I’ve said more than once that the development of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ will make a fascinating book someday. Subject as it was to a year of delays and the departure of co-creator and original showrunner Bryan Fuller, it’s always been clear that there was more to the story than the normal teething pains that accompany and new show. But be that as it may, things seemed to have stabilized once production began in earnest following Fuller’s exit. Despite that rocky start, CBS was so pleased with what they saw that they extended the first season’s episode order by two, increasing it from thirteen to fifteen.
And now history, as they say, is repeating itself. Though nowhere near as turbulent as the lead up to the first season, the road to Season Two hasn’t been without its bumps. Most notable, of course, was the abrupt dismissal of Fuller’s successors, Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts. Though rumors behind the scenes conflict abound, the official word on their replacement by ‘Discovery’ co-creator Alex Kurtzman sites “leadership and operational issues.” While that doesn’t rule out any of the more salacious rumors, it does suggest that the reported budget and scheduling overruns that plagued the season’s early episodes were as much to blame as anything else. Now, as before, a change in showrunners seems to have righted the ship. And once again, the episode count has been extended.
The news was confirmed by Anson Mount during a Q&A held at the ‘Star Trek’ Original Series Set Tour in Ticonderoga, NY. As reported by Trek Core, Mount not only revealed that the season’s episode count had been extended by one (for a total of fourteen episodes), he also offered a rare insight into the season’s arc, telling fans that one of the central relationships of the new season will be the mentorship that is said to develop between Pike and Burnham.
Be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more ‘Star Trek’ news – including the latest on the second season of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ and other upcoming shows and movies – as it becomes available!
