Bryan Fuller Stepping Back From Showrunner Role on ‘Star Trek: Discovery’

[Shalashaska]

The real question to ask here is why has Fuller chosen to prioritise two, here today, gone tomorrow, TV shows (American Gods & Amazing Stories) over a franchise he's been telling us all for years on end he would love to be in charge of, so he could deliver his "dream" show?

It's hard to respect someone as much when they pull a stunt like this on you.

Actually, I think it's easier to respect him now. Amazing Stories and American Gods were two projects he made commitments to before ever joining Discovery. I don't know the ins and outs of Hollywood contracts, but I'd assume giving up prior commitments with other networks for a show you just signed up for would be generally looked down upon.

Now, I could be wrong, maybe CBS and Fuller really had creative differences in the running of DSC (which every piece of news before this would disagree with), maybe Fuller just likes Amazing Stories and American Gods more than Star Trek (which I also doubt with all my heart considering he wanted to be a "Star Trek writer" more than a "TV writer"). My guess is that he simply had to give up one of his projects to work on two others, and he went for those two shows as he made promises to them before promising to work on DSC.

 

[Long Syntax]

If that's the case, then they are condemning Trek to death. Making it for the "old white guys who shake their fists at clouds" brigade is a recipe for disaster.

How about we don't worry about the "special snowflake brigade" or the "old white guys" brigade? How about just tell awesome stories - is that too much to ask? Focus on that and the end product will speak for itself.

I do hope that CBS gets it sh|t together and I wish the folks responsible for the show the best of luck.

 

[jamestyler]

The real question to ask here is why has Fuller chosen to prioritise two, here today, gone tomorrow, TV shows (American Gods & Amazing Stories) over a franchise he's been telling us all for years on end he would love to be in charge of, so he could deliver his "dream" show?

It's hard to respect someone as much when they pull a stunt like this on you.

As said above, he has commitments to studios that pre-date Discovery. Having to give up one to fulfil previous contracts is nothing to look down on someone for. If that was the case - he did the right thing in honouring those who came first.

Despite some panic (mostly on Facebook) the initial delay would have caused incredible conflicts in honouring those commitments. Everything has to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle when you're doing this much work - the simplest solution here is that it just couldn't line up the way he wanted it to.

 

[Four Lights]

As said above, he has commitments to studios that pre-date Discovery. Having to give up one to fulfil previous contracts is nothing to look down on someone for. If that was the case - he did the right thing in honouring those who came first.

Despite some panic (mostly on Facebook) the initial delay would have caused incredible conflicts in honouring those commitments. Everything has to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle when you're doing this much work - the simplest solution here is that it just couldn't line up the way he wanted it to.

In which case he never should of took on the commitment to Star Trek in the first place.

The new show needs someone in charge who can give it his or her complete attention. If it's screwed up now, we probably won't see Trek back on the air for another 10 years.

 

[ancient]

Akiva Goldsman

writer of

Batman & Robin
a Transformers movie
Paranormal Activity
90s Lost in Space

Bloody hell.

My pattern recognition alarm is going off.

They have to put him in a red shirt....

I need Sean Bean to do this now.

 

[mos6507]

"Clearly"? Really? There's no indication of that from the article.

It seems unrealistic for a show-runner to leave the show before it's even aired its first episode. IMHO, the article is typical Hollywood political spin to cover for trouble behind the scenes.

 

[Shalashaska]

Look on the bright side.

This opens up more time and room in his schedule for season 4 of Hannibal

 

[jamestyler]

In which case he never should of took on the commitment to Star Trek in the first place..

Thats really not how anything works. If I took an annual January-April project, it doesn't mean I won't accept work April-December just in case.

It's most publicly common with actors; Actor A signs on to three films, X, Y & Z. Y is delayed and is now being filmed at the same time as X. Can't be in two places at once, so one of them gets dropped. The same is true behind the scenes as well.

IThe new show needs someone in charge who can give it his or her complete attention. If it's screwed up now, we probably won't see Trek back on the air for another 10 years.

The same thing was said about the movies. It's been seven years, they're still happening.

This news is disappointing, sure. But it's nothing really to worry about and nothing entirely unprecedented. The guys in demand, it's better to have someone else take the reigns instead of spreading yourself too thin and half arsing it by fatigue.

 

[Kemaiku]

So, all that's really changed is Fuller is not devoting 100% of his time to the show. After making sure that he had all the ground work done and the show planned out first, leaving it in the hands of the people he cocreated it with to basically execute week to week, and is still one of the main producers.

What's the panic about again?

 

[bigdaddy]

So how much longer until it's just fully canceled?

 

[ELURIA]

let's check, I hear STD is on the same clock as Nintendo

Same clock as Nintendo?
Oh! You mean that company that makes innovative consoles and puts gameplay ahead superficial stuff like graphics?

That's a relief, good to know Discovery is gonna do well

 

[Pingfah]

Of course he is. Get to know your Trekbbs posters.

Pass.

 

[Shalashaska]

Same clock as Nintendo?
Oh! You mean that company that makes innovative consoles and puts gameplay ahead superficial stuff like graphics?

That's a relief, good to know Discovery is gonna do well

I could only dream of DSC being on the same clock as Nintendo with how successful the reveals for the NES Classic Mini and Nintendo Switch were. Both consoles aren't even out yet and they already look to be major hits.

That GIF was relevant four years ago. Now? Not so much

 

[wayoung]

Which doesn't mean much because DIS is a different production from those you listed. Even within the industry, the role of an executive producer is somewhat ambiguous, with those credited having varying levels of involvement for each production.

Some executive producers are more involved in a show's creative process than the showrunner, whose main job could be merely ensuring each episode is delivered on time and on budget. In some cases, the reverse is true. It's not uncommon for producers to assume different jobs or even leave a production altogether. While it's easy to say "the show is troubled" when that happens, it really happens more often than not (but it sure makes for good entertainment news headlines, though). I think every Trek series have had some producers come and go or assume different jobs than they had originally.

I didn't say the show is troubled, I said everytime a show runner is fired they put out this exact same press release for a few reasons, one of which is to keep people from thinking the show is troubled.

As I said, I hope Fuller is still involved ij the show. But I don't believe it. Press releases like this are PR BS. They all day the exact same thing when a show runner is let go. He'll, AMC said the same things about Frank Darabont and The Walking Dead.

 

[Kemaiku]

Were did it say that the show was cancelled or that he had been fired?

He's got two more shows in their preproduction stages that need his attention more, and actively working on those, while retaining a head position on Discovery since it's further along it's production cycle.

I don't get the sudden world is ending vibe going here.

 

[mos6507]

Oh boy.

If that really is true... siiiiiiiiigh...

This would contradict a lot of the things said in the official press release.

Press releases are meant for spin, not candor.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The press release DID seem like standard corporate legalese, but everybody does that, so what the hell.

 

[wayoung]

I don't get the sudden world is ending vibe going here.

Because Fuller's an excellent writer who constantly produces fantastic and unique television and his hiring was the main source of excitement for the project for a great many of us. Without him running the show a lot of people (not everyone, but a lot) are less excited about it. It still could (and from the budget CBS obviously expects it to) turn out good or even great, but it won't be a Fuller Star Trek show, and that's what's disappointing.

 

[Shalashaska]

Press releases are meant for spin, not candor.

But the difference is that they have proof to back it up. If he didn't already make commitments to Amazing Stories and American Gods, I'd agree with you, but as it currently stands, I do believe this was less about "creative differences" and more about bad timing and unfortunate circumstances.

If they really felt unsure about his creative direction, they wouldn't keep his writing partners as showrunners and continue with this writing staff. It'd also be much easier to say "Fuller is leaving the show" than "Fuller is only stepping back as showrunner but will still be involved as executive producer and will still have a lot of involvement in the show, trust me, guys".

 

[Kemaiku]

He's still connected as one of the executive producers on the show, he'll be in the studio and on the phone to everyone working on it still, and the scripts are written, the arc is nailed down. It's still his work and they can't do a regime change now without pushing the series back another year.

There are too many commitments and too much money wrapped up in it to do anything remotely like that. Discovery is going ahead as it was planned, he'll just not physically be there for every second of it, as if that was all it ever depended on.

Seriously, are you implying everyone else working on it the show is going to become a crayon eating moron the moment he leaves the room? if so what confidence did you ever have in them working on it in the first place?