Spock and Will Riker are two beloved characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Riker would also serve as Picard's first officer in the four subsequent TNG films, while Spock largely played slightly different roles in the six TOS films.
There's an important distinction that must be made here: this is not a matter of whether Will Riker or Spock is a more significant character inStar Trek franchise. A fair argument can be made that Spock is the most important Star Trek character, leaving a mark on virtually every era of the franchise: a huge swath of Star Trek simply doesn't work without Spock at its heart. However, when it actually comes down to performing the job of first officer aboard a Federation starship, Will Riker has Spock beat.
Why Will Riker Is A Better Leader Than Spock
Spock is unquestionably a scientific genius - he pulled double duty as both the Enterprise's first officer and science officer - and along with Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy was one of Captain Kirk's most trusted confidantes. But the half-human, half-Vulcan officer often came across as cold and standoffish to his mostly human crew. He was a capable leader in Kirk's absence, but he rarely inspired his fellow crew mates. His lack of human social graces and disinterest in fostering warm relationships made his prospects as a long-term leader shaky at best.
Conversely, Will Riker simply oozed charisma. Known for his warm, dynamic personality, Riker was close friends with Enterprise-D's entire senior staff, with the often-distant Captain Picard eventually considering him something akin to a brother. Beyond simple likability, Riker was a bold and decisive leader, confidently taking command of the Enterprise-D and Enterprise-E on several occasions, most notably in the classic TNG two-parter "The Best Of Both Worlds," where he saved both Picard and Earth from an all-out assault by the Borg. Unsurprisingly, Riker was offered his own command several times over the years, eventually accepting command of the USS Titan at the conclusion of Star Trek: Nemesis.
Why Riker Is As Revered As Picard
While the modern Star Trek shows like Star Trek: Lower Decks have established Jean-Luc Picard as a Starfleet legend, they've also gone out of their way to bestow that same level of prestige on Will Riker. Riker was so well respected by the Star Trek: Picard era that he was allowed to come out of semi-retirement to command a massive Federation armada to assist Picard and his ragtag crew against a Romulan fleet in the season one finale.
Star Trek: Lower Decks has taken the Riker love even further, with young ensigns like Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner idolizing the swashbuckling Riker over the stuffier Picard. Riker himself even appeared in two episodes of the series, joyfully commanding the Titan and charming the pants off the crew of the Cerritos. Will Riker may not be a foundational Star Trek character like Spock, but when it comes to doing the job of first officer, there's simply no one better.