Star Trek: The Next Generation
Summary
Commander Will Riker was clean - shaven inStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 1 , and Jonathan Frakes reveals why Riker adopt his signature beard . Riker ’s smooth face inTNGseason 1 was a recall toStar Trek : The Original Series , with the USS Enterprise - D ’s First Officeroriginally plan asTNG ’s translation of William Shatner ’s Captain James T. Kirk . WhenTNGcame back for season 2 , Riker rollick a new beard , but that might not have been the case if output onTNGhad move as planned .
In theStar Trekoral history " The Fifty - Year Mission : The Next 25 Years " by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross , Jonathan Frakes cited the 1988 writer ’s strike direct him to grow a beard because"I hate to shave,“which led to Commander Riker ’s iconic aspect . Indeed , Frakes ' earlier television appearances , such as a1980sTwilight Zonecameo , featured his famous beard , suggesting thatRiker might have had a beard much sooner if it had been up to Frakesalone . However , the visual appearance ofTNG ’s characters was settle in part by the show ’s manufacturer , and theTNGcast , include Jonathan Frakes , had to abide by their decisiveness . Read Frakes ' quote below .
The writers ’ strike happened second time of year , and I hate to shave , so I let the face fungus grow . During the strike we had a meeting with Roddenberry and Berman and Hurley , who was the manufacturer at the meter , and Roddenberry kept looking at me and said , “ I really like this , it appear nautical . ” What ensued was this bizarre executive whiskers trim contest . It became idiotic in terms of the length and the shape and everything else . Gene wanted the whiskers to be cosmetic and it stuck and I ’m very glad to have it . Fortunately , my wife care it , or else I ’d have had real problems .
Thanks to conveyer accidents , alternate timelines , and changes in facial fuzz , several unlike reading of William T. Riker appear in Star Trek .
The 1988 Writers' Strike Changed Star Trek: TNG Season 2
The 1988 Writers ' Guild of America chance upon that Jonathan Frakes mentioned changedStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 2 . Riker ’s whiskers was an indirect but ultimately beneficial issue ofTNG ’s halted yield , butthe 1988 strike was also creditworthy in part forTNG ’s truncated second seasonand its dwindle budget . Scripts from the nixedStar Trek : Phase IIproject were reprocess , includingTNGseason 2 ’s premiere , " The Child " . TheTNGseason 2 finale , " Shades of Gray " , spliced together scenes fromTNG ’s first 2 time of year in a clumsy patchwork focusing on Riker ’s memories . Neither has been nearly as well received as Riker ’s beard .
Star Trek ’s only clip show , " Shades of Gray " , broughtTNG ’s season 2 episode tally to 22 , down from a typical 26 - episode time of year order of magnitude .
Star Trek : The Next Generationseason 2 also marked the beginning ofTNG ’s improvement , with extra change for the better . The dramatic optic difference of a beardhelped Riker to be seen as much more than a thinly - veiled relief for Kirk , and Riker evolved into a more conversant version of himself . Riker ’s byssus became a symbol of the rise in overall timber that came whenStar Trek : The Next Generationstopped try tomimicStar Trek : The Original Series , and " growing the byssus " even became a metaphor for any television show ’s melioration – all thanks to Jonathan Frakes ' rift from steady sliver .
Star Trek : The Next Generationis streaming on Paramount+ .
Source : The Fifty - Year Mission : The Next 25 year : From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams : The Complete , Uncensored , and unauthorised Oral History of Star Trekby Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross
