Riker after The Best of Both Worlds

[Anwar]

They didn't even have to promote him, you can command a ship at the rank of Lt Cmdr or Commander. Even if he refused promotion, just stick him a ship and order him onto it.

 

[StarryEyed]

Starfleet isn't the US military nor any other like it. It's perfectly reasonable that Riker need not be compelled to accept any assignment under the Starfleet system. It doesn't make much sense though for the character as he was presented to us to refuse advancement.

Riker was presented as a hotshot in the mold of Kirk. He even left Deanna because his career meant more to him. It's fine for him to have had a change of heart but such a change should have involved lots of angst and soul-searching. We saw nothing of that. That's what makes it wrong.

Riker should have been eager to claim his own command or we should have been treated to stories detailing his transformation into a man with different priorities. Niether of those happened so it didn't feel right.

 

[Kelthaz]

Riker should have left the show after this with Shelby becoming his XO while Data took over as the ENT-D's XO. Then they both become recurring characters with their own vessel.

That would have been a great idea. Unfortunately that type of messing with the status quo didn't happen back then.

 

[nx1701g]

Riker should have left the show after this with Shelby becoming his XO while Data took over as the ENT-D's XO. Then they both become recurring characters with their own vessel.

That would have been a great idea. Unfortunately that type of messing with the status quo didn't happen back then.

I've long believed the same thing. I always felt they should have went along with something along the lines of what Law and Order: Criminal Intent does where one episode focuses on the Enterprise and the other focuses on Riker's ship.

 

[ThankQ]

Riker should have left the show after this with Shelby becoming his XO while Data took over as the ENT-D's XO. Then they both become recurring characters with their own vessel.

That would have been a great idea. Unfortunately that type of messing with the status quo didn't happen back then.

I've long believed the same thing. I always felt they should have went along with something along the lines of what Law and Order: Criminal Intent does where one episode focuses on the Enterprise and the other focuses on Riker's ship.

Why not have two ships travelling (roughly) together? You could have a few stand-alone eps for each ship each season, but the bulk would be the two ships travelling together, rousing rabbles, and, every other week, travelling through time or running into a space cloud that turns out to have god-like power.

 

[Pseudo]

I agree that Riker should have left after BoBW2. I'm not sure whether Shellby should have taken his place. Perhaps Picard would turn her down, but Riker might take her on as his first officer and Data might become Picard's first officer. With Worf taking on the Second Officer's role (but remaining Chief of Security) and possibly O'Brien becoming Chief of Ops.

 

[Kelthaz]

I agree that Riker should have left after BoBW2. I'm not sure whether Shellby should have taken his place. Perhaps Picard would turn her down, but Riker might take her on as his first officer and Data might become Picard's first officer. With Worf taking on the Second Officer's role (but remaining Chief of Security) and possibly O'Brien becoming Chief of Ops.

Data would have been the best choice for first officer. His entire character arc is about him becoming more human, but he is a science officer. He has never really been in command of people. As a first officer he would have to take on a much more people oriented role, and it would be fantastic to see the writers expand his character like that.

Also, Data looks fantastic in red.

 

[Pseudo]

Data would have been the best choice for first officer. His entire character arc is about him becoming more human, but he is a science officer. He has never really been in command of people. As a first officer he would have to take on a much more people oriented role, and it would be fantastic to see the writers expand his character like that.

Also, Data looks fantastic in red.

You could also have given DS9 an added boost of having Riker instead of Picard could have been involved in "Emissary" and Riker could have been assigned to that sector and been a recurring character.

 

[Anji]

The intent may have been for Riker to take command. Remember Stewart was threatening to quit at that time.

 

[Pseudo]

The intent may have been for Riker to take command. Remember Stewart was threatening to quit at that time.

Indeed, I remember that. And Cmdr. Shellby would have made an interesting first officer for him. I could certainly see that being more likely than Data becoming FO under Riker, I don't think that would have worked well at all.

 

[Jax]

If BOBW came out today I would not be surprised to see Picard die and Riker to become cpt with Shelby as number 1. Back then however it made no sense to kick Stewart off the show he was a great actor and back then Trek wasn't known for taking huge risks they normally bring back the dead

TBH any future TREK shows I would love to see something huge as mid show the Cpt dies because a shake up like that can be a great thing.

 

[Marten]

I never liked Riker, having him as the captain wouldn't have been my choice.

 

[Red Ranger]

It's too bad Riker didn't get the Deep Space Nine command. I could see him being station commander, as much as I liked the Sisko character. But let's also remember, there was a bit of a cloud over him for a couple of reasons: (a) the Pegasus incident, and (b) that he refused command on at least three occasions -- the Drake, the Aries, and the Melbourne. Perhaps Starfleet Command decided to leave him where he was because a reluctant c.o. wouldn't be a good c.o.

I could also see a number of other possibilities. Instead of Shelby being put in charge of the task force to rebuild Starfleet ships, Riker as captain could've been put in charge, with Shelby as his exec in that assignment. In that case, I could see Data being moved up to first officer by Picard, and a new officer would become ops officer, not Worf. (Would be fun if it were Kathryn Janeway or even Tuvok).

Now, if Picard had died/been killed off, it's certain Riker would've continued as captain with Shelby as his x.o. I can see Shelby moving on quicker than Riker, getting her own command, giving Data the chance to move up to the x.o. post.

I also am intrigued by the idea of killing off Will Riker and replacing him with Tom Riker. However, I think Tom would've become the ops officer, not Worf, while Worf would've become second officer while retaining his security chief position. Again, it would mean Data would move up to x.o.

 

[Anwar]

Riker on DS9 would've been a good story, if you kept Sisko as well. Riker would have saved Earth from the Borg, yet because of the black clouds over his career the command he got was a backwater station no one cared about. Combine the resulting resentment with Sisko's own lousy attitude when he started on DS9 and you get an interesting command set. They cold bond over their mutual Borg experience (Sisko respecting Riker for stopping them), and then when the Prophets help Sisko get over Jennifer's death and the discovery of the wormhole making DS9 more important to cheer up Riker.

Would've been interesting.

 

[Admiral Shran]

I'm kind of amazed that no one has talked a lot about how Riker chose to stay on the Enterprise because of Troi. It was always my perception that he couldn't bring himself to leave her again for his career. Though, I will admit that this part of his character needed to be fleshed out much, much more. After all, when he finally accepted his own command it was when she could go with him.

Why not have two ships travelling (roughly) together? You could have a few stand-alone eps for each ship each season, but the bulk would be the two ships travelling together, rousing rabbles, and, every other week, travelling through time or running into a space cloud that turns out to have god-like power.

This would have made the most sense to me. Promote Riker to Captain and have his ship accompany the Enterprise on joint missions. That way, Shelby could be retained as Riker's first officer (even though that wouldn't be my first choice, I don't like this character). Then Data could be promoted to Commander and First Officer under Picard. I've always said that Data should have been promoted at least once. I mean, for crying out loud, he spent 15 years as a Lieutenant Commander!

 

[Pseudo]

This would have made the most sense to me. Promote Riker to Captain and have his ship accompany the Enterprise on joint missions. That way, Shelby could be retained as Riker's first officer (even though that wouldn't be my first choice, I don't like this character). Then Data could be promoted to Commander and First Officer under Picard. I've always said that Data should have been promoted at least once. I mean, for crying out loud, he spent 15 years as a Lieutenant Commander!

The show had enough trouble servicing the characters on board the Enterprise, you want to add more?

 

[Hartzilla2007]

that he refused command on at least three occasions -- the Drake, the Aries, and the Melbourne.

Considering what happened to the two ships in bold, in highnsight you can't really blame him for turning down those commands.

 

[Lor'Vela]

^ Alternatively, those ships might have survived under Riker's command. You just never know.

 

[Ward Fowler]

If we're talking in-universe, then why did Starfleet give command back to Picard so quickly? The guy had been kidnapped by an enemy species and had their cybernetic devices implanted throughout his brain. He was suffering from serious PTSD and could still feel a residual connection to the Borg, and yet Starfleet just handed him command of a vessel powerful enough to raze entire planets and responsibility for over 1,000 lives with no questions asked. The Enterprise should have remained Riker's: he earned it.

This is exactly what I've been saying for the past twenty years....God I'm old.

There's no doubt, by putting Riker in a situation that couldn't be resolved in a satisfying or proper way for the character (because Patrick Stewart was staying and Jonathan Frakes wasn't going to quit just to satisfy the needs of the character) they essentialy neutered him.

 

[BenRoethig]

Does anybody think it would have been a good idea for Riker to remain a Captain after the events of "The Best of Both Worlds?"

We've already seen from Star Trek V and Star Trek VI that a ship can have two Captains (one as Captain and one as First Officer). So why was Riker returned to his rank of Commander? Given what he had just done for the Federation, I would think a promotion wouldn't be out-of-line, even if he wanted to remain on the Enterprise.

I supposed from a production point-of-view it would seem odd for casual viewers to have two Captains on the show. But from an in-universe perspective, I can't understand it.

Three. Scotty was an O-6 Captain as well.

Why didn't get keep it? Because, it was a brevet rank. When Picard reassumed command Riker reverted back to his permanent rank.