My input is based solely on the TV series for both and not the movies which all stunk for both series.
If you're going for boring, predictable, follow all the rules and be totally PC in everything you do, then Picard is your captain. Never rash and rarely offensive to others. Of course, Riker would kick his rear in war games because of his out of the box thinking and ability to use subterfuge.
Picard also had no issue with sacrificing the Enterprise which annoys the heck out of anyone who knows how Naval captains feel about their ships.
Kirk on the other hand was like Sinbad in space. Adventurous, courageous, curious, and clever. Sure he was brash, but in the end, his diplomacy and strategic mind always won out. And yes, he did consult with his bridge crew for options but it was clear it wasn't a group decision, it was his in the end -- just like in real life. Leaders are held responsible for their actions and I think you'll find that Captains of Aircraft Carriers and Submarines call the shots like Kirk did. i.e. Get input on the situation, then call the shots.
Also, the Enterprise was everything to Kirk. Sure he had his romantic affairs, just about wherever there was a female involved, but in the end the Enterprise was his deepest love. He would never sacrifce the Enterprise for any reason. He was also supremely confident that no matter what the situation, he and his crew would find a way to overcome the obstacles and win.
All in all the old ST crew seemed more interesting to watch. More "real" in many ways than the totally PC crew of TNG -- PC =
to me. Heck, TNG started off so goody goody two shoes that they had to re-introduce the Romulans because there weren't any good villains in the show. And then they had to introduce the Borg because the Romulans weren't really doing it for folks. Once they did that, then the show got interesting.
TNG = Boring captain (decent support roles though with Riker, Data, and Worf), good special effects, lame humor, and lame stories (except for a few notable episodes).
ST (the first series) = Dynamic characters, OK special effects for the time, good humor, and overall good stories (except for the third season when things started to go dooooowwwwn hill).
And BTW -- If Picard was French, why was he soooo enthralled with the English???
