Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5, Episode 1 - "Dos Cerritos"
Star Trek: Lower Decks just hinted that Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) didn't become a great character until he grew a beard. Lower Decks season 5 kicked off with a season opener that found the USS Cerritos face to face (or nacelle to nacelle) with a duplicate ship from an alternate universe. As the Prime Cerritos crew members worked to find a way back to their own universe, they paired up with their doppelgangers. This scenario provided Lower Decks with the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into its characters and explore what makes them tick.
Lt. Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) has always been insecure about his place in Starfleet, and encountering his much more confident duplicate certainly didn't help matters. Boimler's alternate universe counterpart made the cover of Starfleet's 30 under 30 magazine and he regularly takes over command of his USS Cerritos from Captain Becky Freeman (Tawny Newsome). But the most obvious physical difference between to two is that duplicate Boimler sports a strong beard and mustache combo that bears a striking resemblance to Commander Riker's.
Riker Became A Better Star Trek: TNG Character After Growing His Beard
Commander Riker Had A Beard From TNG Season 2 On
Star Trek fans have often joked that Star Trek: The Next Generation did not truly become good until Commander Riker grew a beard. This argument makes perfect sense, as the only season that features a beardless Riker is TNG season 1, which is generally considered to be the show's weakest season. But Riker also greatly improved as a character after he grew a beard. In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, many of the show's characters were still figuring themselves out, Riker included. The Riker of TNG season 1 is by the book and lacks the more fun personality that the character would later develop.
Riker's beard was actually a happy accident. Jonathan Frakes had grown out his facial hair during the break between Star Trek: The Next Generation seasons one and two and Gene Roddenberry liked his new "nautical" look. Commander Riker kept the beard throughout the rest of TNG's seven seasons and all but one film, and it's the character's most recognized look even today. Boimler's bearded Star Trek: Lower Decks duplicate radiates the same easy confidence as bearded Riker, leading Prime Universe Boimler to attempt to grow a beard himself.
Why Boimler With A Beard On Star Trek: Lower Decks Makes Sense
Boimler & Riker Actually Have A Lot In Common
Lt. Brad Boimler and Commander Will Riker have several things in common, and the beard connection between the two characters makes perfect sense. Not only does Boimler look up to Riker, but he briefly served under Captain Riker on the USS Titan in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2. However, Boimler quickly found the Titan's often dangerous mission to be a little bit too intense for his tastes and he transferred back to the Cerritos. Interestingly, the Titan still had a Boimler aboard after a transporter accident resulted in a clone who chose to go by William Boimler.
Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to point out the characters' similarities to Riker.
Back in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, Commander Riker also discovered he had a transporter clone. This clone chose to go by Thomas Riker and ended up joining the rebel group known as the Maquis in much the same way William Boimler joined Section 31. With Boimler's newest duplicate, Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to point out the characters' similarities to Riker, even giving duplicate Boimler his own version of the Riker Maneuver when he rises from his chair.
