STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Changes Showrunners Again as Alex Kurtzman Takes Over

Another season of Discovery, another showrunner change.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that the CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery has made a change of showrunners, with Season One showrunners Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts leaving and co-creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman taking over for Season Two.  This will be the second change of showrunners for the series, after co-creator Bryan Fuller exited in October 2016 just before filming of Season One began.

Producers CBS Television Studios said in a statement, "We’ve made some producer changes at Star Trek: Discovery.  The series continues under the creative vision and leadership of executive producer and co-creator Alex Kurtzman.  Discovery remains on course for season two in 2019 with new and continuing stories that build on its successful premiere season."

According to the article, "the decision to oust Berg and Harberts was based not on the creative but instead for leadership and operational issues.  Production on Discovery's first five episodes of season two are near completion, with Kurtzman likely taking over for episode six and beyond. Berg and Harberts, who were longtime collaborators with original showrunner Fuller, will likely still be credited on the episodes they oversaw.  Sources say the budget for the season two premiere ballooned, with the overages expected to come out of subsequent episodes from Discovery's sophomore run."

In addition, the article's sources claim "Berg and Harberts became increasingly abusive to the Discovery writing staff, with Harberts said to have leaned across the writers room table while shouting an expletive at a member of the show's staff.  Multiple writers are said to have been uncomfortable working on the series and had threatened to file a complaint with human resources or quit the series altogether before informing Kurtzman of the issues surrounding Berg and Harberts.  After hearing rumors of HR complaints, Harberts is said to have threatened the staff to keep concerns with the production an internal matter."

As if this wasn't enough Discovery drama, THR also states that Akiva Goldsman will not be returning as executive producer for Season Two.  Goldsman directed the Season One finale, "Will You Take My Hand?", but is "said to have had a management style and personality that clashed with the writing staff.  It's unclear if Goldsman will continue to receive an exec producer credit on season two."

Star Trek: Discovery is expected to return to CBS All Access for Season Two sometime in 2019.