On the Enterprise, Riker is second in command. He's received opportunities to command his own ship, but he prefers to stay at the Enterprise under Picard. That's not where his career aspirations begin and end, though. Eventually he'd like to replace Picard.
Or perhaps he wants to stick around due to his long-standing affection for counselor Deanna Troi? There is endless flirtation and tension between these two, but Riker is too driven to let love put his career goals at risk.
Not everyone feels that way, namely, his doppelganger. During a transporter trip gone bad, Riker was split in two. His clone has different attitudes when it comes to Troi (and other topics), and that wreaks havoc in the real Riker's life.
A skilled pilot and an avid poker player, Riker likes to escape the stress of ship life by vacationing on the planet Risa. One of his holidays there nearly proved disastrous for the crew, when Riker got hooked on a mind game that nearly took control of the Enterprise.
Working as a theater usher while enrolled at Pennsylvania State University, Jonathan Frakes realized he needed to be closer to the stage. The experience prompted him to switch his major from psychology to theater arts, and then went on to earn a masters degree from Harvard.
After moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s, Frakes landed an array of special-guest appearance on shows including The Waltons, The Dukes of Hazzard, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island and Barnaby Jones. Frakes' then-financee (and former co-star in the prime-time soap Bare Essence) persuaded him to audition for Next Generation. Ultimately, their wedding was delayed twice due to the show's schedule. In addition to acting, Frakes also directed eight Next Generation episodes.
