He'll always be Number One. Jonathan Frakes' iconic Commander Will Riker of Star Trek: The Next Generation will always be remembered, but now he's also a meme, Comicbook.com reported.
The “Riker Maneuver” is when Frakes' character swings his leg over the chair's back and then lower himself instead of oh, the usual way people sit. The 6'3″ actor sat that way in to manage his back pain due to the multiple takes of the same sitting-down scenes on the series. The move had become his character's signature and evolved into a meme among Star Trek fans.
During a Reddit AMA, Frakes explained the move and playfully dissed himself in the process.
What is the Riker Maneuver?
“It happened by chance when we first used 10 Forward…the chairs were low enough to step in,” he wrote to answer the questions on Reddit.
“….frankly it's kind of an asshole move …but I'm glad it found life as a Meme,” he added.
And just to prove my Trekkie creds, there's actually another maneuver from the same TV show.
It's by the captain himself, Jean-Luc Picard, Sir Patrick Stewart. It's got nothing to do with sitting, though. The “Picard Maneuver” is when Stewart would pull on the hem of his Starfleet uniform so that it always looks smooth and unwrinkled. It's also an actual combat tactic in the show where a single starship is made to appear as if it were in two places at once.
Frakes reunited with his captain in Star Trek: Picard, this time as a captain himself to Picard's admiral, although both have retired. Many fans, as well as those in the show, have been clamoring for a sequel to the series.
Jonathan Frakes and Star Trek: Legacy
The actor had spoken about what he though Riker would play in what is now called Star Trek: Legacy if ever a network ends up developing the show.
“The Rikers' marriage is back on track,” he said. Will Riker is married to Deanna Troi, played by Marina Sirtis, the former Enterprise counselor.
“In my mind, for the show to be able to move forward, Riker would have to be a captain and have his ship, or he would be promoted to admiral and be a liaison. I'm only half-kidding when I say it would be great for me if the show carries on and I'm like Charlie from Charlie's Angels. They'd have to come to my office one day a week for a meeting with Riker. That'd be perfect,” Frakes continued.
“Then I could direct a bunch of the episodes and be around the show. I suspect if it does go forward, it would be Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker), and Ed Speleers (Jack Crusher), who's now in Starfleet, and Mica Burton (Alandra La Forge) and Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut (Sidney La Forge), who played Geordi's daughter. I would also imagine Lulu Wilson, who played the Rikers' daughter in season one and was so fabulous, could be a part of it. She could come back and maybe be in Starfleet,” he added.
Frakes said that he feels children of The Next Generation characters could carry on the legacy. Hence Star Trek: Legacy.
“It just feels like it's laid out there. It's the blueprint for the next phase,” he concluded.
While there's no word yet on whether the legacies will get their own spinoff, Frakes may still return as Riker and reunite with TNG cast. Patrick Stewart had said the he expects the script delivered to him soon.
Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.
Follow Us
Subscribe