TOS: Who played the roles best?

gawainviii

With the new fan-film guidelines, there is a high likelihood that we won't see any future adaptations of the original Enterprise crew beyond what we already have... and we do have no less than 4 casts of actors to have played each of the titled roles. No doubt, the vast majority (if not unanimous) would agree that the original actors are the best in the respective roles they created and developed.

But I was wondering... among the "others" (Reboot cast, New Voyages, and Continues)... who do you feel portrayed each of the major TOS characters the best?

For me... My choices are:

Captain Kirk
Chris Pine (Reboot)
*James Cawley (NV 0-9)
Brian Gross (NV 10+)
Vic Mignogna (STC)
Chris Pine gave us a very intense Kirk. Brian Gross showed us the compassionate Kirk. Vic Mignogna did a great, well-rounded performance but lacked the gravitas we come to expect from the character. James Cawley (despite the Elvis haircut) really made me forget that this wasn't the real deal. For me, Cawley's Kirk is nearly as deep and vibrant as Shatner's Kirk.

Commander Spock
*Zachary Quinto (Reboot)
Jeffery Quinn (NV 0-3)
Ben Tolpin (NV 4-5)
Brandon Stacy (NV 6+)
Todd Haberkorn (STC)
I don't know. Each of the actors in this role did well enough, in my opinion. Yet, none of them really left me completely satisfied. Perhaps this is because, of all the Trek characters, Spock was the most thoroughly developed... and that level of development is almost uniquely attributed to Nimoy alone. Since it is my question, I suppose I'll have to answer and say Qunito wins, only because his Spock-McCoy banter in Beyond was more memorable than the other Spocks' banter with their respective McCoys.

Dr. McCoy
*Karl Urban (Reboot)
John M. Kelley (NV 0-9)
David Sherin (NV 10)
Jeff Bond (NV 11)
Larry Nemecek (STC 1-2)
Chuck Huber (STC 3+)
This is tough because I thought John Kelley fit the role perfectly... until I saw Karl Urban. Out of all the Reboot cast, the character of McCoy was perfectly matched with Urban's cynical wit. Urban wins this one, with Kelley following in a close second.

Scotty
Simon Pegg (Reboot)
Jack Marshall (NV 0)
*Charles Root (NV 1+)
Chris Doohan (STC)
I really, really want to say Chris Doohan here, I honestly do. The appearance, the voice, even some of Jimmy's mannerisms... But, despite familial similarities, if I'm going to be brutally honest, Charles Root really did the *character* the best.

Uhura
Zoe Saldana (Reboot)
Julienne Irons (NV 0–3)
*Kim Stinger (NV 4–8 & STC)
Jasmine Pierce (NV 11-)
Each of these beautiful women did great. It's difficult to pick one over another. In the end, while each of them portrayed the character differently, by emphasizing different traits of the character. Saldana's portrayal, for example, highlighted the character's fierce independence, yet I feel lacked the grace and dignity that Nichols lent to the role. However, I think it was Kim Stinger who, despite a few scenes where her lines felt forced and less well-practiced, provided the most to the role.

Sulu
John Cho (Reboot)
John Lim (NV 2–5)
J.T. Tepnapa (NV 6)
Shyaporn Theerakulstit (NV 11)
*Grant Imahara (STC)
While John Cho and John Lim both performed well within their respective roles as Sulu, my first viewing of Grant Imahara in STC's "Pilgrims of Eternity" dropped my jaw. Dude nailed it!

Chekov
Anton Yelchin (Reboot)
Jasen Tucker (NV 0)
*Andy Bray (NV 2–5)
Jonathan Zungre (NV 6–11)
Wyatt Lenhart (STC)
Andy Bray. Hands down. No contest. If you're unconvinced, watch his performance along side Koenig in "To Serve All My Days".

marcusdkane

Mine are:

Captain Kirk
Vic Mignogna (STC)

Commander Spock
Leonard Nimoy (TOS)

Dr. McCoy
Chuck Huber (STC)

Scotty
James Doohan (TOS)

Uhura
Kim Stinger (STC)

Sulu
George Takei (TOS)

Chekov
Wyatt Lenhart (STC)

[Edit to add]

Nearly forgot to say how much I love Michele Specht as Dr McKennah. Maybe not a character who was part of TOS's run, but she (McKennah) Just Fits, and Michele portrays her perfectly

gawainviii

@marcusdkane, Tsk, tsk. You cheated. The question was: who ELSE played the role best since the originals? Nimoy, Doohan, & Takei don't count.

artan42

Kelvin Timeline not Reboot.

gawainviii

artan42 wrote: »

Kelvin Timeline not Reboot.

Since the discussion refers to real-world productions, and not specifically the in-universe continuities... my statement stands. ;-)

artan42

gawainviii wrote: »

artan42 wrote: »

Kelvin Timeline not Reboot.

Since the discussion refers to real-world productions, and not specifically the in-universe continuities... my statement stands. ;-)

It's not a reboot in or out of universe. It maintainsinternal continuity so it is not, by any correct definition, a reboot.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

artan42

In that case Yesterdays Enterprise is a reboot Crash.

marcusdkane

gawainviii wrote: »

@marcusdkane, Tsk, tsk. You cheated. The question was: who ELSE played the role best since the originals? Nimoy, Doohan, & Takei don't count.

Todd Haberkorn is the only other actor I've seen do a reasonable Spock. I haven't watched much of the series other than Continues, but what I have seen, hasn't given me the impression of 'watching Star Trek' in the same way which Continues does. If I had to choose another Sulu, I would say John Cho, because IMHO Grant Imohara simply does a pastiche of George Takei, not Hikaru Sulu, and the others, I haven't really seen (the episode of NV I saw I wasn't impressed with the actor at all) I hate Simon Pegg in the role... He's entertaining to watch, but he's not Montgomery Scott... I want to like Chris Doohan in the role, but I feel like he's doing too much of an impression of his father, and the guy in NV with the 'stache, again, doesn't strike me as Scotty, but someone doing an impression of him, so again, I have to go with those original actor as being the best...