William Riker's Beard
- Thread starter Amaraen
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NigellaDeanna20 said:
Speaking as a currently-bearded guy, that's usually the reason whenever I start growing one.
I have to say, I used to think this was the case until I grew a beard for myself... but when you've got one, you discover that they're very high-maintenance, unless of course you don't mind going the full grizzly and letting it grow wild and free. But anyone wanting a beard like Riker's is going to be trimming and shaping that puppy a lot. Which in some ways is more hard work than simply shaving it every day.
I thought the beard added to his role.
Oh, he needed the beard. It worked well for him.
I have to say, I used to think this was the case until I grew a beard for myself... but when you've got one, you discover that they're very high-maintenance, unless of course you don't mind going the full grizzly and letting it grow wild and free. But anyone wanting a beard like Riker's is going to be trimming and shaping that puppy a lot. Which in some ways is more hard work than simply shaving it every day.
Give it a while and you get to the stage where you can just do a weekly trim and shave round the edges.
Lance said:I have to say, I used to think this was the case until I grew a beard for myself... but when you've got one, you discover that they're very high-maintenance, unless of course you don't mind going the full grizzly and letting it grow wild and free. But anyone wanting a beard like Riker's is going to be trimming and shaping that puppy a lot. Which in some ways is more hard work than simply shaving it every day.
Give it a while and you get to the stage where you can just do a weekly trim and shave round the edges.
Yeah, that's true. One of the easiest mistakes to make is to start trimming it way too early, before the folicles have established themselves enough to put up any resistance to the razor.
(
"Resistance is Futile." )But after a while you can trim the edges with impunity without fear of creating a patchy mess.
Riker's beard is another character, just like Picard, Data and Worf.
Should have at least gotten a mention in the credits.
Should have at least gotten a mention in the credits.
The whole "Growing The Beard" thing is overrated. Argyle already had a beard. But neither character really grew one on the series. That recognition should go to Geordi, who was clean shaven and grew a beard. Then he kept it for the TNG films.
First Season Riker looks completely different. So different that I wonder if there is a THIRD Riker walking around, not just William T. Riker and W. Thomas Riker. ( William Thomas R.?
) Riker had aged significantly but this is not limited to his beard.
I do like the variations of Riker's beard. But I really enjoy when they give it recognition, almost mocking it. Such as in the episodes True Q, and Parallels. But the closeup of Riker's Rank on his collar in Cause and Effect might have been disturbing.
First Season Riker looks completely different. So different that I wonder if there is a THIRD Riker walking around, not just William T. Riker and W. Thomas Riker. ( William Thomas R.?
) Riker had aged significantly but this is not limited to his beard.I do like the variations of Riker's beard. But I really enjoy when they give it recognition, almost mocking it. Such as in the episodes True Q, and Parallels. But the closeup of Riker's Rank on his collar in Cause and Effect might have been disturbing.
I know I've said this elsewhere, but I will reiterate that while I do think in 1988 Jonathan Frakes looked much better with a beard than without, I also think that by the time Insurrection rolled around, his face had "matured" in such a way that he actually rocked being clean-shaven much better than he did twelve years previously. I reckon he actually looked quite handsome without the beard in 1999, and I was kind of disappointed when he grew it back in Nemesis (and it didn't help that it was flecked with grey hairs by then).
She did; between Gates McFadden and Brent Spiner.
Riker has a beard? That thing on his face is not a symbiotic alien?
It is quite startling how much difference having a beard can make to some people.
The human face is a funny thing.
(It can also be a 'fuzzy' thing..... yeah, I went there.
)Some men have 'weak looking' lower faces. Not in the sense of lacking physical strength, but sometimes it's just a dimple, or a general shape. Anyway, it's not their fault, but..... they look..... kind of odd clean-shaven.
Call it genetics.
But a beard adds the definition needed to make them look 'right'.
Jonathan Frakes was certainly one of those people in his youth. He wasn't a bad looking guy, don't get me wrong. But he had a kind of awkward look clean-shaven. Almost like he got up out of bed wearing the wrong face.
The beard did so much to sharpen him up and add that professional look that Riker in particular benefitted from.George Lucas is another. It isn't just that we're not used to seeing him without a beard..... it's that his face (for better or worse) actually just doesn't look "right" without one. Hard to say why, but it's just how it is.
http://fd.noneinc.com/secrethistoryofstarwarscom/secrethistoryofstarwars.com/beardlesslucas.html
YMMV of course.
It is quite startling how much difference having a beard can make to some people.
The human face is a funny thing.
(It can also be a 'fuzzy' thing..... yeah, I went there.
Some men have 'weak looking' lower faces. Not in the sense of lacking physical strength, but sometimes it's just a dimple, or a general shape. Anyway, it's not their fault, but..... they look..... kind of odd clean-shaven.
Call it genetics.
But a beard adds the definition needed to make them look 'right'.
Jonathan Frakes was certainly one of those people in his youth. He wasn't a bad looking guy, don't get me wrong. But he had a kind of awkward look clean-shaven. Almost like he got up out of bed wearing the wrong face.
George Lucas is another. It isn't just that we're not used to seeing him without a beard..... it's that his face (for better or worse) actually just doesn't look "right" without one. Hard to say why, but it's just how it is.
http://fd.noneinc.com/secrethistoryofstarwarscom/secrethistoryofstarwars.com/beardlesslucas.html
YMMV of course.
It is funny, isn't it? I think I fall into that category looking of odd clean shaven too. And George Lucas looks like an average 80's businessman shaven! And I guess he was a businessman of sorts in the 80's, but I'd wager he was really above average, lol
Yeah, I'm the same. I have had people tell me I look better with a beard, and I think it's the equation I mentioned above. There are lots of men that look great both with and without beards, but there are also some of us where facial hair just makes such a big difference. I'm sure it must be something to do with genetics.As I mentioned earlier, I actually think Frakes looked fine without the beard in the movie Insurrection, but that was probably because in the 12 years since TNG season one, his face had matured enough that he could carry off looking clean-shaven. As a younger man it didn't seem to quite work for him though, IMO.
As I mentioned earlier, I actually think Frakes looked fine without the beard in the movie Insurrection, but that was probably because in the 12 years since TNG season one, his face had matured enough that he could carry off looking clean-shaven. As a younger man it didn't seem to quite work for him though, IMO.
I agree wholeheartedly. And good point about Insurrection too. He definitely doesn't look as babyfaced then as he did in Season 1 (a babyface in his mid 30's, as he was in '87, lol), even though he appears beardless in both.
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