What We Know So Far About the New Star Trek Television Show
by David Sabal

With the upcoming release of Star Trek Beyond from Paramount Pictures just around the corner, the next question becomes what is next for the franchise? What is beyond Star Trek Beyond?

We do know that CBS will be releasing a brand new series early 2017 and that the series is headed by showrunner Bryan Fuller who has a recent run of success as writer and creator on shows such as Hannibal and Heroes. He is also slated to be connected to the anticipated series American Gods by Neil Gaiman. The importance of his past work within the Star Trek franchise is also a good sign that the series is in good hands. Fuller has done past work in Star Trek Voyager as well as Star Trek Deep Space Nine.

With Bryan Fuller as showrunner the pilot will be directed by co-creator Alex Kurtzman who had past experience as director duties on the show Alias. Kurtzman also is known for his producer roles on the current Star Trek movie franchise, Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Along with Heather Kadin, Trevor Roth, and Rod Roddenberry the biggest news to be announced so far is that Star Trek alum Nicolas Meyer will be brought in as a consulting producer. What makes the addition of Nicolas Meyer to the production team interesting is that Nicolas Meyer is know for his connection to Star Trek VI: the Undiscovered Country, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and arguably the best Star Trek movie of all time Star Trek II: the Wrath of Kahn. These three movies are considered the top fan favorite Star Trek Movies in the franchise. This makes the production team of the new Star Trek CBS series very appealing to the fan base. The TV series looks to be in very good capable hands.

Nothing has been officially announced about the cast of Star Trek but one interesting rumor being passed around is that actor Tony Todd has been linked to the series. Trekkies might remember Todd as three seperate characters from the Star Trek Universe. He was casted as the younger Klingon brother of Worf, the beloved character from Next Generation, Kurn. In Star Trek Deep Space Nine, familiar territory for showrunner Bryan Fuller, he played the older version of Jake Sisko in the episode “The Visitor”. Finally he played the character Alpha Hirogen in an episode of Star Trek Voyager, which is also familiar territory for Bryan Fuller. Todd has extensive connection with the Star Trek universe and it’s fans, he starred in a kickstarter funded fan film production, Star Trek Prelude to Axanar.  In an interview with “Mortis Podcast” Todd answered when questioned about his connection the the new series.

“CBS is doing their own series again… I’m on a very short [casting] list… I’m on the list for a couple [of shows]… It’s a year away. They’re not even going to get official cast until, probably, the fourth quarter of the year. And my only concern about it is that it’s going to be that [CBS All Access] online thing; I don’t understand that part.”

Speaking of which the main sticking point of the series with it’s fans is that CBS does plan on exclusively airing the show on their CBS All Access. Similar to NetFlix and Amazon, CBS All Access is a pay to view service for CBS. While this decision looked to hinder the series Bryan Fuller pointed out that the benefit to the series for this is that it would not fall under the Standards of Broadcast and Practices. Meaning that the story telling would not be constrained by any censorship so that this Star Trek series could be more “progressive”.

Lastly we do know that the series will be a 13 episode cohesive story. Which is different for Star Trek series of the past, where majority of episodes were told as a singular story each, Fuller and his team have decided to go a different direction and tell one story encompassing a full 13 episode season. What this means is that the story telling in the show can be more in depth and allow a more serious tone for the show.

Star Trek looks to be on a verge of a new horizon, whether it’s fan will be open to the show has yet to be seen. Fuller will be at this years San Diego Comic Con and expectations are that major announcements are going to be made regarding the show. Star Trek will premiere on CBS All Access beginning of 2017. Till then we have the first teaser to begin the hype and go where no fan has possibly gone before.