Who are your top 5 first officers from among the list in the poll?

[at Quark's]

EDIT: I am NOT, however, tolerant of Data remaining a LCDR as a result. He did more to deserve that third gold pip in one season than Deanna did throughout the series. And if Deanna and Beverly could be commanders, certainly the third ranking officer on the ship could.

<At the yearly performance review, sitting against Riker and Picard>

Data: Captain, I have noticed that both dr. Crusher and counselor Troi have been promoted to the rank of Commander, whereas I, third in command, still am a Lt. Commander only. May I ask why, sir? Have I not served this ship satisfactorily?
Picard: Let's just say that, despite your assertions to the contrary, we have never found you fully functional in quite the same ways they are.

The Riker condition is pretty silly when compared with the real world. In the US Navy, a ship the size of the Enterprise would not only have captains (O6) as both commanding and executive officers, both would have experience as commanding officers of smaller vessels. Riker would have legitimately already had his first command and would have been of equal rank of Picard, although below him in the chain of command.

Or, if they absolutely had to be of different rank, why not give Picard one leg up, and make him a Commodore? Still has to answer to all those evil Admirals, but clearly outranking most of the other CO's of lesser vessels in the fleet (e.g. useful when taking command of the fleet in First Contact).

 

[Oddish]

Data: Captain, I have noticed that both dr. Crusher and counselor Troi have been promoted to the rank of Commander, whereas I, third in command, still am a Lt. Commander only. May I ask why, sir? Have I not served this ship satisfactorily?
Picard: Let's just say that, despite your assertions to the contrary, we have never found you fully functional in quite the same ways they are.

DATA: "Sir, need I remind you that if not for me, Earth would be assimilated, and you might well still be strutting around a Borg cube in a black rubber bondage suit and Crimson Trace eyepiece, calling yourself Locutus. And you'd be about as 'functional' in that regard as your grandmother's teapot."
PICARD: "I see your point... commander."

 

[Bad Thoughts]

if they absolutely had to be of different rank, why not give Picard one leg up, and make him a Commodore? Still has to answer to all those evil Admirals, but clearly outranking most of the other CO's of lesser vessels in the fleet (e.g. useful when taking command of the fleet in First Contact).

What I was particularly trying to point out is the executive officer's experience: Riker should have already commanded a ship. The executive officer of a larger ship would have already served as the commanding officer of a smaller ship. The only exceptions I can find are those XOs who had been the captain of the air group on a carrier. Brett Crozier, for instance, was the XO on a carrier before having been a CO after having a long career as a pilot.

Star Trek does a terrible job describing how advancement happens in a real navy-style military. Waiting around to get to captain will get you nothing. Becoming a commanding officer doesn't mean you won't serve in other ways. A Riker would have differed from his Picard only in small ways. He would have had all the same training. He would have had some less experience than the captain, but he probably would have had a Statgazer in his past.

 

[valkyrie013]

Spock .. logically

Chacotey.. because he had to deal with Janeway for 7 years.. make him a 20 star admiral for that feat..

T'pol.. I liked her character, sometime combative to archer, which she should be.

Riker.. Starting to get in to the had to chose 5. He was an okay first officer, filled the role out, but as been mentioned, it was a stepping stone to captain, by season 4 he should have had his own ship, and could have been a 2 ship series, to give a break to the actors doing 26 episodes!
It wasn't like Spock, where he was at the top of his department, and was on the ship for the entire 5 year mission, that would be an excuse for the first offiecer to stick around the whole series, a first officer position is a revolving door post. Guess I don't like the "First officer" position as them being just a first officer, not anything else. Sure there's alot of paperwork, but thats what ensigns are for. First officer should be a top department head like Spock was science, next was Scotty in engineering. In that regard, Data should have been first officer from ops. anyways..

Una.. have high expectations for SNW

Rest? Meh

 

[Oddish]

[Chakotay].. because he had to deal with Janeway for 7 years.. make him a 20 star admiral for that feat..

I'd like to see the rank insignia for that.

 

[WarpTenLizard]

First Officers are friends, not food.

(BUUURP) Oh now someone tells me.