Jonathan Frakes on Riker and Troi’s return in Star Trek: Picard: “it felt like a gift”

Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker, Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, and Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi share an embrace in Star Trek: Picard episode 7, “Nepenthe”

Jonathan Frakes has given a new interview, in which he gives some insight into Star Trek: Picard’s Riker and Troi relationship, and a little about what to look forward to in Star Trek: Discovery season three. Frakes spoke to Syfy Wire last week about his return to the Star Trek franchise in episode 7 of Picard, “Nepenthe”.

A point of focus in the interview was on Riker and Troi’s relationship, and Frakes’ reaction to it. It’s well-known fandom lore that the subtle romantic relationship between Frakes’ Will Riker and Marina Sirtis’ Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation was largely kept alive by the actors themselves. It was a significant development for them to be married in Star Trek: Nemesis. And to see their relationship having survived, and progressed? Frakes said “it felt like a gift”. He said, “The obvious gift being that we got to play together with our friends from 33 years ago, but it’s also the idea that Marina and I had both held onto a very specific story for these characters. We held it close to our hearts for many years, and the writers had seemed to give up on it.” Frakes went on to elaborate, “It was very important, this relationship, we take it very personally and we feel wonderfully vindicated to see them return.”

Later in the interview, the conversation turned to the upcoming third season of Star Trek: Discovery. Syfy Wire reports that Frakes directed a block of episodes for season three, so he had a bit of insight into what the new story will hold. “As we know, they’ve gone 930 years into the future, and in that is optimism,” he said. “The new season isn’t driven by fears of the past. It’s driven primarily by this second chance that the crew of Discovery is given. It’s brighter. More complex. I think it’s thrilling.”

You can watch Frakes as Will Riker in Star Trek: Picard episode 7, “Nepenthe”, streaming now on CBS All Access. And while you’re there, might as well take the time to catch up on Discovery seasons one and two, so you’re ready when season three drops, sometime later this year.