He is smooth, sophisticated, and suave. His flirtatious ways are widely known throughout the galaxy. Women (and men) want to be with him, and men (and women) want to be him. He is… the most interesting man in the world! Wait, this is not a beer advertisement. Let us try that again. He is… Captain Jack Harkness! Or is he Captain James T. Kirk?

In the Whoniverse, Captain Jack Harkness is that person, perhaps more so than even the Tenth Doctor, to whom Whovians are attracted. Whether it is his dashing good looks, the masculinity that oozes forth, or his impeccable charm, Captain Jack has certainly made a place for himself not only in the hearts of Doctor Who fans everywhere, but in the hearts of those whom he has met in his travels.

The same, again, can be said of Captain Kirk amongst Trekkies and those places which he has visited. Women (and men) had heard of him by reputation. Was this the reputation of a daring Starfleet Captain, or the reputation of an intergalactic Casanova? Or was it a combination of both?

It definitely seems as though there is a little, or a lot, of Captain Kirk in Captain Jack. Or, maybe there is a little, or a lot, of Captain Jack in Captain Kirk. Given Captain Jack’s time travel capabilities and how he ventured around the galaxy with the Doctor, maybe it is both. One can picture Captain Jack saying to Captain Kirk something akin to “Sorry, old man! I gotta go meet a lady… But you’ve got an excellent bottom, too!“ But that seems to be getting into the realm of fan fiction and crossovers. I personally would never like to go there. Ever. To each their own, though.

Even though there are differences in the characters, it may be that Captain Jack Harkness was inspired by Captain Kirk. That dashing demeanor, that rapier wit, and ability to make clothing disappear with a glance are far too similar to be coincidental. Just imagine if the two of them ever met? Captain Kirk’s shirt would likely get shredded as per norm, and it may or may not involve combat.

Captain Jack Harkness and Captain James T. Kirk have a lot in common. If ever they were to meet, should the TARDIS run into the Enterprise, they may realize they have a lot more in common than they would have expected.