Star Trek: Discovery, the eagerly anticipated series headed for CBS All Access, will debut in May 2017; it was initially set to debut in January. CBS did not offer details on the reason for the hold-up, other than saying it was “driven by the belief of the creative team that this gives the show the appropriate time for delivery of the highest quality, premium edition of the first new Star Trek TV series in over a decade.”
“Bringing Star Trek back to television carries a responsibility and mission: to connect fans and newcomers alike to the series that has fed our imaginations since childhood,” said executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Bryan Fuller. “We aim to dream big and deliver, and that means making sure the demands of physical and post-production for a show that takes place entirely in space, and the need to meet an air date, don’t result in compromised quality. Before heading into production, we evaluated these realities with our partners at CBS and they agreed: Star Trek deserves the very best, and these extra few months will help us achieve a vision we can all be proud of.”
Speaking at TCA last month, Fuller said the new show will feature more aliens, greater diversity and won’t be restrained by the limitations of broadcast TV.
“The series template and episodic scripts that Alex and Bryan have delivered are incredibly vivid and compelling,” said David Stapf, President, CBS Television Studios. “They are building a new, very ambitious Star Trek world for television, and everyone involved supports their vision for the best timing to bring to life what we all love on the page.”
Another high profile CBS All Access launch, a Good Wife spinoff, debuts in February, “essentially switching launch windows with Star Trek,” in CBS’ words. The series picks up one year after the events of the final episode of The Good Wife. It was initially set for a spring launch.
“We have an amazing inaugural slate of originals for CBS All Access and world-class creative teams behind each of our shows,” said Marc DeBevoise, president and chief operating officer, CBS Interactive. “This line-up and release schedule will ensure we deliver the highest quality, premium series that are sure to appeal to both existing subscribers and new audiences alike, throughout the year.”
