Strange New Worlds Actors Praise Star Trek Director Jonathan Frakes: “He Wants To Be In On The Action”

The stars of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have nothing but great things to say about working with director Jonathan Frakes. Frakes began his Star Trek journey by portraying Commander William Riker throughout all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he first took on the role of director for TNG season 3's "The Offspring."

Most recently, Jonathan Frakes directed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 4, "A Space Adventure Hour," which featured a 1960s murder mystery on the holodeck. As part of the Comic-Con Variety Studio Presented by Google TV, Strange New Worlds stars Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Paul Wesley, Christina Chong, and Jess Bush spoke about their experience working with Frakes. Read their quotes below:

Christina Chong: He wants to be in on the action, to the point where he’s hiding behind plants in the shot and whispering directions to us. He’s in our eyeline. He lights up everyone’s day when you walk into work. Working with Frakes is just a complete joy.

Jess Bush: He’s singing. He’s also wonderfully self-deprecating. Not the sense of he’s tearing himself down, but like, ‘What do you think? What should we do here?’

Rebecca Romijn: It’s very collaborative. He’s got very, very good ideas. And he also, because he’s an actor, he loves to be right there on set with the actors, and not necessarily over in video village. And he likes to start the day in the hair and makeup trailer, because that’s what he’s always done as an actor. He just wants to be with the actors.

Paul Wesley: This episode was very heavy on bringing our own spin on what we were doing. So he wanted us to improv. He wanted us to have fun. Like the blooper reel at the end. Some of it was scripted but a lot of it was just like us having fun on the day with breaks.

What This Means For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Frakes Remains A Fixture Of Strange New Worlds

In addition to bringing Commander Riker to life, Jonathan Frakes has directed some of Star Trek's best episodes, including Strange New Worlds season 2's excellent crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks. "A Space Adventure Hour" marks another win for Frakes as a director, and the show's stars seem happy to continue working with him.

Star Trek has already confirmed that Frakes will direct an episode of Strange New Worlds season 4, as well as at least one episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

 

In his two episodes of Strange New Worlds so far, Frakes has incorporated numerous references to past Star Trek, and his obvious love for the franchise always shines through. As Frakes seems to have a good relationship with the show's cast and with Star Trek in general, he will likely remain a fixture in the franchise for the foreseeable future, and that can only be a good thing.

 

Our Take On The Comments Of The Strange New Worlds Cast

Frakes' Strange New Worlds Episodes Are Some Of The Show's Best

Strange New Worlds has become one of Star Trek's most fun shows, and that's never more apparent than in the episodes directed by Jonathan Frakes. With his obvious knowledge of and love for all things Trek, Frakes' episodes of Strange New Worlds act as love letters to the Star Trek franchise, celebrating its long history and its passionate fans.

"A Space Adventure Hour" is an incredibly fun hour of television that could have easily fallen flat in the hands of the wrong director or cast. But Jonathan Frakes and the cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds make the episode work, and the obvious fun they are having can practically be felt through the screen.

It's great that the cast members of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have such a solid working relationship with Frakes, as that can only work in the show's favor. It doesn't look like Frakes will be departing Star Trek anytime soon, and that's a wonderful thing for the franchise's future.