Kirk's demotion back to captain wasn't a punishment. He was miserable not being able to command a ship making him a captain was most definitely a reward for saving the life of everyone on earth from the probe. He said it himself, "Don't let them take you out of that chair, once you lose it you never get it back."
It was both. He stole a starship. Starfleet couldn't let that go. They needed to punish him on paper. But he also saved Earth, so they couldn't just imprison or discharge him. This was a way to give him something he wanted, but still "punish" him.
The top 6 greatest Starfleet captains of all time are IMO are 1.James T Kirk. 2. Jean-Luc Picard. 3 Benjamin Sisko. 4. Katheryn Janeway. 5. Christopher Pike. 6.Jonathan Archer w/ an honorable mention Robert April. Now there's not a lot of history about Robert April but who really cares.
Don't let them promote you. don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you're there you can make a difference
😂 the delta flyers podcast (Tom Paris/Harry Kim actor's going through Voyager episodes) talk about this all the time. They actually counted from S1 how many torpedoes they should have after being stranded and how the show has went over that amount loads of times.
In reality Janeway is the most accomplished on this list. She svaed the galaxy from galactic genocide at the hands of 8472, she made more first contacts than any other Captain since Kirk, explored the Delta Quadrant successfully and tunred a 75 year trip into a 7 year one, was then promoted to Admiral, she's stated as one of the most decorated officers in all Starfleet history and is a very esteemed Admiral. Her captaincy of Voyager was so legendary that Starfleet has carried the name Voyager forward for over 800 years. She's remembered all the way in the 32nd century with a starship having been named in her honor. She's a Starfleet legend whose name literally went down in history and is remembered centuries later.
I watched a few episodes and looked over the scripts of Voyager. My opinion on Janeway is not good. She killed the Ocampas (under the caretaker's protection). She destroyed the technology that allowed the Ocampas to be safe, but that destroyed their way of life. She left them to die instead of taking a few months to help them get back on their feet. Chose to antagonize the two Ferengi who were exploiting a pre-warp civilization. Due to her actions, the two Ferengi enter the wormhole that was a one-way trip back home. The worst thing about that episode was that the Ferengi weren't doing anything bad. Started a Q-civil war, which caused countless supernovas. Which probably killed a lot of innocent civilians. Admiral Janeway literally broke the most important rule in the Temporal Directive. Don't willing time travel! All for what to get a 'better' future where things were already good? Finally, the thing that pisses me off is that she never promotes Kim! I'll admit that most of Janeway's flaws came down to the writing of her character and the show in general. But if you look at her actions from an outside and objectionable manner she is not a good captain.
@@zillagrilla315 This may be a result of you not looking closely enough at the scripts or not having the appropriate context but this is inaccurate. She didn't kill the Ocampa. The Caretaker was dying and soon wouldn't be able to take care of the Ocampa. Once dead, the Kazon could have then turned the device on the Ocampa or used its advanced technology to commit a number of atrocities. It had to be destroyed. Also, once the Caretaker knew he was dying, he supplied the Ocampa with enough energy reserves to last 5 years. They were set for a good while. Voyager staying would have been moot, and waiting around for five years would have been untenable. It wasn't Voyager's responsibility to care for this entire civilization as even the Caretaker himself realized because it was making them dependent on him instead of standing on their own two feet as a civilization. The Ferengi were absolutely doing something wrong. They were manipulating the inhabitants of that planet into believing they were holy figures and furthermore they kept the people in abject poverty while living in luxury. They were destabilizing this society, and we're downright mistreating these people and Janeway rightfully stopped them. Further the Federation was partially responsible for the situation and as such rightly rectified the situation. She didn't start the Q civil war. The war was about the differing ideologies between those who believed in Quinn's teachings and those who promoted the status quo. Before Quinn killed himself, Janeway heard his request for asylum. As a Starfleet captain she was required to hear his case and see if it warranted asylum which his case did and therefore she granted it. The future Admiral Janeway is not the same character we're discussing. She was the Janeway of an alternate timeline. Further, some of Starfleet's most legendary officers have violated the temporal prime directive or even the most prominent of Starfleet's directives, the Prime Directive. Starfleet's cardinal protocol. Literally referred to as General Order 1. If breaking either of those directives makes one a bad Captain then most of Starfleet's most well regarded officers are bad Captains as well. Picard, Kirk, Sisko. Heck Picard violated the prime directive over 9 times by the time of season 4. So no, in the final analysis, she objectively isn't a bad Captain by any stretch of the imagination. She is one of the most decorated officers in all Starfleet history and for good reason. I'd suggest taking a closer look at Voyager.
I think Kirk was a little low considering the amount of times he saved the Earth and ended the facilitated the ending of the war. While he violated Star Fleet regulations the means never outweighed the ends in those situations.
Did he facilitate the ending of a war? Sure, he helped facilitate the Khitomer Accords (or at least prevented someone else from screwing them up), but the Klingons and Federation weren't at war (just unfriendly neighbors) at that point.
@@paulrasmussen8953 Approved, or accepted? Like, did they give him a thumbs up or shrug because trying to change the changes can lead to further changes...? (Outside, perhaps, of the Humpback Whale rescue- though I have this feeling Scotty got a special talking to.)
@@paulrasmussen8953 And that is mentioned where? (Let alone the 15 other (known) temporal violation "approvals"?) Seriously seems weird the Time Cops thought he was a menace if every( time )thing he did was given a Seal of Approval.
I'm loving SNW's Pike. He's a brilliant, generous captain who's accepted his own tragic fate with astonishing aplomb. Once we get a few more seasons of his excellence he'll easily be in the top 3. Pike, Sisko and Picard are as tightly packed as a neutron star. But it's still Sisko #1 by a Planck length.
A lot of dislike for ST:Enterprise should go to Paramount. Paramount didn't trust the initial direction of the series, which was to spend a year on Earth, while the NX-01 was upgraded after the Kronos mission. I found it silly that Paramount mandated that the NX-01 go out into space...when the NX-01 wasn't fully equipped to handle what was out there in space. Paramount sending the NX-01 into space is even sillier than the joke about the Enterprise-B not equipped with a tractor beam.
@@Fitz_42 Mine too. As a 30 year Army officer who's watched real military leaders in action on a daily basis, Archer was a bit of a prick, a bit of a badass, but always put his people and his mission first.
If only we could got the Romulan War arc that supposedly was going to be the next season. It would take effort to land that arc, but they had done well with the conflict vs Romulans. Archer would be the under-dog commander/diplomat in contrast to Sisko the commander and Picard the diplomat, when the Federation was strong.
For me, Picard and Sisko are very different captains for very different periods. Picard was the perfect captain for the Golden Era of peace; a diplomat and explorer who knew when to stand his ground, when to placate but also when to fight. Sisko is a captain of war; he will make those hard choices and sacrifices, he will perform necessary evils to ensure the survival of the entire quadrant without hesitation and he will motivate those around him to fight to the bitter end, but never lost his ability to care about people and knew when it was time to make the peace he fought for. I agree Sisko getting the No.1 spot because he did make those sacrifices that literally saved the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion.
Sisko and his arrogance was the reason the Alpha quadrant went to war. When they first encountered the Dominion they were told not to enter Dominion territory. Would Sisko accept that? No he wouldn't. Then when the Dominion aligned with the Cardasions and sent ships to the alpha quadrant sisko got butt hurt because he didn't want them there so he mined the wormhole. So in other words sisko wouldn't be told he couldn't go somewhere but was happy to tell others they couldn't come here so to speak
Of all the Captains, the only one I’d want to serve under is Archer. Because if you got in a sticky situation, Archer would first save you, then have your back.
Given how Archer was forced to deal with most situation without the backing of a strong Federation on his back, forcing him to de-facto set the standard for everyone who came after him, even when he came to deal with the Xindi war...Archer is also defnitely my choice, the man wasn't the best, but it was perfect for his era, the man needed when push had to be taken and horizons to explore
I mean, Pike and Archer are definitely better if you want to like your job. If you want your employment not to be fatal, Janeway 100%. Pike's Gorn episodes and possible future with the Romulans lost more than 7yrs with Janeway in the Delta Quadrant. Archer lost more crew in one season against the Xindi than Janeway did crossing dozens of hostile species' space (including the Borg and 8472).
Captain James T Kirk was the James Bond of Star Trek. He saved the world countless times BUT still made time for all the Women. How he doesn't have like 10 kids of various species is mind blowing lol
I joke with my friends that half the member-worlds of the Federation only joined because of the overly-complicated child-support laws and their princesses needing support from Kirk.
Shaw is my fav. He is a good capt b/c he has made his decisions on what he has seen. Nobody questions Kirk's hatred for the Klingons.. but Shaw's hatred for the Borg and Locutus is worng.
Same here. His storylines and episodes were awesome. And he is such a great actor. I looked him up to see if he got into anything else but the last twenty years have been scant. I keep hoping maybe he'll turn up on a future spin-off of Picard or maybe he's given some pivotal role in Discovery. He exists out of time so why not?
Sisko had the unique position, out of any other Starfleet captain, that he couldn't run away. Sisko couldn't say mission accomplished, beam up, and then go to another part of space. DS9 was a fixed point in the universe, where Sisko had to constantly hold his ground. Sisko also had the unique task, due to his mandate from Starfleet and being the Emissary, in always trying to do what was best for Bajor. One of the few times Picard was actually challenged to hold his ground was in "All Good Things...". Janeway, due to the uniqueness of Voyager, was always traveling to find a way home. Kirk could always retreat to the Enterprise. Archer had to hold his ground, kind of, with the Xindi that became some very good drama to watch.
Damn straight, he invented a transporter that is also a time machine, got DS9 in front of the wormhole without ripping itself apart, oversaw the defense upgrades of DS9 and mined the wormhole, preventing Dominion reinforcements until Sisco could make a deal with the Prophets. A bigger contribution to history than even the Boimler Effect itself.
Worf was also promoted to the Rank of Captain, but he probably would have been low on the ranking since he lost the Enterprise E ( I know, It’s not his fault).
I agree. Picard was deliberately anti-Kirk, at least while Roddenberry was still involved with ST:TNG. There were so many course corrections in Voyager that it's a miracle the show runners didn't ruin Janeway. ST:DS9 changed so much when Sisko was promoted, and when Worf joined. ST:Enterprise, thanks to Paramount, stagnated too much. While a lot of folks like Discovery, introducing Captain Pike great to see.
@@Kooster69 Patrick Stewart pushed for Picard to be more physical. Evidently he complain that the problem with Picard early on is that "he doesn't f%^K and he doesn't fight." They fixed that in later seasons. In particular I love the fight he has with Duras' would be assassins. Tough little guy.
@@canalesworks1247 They might have Patrick Stewart regret that, when he had to the Klingon coronation scene. I heard that the Klingon coated weight a ton, and Patrick had to do several takes of that scene.
Lorca was inspiring as a leader. He may have been manipulating the crew to his own selfish ends, but he brought out the best in Stamets, Saru, Tilly and especially Burnham, who had pretty much given up on doing anything productive with her life.
I would have to list Rachel Garret above any and all of these, and for much the same reason that Pike is ranked so highly. She led the Enterprise-C back into a battle *she knew* would get her killed to prevent the Federation from being darkened by war. She knew she would die, and she didn't even hesitate.
If going by the books, then Captain Harriman of the E-B is also pretty good. Sure, the only time we see him on screen, he’s inexperienced and commanding a ship that’s not yet ready for… well… anything until Tuesday. But in the books he’s already experienced and even has archenemies like the Romulan Admiral Vokar. He even leads a classified Starfleet Intelligence mission that turns the tide of negotiations and results in the Treaty of Algeron. At some point, he’s forced into retirement and hands command over to Demora Sulu
Technically, she didn't. She was killed before the C returned. It was her first officer who took the Enterprise C back, although he was basically following her final orders.
Where would you put him on this list? I feel like he combines the tactical brilliance, takes-no-💩 attitude and the loving father nature of The Sisko with the curiosity, diplomacy and wisdom of Picard, so I'd probably slot him in between the two of them.
@@GSBarlev Given that we really only have Best of Both Worlds and his activities as a reactivated captain on Picard Season 3 to choose from there is not much in terms of time but many very fine achievements. This biggest flaw in TNG's writing continuity was in NOT giving him a command after he defeated the Borg cube that destroyed th fleet at Wolf 359. That achievement should have given him command of a Galaxy Class Starship. A better choice, one that was most likely limited by budget, would have been to boot Picard upstairs to admiral, give him a fleet to command, and keep Riker as Captain of the Enterpirse. New characters could have been added and the show could have been expanded. As fine as seasons 4 through 7 were Riker's character is unfairly punished by keeping him trapped as first officer. The dude loved Deanna too much for his own good, which was his greatest career flaw. I'd rank as at very least third on this list.
I think it needs to be taken in to consideration that Janeway had probably the most inexperienced and junior crew, crew that didn’t even get out of Starfleet Academy and crew that had no training at all and it was her first captaincy. I think she did freaking amazingly.
Plus, she was _alone_ out in the delta quadrant. No help or allies, no places to dock for ship repairs. It was just her and her crew. And her crew wasn’t even all star fleet, half of it was maquis (considered terrorists by the federation), and she had to make sure they all worked together quickly and not destroy one another. She’s an incredible captain.
It's a pretty good list. I agree with the bottom ones up through 6. 5) Archer - He doesn't really stand out when compared to the other captains on the list. 4) SIsko - The man attempted genocide to catch one single fugitive. He did a lot of good things, but he was also willing to go way too far. 3) Janeway - She was put into an impossible position, and while she did some things that weren't great, she was able to get her people home safely, with minimal violations of her Starfleet oaths. 2) Picard - I agree with this placement. 1) Pike - This is the captain I would want to serve under. He is the model of what a good captain should be - decisive, clever, smart, but also compassionate, empathetic, and someone who knows how to listen. And the fact that he knows his fate, willingly accepts it, and puts the good of everyone else over his own - that is true strength of character.
DS9 is undoubtedly my favorite series. Cisco is an unrivaled badass and my FAVORITE captain. However, if you're looking for the BEST STARFLEET captain, you have to give the honor to Picard.
She probably shouldn't be on the list at all, considering how much of the time she didn't even need a ship or a crew to save all life and all existence, every season. The aliens from season 4 were BS as well, we're supposed to believe they somehow don't know destroying entire star systems and killing billions for small amounts of special ore was wrong until she told them, despite them be paranoid isolationists because they experienced a disaster on one of their planets in the past. Oof.
Thanks for the great video. I agree with most of your rankings, though I would rank Archer a few spots lower, I also strongly disagree with your comment that Sisko made a mistake in the Pale Moonlight. It was a brilliant move that probably saved the Federation from defeat.
Karhryn Janeway deserves more credit - she NEVER had help from Starfleet (except a few episodes in the final season) had to deal with unknown species and unknown territory, phenomena. More first contacts. Some bad decisions but she rendered The Borg feckless in Endgame and she had to deal with Neelix every day☮️🖖
LOVE it! Sisko was my vote for best captain, too. Despite Picard's accolades and accomplishments, I agree that Sisko should be number one on this list.
I would KILL for a Lorca spinoff, with Prime Lorca surviving throughout the Mirror universe...with no promise of his return. Truly one of my favourite characters, and his good/prime character has so much potential! But I'm biased in the fanbase minority, in that I still love the ship design and color schemes of the Disco universe
Not available for consideration (apparently): Riker, Spock, April, Garrett, Harriman, Sulu, and literally every other significant captain in the franchise.
@@jhutfre4855 Jellico was a horrible captain who was given a great crew. He alienated the best pilot on the ship, and then insulted him when he went to ask him to carry out his plan. If Riker were as poor an officer as Jellico and his fans accuse him of being he would have let the insult get in the way. Instead he cleared the air, gave as good as he got and carried out the mission anyway, thus serving starfleet, saving Picard, besting the Cardassians and showing up Jellico in the process.
So..... how is Riker not on this list? He was captain of the Titan, we saw him on Lower Decks and Picard. How can you include 2 cartoon characters on this list and not Will!
If you want to talk about the worst Captain in Star Fleet take a look at Captain John Harriman. He's given a ship that doesn't have a medical crew, tractor beam or photon torpedoes installed until another day and he clearly doesn't know what he's doing.
Guess he's not considered a mainline Captain as he has only been shown onscreen as a Captain four or five times in universe counting BOBW's , ending of Nemesis and randomly popping up in Lower Decks.
Also, they are some missing captains that need to be addressed From TOS (both TV and movies): Especially Captains Spock, Sulu, Terrell, but even Captain Tracy And perhaps most importantly, Captain Dunsell
Don't forget Captain Jellicoe from TNG (Chain of Command). Riker may not have liked him, but he was actually a very good captain. Nowhere near the top, but definitely higher than Burnham, Lorca, and Freeman.
you know I went back and forth about this but still chose Sisko in the end for one reason, SIsko was willing to admit he did something wrong, but Picard never took responsibility for allowing the drum head trials to go on aboard his ship which cost Crewman Tarses his job. having Romulan ancestry is not reason enough to cost a person their dream and lively hood all on the strength of telepathic evidence no less which should not have been admissible in the first place. sure he finally confronted Admiral Satie and put an end to the trials but he didn't fight for Tarses as hard as he fought for Data and that always annoyed me.
I'd probably roll with Sisco at #1 if he didn't poison an entire planet to capture Michael Eddington. If you have any biology background, you know this was probably an extinction-level event on-par with the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs.
The only reason Freeman is low on the list is because she's not a 'main' character captain. She's better than a lot of others on this list and should be a lot higher. She's better than Janeway and Kirk, maybe second only to Picard. I guess being judged by a couple of episodes when she was intended originally to be a 'bad boss' caricature is all people will focus on, especially when they already have their favorite captains in mind for a subjective list like this.
@@jaybeeeasy He'd be my number 1 pick. Especially if a battle was at stake. But I can also acknowledge that cases can be made for both Picard and Sisko. But 6th?!?! No way.
I admit I cheated and scrolled to near the end and when I saw Picard at two, I - foolishly- thought that meant Kirk would be number one. I’m too old for this list. 😀
I can't go with Sisko over Picard. As much as I like Sisko overall, I can't forgive his dropping his ethics in allowing the Romulan leader to be killed to encourage them to fight in the war on Starfleet's side. Picard would have never done that, and he had many "opportunities" to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Touch call overall, but I have to stick with Picard.
I always like to separate my captains when choosing the best; between how their developmental arcs are written vs their actual command styles were I to serve under one, so for me; Sisko without doubt has the best written arc but for captain with the best command style; absolutely Strange New Pike.
I'm sure this will be a very non-contentious list with absolutely no childish arguments in the comments. EDIT Huh, I pretty much agree with this entire list... that almost never happens! Awesome job, TrekCulture!
Yes. My grandad said never to discuss politics or religion. But I have to add one more subject to that list. Who is the best Star Trek (uh, Starfleet, sorry) Captain, and how do they all rank in comparison with each other.
Janeway literally kept the Federation way of life alive on the other side of the galaxy for 7 years without the help of any other starbase or ship of Starfleet. She'll always be #1 in my eyes.
Picard #1. By the way you said all captains and there are a few that did show up in the shows missing. Garret and Riker at least should have been in this list! Garret was instrumental in creating peace with the Klingons and Riker did face Locutus head on, was the master planner of Picard’s rescue from the Borg (being praised by Picard himself afterwards), and saved the Cerritos.
I mostly agree with your list but Burnham should be way lower. She deserves more court martials than she got for all her mutinous actions and rule breaking. She’s the most un-Starfleet-like captain ever with her continuous mental breakdowns and highly emotional behaviour. Her personal relationship with Book played a way too great part in the situation with the DMA, which is highly unprofessional. That is in no way the behaviour of a Starfleet captain, who has to be the best role model at all times, in the semi-military organisation that is Starfleet. Not to mention the fact that she doesn’t even know which end of a phaser should be pointed forward.
Burnham should have been at the bottom of the list. There is no way Kirk was below Janeway or Sisko. Picard should be at the top of the list, behind him Archer then Kirk.
I'd pick Janeway as #1, or at least move her up a few notches. She got dumped halfway across the galaxy and still got her ship and crew (including half them Maquis) home in one piece. Plus she gave the finger to both Q and the Time Police. Not to mention preventing the contamination the Alpha Quadrant with Neelix.
Pike has become my favorite captain. Edged out Sisko. I haven't seen Discovery so it's just 15 episodes but what a great 15 episodes it's been. He's so nice, with a strong moral compass and properly interprets the Prime Directive! Archer was not good for too much of the first 2 seasons. But he did improve. Janeway has some issues with inconsistent writing and the opening premise of the show hurt since it was a bad way to handle it. Picard was too grumpy in the early seasons. Sisko and Pike have been the most consistently high. As long as Eddington isn't around....
Picard should be > Sisko who is a good strategist and tactician, but not a good Star Fleet Captain, and when "all Captains" are ranked, and you even count Lorca, there are missing some. Riker, Sulu, Spock for Example.
Ah, you zigged when I thought you'd zag. I agree with it. When I was younger, I'd have picked #2, but after growing up and learning about what the real world is, #1 all the way. Not even a question. A Captain's Captain.
I agree and to me Sisko not only the First Black Captain But one of the BEST Captains EVER I loved him on DEEP SPACE 9 and he is a one that inspires So many to seek out the Final Frontier including me
He's not "one of the best," in my opinion. He is absolutely the best, just as DS9 was the best series. There are many weak episodes in the other series, but DS9 has few!
That was interesting to see, always entertaining to hear other Star Trek folks take on the ranking of Captains. You bring up some valid points on all your choices. For me, as an old school Trek fan, Kirk will and always shall be first on my list. I understand younger Trek fans may not find the appeal of Kirk's captaincy but as one ages and has to navigate real living among other humans in life, Kirk grows in appeal and relevancy. I do like Janeway alot, but she is a bit of a hot mess from the ptsd of her dilemma in the Delta quadrant. I understand your choice for Sisko as number one, but he does have a bit of an advantage as part demi god (maybe that's why he could take Q out in one punch and Q left him alone thereafter.) I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Picard, if that makes any sense LOL. Pike is really growing on me, right now he is my number two choice. Would have loved to see Shaw's captaincy expanded, gone too soon. Archer is admirable, glad he left the legacy he did for Starfleet. Never watched Discovery so can't comment on those choices. All in all, an interesting topic among Trek fans that never gets old :)
I'm a Gen Xer who watched all of the series, and I definitely agree with the choice of Sisko (and DS9 was my favorite of the series). Of course I idolized Kirk when I was 9, but some of his qualities didn't really age well.
After a long-hard-day's battle, You could sit down with Captain Sisko for a warm bowl of homemade Jambalaya he made for the troops. You can't do that with anyone else. That's not one bowl but two bowls for Captain Sisko....🥣🥣
Sisko tricking the Romulans, that episode is the best of ANY in the Star Trek franchise. It's no wonder that Avery Brooks is a college theater arts teacher. Problematic or not, it was nothing short of operatic.
Either I am going insane, my hearing is going wonky, or Sean accidentally stated the Enterprise's registry number as "SCC-1701" in the James Kirk entry... Sadly, I can't tell which of the three options is most likely cause I do feel at times that I am going insane, I sometimes mishear what is said, and Sean is actually a human and can make the most simple of mistakes.
You left out possibly Sisko's most important accomplishment. Keeping the changelings and earth itself, from caving to fear and undoing the world that it had become.
I always agree with your list Trek culture but you have gone and done it this time! How can you put Sisko above Picard?!?! I’m outraged! I demand a recount
Picard may have saved the Federation, but he also put it at serious risk. Sisko was never the inciting agent for the problems in front of him, and he saved several galactic civilizations in addition to the Federation. Also, he decked Q and didn't put up with his crap, a choice that proved far more effective for the good of the Federation than Picard's relationship with Q.
@@chrisblake4198the only time Q caused issues for the Federation was the first season. All of his actions afterwards were beneficial or neutral for the Federation
I've told many friends that if SNW follows the trend of the first two seasons being rough and the rest being markedly better, SNW will become the best Trek.
One thing Kirk doesn't get credit for is how personally he takes the deaths of those under his command, yet still holding the lives of those responsible as sacred. Any time someone dies under his command, you can see the pain. The pain was never worse than when his son was killed. He had to sacrifice his own ship, his home for decades, to save his crew and give them a chance to live. Had Kruge not insisted on fighting Kirk to the death, Kirk would have shown him mercy, not wanting anyone else to die that day. I also feel like Captain Freeman deserves a higher spot, especially after the finale of Season 3. When the Texas class ships began attacking the station and were able to disable a Sovereign class ship in moments, she took advantage of the "daddy issues" of the AI systems that controlled them to lure the ships away. She leaned on the expertise of her crew and, thanks to "Bold Boimler" and Shaxs, they managed to turn the tide and destroy 2/3 of the ships. But what truly saved the day was that Captain Freeman and the crew took it upon themselves to try to save the California class. The Cerritos had gained a reputation for their adventures over the years and their crew was admired by the other California class crews, and they were more than willing to fight alongside what they've come to see as the flagship of the support vessels. Captain Freeman does need to get her ego under control, but she IS learning to be a better Captain and a better mother.
I have serious problems with this list like James T. Kirk at six (really) My question is, what about Seven? You gave some spots to cartoon characters. I have not watched them, but I can't imagine you didn't give Seven some type of mention. Granted, when she helped save the galaxy she was still only a commander. And then, C'mon man, everybody was jacked when she become captain of the Enterprise G. And then everyone was left wondering what catch phrase she used for her first order to go to warp. If we ever get Legacy (which I sadly doubt, due to things) Seven will kick ass. She'll take no prisoners and be a great mommy figure to the crew. If you can't tell, I'm still in love with her and I'm 56, which is her age as well.
They also missed April, Spock, Sulu, Rachel Garrett, Jellicoe, and Riker - and Chakotay probably should get a mention as he captained the Marquis ship - which seems to be about as much as the cartoons did to get on this list. Probably more, these are just the missing ones off the top of my head.
This is a good list, well argued, with some bold choices. Was wondering where Kirk would wind up. I like where you have him. Wanted to see Pike higher. Could by recency bias, but I just love Anson Mount’s Pike. Here’s my personal arrangement: Lorca, Dal R'El, Freeman, Shaw, Rios, Saru, Burnham, Georgiou, Janeway, Kirk, Archer, Sisko, Picard, Pike
That’s a good list of captains. You forgot one captain. Captain Spock of the enterprise. Where were he rank on your list mark I know in Cannon. We don’t know a whole lot about his captaincy but he was still a captain of the enterprise. Along with Captain William Decker, Captain The enterprises refit. And don't we forget Captain William Riker of the enterprise for a while, and then Captain of The, USS, Titan. Captain Benjamin Cisco should be number one on this list and I agree with that but you forgot to mention his revenge factor when he went to capture Michael Eddington, and what he did to that marquee. Planet was terrible and uncalled for. Bad ass though, but uncalled for.
If you want to stop a war, send Picard.
If you want to end a war, send Sisko.
well said!
Agreed.
If you want to start a war send burnam
If you want to start a war, send Buhrnam
If you want someone to commit war crimes, send Sisko.
Kirk's demotion back to captain wasn't a punishment. He was miserable not being able to command a ship making him a captain was most definitely a reward for saving the life of everyone on earth from the probe. He said it himself, "Don't let them take you out of that chair, once you lose it you never get it back."
Agreed, that's exactly how I read it too. The man was made for exploration, putting him behind a desk was a grave mistake.
Hear hear!
It was both. He stole a starship. Starfleet couldn't let that go. They needed to punish him on paper. But he also saved Earth, so they couldn't just imprison or discharge him. This was a way to give him something he wanted, but still "punish" him.
The top 6 greatest Starfleet captains of all time are IMO are 1.James T Kirk. 2. Jean-Luc Picard. 3 Benjamin Sisko. 4. Katheryn Janeway. 5. Christopher Pike. 6.Jonathan Archer w/ an honorable mention Robert April. Now there's not a lot of history about Robert April but who really cares.
Don't let them promote you. don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you're there you can make a difference
The impressive thing about Janeway is her ability to manifest torpedoes and shuttles out of nothing,
😂 the delta flyers podcast (Tom Paris/Harry Kim actor's going through Voyager episodes) talk about this all the time. They actually counted from S1 how many torpedoes they should have after being stranded and how the show has went over that amount loads of times.
Amateurs discuss tactics. Professionals know logistics.
That's what industrial replicators are, can replicate everything but the fule and the dylitheum ( I beleve)
@@simonupton-millard Dilithium, latinum, and a few other things cant be replicated, yeah.
I doubt Harry Kim would vote for her though lol.
In reality Janeway is the most accomplished on this list. She svaed the galaxy from galactic genocide at the hands of 8472, she made more first contacts than any other Captain since Kirk, explored the Delta Quadrant successfully and tunred a 75 year trip into a 7 year one, was then promoted to Admiral, she's stated as one of the most decorated officers in all Starfleet history and is a very esteemed Admiral. Her captaincy of Voyager was so legendary that Starfleet has carried the name Voyager forward for over 800 years. She's remembered all the way in the 32nd century with a starship having been named in her honor. She's a Starfleet legend whose name literally went down in history and is remembered centuries later.
If only they could have shown us why she might be deserving of those honours more often.
@@MalloonTarka I already listed some...
I watched a few episodes and looked over the scripts of Voyager. My opinion on Janeway is not good.
She killed the Ocampas (under the caretaker's protection). She destroyed the technology that allowed the Ocampas to be safe, but that destroyed their way of life. She left them to die instead of taking a few months to help them get back on their feet.
Chose to antagonize the two Ferengi who were exploiting a pre-warp civilization. Due to her actions, the two Ferengi enter the wormhole that was a one-way trip back home. The worst thing about that episode was that the Ferengi weren't doing anything bad.
Started a Q-civil war, which caused countless supernovas. Which probably killed a lot of innocent civilians.
Admiral Janeway literally broke the most important rule in the Temporal Directive. Don't willing time travel! All for what to get a 'better' future where things were already good?
Finally, the thing that pisses me off is that she never promotes Kim!
I'll admit that most of Janeway's flaws came down to the writing of her character and the show in general. But if you look at her actions from an outside and objectionable manner she is not a good captain.
@@zillagrilla315 This may be a result of you not looking closely enough at the scripts or not having the appropriate context but this is inaccurate.
She didn't kill the Ocampa. The Caretaker was dying and soon wouldn't be able to take care of the Ocampa. Once dead, the Kazon could have then turned the device on the Ocampa or used its advanced technology to commit a number of atrocities. It had to be destroyed. Also, once the Caretaker knew he was dying, he supplied the Ocampa with enough energy reserves to last 5 years. They were set for a good while. Voyager staying would have been moot, and waiting around for five years would have been untenable. It wasn't Voyager's responsibility to care for this entire civilization as even the Caretaker himself realized because it was making them dependent on him instead of standing on their own two feet as a civilization.
The Ferengi were absolutely doing something wrong. They were manipulating the inhabitants of that planet into believing they were holy figures and furthermore they kept the people in abject poverty while living in luxury. They were destabilizing this society, and we're downright mistreating these people and Janeway rightfully stopped them. Further the Federation was partially responsible for the situation and as such rightly rectified the situation.
She didn't start the Q civil war. The war was about the differing ideologies between those who believed in Quinn's teachings and those who promoted the status quo. Before Quinn killed himself, Janeway heard his request for asylum. As a Starfleet captain she was required to hear his case and see if it warranted asylum which his case did and therefore she granted it.
The future Admiral Janeway is not the same character we're discussing. She was the Janeway of an alternate timeline. Further, some of Starfleet's most legendary officers have violated the temporal prime directive or even the most prominent of Starfleet's directives, the Prime Directive. Starfleet's cardinal protocol. Literally referred to as General Order 1. If breaking either of those directives makes one a bad Captain then most of Starfleet's most well regarded officers are bad Captains as well. Picard, Kirk, Sisko. Heck Picard violated the prime directive over 9 times by the time of season 4.
So no, in the final analysis, she objectively isn't a bad Captain by any stretch of the imagination. She is one of the most decorated officers in all Starfleet history and for good reason. I'd suggest taking a closer look at Voyager.
Janeway was boring.
I think Kirk was a little low considering the amount of times he saved the Earth and ended the facilitated the ending of the war. While he violated Star Fleet regulations the means never outweighed the ends in those situations.
Did he facilitate the ending of a war? Sure, he helped facilitate the Khitomer Accords (or at least prevented someone else from screwing them up), but the Klingons and Federation weren't at war (just unfriendly neighbors) at that point.
And some of those temporal incidents were apporoved by starfleet so can't count
@@paulrasmussen8953 Approved, or accepted? Like, did they give him a thumbs up or shrug because trying to change the changes can lead to further changes...?
(Outside, perhaps, of the Humpback Whale rescue- though I have this feeling Scotty got a special talking to.)
@@Sephiroth144 approved. The gary seven event was done by order of starfleet
@@paulrasmussen8953 And that is mentioned where? (Let alone the 15 other (known) temporal violation "approvals"?)
Seriously seems weird the Time Cops thought he was a menace if every( time )thing he did was given a Seal of Approval.
I'm loving SNW's Pike. He's a brilliant, generous captain who's accepted his own tragic fate with astonishing aplomb. Once we get a few more seasons of his excellence he'll easily be in the top 3. Pike, Sisko and Picard are as tightly packed as a neutron star.
But it's still Sisko #1 by a Planck length.
Is only issue is the universe he is in
Im not into Pike. He's more like a ship's counselor that a Captain
Nice to see Archer get a little love, I feel he gets the short end of the stick from most folks that simply gave up on Enterprise too early.
A lot of dislike for ST:Enterprise should go to Paramount. Paramount didn't trust the initial direction of the series, which was to spend a year on Earth, while the NX-01 was upgraded after the Kronos mission. I found it silly that Paramount mandated that the NX-01 go out into space...when the NX-01 wasn't fully equipped to handle what was out there in space. Paramount sending the NX-01 into space is even sillier than the joke about the Enterprise-B not equipped with a tractor beam.
Archer would have been my #1.
@@Fitz_42 I don't think he's the best but I believe he's the most important to the mythology of Star Trek
@@Fitz_42 Mine too. As a 30 year Army officer who's watched real military leaders in action on a daily basis, Archer was a bit of a prick, a bit of a badass, but always put his people and his mission first.
If only we could got the Romulan War arc that supposedly was going to be the next season. It would take effort to land that arc, but they had done well with the conflict vs Romulans. Archer would be the under-dog commander/diplomat in contrast to Sisko the commander and Picard the diplomat, when the Federation was strong.
For me, Picard and Sisko are very different captains for very different periods. Picard was the perfect captain for the Golden Era of peace; a diplomat and explorer who knew when to stand his ground, when to placate but also when to fight. Sisko is a captain of war; he will make those hard choices and sacrifices, he will perform necessary evils to ensure the survival of the entire quadrant without hesitation and he will motivate those around him to fight to the bitter end, but never lost his ability to care about people and knew when it was time to make the peace he fought for.
I agree Sisko getting the No.1 spot because he did make those sacrifices that literally saved the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion.
A very good point.
A really good way to put it!
Sisko and his arrogance was the reason the Alpha quadrant went to war. When they first encountered the Dominion they were told not to enter Dominion territory. Would Sisko accept that? No he wouldn't. Then when the Dominion aligned with the Cardasions and sent ships to the alpha quadrant sisko got butt hurt because he didn't want them there so he mined the wormhole. So in other words sisko wouldn't be told he couldn't go somewhere but was happy to tell others they couldn't come here so to speak
Of all the Captains, the only one I’d want to serve under is Archer. Because if you got in a sticky situation, Archer would first save you, then have your back.
You are talking about "Decontamination Gel".. right?
actually, I think Sisko and Rios would also come through much like Archer.
Pike would be my choice. Too few bosses are like him.
Given how Archer was forced to deal with most situation without the backing of a strong Federation on his back, forcing him to de-facto set the standard for everyone who came after him, even when he came to deal with the Xindi war...Archer is also defnitely my choice, the man wasn't the best, but it was perfect for his era, the man needed when push had to be taken and horizons to explore
I mean, Pike and Archer are definitely better if you want to like your job. If you want your employment not to be fatal, Janeway 100%. Pike's Gorn episodes and possible future with the Romulans lost more than 7yrs with Janeway in the Delta
Quadrant. Archer lost more crew in one season against the Xindi than Janeway did crossing dozens of hostile species' space (including the Borg and 8472).
Captain James T Kirk was the James Bond of Star Trek. He saved the world countless times BUT still made time for all the Women. How he doesn't have like 10 kids of various species is mind blowing lol
I joke with my friends that half the member-worlds of the Federation only joined because of the overly-complicated child-support laws and their princesses needing support from Kirk.
There is a great fake law firm commercial going around where they are soliciting women for paternity suits against Kirk.
There's really only one answer for that: Kirk got himself fixed before taking command of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
He probably did, there's nothing that says his only kid was the one from Wrath of Khan.
@@Kooster69 The space-snip!
A shame we never saw more of Shaw, because he was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
If I was in starfleet I would want to to serve under a captain who wants to keep their crew safe.
Perhaps a Shaw Prequel mini series? They did it with Pike so why not????
Shaw is my fav. He is a good capt b/c he has made his decisions on what he has seen. Nobody questions Kirk's hatred for the Klingons.. but Shaw's hatred for the Borg and Locutus is worng.
@@c.a.nixiii4650 Would love it!
despite the fact that he is indeed a dipshit from Chicago
So good to see Sisko get credit he deserves! He is my favorite captain.
My answer to the old question, "Who's the better captain, Kirk or Picard?" I would always answer Sisko.
Sisko is my favorite as well.
Same here. His storylines and episodes were awesome. And he is such a great actor. I looked him up to see if he got into anything else but the last twenty years have been scant. I keep hoping maybe he'll turn up on a future spin-off of Picard or maybe he's given some pivotal role in Discovery. He exists out of time so why not?
Hands down Sisko has and will always be the best of the trek captains!
Sisko had the unique position, out of any other Starfleet captain, that he couldn't run away. Sisko couldn't say mission accomplished, beam up, and then go to another part of space. DS9 was a fixed point in the universe, where Sisko had to constantly hold his ground. Sisko also had the unique task, due to his mandate from Starfleet and being the Emissary, in always trying to do what was best for Bajor.
One of the few times Picard was actually challenged to hold his ground was in "All Good Things...". Janeway, due to the uniqueness of Voyager, was always traveling to find a way home. Kirk could always retreat to the Enterprise. Archer had to hold his ground, kind of, with the Xindi that became some very good drama to watch.
The top two captains also had Miles O'Brien, the most significant man in star fleet history to Aid them.
Damn straight, he invented a transporter that is also a time machine, got DS9 in front of the wormhole without ripping itself apart, oversaw the defense upgrades of DS9 and mined the wormhole, preventing Dominion reinforcements until Sisco could make a deal with the Prophets. A bigger contribution to history than even the Boimler Effect itself.
I wish Riker was included in this list. Hopefully in Star Trek Legacy will see the captaincy of Seven of Nine, so she'll be included in future list.
Worf was also promoted to the Rank of Captain, but he probably would have been low on the ranking since he lost the Enterprise E ( I know, It’s not his fault).
Id love to see a list of all the non main captains we meet in star trek (Ransom, Maxwell...Riker...etc)
I'd like a series of Short Treks for them. Especially Bateson.
@@drewf41 Master?
Ransom was NOT a 'captain'!
@@DMSProduktionsWhat? Rudy Ransom was the Captain of the USS Equinox.
@@DMSProduktions ??
My guy is SISKO. He Pimp slapped Q, one time and Q was never seen at DS9 since. Once the BORG heard what SISKO did THEY never went to DS9
They were too busy dealing with one annoying ship that kept stinging them and eventually blew up their shit
Kirk is number one for me. He is severely underrated and is the template, sixties writing notwithstanding..
I agree. Picard was deliberately anti-Kirk, at least while Roddenberry was still involved with ST:TNG. There were so many course corrections in Voyager that it's a miracle the show runners didn't ruin Janeway. ST:DS9 changed so much when Sisko was promoted, and when Worf joined. ST:Enterprise, thanks to Paramount, stagnated too much. While a lot of folks like Discovery, introducing Captain Pike great to see.
@@Kooster69 Patrick Stewart pushed for Picard to be more physical. Evidently he complain that the problem with Picard early on is that "he doesn't f%^K and he doesn't fight." They fixed that in later seasons. In particular I love the fight he has with Duras' would be assassins. Tough little guy.
@@canalesworks1247 They might have Patrick Stewart regret that, when he had to the Klingon coronation scene. I heard that the Klingon coated weight a ton, and Patrick had to do several takes of that scene.
Kirk got better in the films.
Picard got worse, before jumping off the cliff in his own spin off show.
Lorca is one of my favourite captains, though I preferred him when he was just a soldier suffering from survivor's guilt.
I agree. As captain he was just kinda there, as a tragic figure? Wonderful
I keep hoping they'll bring him back as a villain, he's just too good and Jason Isaacs is a huge star trek fan.
Agreed. Had they not done the whole evil counterpart imposter BS discovery would have been alot better
@@--Animal-- I hope they bring the Prime Lorca back in the Section 31 show. Yeoh and Isaacs on the same show was amazing.
Lorca was inspiring as a leader. He may have been manipulating the crew to his own selfish ends, but he brought out the best in Stamets, Saru, Tilly and especially Burnham, who had pretty much given up on doing anything productive with her life.
Janeway technically has the highest survival rate. She needs to be higher on the list
She lost half her crew in the first episode.
Sisko is kinda immortal now
I would have to list Rachel Garret above any and all of these, and for much the same reason that Pike is ranked so highly. She led the Enterprise-C back into a battle *she knew* would get her killed to prevent the Federation from being darkened by war. She knew she would die, and she didn't even hesitate.
If going by the books, then Captain Harriman of the E-B is also pretty good. Sure, the only time we see him on screen, he’s inexperienced and commanding a ship that’s not yet ready for… well… anything until Tuesday. But in the books he’s already experienced and even has archenemies like the Romulan Admiral Vokar. He even leads a classified Starfleet Intelligence mission that turns the tide of negotiations and results in the Treaty of Algeron. At some point, he’s forced into retirement and hands command over to Demora Sulu
James Tiberius is way too fucking low. Trek Culture has truly disappointed me. Pike higher than Kirk. FOH
Technically, she didn't. She was killed before the C returned. It was her first officer who took the Enterprise C back, although he was basically following her final orders.
@@kekkomartin5848 well, he eats pieces of shit for breakfast, so…
YES! I literally watched this vid then put on yesterday's enterprise. Castillo just said "I mean, my enterprise".
I think we have seen more than enough of Captain Riker to add to this list.
Give me warp in the factor of 5, 6, 7, 8!
Where would you put him on this list? I feel like he combines the tactical brilliance, takes-no-💩 attitude and the loving father nature of The Sisko with the curiosity, diplomacy and wisdom of Picard, so I'd probably slot him in between the two of them.
@@GSBarlev Given that we really only have Best of Both Worlds and his activities as a reactivated captain on Picard Season 3 to choose from there is not much in terms of time but many very fine achievements.
This biggest flaw in TNG's writing continuity was in NOT giving him a command after he defeated the Borg cube that destroyed th fleet at Wolf 359. That achievement should have given him command of a Galaxy Class Starship. A better choice, one that was most likely limited by budget, would have been to boot Picard upstairs to admiral, give him a fleet to command, and keep Riker as Captain of the Enterpirse. New characters could have been added and the show could have been expanded. As fine as seasons 4 through 7 were Riker's character is unfairly punished by keeping him trapped as first officer. The dude loved Deanna too much for his own good, which was his greatest career flaw.
I'd rank as at very least third on this list.
I think it needs to be taken in to consideration that Janeway had probably the most inexperienced and junior crew, crew that didn’t even get out of Starfleet Academy and crew that had no training at all and it was her first captaincy. I think she did freaking amazingly.
she is a women and you have no idea what is it like for women
Plus, she was _alone_ out in the delta quadrant. No help or allies, no places to dock for ship repairs. It was just her and her crew. And her crew wasn’t even all star fleet, half of it was maquis (considered terrorists by the federation), and she had to make sure they all worked together quickly and not destroy one another. She’s an incredible captain.
@ well it was only 30 Maquis but yes. I love Janeway
Kirk at 7?? The Captain that defined all of Star Trek for decades at 7?? The Sisko, Picard and Kirk for joint first place!
It's a pretty good list. I agree with the bottom ones up through 6.
5) Archer - He doesn't really stand out when compared to the other captains on the list.
4) SIsko - The man attempted genocide to catch one single fugitive. He did a lot of good things, but he was also willing to go way too far.
3) Janeway - She was put into an impossible position, and while she did some things that weren't great, she was able to get her people home safely, with minimal violations of her Starfleet oaths.
2) Picard - I agree with this placement.
1) Pike - This is the captain I would want to serve under. He is the model of what a good captain should be - decisive, clever, smart, but also compassionate, empathetic, and someone who knows how to listen. And the fact that he knows his fate, willingly accepts it, and puts the good of everyone else over his own - that is true strength of character.
I agree with this order, especially 3-2-1.
DS9 is undoubtedly my favorite series. Cisco is an unrivaled badass and my FAVORITE captain. However, if you're looking for the BEST STARFLEET captain, you have to give the honor to Picard.
lets also not forget the only captian to actually go fisticuffs with Q
Pretty spot on with how I feel about the Captains too.... The only exception, I think Burnham should have been lower on the list.
Burnham should be right below Commodore Decker, who beamed his crew to a planet surface when fighting a planet-eating machine.
She probably shouldn't be on the list at all, considering how much of the time she didn't even need a ship or a crew to save all life and all existence, every season. The aliens from season 4 were BS as well, we're supposed to believe they somehow don't know destroying entire star systems and killing billions for small amounts of special ore was wrong until she told them, despite them be paranoid isolationists because they experienced a disaster on one of their planets in the past. Oof.
I agree. I would rank Burnham higher than Lorca, but only barely higher, and lower than everyone else.
I love Picard, Sisko and Janeway. That period of Star Trek was absolutely magical and I wish that modern shows could recapture this...
The golden age of Berman era Trek
Lower Decks is doing a good job of it.
Have you not seen Strange New Worlds? Anson Mount is on his way to becoming one of the most beloved captains in all of Star Trek.
@@johnchedsey1306 This. Pike is amazing. Hell he was amazing right from his intro in Discovery but really shines in his own series.
@@johnchedsey1306 Agreed. That show is great.
Thanks for the great video. I agree with most of your rankings, though I would rank Archer a few spots lower, I also strongly disagree with your comment that Sisko made a mistake in the Pale Moonlight. It was a brilliant move that probably saved the Federation from defeat.
I think the way he got carried away fighting the Maquis was the bigger problem.
Karhryn Janeway deserves more credit - she NEVER had help from Starfleet (except a few episodes in the final season) had to deal with unknown species and unknown territory, phenomena. More first contacts. Some bad decisions but she rendered The Borg feckless in Endgame and she had to deal with Neelix every day☮️🖖
She deserves an extra medal just for not blowing Neelix out of an airlock. 🤣
Don't forget the Doctor's psychological issues and people second-guessing her every two steps.
@@wahn10 so very true and quite witty
@@Blodhelm that’s true about The Doctor, quite a weight on her shoulders😆😆
@wahn10 seriously I would've airlocked the space rat sometime around season 2
LOVE it! Sisko was my vote for best captain, too. Despite Picard's accolades and accomplishments, I agree that Sisko should be number one on this list.
I would KILL for a Lorca spinoff, with Prime Lorca surviving throughout the Mirror universe...with no promise of his return. Truly one of my favourite characters, and his good/prime character has so much potential!
But I'm biased in the fanbase minority, in that I still love the ship design and color schemes of the Disco universe
Not available for consideration (apparently): Riker, Spock, April, Garrett, Harriman, Sulu, and literally every other significant captain in the franchise.
Jericho
@@jhutfre4855 Jellico was a horrible captain who was given a great crew. He alienated the best pilot on the ship, and then insulted him when he went to ask him to carry out his plan. If Riker were as poor an officer as Jellico and his fans accuse him of being he would have let the insult get in the way. Instead he cleared the air, gave as good as he got and carried out the mission anyway, thus serving starfleet, saving Picard, besting the Cardassians and showing up Jellico in the process.
I thought for sure #1 and #2 would’ve been in opposite positions. Great list.
So..... how is Riker not on this list? He was captain of the Titan, we saw him on Lower Decks and Picard. How can you include 2 cartoon characters on this list and not Will!
If you want to talk about the worst Captain in Star Fleet take a look at Captain John Harriman. He's given a ship that doesn't have a medical crew, tractor beam or photon torpedoes installed until another day and he clearly doesn't know what he's doing.
I would have thought Riker would have at least had a mention on this list.
Guess he's not considered a mainline Captain as he has only been shown onscreen as a Captain four or five times in universe counting BOBW's , ending of Nemesis and randomly popping up in Lower Decks.
Or Sulu!
Only Captain I'd rank higher is Pike. He really is becoming one of the best
Also, they are some missing captains that need to be addressed
From TOS (both TV and movies):
Especially Captains Spock, Sulu, Terrell, but even Captain Tracy
And perhaps most importantly, Captain Dunsell
I just watched that episode the other day..
Don't forget Captain Jellicoe from TNG (Chain of Command). Riker may not have liked him, but he was actually a very good captain. Nowhere near the top, but definitely higher than Burnham, Lorca, and Freeman.
@@valdar1978 well sure,if you are adding TNG.
I'd place Picard #1 and Sisko #2 if only because of In the Pale Moonlight. Otherwise, that's a solid ranking overall.
you know I went back and forth about this but still chose Sisko in the end for one reason, SIsko was willing to admit he did something wrong, but Picard never took responsibility for allowing the drum head trials to go on aboard his ship which cost Crewman Tarses his job. having Romulan ancestry is not reason enough to cost a person their dream and lively hood all on the strength of telepathic evidence no less which should not have been admissible in the first place. sure he finally confronted Admiral Satie and put an end to the trials but he didn't fight for Tarses as hard as he fought for Data and that always annoyed me.
I'd probably roll with Sisco at #1 if he didn't poison an entire planet to capture Michael Eddington. If you have any biology background, you know this was probably an extinction-level event on-par with the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs.
@@TheHumbleWordsmith good point - heck of a way to call someone's bluff.
The only reason Freeman is low on the list is because she's not a 'main' character captain. She's better than a lot of others on this list and should be a lot higher. She's better than Janeway and Kirk, maybe second only to Picard. I guess being judged by a couple of episodes when she was intended originally to be a 'bad boss' caricature is all people will focus on, especially when they already have their favorite captains in mind for a subjective list like this.
No problem with Sisko at #1, but Kirk at #6 is criminal.
Yup. It kind of makes it hard to take the list seriously. I didn't expect Kirk to be at #1, but #6? That's just wrong.
He should be no less than top 3
@@jaybeeeasy He'd be my number 1 pick. Especially if a battle was at stake. But I can also acknowledge that cases can be made for both Picard and Sisko.
But 6th?!?! No way.
Sisko ,Kirk and Picard for me.
I admit I cheated and scrolled to near the end and when I saw Picard at two, I - foolishly- thought that meant Kirk would be number one.
I’m too old for this list. 😀
I would have loved to see a show centered around the Titan with Captain Shaw.. Missed opportunity right there.
Justice for Shaw!
Way to go, Sean. You put Jonathan Archer high on the list and picked The Sisko as best! 🖖
Great list, but I see few serious captain omissions - Worf, Beverly Crusher, William Riker, Nog
You’re insane. While they were Captains there nothing we hardly know about them as Captains so how can you even rank them??
THANK YOU for rightly placing Saru as the best non-Pike captain of the Disco.
Damn straight about Sisko!! Solid list Sean.
I can't go with Sisko over Picard. As much as I like Sisko overall, I can't forgive his dropping his ethics in allowing the Romulan leader to be killed to encourage them to fight in the war on Starfleet's side. Picard would have never done that, and he had many "opportunities" to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Touch call overall, but I have to stick with Picard.
Nice list for the best captains after Jellico.
And we all know that the best is not a captain, but a Commodore: decker 😌
Jellico is more like the luckiest incompetent captain in starfleet history.
Well, I can't agree with a list where Picard isn't number one but I find quite entertaining the video.
What about Captain Rachel Garrett of the Enterprise C? I think she should have been mentioned.
I always like to separate my captains when choosing the best; between how their developmental arcs are written vs their actual command styles were I to serve under one, so for me; Sisko without doubt has the best written arc but for captain with the best command style; absolutely Strange New Pike.
Absolutely 🔥, I'd say pike is my shepherd 😌
I'm sure this will be a very non-contentious list with absolutely no childish arguments in the comments.
EDIT
Huh, I pretty much agree with this entire list... that almost never happens! Awesome job, TrekCulture!
You are absolutely wrong! So undeniably wrong that.......oh....
Yes. My grandad said never to discuss politics or religion. But I have to add one more subject to that list. Who is the best Star Trek (uh, Starfleet, sorry) Captain, and how do they all rank in comparison with each other.
@@rickjohnston2667
Your grandad is very wise.
Though he probably would hate Star Trek, as that talks about politics and religion all the time 😁
Janeway literally kept the Federation way of life alive on the other side of the galaxy for 7 years without the help of any other starbase or ship of Starfleet. She'll always be #1 in my eyes.
Picard #1. By the way you said all captains and there are a few that did show up in the shows missing. Garret and Riker at least should have been in this list! Garret was instrumental in creating peace with the Klingons and Riker did face Locutus head on, was the master planner of Picard’s rescue from the Borg (being praised by Picard himself afterwards), and saved the Cerritos.
I mostly agree with your list but Burnham should be way lower. She deserves more court martials than she got for all her mutinous actions and rule breaking. She’s the most un-Starfleet-like captain ever with her continuous mental breakdowns and highly emotional behaviour. Her personal relationship with Book played a way too great part in the situation with the DMA, which is highly unprofessional. That is in no way the behaviour of a Starfleet captain, who has to be the best role model at all times, in the semi-military organisation that is Starfleet. Not to mention the fact that she doesn’t even know which end of a phaser should be pointed forward.
Pretty sure it was pointed the right way.
I realize there is no show without it, but god, you can't just sweep "Janeway stranded her crew on the other side of the galaxy" under the rug.
While Picard is forever and always number one on my list, taking second to Sisko is the only alternative I'll accept as fair. Love the list!
t's a tough choice between those two.
Burnham should have been at the bottom of the list. There is no way Kirk was below Janeway or Sisko. Picard should be at the top of the list, behind him Archer then Kirk.
The list is good as it is, archer was garbage
I'd pick Janeway as #1, or at least move her up a few notches. She got dumped halfway across the galaxy and still got her ship and crew (including half them Maquis) home in one piece. Plus she gave the finger to both Q and the Time Police. Not to mention preventing the contamination the Alpha Quadrant with Neelix.
I would too being the only female captain she doesn't get enough credit
Captain James T. Kirk is the greatest captain in the history of the Star Fleet.
Pike has become my favorite captain. Edged out Sisko. I haven't seen Discovery so it's just 15 episodes but what a great 15 episodes it's been. He's so nice, with a strong moral compass and properly interprets the Prime Directive!
Archer was not good for too much of the first 2 seasons. But he did improve. Janeway has some issues with inconsistent writing and the opening premise of the show hurt since it was a bad way to handle it. Picard was too grumpy in the early seasons.
Sisko and Pike have been the most consistently high. As long as Eddington isn't around....
Agree 100%!! I demand a recount! 😉
Have you seen the cage? He’s in that too. That’s the first episode of Star Trek.
How does Archer get higher than Janeway...I don't understand...brutal
Disappointing that Sulu wasn't on the list. Not expecting him to be number one but should have been included in the list.
Michael Burnham was by far the best captain "streaming online" as in streaming tears on every ep. 🤔🤔🤷🏻♂🤷🏻♂🤦🏻♂🤦🏻♂🤣🤣😭😭
ABSOLUTELY and Questioning literally every freaking order 😂
I thought seeing Pike and Janeway below top 3 would be the worst mistake, but then SISKO as number one?! Sean you're out of your mind.
Picard should be > Sisko who is a good strategist and tactician, but not a good Star Fleet Captain, and when "all Captains" are ranked, and you even count Lorca, there are missing some. Riker, Sulu, Spock for Example.
I loved this channel before you put Kirk #6! I can’t even with that lol. He is definitely #1
I would have rejected this entire list if sisko wasnt number 1. I am glad you made the right choice.
Ah, you zigged when I thought you'd zag. I agree with it. When I was younger, I'd have picked #2, but after growing up and learning about what the real world is, #1 all the way. Not even a question. A Captain's Captain.
I agree and to me Sisko not only the First Black Captain But one of the BEST Captains EVER I loved him on DEEP SPACE 9 and he is a one that inspires So many to seek out the Final Frontier including me
He's not "one of the best," in my opinion. He is absolutely the best, just as DS9 was the best series. There are many weak episodes in the other series, but DS9 has few!
@@beverlyrussell8034 - You're disagreeing with how right they are? there's no hope for us at all.
Me getting ready to rage over Kirk being #6:
"Sisko. #1?
Good list."
Missed a few out Captain Riker, Worf, Sulu and Spock spring to mind
Ranking *Mary-Sue* Burnham above Captain Shaw is all kinds of wrong 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
That was interesting to see, always entertaining to hear other Star Trek folks take on the ranking of Captains. You bring up some valid points on all your choices. For me, as an old school Trek fan, Kirk will and always shall be first on my list. I understand younger Trek fans may not find the appeal of Kirk's captaincy but as one ages and has to navigate real living among other humans in life, Kirk grows in appeal and relevancy. I do like Janeway alot, but she is a bit of a hot mess from the ptsd of her dilemma in the Delta quadrant. I understand your choice for Sisko as number one, but he does have a bit of an advantage as part demi god (maybe that's why he could take Q out in one punch and Q left him alone thereafter.) I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Picard, if that makes any sense LOL. Pike is really growing on me, right now he is my number two choice. Would have loved to see Shaw's captaincy expanded, gone too soon. Archer is admirable, glad he left the legacy he did for Starfleet. Never watched Discovery so can't comment on those choices. All in all, an interesting topic among Trek fans that never gets old :)
I'm a Gen Xer who watched all of the series, and I definitely agree with the choice of Sisko (and DS9 was my favorite of the series). Of course I idolized Kirk when I was 9, but some of his qualities didn't really age well.
@@HalfShelli Kirk "bluffed" way too often.
@@canalesworks1247 A gambler he is, you can't deny that ;) And I LOVE GAMBLERS~!
Great video! But you missed Captain Ransom of the USS Equinox…
I think Captain Garrett should have gotten an honorable mention.
So happy to see Archer in the Top 3!
After a long-hard-day's battle, You could sit down with Captain Sisko for a warm bowl of homemade Jambalaya he made for the troops.
You can't do that with anyone else. That's not one bowl but two bowls for Captain Sisko....🥣🥣
Sisko tricking the Romulans, that episode is the best of ANY in the Star Trek franchise.
It's no wonder that Avery Brooks is a college theater arts teacher.
Problematic or not, it was nothing short of operatic.
Yeah I think Sisko as the best captain was a good choice!
Either I am going insane, my hearing is going wonky, or Sean accidentally stated the Enterprise's registry number as "SCC-1701" in the James Kirk entry... Sadly, I can't tell which of the three options is most likely cause I do feel at times that I am going insane, I sometimes mishear what is said, and Sean is actually a human and can make the most simple of mistakes.
I heard FCC 😅
Rios above Shaw is a war crime.
You left out possibly Sisko's most important accomplishment. Keeping the changelings and earth itself, from caving to fear and undoing the world that it had become.
His dad also helped with that, they came damn close to a military dictatorship which you know a changeling would exploit.
Why is Edward Jellico not on 1?
I always agree with your list Trek culture but you have gone and done it this time! How can you put Sisko above Picard?!?! I’m outraged! I demand a recount
Picard may have saved the Federation, but he also put it at serious risk. Sisko was never the inciting agent for the problems in front of him, and he saved several galactic civilizations in addition to the Federation. Also, he decked Q and didn't put up with his crap, a choice that proved far more effective for the good of the Federation than Picard's relationship with Q.
@@chrisblake4198the only time Q caused issues for the Federation was the first season. All of his actions afterwards were beneficial or neutral for the Federation
I have to say that Pike is swiftly becoming my favorite captain.
I've told many friends that if SNW follows the trend of the first two seasons being rough and the rest being markedly better, SNW will become the best Trek.
@@TheHumbleWordsmith I agree.
One thing Kirk doesn't get credit for is how personally he takes the deaths of those under his command, yet still holding the lives of those responsible as sacred. Any time someone dies under his command, you can see the pain. The pain was never worse than when his son was killed. He had to sacrifice his own ship, his home for decades, to save his crew and give them a chance to live. Had Kruge not insisted on fighting Kirk to the death, Kirk would have shown him mercy, not wanting anyone else to die that day.
I also feel like Captain Freeman deserves a higher spot, especially after the finale of Season 3. When the Texas class ships began attacking the station and were able to disable a Sovereign class ship in moments, she took advantage of the "daddy issues" of the AI systems that controlled them to lure the ships away. She leaned on the expertise of her crew and, thanks to "Bold Boimler" and Shaxs, they managed to turn the tide and destroy 2/3 of the ships. But what truly saved the day was that Captain Freeman and the crew took it upon themselves to try to save the California class. The Cerritos had gained a reputation for their adventures over the years and their crew was admired by the other California class crews, and they were more than willing to fight alongside what they've come to see as the flagship of the support vessels. Captain Freeman does need to get her ego under control, but she IS learning to be a better Captain and a better mother.
I gave up on this when I found out Liam Shaw was not ranked among the greatest captains Starfleet ever produced. The man was greatness personified
Impressive list, but what about captains Spock and Sulu?
Spock saves his crew and sacrifices his own life in the process. That's pretty stellar.
I just noticed that Scotty was already wearing captain's rank insignia in STVI
I agree with all of the entries on the list but the order is something I would argue. Great vid
Pike would definitely be first on this list for me, but totally agree that Sisko on top is a good change from the typical Kirk versus Picard debate.
I have serious problems with this list like James T. Kirk at six (really) My question is, what about Seven? You gave some spots to cartoon characters. I have not watched them, but I can't imagine you didn't give Seven some type of mention. Granted, when she helped save the galaxy she was still only a commander. And then, C'mon man, everybody was jacked when she become captain of the Enterprise G. And then everyone was left wondering what catch phrase she used for her first order to go to warp. If we ever get Legacy (which I sadly doubt, due to things) Seven will kick ass. She'll take no prisoners and be a great mommy figure to the crew. If you can't tell, I'm still in love with her and I'm 56, which is her age as well.
They also missed April, Spock, Sulu, Rachel Garrett, Jellicoe, and Riker - and Chakotay probably should get a mention as he captained the Marquis ship - which seems to be about as much as the cartoons did to get on this list.
Probably more, these are just the missing ones off the top of my head.
Damn Kirk not being in the top 5 times really are changing
11:25 yes, his faith of the heart was undeniable 😢😅
Should include other captains like Benteen, Rixx, Batel, Maxwell, Jellico, etc.
Rixx deserves top spot purely for the delivery of the "Watch your back, Picard" line.
This is a good list, well argued, with some bold choices. Was wondering where Kirk would wind up. I like where you have him. Wanted to see Pike higher. Could by recency bias, but I just love Anson Mount’s Pike.
Here’s my personal arrangement: Lorca, Dal R'El, Freeman, Shaw, Rios, Saru, Burnham, Georgiou, Janeway, Kirk, Archer, Sisko, Picard, Pike
That’s a good list of captains. You forgot one captain. Captain Spock of the enterprise. Where were he rank on your list mark I know in Cannon. We don’t know a whole lot about his captaincy but he was still a captain of the enterprise. Along with Captain William Decker, Captain The enterprises refit. And don't we forget Captain William Riker of the enterprise for a while, and then Captain of The, USS, Titan.
Captain Benjamin Cisco should be number one on this list and I agree with that but you forgot to mention his revenge factor when he went to capture Michael Eddington, and what he did to that marquee. Planet was terrible and uncalled for. Bad ass though, but uncalled for.
One of my favourite channels❤
No mention of Riker, Worf, LaForge, Cruther, Spock, Scotty, or Sulu, but you included the Prodigy kid?