really? Seriously. Lost in the Delta quadrant for how long? And only able to make her way out by selling out (humans and other species) to the Borg - and worse!? Some captain.
In picking a fave captain, I think of who I would most rather serve with or under. And that's Picard. Now if I were playing cowboys and indians and had to choose which captain I would rather *be* - ok, I would still choose Picard - though that example goes a long way in explaining why most men choose Kirk. If you want a fully dimensional, grown up captain though - Picard is the only one for the job.
Sexiest captain? Riker :-)
C'mon @michelle if we're going to single out captains who were nothing without a crew Picard's at the top of the list. If Wesley Crusher wasn't on that ship saving the universe 51 out of 52 weeks a year think of the trouble he'd be in ;-)
That said I saw Patrick Stewart when he was doing the Christmas Carol thing and it was amazing!
Wesley? 51 of 52? Junior didn't even make more than a cameo in 52 episodes! So he saves the ship a dozen (and seriously, it was no more than a dozen) times... that's just Picard empowering his people, in the event of his absence, to save the ship - cause Picard was usually off doing the tough "save the universe" stuff. Kirk faced with the Q? Do you really think humanity would have been saved?
But you're right - Patrick Stewart performing A Christmas Carol - awesome!! I keep hoping he'll do it again, but alas. And nothing was funnier than when he did the Extras episode. That was genius! Seems we can agree that he's the best actor of the captains :-)
Picard wins hands down - both on acting skills and character depth.
OT: Did anyone see Patrick Stewart in Extras? Very funny indeed.
Edit: Oops, you read my mind Michelle - scary.
Oh Sweet Lord; this takes me back to the days of Usenet and arguing about Trek when I should've been working on my thesis. I've gotta vote Picard, though: he could fight the Borg in the morning, outwit Q in the afternoon, and still have time for tea and to catch up on a little Shakespeare. Plus, Stewart never wore a piece; he was bald and proud.
Just an aside: my absolute favorite thread from the old Trek boards was "Who would win in a fight: The Enterprise or The Swine Trek from Pigs in Space?"
Engage! Picard of course.
Now that's settled ... was Data a life form? I mean he could and did procreate.
Thoughts?
Picard was the best and sexiest Captain.
Janeway, lost in the Delta Quadrant? of course she was, she was driving :D (oops did I say that out loud?)
If you were to match them up in a grudge match fight to the death stylie thing, Kirk would kick the cr@p out of Picard.
Kirk was always up for a fight whilst Picard the big Jessie was always staying on the bridge telling number one to "make it so" when the going got tough.
Plus Kirk was always making out with green chicks, well cool!!
Well, Kirk was the badass cowboy, which is certainly appealing, but Picard was definitely the better captain. And as far as bedding sexy aliens, I think what Picard lacked in quantity, he made up for in quality.
I prefer a woman making the tough decisions so Janeway gets my vote (although @AppleVenus LOL although to be fair she wasn't actually at the helm at the time was she - god, did I say that?) . Perhaps I've watched the other episodes too much....
It's safe to say Sisco was the most boring.
LOL that this went hot!!
Jonathan Archer was quite entertaining :)
As a captain, Picard would definitely have (or even command) my respect the most. He's the guy I'd most like to be like as a leader. He surrounds himself with the top performers and expects everyone to do what they're supposed to, and there's not a facet to the ship of which he's unaware. However, he falls short in the human qualities category, and he never really connects with his crew on an emotional level, almost bordering on being anti-social. Janeway and Archer do the best at connecting with their crews, but they don't have the overwhelming personalities that Picard and Kirk do.
Now, in terms of seconds-in-command, there's no doubt about who I'd pick. T'Pol. But then again, I seem to have a thing for heartless women who are unable to express themselves emotionally. *sigh* ... Anyway, that's my nerd-out for the week.
sisco > all ;)
Morgan Bateson, 'cause he was played by Kelsey Grammer and because he didn't screw anything up in his 2 minutes on screen.
But I think that Janeway was better than some people want to believe.
OK, OK, Picard was the man.
"Jonathan Archer was quite entertaining :)"
Ha, yes, and not in a good way.
"Morgan Bateson, 'cause he was played by Kelsey Grammer and because he didn't screw anything up in his 2 minutes on screen."
Markdykeman, one could argue that Bateson was the most screwed up of any Captain because he was stupid enough to get caught in an endless loop for over 70 years or whatever it was.
Picard > Sisco > Janeway >/= Kirk
Picard was totally the better Captain in all respects, but I think Sisco is all too often over looked.
Archer is not a part of Star Trek, that was part of "Enterprise." Therefore, Archer is NOT a choice among the other Captains. (Remember, the series was billed as Enterprise and only /after/ it began to tank did they try to save it by calling it "Star Trek: Enterprise").
Picard all the way!
demerzel The Geek Police are at the door!
really?
Whats Star Trek?
Jeeb90 - yes, you could certainly argue that Bateson was the most screwed up captain due to circumstance, topped perhaps by Rachel Garrett, but let's not quibble. After all, would someone REALLY make a silly proclamation like I did when the character literally had less than 2 minutes of screen time and did nothing but talk?
My actual answer, Picard, was in the following comment. Bateson was just a joke.
JeffQuipp - Data didn't actually procreate the way a biological creature would. He made another android, that's all. That's like you or I making an android. Can it be said that we procreated?
Anyone see the top 100 reasons why Kirk is better?
100. Kirk is a leader, not a follower.
99. Kirk never really got into that kinky "Jumpsuit" look.
98. Kirk has sex more than once a season.
97. One Word: Hair.
96. Another Word: Pretty-good-looking-can't-see-the-weave-WIG.
95. Kirk can beat up a Klingon bare-handed.
94. Picard is a French man with an English accent.
93. Kirk would date Beverly Crusher -- and damn the consequences!!
92. Kirk never drinks tea. Ever.
91. Diplomacy for Kirk is a phaser and a smirk.
90. Kirk would personally throw Wesley off his bridge.
89. Two words: Shoulder Roll.
88. Kirk doesn't wear dresses when admirals arrive for lunch.
87. Kirk once said: "I've got a belly-ache -- and it's a beauty."
86. Kirk would never sing to children in a crisis.
85. Kirk can almost drive a stick shift.
84. Kirk, almost single-handedly, re-populated the Earth's whale
population.
83. Kirk says "Prime Directive? What Prime Directive?"
82. Kirk knows 20th Century curses.
81. Kirk was NEVER infiltrated by the Borg and used against the
Federation.
80. Kirk ate little coloured cubes and still remained relatively healthy.
79. Kirk made do with obviously low performance technology.
78. Kirk never pretends to be a barber in order to gain a tactical
advantage.
77. Kirk wasn't shy about taking his shirt off
--even around those pesky Yeomans.
76. Kirk would never waste a holodeck on something stupid like Dixon Hill.
75. Kirk never once stood up and had to straighten his shirt.
74. One Word: Velour.
73. Kirk can beat a Vulcan at Chess.
72. When Kirk was Picard's age, he retired from Admiral and took to
climbing rocks.
71. When Picard was 37, he was only Captain of the lowly freighter,
Stargazer. When Kirk was 37, he was Captain of the flagship
Enterprise.
70. Kirk liked a good belt of liquor every now and again.
69. One Word: Iman.
68. Kirk looks good with a ripped shirt.
67. If Kirk ever met a Ferengi, he would rip off its head and shit down
its neck.
66. Kirk says "Shoot first and wait for retaliation."
65. Kirk's first officer NEVER tells him to stay on the bridge.
64. Kirk never leaves the room to bawl somebody out.
63. Kirk doesn't rely on the wisdom of some dumb old
janitor to get him out of intergalactic scrapes.
62. Two Words: Funky Sideburns.
61. Kirk never asks his bartender for advice.
60. Kirk never once said "Abandon ship! All hands abandon ship!"
59. Kirk is not politically correct.
58. Kirk never got "dumped" by a woman for an intergalactic busy body named
after a letter of the alphabet.
57. Kirk never wore green tights and frolicked about in Sherwood Forest.
56. If there was ever a Klingon on Kirk's bridge, Kirk would likely be
dead.
55. Ever hear of a bar shooter called "Make it so?" No? How about a
"Beam me up Scotty" then? See the difference?
54. One Word: Miniskirts.
53. Kirk's girlfriends always look good in soft light.
52. Kirk never went anywhere without a whole bunch of guys in red
shirts.
51. Kirk's first officer didn't play some wimpy instrument like the
trombone.
50. Kirk had more dates than his first officer.
49. The extent of Kirk's knowledge of Klingon vocabulary can be roughly
translated as "GO F*CK YOURSELF."
48. If something doesn't speak English -- it's toast.
47. Kirk wasn't some prissy archaeology fan.
46. Picard's middle name isn't tough or awe-inspiring like Tiberius is.
45. If Kirk finds a strange spinning probe, he blows it up.
44. Picard never met Joan Collins.
43. Picard flunked his entrance exams to Starfleet.
42 Picard hasn't fathered any children; Kirk -- probably millions.
41. Kirk has a cool phaser -- not some pansy Braun mix-master.
40. Two Words: Line Delivery.
39. Picard grew up on a quaint little French vineyard, squishing grapes
with his toes, while Kirk slung bails of wheat and hay
in Iowa to put himself through school.
38. Kirk emphasizes his orations with pertinent hand gestures.
37. Kirk once made a cannon out of bamboo, sulphur, potassium nitrate,
charcoal and then fired diamonds into the hearts of his
enemies. (Need we say more?)
36. Kirk is not put off by green skin.
35. Kirk knows how to deal with peace loving hippy goofs.
34. Kirk once fought a Greek god. And won.
33. Kirk barely asks for suggestions. And if he does, he asks Spock only.
32. Kirk doesn't let the doctor tell him what to do.
31. One Word: Fisticuffs.
30. Kirk's name is hated throughout the galaxy.
29. Kirk appreciates Shakespeare, but he doesn't let it show.
28. You can never lock up Kirk for very long.
27. Kirk's eulogies can actually make you cry.
26. Kirk plays god with lesser cultures, and then exploits them for
resources.
25. Kirk's son would never drop out to become a musician.
24. Kirk can climb up a Jeffries Tube and fix anything.
23. Kirk never hired an engineer with punk glasses.
22. The Klingons didn't have a word for surrender -- until they met Kirk.
21. Kirk's bridge is not beige.
20.Two Words: Crane Shots.
19. Picard likes wimpy violin music -- and coerces Data into playing it.
18. Picard allows cats on board, while Kirk beams away even really cute
things, like Tribbles.
17. Kirk is a cultural icon -- Picard is just some guy who's really nice.
16. Kirk specifically ordered a swivel LA-Z-BOY for the bridge.
15. Kirk would never touch SYNTHAHOL.
14. Kirk looks distinguished in reading glasses -- and nobody dares to
call him"four eyes."
13. Kirk can infiltrate Gangsters, Nazis, and even the Pentagon -- easily.
12. Picard likes painting nudes, for art's sake.
11. When Kirk doesn't trust the Romulans, he fires at them. When Picard
doesn't trust the Romulans, he gets fired at.
10. Kirk never once, ever,wore a wiener wrapping Speedo banana hammock on
shore leave.
9. Kirk never gets his command codes locked out by some pimply acting
ensign.
8. Kirk doesn't test the engines -- he just fires them up.
7. When Kirk says "Boldly Go," he MEANS it.
6. Three Words: Flying Leg Kick
5. Picard's crew would never ever think of him as a sexual object.
4. Kirk traveled through The Great Barrier, met God, and wasn't even
impressed.
3. Kirk's bedroom is a passion pit with electric sheets.
2. Kirk would never let his Chief of Security wear a ponytail.
1. One Word: Balls.http://www.duke.edu/web/DRAGO/humor/trek/kirk-vs-picard.html
Captain Picard rules!
P.S.: the best article/ poll...whatever on sphinn!
"89. Two words: Shoulder Roll."
You have sold me right there. I'm going to be shoulder rolling all day.
@Markdykeman, I did sense the humour. I personally think they should have ended that scene with Kelsy Grammer saying, "Well, if I've been stuck in a loop for that many years I think I need a drink." And then have him order what he orders on Cheers.
I think the best Captain may have been the old Janeway who appeared in the final Voyager episode. A cynical Captain who doesn't give a shit would have been an amusing one to have in a series.
More importantly, would you rather have Data or Spock for your science officer?
Given Data's propensity to occasionally say things like, "Inquiry Captain, I do not understand (insert basic human emotion). Can you please explain it to me for the 200th time?" I have to go with Spock. This is blatant self-promotion, but I just remembered that about a year ago I wrote a little satire of Data's first season tendeny to ask ridiculous questions: http://www.startrek-parody.blogspot.com/
This is a GREAT discussion and I love the answers. Imo, each captain in star trek series (with the exception of the newest Trek, Enterprise, which i haven't seen enough of to say) has been excellent people in terms of character. It's difficult to say which one is the *best*, and apparently people's ideas of what's best differs.
According to the Federation, Janeway is the 'best' in terms of what she's accomplished given her situation. here's what she did, precedents for star trek:
* made it home with voyager and most of her crew
* captured and reintegrated Marquis rogues into starfleet with field promotions
* captured and reintegrated an ex-borg drone back into human civilization (actually Picard was 1st ex)
* brought back star charts of the delta quadrant and telemetry data
* achieved transwarp
* achieved a temporary alliance with the borg
* developed and advanced the EMH program well beyond sentience and human achievement
* built and successfully tested quantum slipstream technology
* learned about several new races, making sometimes successful first contact with non-aggro races
* discovered a novel way to communicate status back to starfleet over an unheard of distance
* inadvertently received advanced 29th century starfleet technology and resisted the urge to reverse-engineer it for fear of violating the temporal prime directive (but since they have it (mobile emitter) they use it)
* Entered 'fluidic space'; another dimension
* Defeated species 8472
* Amicably negotiated a request for armistice of species 8472
* Navigated through a dark, void, morass and unreasonably requested the crew remain in cryonic statis during the time.
* built a highly successful new shuttlecraft design for use in the delta quadrant 'the delta flyer'
Janeway gets a bad rap for being so proper and new englandish. People don't like her voice, don't think she's sexy or attractive, don't like her because she's a woman in command.
I disagree on all. I think she is very sexy and wonderfully compassionate. She connects to her crew in a way that's deeply personal, she maintains their mental health adn well being, she keeps the possibilities of getting home alive, she inspires them and lets them do their thing. She facilitates the development of their talents. And of course, she tells them to raise shields and fire phasers.
I hven't finished the series. I hope she sleeps with Chakotay eventually. they totally love each other but feel bound by duty and some perceived notion of protocol.
---
Kirk visited a lot of planets and made first contact with beings that resembled greek gods, he defeated a monster in empty handed combat and slept with lots of aliens. There are many other things i can note, but he was not nearly as prolific as Janeway.
Picard is totally my hero. I don't have the time to elaborate, but he doesn't accomplish as much as Janeway because he is comfortably on home field. However, to his credit, he makes first contact with the Q and manages to 'manage' the Q by being incredibly philosophically profound, clever and proper.
Sisko is also one of my favorite captains. He is a warrior captain. He is by far the bravest captain- taking the dominion on full force with the defiant, winning some battles, losing others, and successfully using spies and information obtained against them. he knows the art of war. He uses a very unforseen weapon against the dominion- the wormhole aliens or prophets. However, we find ourselves caught up in the debate of determinism and wonder whether fate was made long ago and Sisko is simply acting it out. However, his kind character during the unfolding of events is never in question.
Captain Kirk - but timelords are much cooler anyway!
Wesley Crusher would have made the best Star Trek Captain. It's unfortunate he was never given a chance....waits for lighting to strike me where I stand.