Lower Decks’ Tawny Newsome Reveals the Hilarious Direction She Got From Jonathan Frakes

The Big Picture

• Jonathan Frakes, known for his role as Commander Riker in
  Star Trek
  , has also directed numerous episodes and films in the franchise.
• Frakes has recently returned to
  Star Trek
  as a director for shows like
  Star Trek: Picard
  and
  Star Trek: Discovery
  , showcasing his talent behind the camera.
• Frakes’ directing style influenced actors on set, with Tawny Newsome praising his guidance in meshing tones of different
  Star Trek
  shows.

Gene Roddenberry is, of course, synonymous with the inception of Star Trek and much of its development up to his death. Another name that has cemented itself in Star Trek‘s storied history is Jonathan Frakes. Frakes first appeared on-screen in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Commander Will Riker. He was Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) Number One, or First Officer.

It wouldn’t take long for Frakes to expand his role in the Star Trek universe. He got his first opportunity to sit behind the camera in Season 3 of The Next Generation, directing the episode “The Offspring.” In the episode, the android, Data, (Brett Spiner) wants to create his own android child. Frakes would go on to direct 7 more episodes of The Next Generation and sprinkle his chops as director across Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Frakes also directed two Star Trek feature films: First Contact and Insurrection.

Jonathan Frakes Is Not Pumping the Brakes on Directing

More recently, Frakes has returned to Star Trek, not only reprising his role as Will Riker in Star Trek: Picard, but as a director. He directed 6 episodes of Picard as well as several episodes of Star Trek: Discovery. Last year, Frakes had the opportunity to direct the Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks crossover episode “Those Old Scientists.” Two of the normally animated Startfleet Officers Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimle are sent back to the 23rd Century, in live action. There, played by their voice actors Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid, they meet a number of characters, including Spock (Ethan Peck), Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and others on the USS Enterprise.

Speaking with Editor-in-Chief of Collider, Steve Weintraub at the Collider Media Studio, Newsome explained what it was like working with the Star Trek legend. Working on meshing the tones of the two shows proved troublesome, but Newsome says “All props also go to Jonathan Frakes for helping guide that so expertly.” She says, “I don’t mind being told to tone it down when it’s Jonathan Frakes. Most people, I’m like, ‘Mmm, disagree.'” Newsome explains that while Frakes didn’t tell her to “tone it down” in so many words, “he did say, ‘Go harder.’ At one point, he said, ‘Please say the script.’ He said, ‘The writers would really like for you to say the words on the page.'”

Over the years, Frakes has directed outside the world of Star Trek, sometimes staying in the world of Science Fiction, sometimes not. He’s directed episodes of the crime drama Castle but also lent his directing to The Orville.

You can watch the Strange New Worlds episode “Those Old Scientists” on Paramount+

Watch on Paramount+