Jonathan Frakes Added Personal Touches To Riker In Star Trek: Picard Season 3
The third season of "Star Trek: Picard" began in a very tantalizing place. It seemed that Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), likely over 100 years old, was ready to sell all his belongings and abandon any notion of legacy. He wasn't ready to let his home become a museum of his past, eager to start a new adventure. Picard was still friends with his old first officer Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), now a retired captain, possibly in his late 80s. Both characters had grown up considerably since the events of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and they had both developed an affable, friendly rapport that they never had when locked into their professional positions. They had always been work friends, but now they were real friends.
Early scenes in the season saw Picard and Riker drinking together in a bar, chatting about how modern Starfleet is so much more energetic than they are. The bar is selling models of well-known Starfleet vessels, and the bartender tells them that their old ship, the Enterprise-D, isn't particularly popular among customers. No one cares about that particular class anymore. Both characters were free of their legacy and free to have adventures without the weight of their reputation or propriety.
The season ended up going in the opposite direction, but for a while there, it was refreshing to see these new versions of Picard and Riker interact.
Riker especially seemed like he had grown. Previously a jocular fellow, Riker was now a little more cautious and bitter. Outside the auspices of his old job, he was free to scold and berate old co-workers. In an interview with Space.com from April 2023, Frakes himself revealed that he was relieved at the changes. He was, he said, able to finally fold more of himself into the role.
The troubled Riker
Jonathan Frakes was lured back to "Star Trek: Picard" by the third season's showrunner, Terry Matalas, who promised the actor a version of Riker that had lived a life. Frakes, it seems, had no interest in playing the same kind of jovial cowboy he had been in the past, preferring to play a slightly more stern, wounded, aged version of the character. It was important to Matalas to make sure that Frakes liked his role, as the "Picard" story required his extensive presence. As an actor, Frakes appreciated the variety of emotions he was given to play. Frakes recalled:
"[Matalas] said, 'I want to make sure that you're all-in because Riker is going to be a big part of this. They're going to be a big part of this. They're breaking in the writers' room right now.' He wrote the best s*** Riker ever had to do! Riker is in conflict with Picard, Riker takes the piss out of Worf. Riker and Troi have a very emotional reunion. Our marriage was having problems."
It's even brought up in dialogue that Riker is less willing to take a massive risk in a dangerous starship battle because he lost a child to disease and had other family members to lose. There was more at stake for Riker. Picard had only just discovered he had an adult son, and was finally willing to be cavalier rather than his old, judicious self. Riker was now the more prudent one. The swap in the characters' dynamic was delicious and expertly written. It also gave Riker a chance to yell at Picard and tell him that he was out of line. That moment likely gave many Trekkies an intense pang. Riker had never spoken to Picard that way before!
The sarcastic Riker
In the days of "Next Generation," Riker was funny and approachable, but he was never ironic or cruel in his humor. He was often bemused by human foibles. In the episode "Peak Performance" (July 10, 1989) it is mentioned that Riker's humor is, in fact, a large part of his command style. He inspires loyalty from those around him by being friendly, funny, and encouraging. Being bitter or sarcastic wasn't part of that equation. As it so happens, Jonathan Frakes is plenty sarcastic and was pleased to see that Riker had — essentially — grown into the man the actor was. The newer older Riker, if you will, came more naturally to Frakes than the older young version of the character. He said:
"[Matalas has] let me be sarcastic. Terry has embraced all the things that I've always liked when they let me put a little of Frakes into the character. I don't know how everyone else feels, but I feel like I was well served in season 3, as an actor. And I got to direct episodes 3 and 4 of season 3 as well, which was great."
Frakes, it should be noted, is one of the most prolific directors of "Star Trek" who was also an actor on the show; he recently helmed several episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and "Star Trek: Discovery." Only LeVar Burton has directed more Trek than Frakes. Whether or not he will return to Trek as an actor remains to be seen.