At the beginning of the new year, Star Trek fans all over the world will turn to the sci-fi series for a new episode in its ongoing series of episodes that attempt to spin a new sci-fi adventure out of whatever creative talent happens to be searching for an angle in the period between the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the release of Star Trek: Discovery on CBS All Access. After Discovery released its first trailer, all of that thinking turned to Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the Star Trek: Next Generation team, which turns 40 in February. The special episode, titled Star Trek: Next Generation: Insurrection, will follow the events of the series finale and will mark the first time that writers and creators David A. Goodman and Andre Emmerich and other staffers have worked with Trek creators and executives to pen an episode since leaving the show.
“I’m incredibly excited to work on this new adventure,” said co-writer/producer David A. Goodman, in a press release about the special episode. “It will be a return to the complex world of ST:NG and to the world of Star Trek in general that I became enamored with as a kid. I look forward to working with my old colleagues for this very special occasion.” The original Trek: The Next Generation season finale, “All Good Things…,” aired on February 20, 1998, as the first episode of the series to air on U.S. television. The episode was written by Bryan Fuller and produced by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine executive producer Michael Piller, both who will also be involved in the new special episode. The series will be airing in a sci-fi movie day slot. The episode will air on the Sci-Fi Channel at 8pm EST on January 2, 2017, with subsequent episodes airing the day after on January 3 and 4, as well. And, the rumor is true. On November 7, 2016, a Hollywood insider told Trek Movie that Greg Plageman (Game of Thrones, The Flash) would be writing and directing an episode for the series next year. The insider did not disclose which episode the rumor originated from. It is assumed that this episode is the next one in the lineup of special episodes for the series that are set to air throughout 2017.
There are several other rumored special episodes that have been talked about, though. One of those is an episode that would attempt to follow Star Trek: Voyager from the beginning, rather than following the new Star Trek series for its initial run. There is also the sci-fi series Galaxy Quest, which will reportedly begin airing on the Sci-Fi Channel and later be added to CBS All Access. Then, there is an untitled episode that is rumored to be the first episode of a new series on the network. All of these rumors need to be verified, as we have yet to receive official confirmation or confirmation of these upcoming special episodes on the network from any of the current or former Trek showrunners or execs.
Spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 follow. Star Trek: Discovery is an exciting sci-fi adventure with tons of depth and emotion, and a history that spans decades in the fictional timeline of the Star Trek universe. The first season has focused largely on Captain Lorca, a rogue Starfleet captain and the new series lead who finds himself embroiled in an alien conflict with the Klingons. For that reason, the first two episodes of Discovery are mostly focused on the events that lead up to the events we’ve seen in the trailer. The final episode is expected to focus largely on the events that led to the creation of the Discovery, and we may start seeing more of its characters during the middle of the season. The series has also featured cast members from previous Trek series, including Sir Patrick Stewart, who will appear in the second season premiere.
After the first two episodes aired in September, Star Trek: Discovery was off the air for one month before returning on October 24 to fans and media. That night marked the premiere of the series’ first episode, which is available on the streaming service and network. As it turns out, the show will be returning on a Saturday night for its series premiere for the rest of its run. However, it will be the same night it premiered on the network – Sunday, September 25. In addition, there is an online media event for Discovery that will be running for the entire month of September. That event will provide new details about the series every day, including some fairly significant updates about the plot.
