With the build-up to Star Trek Beyond gaining momentum, news on the TV series front has been thin on the ground of late. However, that all changed in a recent interview with Collider, during which showrunner Bryan Fuller revealed a number of interesting details about the universe’s return to its original medium..
1) It will be lean but mean
Bucking the trend of many TV series, Fuller confirmed that the first season will be a releatively short 13 episodes long. Moreover, he also revealed that it will be one single storyline rather than adhering to the mission-of-the-week formula, saying, “There are 762 episodes of Star Trek television, so over six episodes we have to tell stories differently than they’ve been told for fifty years.”
2) It will likely feature LGBT characters
Bryan Fuller has had gay characters in his shows before (such as Alana Bloom and Margot Verger in Hannibal, which itself was brimming with homoerotic overtones), and while he didn’t explicitly state that he plans to do so in Star Trek, he did offer some hope, saying: “I think the progressive audience that loves Star Trek will be happy that we’re continuing that tradition.”
3) It will take inspiration from the Netflix formula
As well as taking place across 13 episodes (the standard Netflix format), Fuller wouldn’t be nailed down on episode length and whether they would be 45 or 60 minutes, saying only, “They gave us parameters, and I can’t remember exactly where it was. It was sort of, ‘No more than this, no less than that.'”
4) It will keep things family-friendly
Despite the show airing in the US on CBS All Access (which means it’s not subject to network broadcast standards and practices), don’t expect to see loads of sex and nudity: “It will likely affect us more in terms of what we can do graphically, but Star Trek’s not necessarily a universe where I want to hear a lot of profanity, either.”
5) Vincenzo Natali is on board
While directors are still being sounded out, one face already on board is Vincenzo Natali. Notable for directing the excellent 1997 thriller Cube and 2009 genetic horror fable Splice, he has since directed episodes of Hannibal, The Returned, The Strain, Orphan Black and Wayward Pines. Pretty good pedigree then.
Star Trek will air on CBS in the US in 2017, with a UK air date and channel to be announced. You can download Star Trek: The Complete Manual from GreatDigitalMags.com now. For more news about the biggest movies, pick up the new issue of SciFiNow.
