Did anyone else dislike Riker?

I didn't care so much for Riker during the 1st season, BUT I loved him from the start of the 2nd season on. Must be the beard.

 

I was just about to say the same thing. Bearded Riker just commands so much more respect, and I think starting in the second season they sort of let him be more relaxed. 1st season Riker was really uptight and annoying, but from 2 on he was my second favorite character behind Data.

 

I liked the character. Occasional cheesy lines notwithstanding, he was one of the best of TNG. I definitely think the beard was better too, he looked about 15 without in in s1.

 

Disliked Riker? No. Hated Riker.

Encounter at Fairpoint - Riker to LaForge: Is this an official report lieutenant?

 

I do like Riker. He is one of my favorite TNG characters. In fact, he's my second favorite after Picard, and he's tied with Data for second in my estimation. Worf comes in a close third.

In the first season, he did come across as a bit Kirk-like, and his clean-shaven face made him look like Potsie from Happy Days. But other than that, I always liked his sense of humor and swagger.

I also think he was genuinely liked by his close colleagues. The one time you see him acting like a dick to a subordinate is with LaVelle from Lower Decks, because he thought the young officer was trying to brown-nose him -- until Troi correctly pointed out that LaVelle was only doing what a young, up-and-coming Riker did.

A poster above made the observation that we shouldn't judge him by 21st century standards because he's had quick affairs. The life of a Starfleet officer makes it harder to keep romantic attachments, esp. when the pool of available partners for Riker are all his subordinates. And mores have probably changed by the 24th century.

Red Ranger

 

Agreed! Although given the exotic nature of some of the species in that series, it might be better as an animated series. -- RR

 

I saw him as an open minded, free, and fun loving guy who also happened to be really dedicated at his job. What's not to like?

RAMA

 

From the beginning of the series when I got my Riker NG sticker in my box of Cheerios in 1987 he was my favorite. When I heard he was going to to be the Kirk of NG I liked him even more. I think Frakes did an excellent job with character which was poorly written at times.

Along with Trip, Riker is my favorite of all the series, and I was old school Trek from the early 70s with the animateds and syndication.

 

I'd have fucking loved a Star Trek: Titan series!

I also wouldn't have minded if they had continued the TNG film series with Riker in command, with Admiral Picard sending them out on missions (Assuming Stewart preferred a cameo over the leading role these days, and if Spiner wanted a cameo as B4, so be it). TNG wasn't ALL about Picard and Data as the films would have you believe.

S1 Riker was uptight and formal at times, yes (but so was Picard!). But you'd see bits of his mellowed self come out. I found it funny when he chased those kids out of the observation lounge!

I actually preferred Riker without the beard. Especially with age catching up on him, I liked it when he was clean shaven in INS. I was disappointed when he re-grew it in NEM

 

Me, too.

Time I feel to post my favourite Riker picture (although strictly speaking it's JF):

 

My one gripe is that he should never have grown the beard.

RAMA

 

I can relate to his character more than any in all the series; so yeah, I like him. And he can curse like a Romulan.

Liked his performances, such as when he served aboard the Klingon ship. His separation of personal with professional. His loyalty, and the loyalty he evokes. The crew would have been happy to call him Captain. But when he lost at poker to Shelby because of a bluff (it was her, right?) - I was disappointed. Instead he should have snapped her back to ensign! Although he was tough, he was consistent, never abusive.

The women, come on, is that really an issue? It's not like he was chasing people who didn't want to be caught. He behaved with decorum when necessary, as with The Gift, or the hot little Q girl. It's not like his soul mate wasn't aboard the ship doing her own horizontal mambos from time to time. He definitely had the capacity for intimacy and loyalty, so I don't see any problem with the occasional fling. They were on a break!

 

He bored the shit out of me.

 

Not my very favorite, but I liked him a lot. As others already mentioned, he was pretty uptight the first season, but loosened up later and I think was a fun loving guy, but did his duty when it was needed.

As also mentioned, he had a lot of flings and he did seem to really like the women, but I also think he treated them with respect. He didn't just pick up a chick, screw her and toss her aside.

 

Riker is my favorite TNG character. I would love to see a Titan series one day.

 

I can't really say what it was that annoyed me so much about him, but I never got over my initial dislike of the man.
Maybe it was just defiance. The writers seemed to imply that any girl would fall for him, so I started digging my heels into the ground and got determined not to fall for him.

 

Nope. Riker was great. Like someone said: He was not a diplomat on Picard's level, but he had a strong social game.

 

I didn't like him. In my opinion he had too many affairs. A bit like Kirk in TOS: a handsome female (or in one case a third gender) turns up and there he goes. I would have wanted a more serious first officer and not one who is a potential security risk (just remember how he got this addictive "game" from one of his GFs and she then almost took over the ship so that the crew had to be rescued by *gasp* young Mr Crusher!)

 

See, the only character in all of Star Trek who looked vastly better with facial hair over that of being cleanshaven was Benjamin Sisko.

Worf being a Klingon would have looked kind of odd without any facial hair, so it was good that he kept his all the way through TNG and DS9.

For characters like Riker and La Forge, the beard was purely optional. Personally, I thought they looked better without facial hair than with.

As for Scotty, he's like Sean Connery. The young Connery looked good cleanshaven, but the elder Connery looks better with a moustache or beard.

McCoy looked pretty gross with the beard in TMP. Same with Picard in "Future Imperfect" (But, I didn't mind that much when he was a retired old man in "All Good Things..."). Data growing one during Season 2 of TNG made him look like John Holmes...and not in a good way.

 

I think the character lost alot when he grew the beard. Watch Season 1 Riker, then watch Seasons 2 and especially Season 3+ Riker and he's almost a completely different character.

Overall, I didn't mind Riker all that much. He was a bit of a jerk sometimes but mostly he did pretty good and thought on his feet well.