Star Trek: All 4 Captain Pike actors ranked from worst to best

4. Jeffrey Hunter

Appeared in: Star Trek (original pilot)

Long before the concept of Star Trek became the phenomenon that it is, the pilot episode launched the franchise into the pop-culture orbit in the same way that the USS Enterprise is launched into space. Imagine the excitement of stepping onto the USS Enterprise for the very first time, taking a deep breath, and boldly going where no actor had gone before. That was Jeffrey Hunter, the OG Captain Pike, in 1965’s Star Trek‘s pilot episode “The Cage.”

Hunter didn’t just put on a captain’s hat – he set the stage for every other depiction of Captain Pike that followed his. While his screen time might’ve been shorter than deserved, his charisma and energy resonated with fans around the globe and he’s become a beloved staple of the Star Trek franchise ever since.

The character might not have become the instant hit that William Shatner’s legendary Captain James T. Kirk but this was merely the beginning for Captain Pike and the journey that he would eventually take us on. The Star Trek franchise might have initially moved away from the character, but he did find his way back into our hearts before too long.

As beginnings go, this one was pretty great!