5. Travis Mayweather
This one will get some heat, I’m well aware of that. To many Travis Mayweather is considered “boring” and even his actor Anthony Montgomery laments how little was explored of his character. Admittedly, he’s not wrong. Mayweather deserved far more than he was given, and had the show gotten a fifth and sixth season, the show might have actually given him the opportunity to explore the character far more.
That said, Mayweather was easily one of the better parts of the show for me. Unlike the rest of the crew, even the captain, Mayweather always had this sense of optimism and joy for exploration. There was pride and excitement in his voice just about whenever he spoke. The way Montogmery made use of his lines and his ability to express awe of what he’s seeing and dealing with made him very likable.
One of his better episodes that focused on him and his story was “Horizon” in season two. In it, Mayweather has to return to his family, who worked and lived on a ship belonging to the Earth Cargo Service. They hauled materials all across the quadrant and the hope was that Travis would take over for his father as the captain of the ECS Horizon.
The episode did a great job showcasing Mayweather’s enjoyment of exploration and his sense of duty. His professionalism was clearly inherited from his father and while it isn’t always stated why Mayweather behaves as he does, it’s clear that he learned at a young age from his father how to behave on a starship.
It’s part of the reason why Mayweather is usually the most professional among the bridge crew and why he remains a personal favorite.