Best and worst acting by main characters

[Navaros]

Best:

DS9: Both Shimerman and Auberjonois

TOS: Nimoy

TNG: Spiner

VOY: Phillips

Worst:

DS9: Farrell

TOS: Takei

TNG: Stewart

VOY: Wang

 

[Gorn Captain]

I am forced to completely disagree with the idea that Shatner was playing himself in TOS. Shatner in real life is nowhere near as serious, focused and courageous as JTK. By his own admission.

Nimoy was good when he had material that played to a minimalist style, and most of Spock's character obviously suited that. I have to say though, for all the well deserved shots Shatner has taken for excess, Nimoy's "big acting" scenes seemed equally silly. Both Shatner and Nimoy were at their best when playing it straight and narrow, but given the need for contrast between Kirk and Spock, obviously they both couldn't be minimalists.

My List (Best):
TOS: Shatner/Nimoy tie
TNG: Stewart
VOY/DS9/ENT: I'm not qualified to answer.

Worst
TOS: Koenig
TNG: Sirtis

 

[JiNX-01]

Best:
ENT: Connor Trinneer
TOS: Leonard Nimoy
TNG: Brent Spiner
VOY: Robert Picardo
DS9: Colm Meaney

Weakest (I don't want to say worst because that's a bit strong):
ENT: Anthony Montgomery
TOS: Walter Koenig
TNG: (tie): Gates McFadden/Marina Sirtis
VOY: Garrett Wang
DS9: Can't think of anyone

 

[DevilEyes]

I am forced to completely disagree with the idea that Shatner was playing himself in TOS. Shatner in real life is nowhere near as serious, focused and courageous as JTK. By his own admission.

Nimoy was good when he had material that played to a minimalist style, and most of Spock's character obviously suited that. I have to say though, for all the well deserved shots Shatner has taken for excess, Nimoy's "big acting" scenes seemed equally silly. Both Shatner and Nimoy were at their best when playing it straight and narrow, but given the need for contrast between Kirk and Spock, obviously they both couldn't be minimalists.

No, they did not. Not in the slightest. He was completely convincing in every scene in which Spock was losing control and showing emotions openly and/or violently. And that's the biggest difference between him and Shatner as actors.

 

[kes7]

Best acted characters

TOS - Spock
TNG - It's hard to choose. That was a well-balanced cast. I'd give Picard the edge, though, if I had to pick someone to be "the best."
DS9 - Garak
VOY - Seasons 1-3, Janeway. Seasons 4-7, Seven of Nine.
ENT- Tucker

Worst acted characters

TOS - Kirk, but the bad acting became part of his persona, so maybe it was genius.
TNG - Troi
DS9 - Haven't watched enough yet to choose a "worst."
VOY - Chakotay
ENT - I haven't watched enough of this to really make a judgment, either.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

I'm having trouble with this one...but i do have to say that never once do you ever not believe Brent Spiner is an android. I think he was just AMAZING.

 

[barnaclelapse]

I don't really feel like going for a worst list, so I'll just stick to the positives.

BEST:
TOS: McCoy
TNG: Picard
DS9: Sisko
VOY: The Doctor
ENT: Still need to finish watching this before I feel comfortable making a decision.

 

[Gorn Captain]

I am forced to completely disagree with the idea that Shatner was playing himself in TOS. Shatner in real life is nowhere near as serious, focused and courageous as JTK. By his own admission.

Nimoy was good when he had material that played to a minimalist style, and most of Spock's character obviously suited that. I have to say though, for all the well deserved shots Shatner has taken for excess, Nimoy's "big acting" scenes seemed equally silly. Both Shatner and Nimoy were at their best when playing it straight and narrow, but given the need for contrast between Kirk and Spock, obviously they both couldn't be minimalists.

No, they did not. Not in the slightest. He was completely convincing in every scene in which Spock was losing control and showing emotions openly and/or violently. And that's the biggest difference between him and Shatner as actors.

Well, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. The only thing less convincing to me than Nimoy in a big emotional scene is Nimoy running like a girl.

 

[marylizz]

I must say I'm surprised at how many people chose Shatner for best. I don't disagree. He has been much ridiculed for his technique, but what so many (especially non-fan) people don't understand is that it is a technique. It isn't lack of acting ability (with exceptions of course... when he acts as if he's in horrible pain, it is rather horribly painful to watch) but rather a method of acting. One more suitable to the live stage than television, but one which he endeavored to refine as his signature style. I think he succeeded.

 

[C.E. Evans]

William Shatner is Captain Kirk (or Captain Kirk is William Shatner, whatever)...

 

[Elemental]

Yeah, as I think more, The Doctor has always stood out in my mind as the character played by the actor with the most obvious ability. Janeway was very good as well. Some characters just allow for greater acting to come to the forefront (namely, the alien characters that really give definition to the species). Then when you consider a character like Mayweather, exactly how much opportunity was he given to actually express himself.

I've also never fully understood the disdain for Robert Beltran as Chakotay. Never once did I feel his acting was poor. He played the character as stoic and disciplined. That to me does not equal lack of effort.

Kirk I expected to see both on the best and worst lists. Sisko as well has times when he's marvelous and others where it becomes a bit cringe-worthy. I think the altogether most consistently good acting for a lead role/captain is Picard.

 

[DevilEyes]

Yikes, I don't understand why people think Ethan Phillips was the worst, his acting is beyond awesome in his death episodes as I like to call them Jetrel/Mortal Coil/Once Upon a Time.

Agreed. I'm not much of a Voyager fan, but I think Phillips just gets some flack for what is ultimately a baffoonish role. Whenever Neelix became deathly nervous or had to lay some verbal smackdown, however, Phillips was fantastic and he made you feel for Neelix.

Actually, as I said in my post, I didn't name him as worst for his buffonish moments, which can just be acribed to the writing of the character in general. I listed him because I watched "Jetrel" the other day, a showcase episode for Neelix, and Neelix's big emotional moments all fell flat for me because of his acting. He didn't sell it to me at all. Pity, since the writing and the guest star were good.

 

[Starbreaker]

Best: Leonard Nimoy / Patrick Stewart
Worst: William Shatner / Jeri Ryan

 

[stj]

Best is first, worst second

Star Trek
Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols (this was a tough call between not so good acting and badly underwritten role)

Next Generation
Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis

Deep Space Nine
Nana Visitor (the role was badly conceived but she did a fine job trying to salvage it,) Terry Farrell

Voyager
Kate Mulgrew, Robert Duncan McNiell (I'm remembering how awful practically every episode putting his character center stage was.)

Enterprise
John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock

 

[DevilEyes]

Best is first, worst second

Star Trek
Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols (this was a tough call between not so good acting and badly underwritten role)

I think Nichols did great with the little material she was given. She really doesn't deserve to be called one of the worst actors, IMO. This was a blatant case of writing failing the actor rather than the other way round, and it's the cases of other way round that warrant a performance to be called bad.

 

[wicca coolmom]

Best:
TOS-Spock/Scotty tie
TNG-Data
DS9-Quark
VOY-Neelix/The Doctor-tie
ENT-Phlox/Trip-tie

Worst:
TOS-Kirk
TNG-Tasha Yar
DS9-Both Sisko's-tie
VOY-Ensign Kim
ENT-T'Pol

I am getting a tattoo of Spock tomorrow...woohoo!!

 

[digger]

Cool Thread...

TOS:
BEST: Spock / WORST: Kirk

TNG:
BEST: Picard / WORST: Riker

DS9:
BEST: Odo / WORST: Sisko

VOY:
BEST: Tuvok / WORST: Kim

ENT:
BEST: Tucker / WORST: Mayweather

 

[SFRabid]

TOS
Best: Nimoy (The only one with any real variety written into the part.)
Worst: Koenig (He could smile like a kid but that was about it.)
Wanted to see more of: Jeffery Hunter as Captain Christphor Pike.

TNG
Best: Spiner (He played Data, Lore and his father the Dr. all very well.)
Worst: Muldaur (She made a medical doctor seem cold.)
Wanted to see more of: Woopie Goldberg as Guinan.

DS9
Best: Visitor (Mirror Kira brought it home)
Worst: Lofton/deBoer (Jake did not stand out. DeBoer was forgettable.)
Wanted to see more of: Wallace Shawn as Grand Negas Zek

VOY
Best: Picardo (Made me enjoy watching Voyager.)
Worst: Russ (Played Tuvok like his other TV rolls, dry and boring.)
Wanted to see more of: Cannot think of anyone.

ENT
Best: Trinneer (Made the best out of some bad writing.)
Worst: Bakula (Did not make the best out of some bad writing.)
Wanted to see more of: Jeffrey Combs and Sharan

 

[C.E. Evans]

VOY
Worst: Russ (Played Tuvok like his other TV rolls, dry and boring.)

Sounds like he played it like a Vulcan...

 

[Anwar]

Russ was probably the best actor for a Vulcan after Nimoy.