Jonathan Frakes is saying goodbye to directing Star Trek. The legendary actor and director confirmed his last episode for the franchise will be Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1, episode 9. It arrives on Paramount+ this Thursday, March 5, 2026 .
Frakes has been part of Star Trek for nearly 40 years. He played Commander William Riker on The Next Generation and later became one of the most trusted directors in the franchise. His final episode is the penultimate chapter of the new show’s first season .
The End of a Directing Era
Frakes confirmed the news on the All Access Star Trek podcast. He said the Starfleet Academy episode he directed is the only one left to air. He did not direct any episodes of Strange New Worlds seasons 4 or 5. He also is not involved with Starfleet Academy season 2, which is currently filming .
This means Thursday marks the end of his regular work on modern Star Trek series. Frakes directed 17 episodes across Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, and now Starfleet Academy . His work includes fan favorites like the Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks crossover “Those Old Scientists” and the Picard episode “No Win Scenario” .
What to Expect From His Final Episode
The episode is called “300th Night” . It airs on March 5, 2026 as the first part of the season finale. The trailer shows the cadets celebrating the end of the academic year when things take a sudden turn .
“Caleb must choose between the life he thought he wanted and the life he’s built for himself at Starfleet Academy.” – Official episode synopsis
The story focuses on cadet Caleb, played by Sandro Rosta. He receives an important message about his missing mother, last seen in the pilot. The trailer suggests Caleb steals a shuttle for a personal mission, with friends joining him .
Frakes got to direct two major actors in this episode. He worked with Oscar winner Holly Hunter and Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany .
“I did direct Starfleet Academy, it was beautiful, with Tatiana Maslany and the great Holly Hunter,” Frakes said on the podcast. “She’s one of the most well-prepared, instinctive, smart, clever. She’s an Academy Award-winning actress, and she gets it. She gets it. She has great ideas. Yeah, she’s a winner” .
Paul Giamatti plays the season one villain Nus Braka. Frakes confirmed Giamatti does not appear in his episode, so they never got to work together on set .
A Long History With Star Trek
Frakes started directing during The Next Generation. His first episode was “The Offspring” in 1990 . He went on to direct two TNG movies: Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) .
He returned to TV directing with Discovery in 2017. Since then, he became known as the go-to director for character-driven episodes with big emotional moments. Cast members often request him because he understands actors after playing Riker for so long .
His recent work includes directing Anson Mount in a Strange New Worlds episode where Mount played a character based on Gene Roddenberry. Frakes even dug up old interviews of Roddenberry to help Mount prepare .
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What Happens Next
Paramount+ releases new episodes of Starfleet Academy every Thursday. The season finale airs on March 12, 2026 .
The future of Star Trek on TV beyond 2027 is unclear. Strange New Worlds will end after season 5. Starfleet Academy season 2 is confirmed but no further seasons are greenlit . A new Star Trek movie is in development, but Frakes is not attached .
Frakes stays busy directing other TV shows. But for Star Trek fans, March 5 is a bittersweet date. It is the last chance to see a Frakes-directed episode with fresh eyes.
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