By Cindy Davis | Lists | May 18, 2011 |
By Cindy Davis | Lists | May 18, 2011 |
In the movies, aliens are usually creepy, green, evil, horrific, destructive angry or silly and stupid. But on television, we generally like them handsome, hot, intelligent, friendly, empathetic, goofy and thoughtful; if they’re not good-looking, at least they have a sense of humor (see: the Ferengi). As for the explorers we send out to look for/connect with our aliens and discover new worlds, they’re mostly of the strong, silent type. though there are a select few who aren’t afraid to break out the tears (I’m looking at you, Admiral Adama). But whether extraterrestrial being or mere mortal, these characters have left their indelible marks upon our collective psyche. They fulfill a curiosity and a thirst for (imagined) knowledge about our largely unexplored universe. If ever one of us got the opportunity to travel the galaxies, he’d be lucky to have any of these characters by his side.
It seems unfair to try to order this fine group of otherworldly travelers and so I shan’t.
The Fourth Doctor, “Doctor Who”:
Kara Thrace (Starbuck), “Battlestar Galactica”:
Captain James T. Kirk, “Star Trek”:
Captain Jack Harkness, “Torchwood”:
Captain Jean-Luc Picard, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”:
Captain Malcolm Reynolds, “Firefly”:
The Eleventh Doctor, “Doctor Who”:
Lieutenant Worf, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”:
Commander Spock, “Star Trek”:
The Tenth Doctor, “Doctor Who”:
Honorable mention:
The High Commander, Doctor Richard Solomon, “3rd Rock from the Sun”: