“Bill”?: Why A Weird Riker & Crusher Star Trek: TNG Moment Isn’t A Mistake

What appears to be a weird mistake in an episode of Star Trek: very Short Treks is actually a deep-cut reference from early in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In very Short Treks episode 3, “Worst Contact,” Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) attempt a First Contact with an alien race that takes a turn toward the disgusting. Although the very Short Treks episode is not Star Trek canon, there’s an unusual moment where Crusher calls Riker “Bill” instead of Will.