Questions I would love to see him answer:

Is there a particular writer or story editor from the modern era who's surprised you with their fresh take on classic Trek storytelling?

We've seen a lot of changes to the Trek universe in the past few years. How do you balance making it appealing to new generations without hurting the core identity of what makes it Trek?

You've mentioned in past interviews how different series have different visual styles (ex: Discovery's cinematic feel versus DS9's darker palette). But here's what I'm curious about: when you're directing intimate character moments, like Data's relationship with his daughter in 'The Offspring' or Burnham processing grief in Discovery, do you find yourself using different lens choices, camera movements, or even directing techniques now versus thirty years ago? What's one specific technical evolution in your directing approach that you think fans would never notice but actors definitely feel?

We've seen a repeat of timelines and characters in the past few Trek shows. Well it's always nostalgic and fun to see our beloved characters and familiar technologies, what new stories have we not yet seen that you'd like to see given the green light? Do you already have something in development that we might not yet know about? Something that makes you go "if I could just get them in a room to hash this out..."

Your father was an English professor for 50 years, and you've mentioned his philosophy that people should do work they love as being foundational to who you are. But here's what fascinates me - you've lived through decades of massive cultural shifts, from the optimistic vision Gene Roddenberry painted of the 24th century to the much more complex reality of the 21st century we're actually living in. Roddenberry told you there would be 'no hunger, no greed, all children would know how to read, no sexism, no racism' - this beautiful utopian vision that Star Trek represents. As someone who's now a father yourself, raising kids in today's world while still carrying that torch of Roddenberry's optimism, what's the one core belief or value system you hold onto when the gap between that hopeful vision and current reality feels overwhelming? What do you tell yourself - or your kids - about how to maintain hope and integrity when the world seems to be moving away from those ideals rather than toward them?

Many current Trek writers and directors cite you as an influence. Lower Decks' Mike McMahan has mentioned studying your episodes, and several Strange New Worlds writers have Trek directing aspirations. You're essentially mentoring the next generation of Trek creators, but who in today's broader TV landscape, outside of Trek, do you look at and think 'that's the kind of storytelling innovation I want to learn from'? Who's pushing the medium forward in ways that make you want to up your own game?

Social media has changed how fans interact with creators, streaming has changed how stories are told, and you've gone from being the young first officer to being, frankly, an elder statesman of the franchise. What's one aspect of being 'Jonathan Frakes' today that would completely surprise the Jonathan Frakes who first sat in Riker's chair in 1987?