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Gene Roddenberry changed pop culture and sci-fi forever when he created the space operaStar Trek. The original series had a cult following and only lasted three seasons before gaining a new fandom with feature films. However, the franchise only gained traction with the follow-upStar Trek: The Next Generation.
While many memorable characters from the franchise come fromTNG, Captain William Riker remains one of its most charming. The first officer of the USS Enterprise, Riker was played by Jonathan Frakes, who was reportedly instructed to play the character in a very stoic and strict way. However, he became more charming as the series progressed.
Gene Roddenberry Intended William Riker To Be More Strict
Gene Roddenberry’sinvolvement in the syndicated showStar Trek: The Next Generationreportedly became less after the first season due to his ill health. While he created the show and established ground rules, these were reportedly often flouted by writers and showrunners to make the show more interesting.
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One such change was in the characteristics of Jonathan Frakes’ William Riker. The USS Enterprise’s first officer was known for his flamboyant personality and flirtatious behavior. However, the show’s initial seasons saw the actor in a more rigid and serious role. This was due to Roddenberry’s intention for Riker to be a ‘Gary Cooper’ type of character.
Frakes mentioned in an interview with Newsday (viaTrek News) about how he was initially instructed by Roddenberry to play the role of Riker.
I was told by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry that he wanted Riker to be like Gary Cooper — a Midwestern glint, no smiling, all about honor and duty. That was fine for the character, but it was a strange, limiting box for me as an actor because I’m a little more flamboyant.
The actor mentioned that he found himself to be very stiff in the initial seasons but as they reached global stardom and more seasons, the character developed into his usual self more organically.
Jonathan Frakes Was Unaware Of How ImportantStar TrekWas
Much like many of the cast members ofThe Next Generation, Jonathan Frakes too was reportedly surprised at the amount of fanfare the show received. Unaware of how famous the show was in certain circles, the actor reportedly got to know about its importance when the audience was extremely skeptical about the new Starfleet crew.
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Jonathan Frakes mentioned that he tried to recreate Spock, Kirk, and Bones’ iconic dynamic from the original series with Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner before finding their own rhythm.
I was not aware of the cultural phenomenon that Star Trek was when I first got the job. I quickly learned because the Kirk-Spock-and-Bones Star Trek, and that triangle, the magic of that ironic, sarcastic relationship that developed on that show, was something that Patrick [Stewart] and Brent [Spiner] I always aspired to and never quite were able to achieve because the writing was different and the characters were obviously different.
The show was incredibly successful, even more than the original series, and spawned four original films. A spinoff series titledStar Trek: Picardwas also released with the original cast returning.
Star Trek: The Next Generationis available to stream on Paramount+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
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gene roddenberryjonathan frakesStar Trek: The Next Generation
