Star Trek: 10 Worst Things William T. Riker Has Ever Done
He may have been Star Trek's beardiest Number One for a long time, but this man has been naughty
William T. Riker was, let's be blunt, a bit of a sex symbol in Star Trek: The Next Generation. His grin, his voice, and that wonderful, wonderful beard all set the tone for what could well have been Jim Kirk 2.0. That said, we didn't always receive Riker at his most-Trombone.
The first season, being a test for so many of the characters, offered a different, stricter version of the man. As the show would go on, his disciplinarian side would rear its head again and again, though this tends to fade into the background whenever he breaks into that big old smile.
What's that? Will's cooking breakfast? Oh that's so cute! What's that? Will's brought a deadly game that could see the end of the Federation as we know it aboard? Oh that's so cute!
Yes the smiling Alaskan isn't always the brightest Star in the Fleet. There's more than one occasion when he's truly left a stained legacy behind, and please, we ask you not to giggle at that last sentence.
William, go to your room - you've been a bad boy, and we're here to list why.
10. Not Assuming Command At The Neutral Zone
In All Good Things, there is a rather sudden return of the simmering feelings that Riker has for Troi. While she and Worf have begun a relationship, Riker is clearly bothered by this. Normally, personal matters would hardly be an issue on the bridge of starship (except for the hundreds of exceptions to that rule, of course) but this one is particularly egregious.
Picard clearly explains to Riker, on the bridge, that his time shifting often leads to a moment or two of disorientation. Should that occur, he presses, Riker must assume command immediately so as to keep the ship safe. Lost in his own thoughts, though still listening, Riker doesn't react to his words - but assures him a moment later that he will follow this order.
Cut to barely minutes later when he fails to do so. Picard, returning from a point in the past, turns to find himself eye-to-eye with Tomalok, who angrily asks him how long they intend to stare at each other across the Neutral Zone.
If we allow for the rapid nature of Picard's time shifting, there must surely have been a moment or two where he seemed to freeze. Why didn't Riker follow orders, as he had assured his captain he would?
This may seem a harsh review but the Romulans were by no means Starfleet's ally at this point. Riker's inaction may well have led to a combat situation, one thankfully avoided by Picard's quick thinking.