Star Trek‘s Jonathan Frakes and Robert Picardo are among the many stars hooked up to the upcoming Hallmark film A Biltmore Christmas. On this manufacturing, each actors take a again seat to co-leads Bethany Pleasure Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha. Nonetheless, loads of followers will undoubtedly be eager about seeing a vacation shifting that includes the celebrities who painting Riker and the EMH. I had the chance to talk with Frakes in regards to the venture and requested if he thought Trekkies would benefit from the festive flick. He does certainly consider followers ought to tune in and was candid about why that’s.
Simply earlier than I requested Jonathan Frakes about his upcoming return to Star Trek, I needed to inquire about how A Biltmore Christmas might enchantment to a sci-fi-loving viewers. The actor, who performs Biltmore worker Winston within the upcoming movie, was very happy to present his ideas. In doing so, he argued that we traditionally have not seen a lot of the vacation spirit inside Trek:
Gene Roddenberry was a card-carrying atheist, so Christmas was not huge on his checklist of topic issues. However I feel there’s a loyalty to Star Trek, a household loyalty, that may enchantment to the Hallmark household model. Our ships had been all households and these Hallmark tales are at all times based mostly on household relationships. I feel the connection, the dots, should not too distant.
Exterior of sporadic transient mentions in a few episodes and a scene in Star Trek Generations, Jonathan Frakes is correct that the vacation has by no means actually been a precedence with the franchise. As such, you will not discover a Trek venture on an inventory of finest Christmas films, which is what makes the concept of Frakes’ merry dramedy so interesting.
The veteran actor and director’s feedback could also be reassuring for some and finally entice the typical Star Trek fan to take a look at the film even when it is not utterly in keeping with the franchise’s humanist perspective. The Gargoyles alum pointed to the familial bonds fashioned on a starship, for instance, and famous what number of Hallmark films additionally take care of household. Science fiction and heart-warming Christmas tales could seem far aside on the floor, however the two can work in concord if meshed successfully. (The Guardians of the Galaxy Vacation Particular, which aired in 2022, was a agency instance of that.)
As a Trek fan who was in a position to display screen A Biltmore Christmas prematurely, I can say that it was a thrill to see Jonathan Frakes and Robert Picardo. I am going to additionally add that the plot closely dabbles in time journey and has a premise virtually as on the market as a few of The Subsequent Era‘s most WTF moments.
The Hallmark authentic facilities round a author tasked with crafting a script for a remake of a traditional Christmas film. When her new ending conflicts with the unique’s “unrealistic” ending, her boss sends her to the Biltmore property (which is a real-life former house of the Vanderbilts and the setting of the fictional movie). By means of mysterious occasions, the screenwriter is transported forwards and backwards by means of time and is ready to study the true story behind the film.
Whereas Star Trek followers are most likely extra involved about upcoming Trek exhibits or spinoffs Paramount+ ought to make proper about now, it is a film they could need to take a look at. In any case, the franchise would not have any new content material airing proper now, so why not attempt one thing new?
Watch Jonathan Frakes and extra in A Biltmore Christmas, which premieres on Sunday, November twenty sixth at 8:00 p.m. ET. After all, Trek followers can even use a Paramount+ subscription to see extra of him as Riker, however possibly wait and try this after you have seen the film.
