This is incredible news. Nicholas Meyer—the man who probably deserves more credit than anybody for the longevity of Star Trek—has joined the writing staff of Bryan Fuller’s new Trek TV series.
A new press release from CBS includes this statement from Fuller, who’s still the showrunner:
“Nicholas Meyer chased Kirk and Khan ‘round the Mutara Nebula and ‘round Genesis’ flames, he saved the whales with the Enterprise and its crew, and waged war and peace between Klingons and the Federation. We are thrilled to announce that one of Star Trek’s greatest storytellers will be boldly returning as Nicholas Meyer beams aboard the new Trek writing staff.”
When Meyer took on Star Trek with Wrath of Khan, the series was arguably flagging. The Motion Picture had done well, but hadn’t left anybody with much appetite for more Trek, and you could easily imagine this franchise being relegated to one 1960s TV show, an animated sequel, and a couple of movies. But Meyer gave a new lease on life to Kirk, Spock and the rest—while also proving that Trek could be thrilling and expansive, beyond just appealing to fan nostalgia.
As massively as Star Wars benefited from the addition of Lawrence Kasdan as co-writer of The Force Awakens, this feels like a similar, essential boost to Star Trek.
Charlie Jane Anders is the author of All The Birds in the Sky, which is available now. Here’s what people have been saying about it. Follow her on Twitter, and email her.