Star Trek’s Jonathan Frakes Has Some Surprising Thoughts on the Riker Maneuver

Star Trek: The Next Generation star Jonathan Frakes shared some surprising thoughts on the “Riker Maneuver” during a recent Reddit AMA session. For those unfamiliar, the so-called “Riker Maneuver” is when Frakes’ Star Trek: The Next Generation character, Cmdr. Will Riker sits in a chair by swinging his leg over the chair’s back and lowering himself down instead of stepping in front of the chair and squatting back. The move is said to have helped the 6’3″ Frakes manage back pain he experienced during repeated takes on scenes where he had to sit down while filming The Next Generation. The move has become a signature and an occasional internet meme among Star Trek fans. During the Reddit AMA, Frakes shared some playfully unflattering thoughts about the “Riker Maneuver” and disclosed its origin.

“It happened by chance when we first used 10 Forward…the chairs were low enough to step in,” Frakes wrote on Reddit. “….frankly it’s kind of an asshole move …but I’m glad it found life as a Meme.”

Jonathan Frakes’ Future as Riker

Frakes returned as Riker in Star Trek: Picard, and there’s been a lot of talk among fans and those involved with that show concerning the possibility of a sequel series. Frakes previously shared his ideas for what role Riker might play in the so-called , should such a show ever be put into development. 

“The Rikers’ marriage is back on track,” Frakes said. “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. 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, Michelle Hurd, and Ed Speleers, who’s now in Starfleet, and Mica Burton and Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, 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 continued, “It feels to me like there’s a real opportunity for three of the legacy characters’ children to carry on and sort of be the next Star Trek: The Next Generation. It just feels like it’s laid out there. It’s the blueprint for the next phase.”

Rather than a series, Frakes could return as Riker for a new movie starring the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast. Patrick Stewart revealed recently that he expected to receive a script for such a project soon.

Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard stream on Paramount+.