Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Episode 1 - “Dos Cerritos” and Episode 2 - “Shades of Green"Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 is doing the Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) story thatStar Trek: The Next Generationdidn’t do.Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 is the animated comedy’s final season on Paramount+. Lt. Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) got a taste of commanding the USS Cerritos as Acting Captain at theend ofStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 4, and he’s now concerned with how to travel the long road to become the Captain of his dreams. Boimler’s solution:grow a Riker-like beardto gain command confidence.
Commander William Riker’s beard is instantly recognizable and iconic. Originally, Riker was clean-shaven inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 1. WhenTNGreturned for season 2, Jonathan Frakes had grown a full beard over the hiatus. Frakes intended to shave, butStar Trekcreator Gene Roddenberryliked the beard and considered it"nautical.“Since then"growing the beard"has become shorthand for a TV series finding its footing,asTNGbegan to in its second season. However,TNGnever explained how or why Riker grew a beard; he just suddenly had one and the only time since Riker appeared without facial hair was inStar Trek: Insurrection.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Is Doing The Riker’s Beard Story TNG Didn’t
Boimler is growing his beard throughout Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5
Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 includesa running gag throughout the entire season of Lt. Brad Boimler growing a beard, whichStar Trek: The Next Generationnever did with Commander Riker. In an interview withScreen Rant,Jack Quaid called the ongoing saga of Boimler growing out facial hair,“One of my favorite season-long arcs that Boimler has ever had.“The visual gag will run through the remainingepisodes ofStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5as Boimler’s beard gradually grows in, but not cleanly or evenly. Quaid loves the gradual progression of Boimler’s beard, saying, “Occasionally, it’s very gross to look at, and it’s wonderful.”
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Cast Guide: Who Voices Each Character In The Final Season
Meet the Lower Deckers and bridge crew of the USS Cerritos as Star Trek: Lower Decks warps into its fifth and final season on Paramount+.
Although Lt. Brad Boimler has served under Captain Will Riker aboard the USS Titan, Brad’s beard isn’t inspired by Riker. Rather,Boimler is motivated by meeting an alternate reality Lt. Brad Boimler who sports a full beard.InStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5’s premiere, “Dos Cerritos,” the USS Cerritos accidentally passes through a spacial anomaly into a parallel universe, meeting an alternate USS Cerritos where the crew is slightly different. Not only is the bearded Boimler more poised and confident, but Prime Bradward is impressed by how bearded Boimler also easily takes over command of his Cerritos fromCaptain Becky Freeman(Tawny Newsome). This is the future Boimler wants for himself.
Is Boimler Star Trek’s New Riker?
Boimler and Riker have similariies
Lt. Brad Boimler has some similarities to Commander Will Riker, and not just in terms of Bradward’s incoming facial hair. Like Riker inStar Trek: The Next Generation, Boimler is a dedicated and ambitious Starfleet Officer who wants to be Captain of a starship. Another weird coincidence is that, like Riker, Boimler was duplicated by a transporter accident and has an exact double, Lt. William Boimler (Jack Quaid). It’s a mirror of how Will Riker found out he had atransporter clone named Thomas Riker(Jonathan Frakes). Thomas Riker turned on Starfleet and joined the Maquis while William Boimler faked his death and joined Section 31.
InStar Trek: Strange New Worlds' crossover withStar Trek: Lower Decks, which was directed by Jonathan Frakes, Boimler yells"Riker!“when he mounts the saddle in Captain Christopher Pike’s (Anson Mount) ready room with the Riker Maneuver.
Star Trek: Lower Deckswill end on Paramount+ before Lt. Brad Boimler realizes his dream of becoming Captain. After all, Bradward is only a junior lieutenant, and it’ll be a long road before Boimler earns four pips and commands his own starship.Star Trek: Lower Deckshas always based some aspects of Brad Boimler on Will Riker, andBradward growing a beard is icing on the cake. Whether or not Boimler successfully grows his beard and keeps it is something to watch out for in Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5.
