Why does Riker lean into corners?

[K'Ehleyr]

Regardless of the reason ~ back pain or character trait (thanks Therin) now I've noticed it I can't stop focusing on it
I'm watching TNG all through again ~ finding a lot of episodes I'd forgotten and Riker is definately growing on me this time.

i need to do that again, re-watch in order. The only reason i havent started is those first couple of seasons ...(mostly the first)...some of those eps are seriously painful they are so bad.

i always loved Riker though. He has that devilish grin...and those eyes! And i enjoyed how in TNG HE was the womanizer as opposed to Kirk in TOS.

Oh the first couple of series of TNG were bad. Riker was given the role of womanizer rather than Kirk as you say. And he just came over as creepy. As the series progress he does come into his own and get some character substance rather than eye candy. I do agree with the eyes and the grin though

 

[GalaxyX]

I always thought the Riker walk was because most doors and places in general are designed for people under 6ft, and my tall friends always end up ducking down for everything, so eventually the brain gets trained to walk hunched over to avoid hitting crap.

But I wonder if the back injury is true. Having had one myself (herniated disc) it's not a fun experience.

 

[Too Much Fun]

i always loved Riker though. He has that devilish grin...and those eyes! And i enjoyed how in TNG HE was the womanizer as opposed to Kirk in TOS.

I'm one of the people who actually liked Riker's skirt-chasing ways. I thought they were hilarious. Especially that episode where a 'farm girl' came aboard (there were two different peoples, one 'civilized', one more 'rugged' who had split, and the Enterprise people were trying to get them to go back to living together in harmony), and he had a classic pick-up line. He stares at her, she says something like, "What's the matter with you? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?", and he responds: "I thought I had".

I also love when in "The Perfect Mate", Kamala gets a little friendly with him and then after he resists her, he announces over his communicator, "If anybody needs me, I'll be in the holodeck". As far as I'm concerned, that's the first instance of masturbation being referenced on Star Trek, not Rom saying he did Umox (sp?) by himself on DS9. What else could you call him using the holodeck to relieve his...tension caused by Kamala but high-tech futuristic wanking?

 

[K'Ehleyr]

... and he had a classic pick-up line. He stares at her, she says something like, "What's the matter with you? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?", and he responds: "I thought I had".

I love that one. Thing is, as much of a womaniser he thinks he is, he always looks slightly shocked and confused about the whole issue.

 

[GNDN]

Well I couldn't find an online clip, but still recall Chris Farley's rather subtle Riker-walk impression during the SNL TNG/Love Boat spoof. Have it floating around on DVD around here somewhere...

 

[RandyS]

I thought he was stooping because he's so much taller than Picard, Data, and Geordi, that he had to lean over just to stay in the same shot.

 

[plynch]

Am currently going through TNG, up to series 3 and must admit I'm liking Riker more this time round. He's not as much of a plonker as I thought he was

I just started TNG in order (tho I watched in 1987). Not sure what you mean by plonker, but if it's what I mean by "putz," VOY's Chakotay beats him by a landslide. Riker's cool. I like that he always seems to be having a good time.

 

[Triskelion]

The way he can command without being an A-hole, and still be approachable and humorous - I think his character is a great leader. Like when he tells Barclay they set a different standard on the Enterprise - it doesn't come off as being cocky. It's just true. I think of all the TNG crew Riker is the one I can relate to most.

 

[Green Shirt]

It's like he's doing a subtle Jackie Gleason exit. See 5:28 below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEQg-L-Rbp0

Or he's expecting the inertial dampners to go offline at any moment, which they frequently did.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Am currently going through TNG, up to series 3 and must admit I'm liking Riker more this time round. He's not as much of a plonker as I thought he was

I just started TNG in order (tho I watched in 1987). Not sure what you mean by plonker, but if it's what I mean by "putz," VOY's Chakotay beats him by a landslide. Riker's cool. I like that he always seems to be having a good time.

Yep it's very similar Like I say ~ I am warming to him this time.

 

[KimMH]

He does get better the older I get ! Kind of like wine, I guess.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

And spookily he gets better the more wine I get too

 

[barnaclelapse]

I never knew that Frakes carried a back injury but always noted the strange sideways-crabwalk he used in TNG. I assumed it was a conscious tribute to John Wayne, another big man with a similar way of barging his way through scenes.

I actually thought that, too.

I always imagined Frakes being a big John Wayne fan.

 

[KhanSolo]

LOL, just came across this thread because I googled "Why does Jonathan Frakes turn his shoulder into corners" hahahha this is the best threat I've read here so far.

 

[Mutai Sho-Rin]

LOL, just came across this thread because I googled "Why does Jonathan Frakes turn his shoulder into corners" hahahha this is the best threat I've read here so far.

Its usually not a good idea to resurrect a long dead thread unless you have substantive to add. Please don't make a habit of it.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Well, as long as it has been resurrected....

Well I couldn't find an online clip, but still recall Chris Farley's rather subtle Riker-walk impression during the SNL TNG/Love Boat spoof. Have it floating around on DVD around here somewhere...

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Welcome to the future!

 

[Shark]

Yeah, he's channeling John Wayne. I recall reading an interview where Frakes stated that.

 

[JCDaly]

Well, as long as it has been resurrected....

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Welcome to the future!

That is fantastic! I never knew he was even on SNL, lol.

 

[Terok Nor]

After reading the whole thread I still don't know if Riker leans awkwardly because of a back injury or because it's an acting choice. Either way this thread made me laugh so thanks for bumping it!

 

[Lance]

Jonathan Frakes definitely has a weird kind of physicality. Whether it's because of the back injury, or his height, or just something else I don't know, but there's often a sense of awkwardness, as if he isn't totally comfortable in his own body. But I agree with the guy above that said he made it work for him as Riker. All the stuff like the weird leaning towards doors thing or stepping over chairs to sit on them or whatever helped project Riker's sense of 'braggadocio'.

I kind of relate to it, as well. I'm quite tall and very awkward in my body posture, I'm always being told to stand up straight and stop leaning in photos etc, so I can sort of understand where he's coming from.