Unlike other “Star Trek” series, the animated “Lower Decks’” focuses on lower-level positions, which is why viewers don’t see Captain Carol Freeman as often. Still, the dynamic between her and her daughter, Ensign Mariner, is entertaining to watch as they both want to keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the crew.

Jason Isaacs only appears in the first season of “Star Trek: Discovery,” which is why his Captain Gabriel Lorca is 11th on the list. He is a charming and secretive captain and adds excitement to the prequel series about the Klingon War.

Riker is best known for being a first officer on “The Next Generation,” but he does have experience as a captain; he took over the USS Enterprise after Jean-Luc Picard was captured and also, eventually, captained the USS Titan. He’s appeared in several “Star Trek” series, but never his own spin-off, so perhaps his time will come.

Scott Bakula's Captain Jonathan Archer does an able job, but this prequel series couldn't compete with its predecessors and was canceled after four seasons. As The Washington Post put it, "Bakula gives the Capt. Kirk thing his best shot, but the script is riddled with clunkers and jargon."

Saru’s species’ trait of living in a constant state of fear made him adept at sensing threats, particularly impending death, which proved an important skill to have when you're leading a ship. He’s one of the only non-humans to take the captain's chair, which is why Saru beats out some other captains on this list.