Key Takeaways:
* Jonathan Frakes, known for his role as William T. Riker in ‘The Next Generation', voiced his desire to reunite with the casts in J.J. Abrams' reboot trilogy.
* Despite his wish and plan to return, Frakes did not appear in Abrams' Star Trek reboot films due to unspecified reasons.
* He confidently pitched an idea for his potential return, mirroring Leonard Nimoy's appearance in the first movie, that didn't materialize.
* However, the actor reprised his role in the series ‘Star Trek: Picard', giving fans a reason to rejoice.
Introduction
In the new Star Trek era, the acclaimed J.J. Abrams rebooted the legendary space opera franchise with a trilogy of his own. Though he managed to rope in several actors from the original The Next Generation (TNG) series in his works, a fan-favourite character remained missing. Specifically, Jonathan Frakes' William T. Riker did not make a comeback in the trilogy, much to fans' disappointment. Let's unravel the story behind his unexpected absence.
Abrams' Reboot Trilogy: Missing A Beloved Character
Star Trek fans worldwide rejoiced in 2009 with the arrival of Abrams' reboot movie trilogy. However, the absence of one favourite character from the TNG series – William T. Riker, was felt. The relaunch of the series without Frakes, who portrayed this character, came as a disappointment to many.
In conversation with NBC 10 Philadelphia, Frakes admitted that he was “very hopeful” to rejoin the TNG crew in Abrams' reboot series. Evidently, the refusal to reprise his iconic role was not Frakes' choice.
Frakes' Hope & Proposition
Picking from where the first movie ended, Frakes had immense hope to return to the rebooted Star Trek franchise. The actor even detailed an outline for his potential comeback during the same conversation. Drawing a parallel with Leonard Nimoy's role in the first movie, he considered a similar model for his return focusing on time-travel, quantum anomalies or some sci-fi version.
Sadly, these hopes and ideas didn't take shape. The reasons for this remain unspecified. For devoted Trekkies, the absence of his character in the reboot trilogy feels like an unforgivable oversight.
Silver Lining: Returns to Star Trek: Picard
Despite his absence in Abrams' reboot, there's some good news for fans. Frakes did manage to make a comeback in ‘Star Trek: Picard'. Even if his character couldn't find space in the reboot trilogy, his return to reprise the role elsewhere has been heartening.
This return could very well serve as a consolation for fans who missed him in the trilogy and might even soften the criticism towards Abrams' exclusion decision.
Conclusion
The Star Trek reboot shines with new interpretations of nostalgic characters, yet it misses the presence of one beloved figure. While Abrams' handling of the franchise has been largely praised, the absence of William T. Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, has been a sticking point.
Despite his keen desire and planned proposal to return, Frakes was unable to be a part of the reboot for reasons unknown. However, his reappearance in ‘Star Trek: Picard' could be soothing for dedicated fans, thus making them forgive Abrams for his initial omission.
Currently, ‘The Next Generation' is available on Netflix while Abrams' Star Trek trilogy can be streamed on Paramount+. Despite some hiccups, the journey of Star Trek continues to amaze us.
