Star Trek top 5: My 5 favorite Starfleet captains
By Chad Porto
Jonathan Archer
Firstly, it’s Scott Bakula. Secondly, it’s Scott Bakula. Thirdly, IT’S SCOTT-FREAKING-BAKULA. What more reason do you need for Jonathan Archer to make a top-five list? Bakula is a Sci-Fi icon, and his addition to Star Trek: Enterprise made the show must-see for many a Trekkie or Sci-Fi geek. His portrayal of Captain Jonathan Archer was fantastic. Sure, it’s not the most popular series, but Archer was a captain for the people.
Early in the series, the Vulcans were constantly looking down and dismissing humanity, but Archer was having none of it. His desire to stand up to those who could take his command from him in an instant showed that Archer valued his integrity over his dreams. A man driven by principle can not be derailed.
He was never the best Captain, nor was he the flashiest. He’ll never best James T. Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard as the fandom’s favorite Trek captain but he did enough during his time to always be remembered fondly by those who love the franchise.
Whether it was his time on Quantum Leap (what a ball-busting finale), his guest role on Chuck, or his current turn on NCIS: New Orleans, Bakula always delivers. It’s probably why he’s still so beloved all these years later, and why Star Trek: Enterprise still resonates with so many fans, even if it is their least favorite of the older shows.
You can’t deny that Archer has charisma, charm, and a great set of lines ready to be distributed at a moment’s notice whenever an alien race gets too snarky with the crew of the Enterprise.