"Popping his leg over a chair" That's the Riker Maneuver, and don't you forget it!

Poor Robert Beltran. In the few episodes he was actually allowed to act, he was damn good. But the writers essentially abandoned him and Harry Kim.

People always talk about what Riker did with swinging his legs around, but I was always a fan of how he walked in a manner that suggested he was ready to knock a door down with his forehead at a moment's notice.

Leonard Nimoy was the great creative genius that realized Gene Roddenberry's Vision!

I was at first thinking "Who the hell is better than Riker?!" Then it says Spock, and I think, "Okay, you're right on thst one."

It's only recently that I've learned about all the hate towards Chakotay. I loved him as Voyager's First Officer. Janeway and him had a great dynamic to their relationship and I felt they formed a great duo.

T'Pol is one the most underrated characters in Star Trek history.

Chakotay is underrated he was really speaking his mind to Janeway even more then Riker to Picard.He even got Seven of Nine to listen to orders better then Janeway.Others would pretty much "beg" Seven to do something.

The more I watch voyager the more I enjoy chakotay’s role as first officer.

Love the Riker leg maneuver. He also knew when "not to duck" and was the only Starfleet officer to serve as first officer on a Klingon vessel in a "Matter of Honor".

We need videos like this for captain, engineer, doctor, science officer, security, helm, etc etc etc

Happy to hear some love for Kira. It seems a lot of people dislike her and I don't get it. She was really an amazing first officer and probably one of the best written female characters in star trek.

T'Pol is my third after Riker. Enterprise was a really underrated series. If you haven't seen it yet definitely give it a shot.

Man Kira needs to be higher than Saru on this list you tripping lol

The thing that was so brilliant about TOS is that while you had Sulu, Chekhov, Scottie, and Uhura, the writers knew they had a finite amount of screen time and dedicated most of the to Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. If TOS had ran for 7 seasons like TNG, DS9, and Voyager, you could have expanded more on the supporting cast. Thankfully we got 7 movies to flesh out the TOS characters more.

I don’t know but I like Chakotay the most. A Native American in a science fiction series was fascinating to me.

I believe that T'pol should have been a little higher on the list...and during the times when Data was shown as First Officer, he performed the tasks better than most on this list.

I agree a bit about Robert Beltran's complaints about the writing especially in the latter years of Voyager. I disagree on his ranking on this list. Should be higher.

Your words on Kira well acknowledged her character development. The others you mentioned sounded like an overview but her description was poetic.

The problem with Riker, or Enterprise D for that matter, appears in that episode which Picard was possesed and diplayed highly controvertial behaviour and no one had the guts or the authority to challenge him. Not even Riker, NO ONE stepped foward to say: Either explain yourself or get to sickbay or you´ll be dismissed under erratic behaviour. Everytime someone confronted him he turned the table to the person. The same happened with Kirk and McCoy and Spock stepped foward, Kirk explained his actions, they dropped the case and Kirk even dismissed any need for appologies saying they were performing their jobs. If anything like that happened on my ship be shure I would have serious talk with my officers, a captain must be humble enough to acknowledge that something might happen to him and he could also be out of his mind.

Spock is the best first officer in the fleet... But don't tell him I said that. Spock: Why thank you Kirk: You forgot about his Vulcan ears.

You left out Evil Spock. He can wear a beard as well as Riker.

The first thing I thought when I saw this was, "If Spock isn't #1, I'm gonna be disappointed." I was not disappointed.

I got a soft spot for Chakotay. It was nice seeing a native in sci-fi.

Spock is one of the greatest tv characters of all time, not just 1st officer of a show.

Spock is the most influential character in Star Trek history. Picard is a close second.

Thank you for making Spock number one of all the 1st officers because out of all the others I can't think of a single one who deserves that spot more than Spock because in my opinion he is the very embodiment of Trek and a tough act to follow and when he died in The Wrath of Khan I actually cried because he readily risked his life for the crew of the Enterprise.

I remember having a tantrum when I was about 5 years old because my step grandma wouldn’t let me to stay up to watch the ‘Mr. Spock programme’ (The Devil in the Dark)….. he was my mother’s favourite character and I always shed a tear in that last scene in his last scene in the Kelvin timeline. LL&P Spock, RIP Leonard Nimoy….

Chakotay was my favorite. I think Robert Beltran played him masterfully. But I will agree that the writing just wasn’t there for him. It was such a shame and waste of a wonderful talent.

Putting Saru above Kira and T'pol. No way. I like Riker a lot too but Kira should be #2 she's one of the best written and well acted characters in the franchise.

5. T'Pol- there's always risk in doing a prequel series. We already had a Vulcan first officer. Why did we have to have another one? 4. Kira- Sisko had so many other relationships going on in his life that this one between him and Kira suffered. The best episode with these two was progress. 3. Chakotay- I don't think any first officer challenged their captain more than he did. But, their relationship never suffered and that's fantastic. 2. Riker- Riker could challenge Picard at times too but his raltionship was all business except when he was off the clock. He had a sense of humor about him. The reason he edges Chakotay is because he was a mentor towards Wesley Crusher. 1. Spock- The legend. The character who would spurn all other alien characters. But, Spock wasn't just any alien. He was an alien/human hybrid. Which made him all the more interesting.

To be honest, I'm kind of disappointed we never got to see data as Number One. Thanks Nemesis. After all, it turned out he was a pretty ok captain, when it came right down to it, firm but confidential.

Loved the BADASS, 20 years older Riker in TNG finale. He's written and shown as a no nonsense, powerful Starfleet Captain, even if it's only one scene.

I always feel enterprise gets dumped on a bit too much. I always felt it was solid series and T'Pol's character was spot on, whom had a lot of growth in her story arc. I would have definitely placed her at least in number 4. I always found Major Kira really whiny/obnoxious and we just don't know enough about Number1/Una yet to barely even place her on the list.

I am unbelievably happy that Star Trek has found not only One great actor to play Spock, but Three! Zachary Quinto and Ethan Peck both bring so much to the great character that Leonard Nimoy bought to life.

Spock was weapon X. In almost any situation he was useful and decisive.

It was a good list I would also add that Spock made the perfect first officer because he never aspired to be more than a first officer I also feel that character chakotay is a bit underrated I always felt he had a strong presence in subtle ways similar to Picard

I'd argue Kira deserves to at least be Number 3. She's also a freedom fighter with the resistance against the Cardassian occupation, and makes the most of a bad situation with the least amount of resources at her disposal. She LITERALLY put up a bluff against a battleship threatening an at the time, a lightly armed station, and forces the ship to retreat without firing a shot. She even made such a stand against the Romulans with a poorly equipped Bajoran fighter, that the federation ended up forcing the Romulans to stand down despite their initial inclination to allow the Romulans to do what they wanted to. Other first officers did what they did while having a fighting chance (a warship), every time. Not so with Colonel Kira. Even with little to nothing, she stood by her principles and would not back down, even if it cost her her life. There's a lot to be said for that kind of commitment.

I finally watched the whole video. Of course I agree with #1 and #2. In both cases they complemented each other. Kirk was the brawn and Spock was the brains. With Picard and Riker it was the other way around. When Jaleco took command, a clash was inevitable. You can't have two alpha dogs in command, they'll just bark at each other. I don't know the story of Riker's command on the Titan, but I think a Vulcan first officer would be perfect for him.

Loved this list! And yes, your number 2, who was number 1 is totally true...love Riker...and Spock...yes, he’s the one...live long and prosper! 😊

I object to the omission of Worf. He was XO on Defiant, and a damn good one.

When you put personal feelings to the side, T'Pol should've been closer to the number 1 spot. Her experience and knowledge of deep space served Archer more than just about any other Captain shown. And being that those voyages helped to form the federation, she absolutely deserves a higher spot on this list. She was also a pretty complex character, when you take in the fact that her loyalty was torn between the Vulcan high command and the captain that slowly grew to respect and admire in the first half of the series.

I agree Jonathan Frakes character improved when he grew his beard.

I agree with this list but not with the comments about Riker potentially being ranked number 1 if if if. There's simply no way that any other first officer could surpass Spock.

Spock was also a blue shirt first officer, which is one of the rarest types you can find

Kira Nerys on DS9 and T'Pol in Enterprise are my favorites.

I'd like to give honorable mention to the XOs in the episodes "Darmok" and "Bloodlines". In the first, the XO supported his Commander and honored the final result; in the latter, the XO worked with Riker and immediately arrested his Commander when he learned about the "Deamon's" lies.

Riker always putting his leg up on stuff n swinging it around chairs was due to Jonathan franks suffering a very bad back injury in season 1. He was in constant pain during season 2-7 as a result and putting his leg up and avoiding certain movements with it was him trying to reduce / avoid more pain.

I would have ranked T’pol higher but, I’m parcial towards enterprise

Spock will always be #1!!

Okay, can someone explain this to me. I've just started watching Discovery-- just finished episode 2. What I saw was that Burnham knocked the captain out, ordered the crew to fire on the Klingon vessel, but before they could, the captain, having regained consciousness, showed up on the bridge, delayed the order, and sent Burnham to the brig. They didn't fire. They didn't do anything. The Klingons ended up attacking after the rest of the fleet showed up,. As far as I could tell, Burnham's 10-second mutiny had absolutely no effect on the situation, since none of the orders she gave when she assumed command were carried out. So why do people act like the battle/defeat/deaths were her fault?

I think we should speak of Doug Jones' acting abilities more often. He did such a great job even within his costume. I hope, Saru will become the captain in season three.

"I mean, who else did you expect?" YESSSS thank you. He is unbeatable

Star Trek episode zero, "The Cage" had Capt. Pike. His "Number one" was Majel Barrett. The first "Number One" and awesome.

Spock was my hero from my childhood, so I'm glad you put him on top. Thanks.

Although being a poorly developed character, Chakotay is by far the best first officer. Totally devoted to his crew and loyal to his captain. Normally a sweet guy, but always knows when to be stern and raise his voice (even to Janeway).

Spock is number one. Pun intended. Hands down.

Glad you made Spock number one on this list, it was the logical thing to do. Chakotay could have been higher though, he was a stud too!

I glanced over the thumbnail and thought it said "Star Trek's First Officers were the worst bank robbers"

I rate Chakotay very highly, he should have been number 3 on the list, if not jointly number 2. My kids and I met Robert Beltran in the early 2000s, he is a gracious, polite and lovely man, his character deserved better than the writers gave him.

I knew they would end with Riker and Spock before even viewing the last two choices. Definitely the best of the bunch and best liked by most fans as number ones.

Voyager is a lesson in having all the tools for success and still failing. They had a phenomenal cast, Robert Beltran especially. He was amazing, and were it not for the writers messing up a lot of the show, he would have proven that he was just as solid as Kira, and would have been just as beloved.

Commander Data is absolutely the best back-up XO imho. As a kid watching TNG I had hoped he'd become one over the course of the series in his own right, not just when circumstances required.

My favorite Number One is Marissa Flores from TNG episode "Disaster". She deserves at least an honorable mention. Certainly much more than that dog.

Spock gave his life to save a star ship without a 2nd thought. I am only referring to the main Star Trek Universe.

Other than the random Star Trek Discovery entries, that was a pretty solid list.

All i know is, Spock will likely always be number one. Its really a simple question to ask yourself. If you were captain, who out of all of these people, would you want as your first officer? Spock wins that contest easily.

when i was very young, i did not care for kira very much. i guess, i didn't understood where her character was coming from.. but over the years, this has changed a lot, and now she is realy one of my favorite characters in all star trek. nana visitor is a true jewel in star trek :)

Even with the ways he got jipped, Chakotay is WAY more awesome than this video gives him credit for!

I'd have ranked the dog above Burnham. Shame Kira isn't higher on the list, she is (in my mind at least) the best character in Trek. With a great arc throughout DS9, she goes from strength to strength dealing with her harrowing past and contending with all that the station has to contend with over an eventful seven years. Again, this is all due to an amazing actor in Nana Visitor and some truly great writing from the show that is the pinnacle of Trek.

Overall I agree with the list. Glad to see you made the right call. Spock is for sure the best first officer.

At the beginning, he said “while it hasn’t been shown in Star Trek…“, and I totally heard Shonen Star Trek, which is now some thing I need in my life!

I just saw " A year in Hell" for the first time. Don't know how I missed it and it featured Robert Beltran with some decent lines. Your right, he was pushed to the side.

If the question was, "Who was the best first officer?" Chakotay was arguably the best at his role as first officer.

People really should start putting “ my personal list” “,my top 10 “ in the title so these videos make more sense.

Thee conversation I'd LOVE to've seen; Random Vulcan (to T'pol) "What about the smell ?" Trip: "We'll get used to it."

I love the font accurate text treatments of each ranking.

T’Pol was one of my favorites! The tension between her and Trip was sensuous and her restraint conflict palpable!

For me the top 4 is 1. Spock, 2. Riker, 3. Kira then Chakotay at 4 despite the writing of his character. He still was a great first officer

Love your presentations. Great voice and facts.

Spock, Riker, and Kira are the top three. A case could be made for Una (aka the original Number One) but that's dependent on the Pike spinoff show becoming a reality. None of the others even come close (incl. the Kelvin-timeline Spock).

Spock, then Riker, then Kira, and the rest doesn’t matter. Although Kira and Riker may be tied. 🖖😀

Kirk, Spock. McCoy...the holy trinity of Sci-fi Libido Logic and Emotion. there was nothing they could not overcome

Your list seems spot on to me, except for the Discovery folks. I haven't had the opportunity to see that series, so I couldn't place them. Great job collating the Riker leg-lift sequence.

Actually, those times Riker was coking his foot on top of the console was when he was on watch. As a person who spent an awful lot of time aboard a Naval bridge, you do a lot of standing around, especially during the night watch.

1) Spock - Seriously, who else should be top of the list. 2) Kira - Did more with less and great character development. 3)T'Pol - Enterprise was sorely underrated, and T'Pol always had Archer's back. 4) Riker - Riker was pouty to Capt. Jellicoe, Got the Ship taken over by Ferengi, and was in command when the Enterprise D was destroyed.

The moment I started watching this, I was thinking, "Spock is the logical choice." Seems you think so too.

Spock the best first officer in the fleet, was there any doubt! R I P Leonard Nimoy.❤️

Riker was a bit of a role model of a man when I was growing up. He had the swagger, leadership, great smile and twinkle in the eye, was a ladie's man and a macho without toxic masculinity.

I love chakotay. But I do agree that the writers did him dirty.

Most don’t know this but when Star Trek tos came out in less than a week hundreds of Spock clubs popped up all over the US

I don't know about anyone else. But Jonathan Franks was the perfect role model when i was growing up. His portrayal as Riker was that of a "Man's Man". His swagger and charisma brought a lot to the role. In my not so humble opinion he was the best first officer.

you should do a list of the best doctors of Star Trek.

If Spock wasn't Number 1(I guess there's a pun) I would have disregarded this entire list.

Spock is the definition of First officer, Riker is the definition of Number 1.

Fantastic video. Irrespective of our issues with Discovery I think Saru did a fantastic job. He's earned the spot you gave him. Your list is spot on.

"Number one, I order you to go take a number 2."

I don’t believe that Kira was anti-Federation. Her people had finally gotten rid of those that had been raping and pillaging her planet for decades. Now, someone else comes in also claiming to be friends. She’s right to not trust Starfleet right away.

i loved tpol and feel like she could have easily taken one of the top three spots if enterprise had a few more seasons to flush her out. she had one of the best character arcs in star trek period and was just coming into her role when they canceled the show.

That Riker Description killed me man! LMFAO!!!