# Best Trek actor **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 25, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878 "2004-04-25T03:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/1 "2004-04-25T03:43:35Z")
Who was the best actor? Not the best character, but the most talented actor? Avery Brooks was damn good if the role called for being passionate about something. He was certainly the best at being pissed off. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/2 "2004-04-25T04:05:10Z")
I’d argue Patrick Stewart was the best, though Leonard Nimoy was twice nominated for an Emmy and had a more challenging character to play. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/3 "2004-04-25T04:07:10Z")
Spiner got the most opportunity to stretch. He got to play many different characters. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/4 "2004-04-25T04:12:00Z")
Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner are probably the better actors to appear on the show (and Scott Bakula is good too, even if Enterprise isn’t). But for me, nobody… can… touch… SHATNER. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/5 "2004-04-25T04:12:40Z")
Robert Picardo deserves an honorable mention for being, I think, the best of the Voyager actors. I’d also like to suggest Jeffery Coombs, as well as both Marc Alamo and Andrew Robinson. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/6 "2004-04-25T04:55:53Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Robert Picardo deserves an honorable mention for being, I think, the best of the Voyager actors. Oooh, easy there, killer. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/7 "2004-04-25T05:41:50Z")
Patrick Stewart. A solid actor, with lots of background in theater acting. Associate of the Royal Shakespeare Company for 27 years too! ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/8 "2004-04-25T06:27:50Z")
Leonard Nimoy, with Patrick Stewart running neck in neck. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/9 "2004-04-25T07:50:46Z")
Just to be different, I’ll nominate Alexander Siddig and/or Colm Meaney. They had trouble in their early years as Bashir and O’Brien but nailed them in the later seasons of DS9. I especially like the evolution of Julian from a naive frontier doctor to a genius that has to hide his intellect. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/10 "2004-04-25T08:10:09Z")
I have to agree with **carnivorousplant** , \*\* Avery Brook \*\* is a fantastic actor. His _Oedipus_ still give me chills when I think about it. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/11 "2004-04-25T16:25:02Z")
Another vote for Patrick Stewart ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/12 "2004-04-25T16:32:49Z")
I gotta go with Patrick Stewart, but I’ll second **Captain Amazing** ’s recommendation for Robert Picardo. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/13 "2004-04-25T16:48:44Z")
I would nominate a regualr cast member and a guest star for each show (except Voyager and Enterprise): TOS: Leonard Nimoy and Mark Lenard TNG: Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner, but for different reasons and John DeLancie DS9: Rene Auberjunois and Jeffrey Combs VOY: Robert Picardo ENT: Scott Bakula ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/14 "2004-04-25T17:12:57Z")
Asking “Who was the best actor in the _Star Trek_ franchise?” is like asking “What’s the prettiest-smelling cesspool you’ve ever discovered?” ---
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/15 "2004-04-25T17:52:54Z")
Ricardo Montelban recieved high aclaim as Khan. But then there was John Tesh, as the Klingon K’Tesh who was the best actor and muscian ever to live…ever. [/sarcasm] ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/16 "2004-04-25T18:22:52Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Asking “What’s the prettiest-smelling cesspool you’ve ever discovered?” Or, “the most annoying post?” ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/17 "2004-04-25T18:33:35Z")
I have been watching William Shatner on **The Practice** and I must admit he is really funny. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/18 "2004-04-25T19:19:29Z")
I forgot to mention Andrew Robinson. He’s quite possibly a better actor than every other star of every show combined. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/19 "2004-04-25T20:49:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Or, “the most annoying post?” 😛 Okay, okay, the cesspool analogy was a **little** bit of an exaggeration. It’s more like asking “Who’s the best nuclear physicist in Junior High School?” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878/20 "2004-04-25T22:08:40Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > “Who’s the best nuclear physicist in Junior High School?” There was this guy… [http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html](http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-trek-actor/241878.md?page=2)