‘Enterprise’ Finale Gave Jonathan Frakes the Most ‘Star Trek’ Appearances

by

As a huge Star Trek fan, I always knew Leonard Nimoy was a legend, and for years he held the record for appearing in the most Star Trek episodes and movies. He first played Spock way back in 1966 on The Original Series and kept coming back for more, becoming totally synonymous with the character. Even with the new movies starting in 2009, he showed up as Spock Prime! But Jonathan Frakes eventually surpassed his record. Still, when I think of Spock, it’s always Leonard Nimoy’s performance in the original timeline that comes to mind – he was Spock.

Jonathan Frakes is best known for his iconic role as Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent series. But his involvement with Star Trek goes far beyond acting; he’s also directed numerous episodes and even two Star Trek films. He remains a dedicated advocate for the franchise, which makes his lasting impact unsurprising. In 2005, he surpassed Leonard Nimoy’s record for most *Star Trekrelated work, a record that seems unlikely to be broken.

‘Enterprise’s Despised Series Finale Meant Jonathan Frakes Had Appeared in More ‘Star Trek’ Shows Than Leonard Nimoy

The Previous Record Was 3 Shows


Paramount

The final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, titled “These Are the Voyages…”, ended the series in a controversial and unusual way. Instead of focusing on the regular Enterprise crew, the episode brought in Jonathan Frakes as a guest star, connecting it to an earlier episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called “The Pegasus” that aired eleven years prior. While Frakes had reprised his role as Riker in other shows since The Next Generation, this episode particularly angered many Star Trek fans, especially those who followed Enterprise.

Even though “These Are the Voyages…” wasn’t well-received, it allowed Jonathan Frakes to portray his character, Commander Riker, across four different Star Trek series. Besides The Next Generation, he made guest appearances on Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Before the Enterprise finale, Frakes had appeared in three series, matching Leonard Nimoy’s record. Spock appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, and a two-part episode of The Next Generation called “Unification” in 1991. Aside from brief clips and other actors portraying Spock, Nimoy was the original actor to play the character in three Star Trek series. Both Nimoy and Frakes also played their characters in several Star Trek movies, but that’s a story for another time.

Jonathan Frakes Has Appeared in Even More ‘Star Trek’ Shows Since ‘Enterprise’

His ‘Star Trek’ Show Record Has Increased to 7


Paramount

Although Leonard Nimoy appeared in three Star Trek series, Jonathan Frakes has been in even more. Even after Enterprise, Frakes continued to play Riker, and in 2020, he got two new opportunities with the beginnings of Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks. He reprised his role as a captain in both shows. Then, a voice acting role in Star Trek: Very Short Treks in 2023 brought Frakes’ total to seven Star Trek shows – significantly more than Nimoy and other well-known actors from the franchise.

Every Star Trek Show Where Jonathan Frakes Has Played Riker
Show Episodes Year(s)
Star Trek: The Next Generation 176 1987-1994
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 1 1994
Star Trek: Voyager 1 1996
Star Trek: Enterprise 1 2005
Star Trek: Lower Decks 3 2020-2021
Star Trek: Picard 12 2020-2023
Star Trek: Very Short Treks 3 2023

Jonathan Frakes has directed episodes of Star Trek throughout the franchise’s entire run, from the original series to the modern revivals. Starting in 2018, he’s directed for Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, even directing the special episode that connected with Star Trek: Lower Decks. Beyond simply holding the record for appearing in more Star Trek shows than anyone else, his directing work proves just how vital he’s been to the enduring success of the Star Trek universe.

Why Jonathan Frakes’ ‘Star Trek’ TV Record Is Unlikely to Ever Be Broken

‘Star Trek’s Next Era Doesn’t Make Fun Cameos Very Easy


Paramount+

Most people know Star Trek as a television series, with films that either continue storylines from the shows or explore alternate universes. When the franchise was revived with Discovery in 2017, the plan was to focus on new characters and move away from the original series. While new characters remain important, we’ve seen more actors from the classic shows return than expected, allowing Jonathan Frakes to reprise his role multiple times. Recently, however, Star Trek television shows haven’t been as much of a focus. Currently, Strange New Worlds and the upcoming Starfleet Academy series are the only shows keeping the Star Trek TV legacy alive.

Both shows create challenges for bringing back original actors, but it’s not entirely out of the question. For instance, Robert Picardo is returning as the Doctor in Starfleet Academy, and his character’s holographic nature is the only reason it’s plausible for him to appear so far in the future – the 32nd century. Most Star Trek characters simply wouldn’t live that long. This means there are fewer chances for actors to reprise their roles as time goes on. Despite this, Picardo will equal the existing record for appearances in the franchise, having also been in Voyager and Star Trek: Prodigy.

The new Star Trek movie from Paramount appears to be set earlier in the timeline than most of the existing shows. Making prequels is tricky because it’s hard to include cameos without contradicting established storylines. This movie seems like it will focus on a completely new crew and story. If any spin-off shows do come from it and take place in the same era, Jonathan Frakes’ record for directing the most Star Trek TV episodes will likely remain unbroken for a very long time, possibly forever.

Read More

2025-11-30 02:50