When you want to boldly go where no one has gone before, you attend the Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner panel. Their appearance took place on the main stage during day two of Missouri Comic Con, and as a longtime fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I absolutely had to beam in and check it out.
The panel kicked off with a fantastic bit of fun. Before anything officially began, I noticed Jonathan Frakes quietly sneaking into a seat just a few rows away from me. I immediately thought, Is that really Jonathan Frakes?
It was.
Brent Spiner was then brought out onto the stage, and you could hear the crowd murmuring about how Frakes hadn’t joined him. That’s when Frakes stood up in the middle of the audience, raised his hand, and announced, “I would like to ask a question!”
Spiner played along perfectly, interacting with Frakes as if he were just another fan attending the panel. After several exchanges, Spiner finally invited him to come up on stage so they could talk properly. The joke landed beautifully—clever, unexpected, and genuinely hilarious.
Once Frakes joined Spiner on stage, the two laughed about the bit and even broke into a quick, playful rendition of “Joey” together, immediately reminding everyone why their chemistry remains so strong.
They discussed their new podcast, Dropping Names… And Other Things, where they dive into a wide range of topics, blending humor with decades of stories from their careers.
The duo also played a fun game of “Which One of Us Was It?” One highlight revealed that Jonathan Frakes once appeared on an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard as a relative of Boss Hogg who was set to marry Daisy Duke—prompting the memorable joke, “A Hogg is marrying a Duke!”
Brent Spiner shared that he appeared on an episode of Mama’s Family, which was especially fun considering Vicki Lawrence was also appearing at Missouri Comic Con.
They swapped stories about early jobs as well. Spiner worked at Six Flags Astroworld alongside Randy Quaid, who was also at the convention, while Frakes revealed he once worked with Marvel as Captain America, opening comic book stores and even visiting the White House during the Carter administration.
When asked about the differences between acting and directing, Frakes summed it up perfectly:
“As an actor, you have three things to worry about: show up on time, know your lines, and have a plan for your character. As a director, it’s about being a control freak.”
Spiner was asked what he most identified with in Data’s journey and jokingly responded:
“Friends laughing at me behind my back.”
Spiner also talked about his book Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events, a dark comedy set in 1991 about an obsessed fan who begins stalking him. While not autobiographical, it’s inspired by real experiences and is currently available as an audiobook.
When the topic of practical jokes on the Next Generation set came up, both actors noted that there weren’t many. The cast took the work seriously and focused on making the show as good as possible.
Frakes and Spiner were an absolute joy to watch. Their chemistry is effortless, their humor sharp, and they were truly memorable guests.
I did have two minor complaints about the panel. First, it was scheduled for only 30 minutes, which limited audience questions and interaction. Second, the stage location made it difficult to hear, especially from the back, due to surrounding noise. Hopefully, those issues can be addressed in future conventions.
That said, this panel was still a standout moment of Missouri Comic Con.
Stay Geeky!
