Highlights
- Jeffrey Combs is a prolific recurring actor in the Star Trek franchise, often playing iconic and memorable characters, even when buried under alien prosthetics.
- Combs' portrayal of Krem in Star Trek: Enterprise helps to connect the series to the wider Star Trek universe.
- Combs delivers a chilling performance as Kevin Mulkahey in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , showcasing his ability to captivate audiences without his usual alien features.
Certain Star Trek actors are well-known even to non-Star Trek fans: the scenery-chewing William Shatner, the trailblazing Nichelle Nichols, or the Shakespearean Patrick Stewart as Picard. (to name just a few). These big names tend to be the stars of their respective series, but Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi franchise contains a whole universe of characters.
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Even the best-written supporting characters require talented actors to bring them to life. The ubiquitous Jeffrey Combs, who has appeared across a total of three Star Trek series and in several tie-in video games, is one of the franchise's most prolific recurring actors. Even when buried beneath layers of alien prosthetics, Combs always turns in a standout performance, and his characters are remembered as some of Star Trek's most iconic figures.
8 Krem
Star Trek: Enterprise
The much-maligned Star Trek: Enterprise was not averse to attracting fans any way it could. Titillation, returning cast members, and canon-bending appearances of well-known foes were all deployed to boost viewing figures, and Season 1's "Acquisition" arguably incorporates all three elements.
More importantly, however, it features the character of Krem, an unlucky Ferengi played by Jeffrey Combs. Krem is frequently exploited by his criminal cousin, Ulis (played by Voyager star Ethan Phillips), and eventually joins forces with Archer after the Ferengi commandeer the Enterprise NX-01. Combs' lesser-known Ferengi role may not be his most iconic, but it helps to link Enterprise to the wider Star Trek universe.
7 Penk
Star Trek: Voyage
Although Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is now considered to be one of Hollywood's biggest action stars, one of his earliest acting roles was in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Tsunkatse". The episode is also notable for featuring Jeffrey Combs in his sole Voyager role; he plays a sadistic fight arranger, Penk. Penk is responsible for orchestrating the fight between Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine and Dwayne Johnson's Pendari Champion.
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Combs imbues Penk with the same professional sliminess that he employed throughout his time on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Indeed, while "Tsunkatse" is primarily remembered today for its celebrity cameo and silly premise, it also offers viewers a chance to see one of Combs' finest one-off performances.
6 Kevin Mulkahey
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
As Jeffrey Combs spent the vast majority of his time on Star Trek concealed beneath alien masks, his brief appearance of Kevin Mulkahey in the Deep Space Nine episode "Far Beyond The Stars" marks a welcome change to the status quo. Combs appears alongside most of Deep Space Nine's regular cast as a figure in a vision being experienced by Captain Sisko. Sisko dreams that he is a science fiction author encountering racism in 1950s America, and Combs' crooked cop is one of the challenges he must face.
Mulkahey first accosts and then severely beats Sisko's counterpart, Benny Russell, in a harrowing display of racialized police violence. Indeed, while he is only in the episode for a short time, Combs demonstrates that he can deliver a chilling performance even without his usual alien features.
5 AGIMUS
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Decks takes the bold path with its Starfleet cadets, combining Star Trek references and fan service with cartoon gags. This surprisingly successful blend loves to cherry-pick elements of Trek lore worthy of reexamination, so it comes as no surprise that Jeffrey Combs makes several appearances in the series as the evil computer AGIMUS.
AGIMUS' box-like appearance belies the threat posed by this villainous supercomputer. AGIMUS even manages to conquer a planet in one Lower Decks episode, demonstrating the classic Star Trek trope that it's important not to judge by appearances.
4 Weyoun 6
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The powerful Dominion is made up of the ruling Founders, the administrative Vorta, and the militant Jem'Hadar. Weyoun 6 falls into the middle category, although he is a Vorta with a difference. Due to a flaw in his cloning process, Weyoun 6 rejects the way of the Dominion and seeks out Odo, Deep Space Nine's constable, to try and make sense of the universe.
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Weyoun 6's unusual loyalties allow Combs to show a different side of the villainous Vorta. He still worships Odo as a Founder, but the two are able to establish a real friendship. The fact that Weyoun 6 appears in only a single episode (the excellent "Treachery, Faith and the Great River") is unfortunate, as he is one of the Dominion's most interesting characters.
3 Brunt
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
While Deep Space Nine's Ferengi-focused episodes continue to prove divisive, there are few fans who fail to appreciate the recurring character of Brunt. Combs plays Brunt in seven episodes of Deep Space Nine, and the hardline Ferengi is an iconic foil to station resident Quark. As a liquidator for the Ferengi Commerce Authority, Brunt is determined to expose Quark's dodgy dealings.
Despite his hounding of Quark, Brunt is primarily interested in furthering his own career and improving his position in the pecking order. Although he violently dislikes Quark, Brunt attempts to flatter him when it appears that Quark is next in line to take over the Ferengi Alliance. There is a straightforward villainy to Brunt that is rare in Combs' recurring characters, but this one-dimensional writing fails to detract from a strong performance.
2 Shran
Star Trek: Enterprise
While few fans claim that Star Trek: Enterprise represents the high point of the franchise, the early Noughties prequel series did introduce or develop several interesting plot points. Its focus on the Andorian species is of particular note, as these founding members of the Federation had been neglected in the shows prior to Enterprise.
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Combs plays Shran, a soldier in the Imperial Guard who overcomes his dislike for other species to become a frequent ally of the Enterprise's mission. Although he and Captain Archer do not always see eye to eye, Combs' strong performance means that the character's shifting allegiances represent one of Star Trek: Enterprise's best character arcs.
1 Weyoun 8
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Like all Vorta, Combs' Weyoun is a clone. Weyoun 8 is the eighth iteration of the ruthless Dominion administrator, created following the deaths of his preceding clones. While previous versions of Weyoun played key roles in the Dominion War, Weyoun 8 holds the distinction of being responsible for managing the conflict's final phase—as well as being the final on-screen Weyoun clone.
As such, Weyoun 8 is the culmination of Combs' Weyoun performances. He plays the ruthless alien bureaucrat with such charm that it's difficult to hate the character even as he plots the total destruction of the Federation. Weyoun 8 may not be in charge of the Dominion (in fact, he worships the ruling Founders), but Combs makes the Vorta one of Star Trek's most memorable villains.