Having Bryan Fuller on Star Trek: Discovery would have been worth the wait.
It's been about a month since Bryan Fuller stepped down as the showrunner for Star Trek: Discovery, the new series in the Star Trek universe. We're still not over it, and it sounds like Fuller might not be either, though he is being very professional and diplomatic about how he addresses the departure, telling Newsweek:
"Ultimately, with my responsibilities [elsewhere], I could not do what CBS needed to have done in the time they needed it done for Star Trek. It felt like it was best for me to focus on landing the plane with American Gods and making sure that was delivered in as elegant and sophisticated a fashion as I could possibly do ... It is bittersweet. But it was just a situation that couldn’t be resolved otherwise… so I had to step away.”
To be fair, CBS did push back the Star Trek release date once (from January 2016 to May 2016) because of Fuller's commitments to American Gods. Apparently, however, they were not willing to do so again, which, while understandable, is a major disappointment.
Bryan Fuller will not be actively involved with the show.
Fuller's creative presence will still be felt on the show, given that he wrote the scripts for the first two episodes and shaped the story arc for the entire 13-episode season. Speaking broadly about what shaped his Star Trek story, Fuller elaborated on what thematic questions have always been important to him, as a fan of the series:
How do we get along with people who are different than ourselves? How do we find common ground? How do move into the future together? Those themes were implicit in the scripts that I wrote before I left, and the storylines [I plotted].
Despite initial hopes that Fuller would be involved in some smaller part moving forward, the creator confirmed to Newsweek that he would not be actively involved in the process, saying:
I’m not involved in production, or postproduction, so I can only give them the material I’ve given them and hope that it is helpful for them. I’m curious to see what they do with it.
As for Fuller's potential involvement in a second season, should Discovery get one? He said: "They have my number and if they need me I will absolutely be there for them."
Why Fuller's departure is such a disappointment...
Fuller's being very professional about his departure, but, as a fan, it's hard to take this CBS decision on the chin. Fuller's departure is not personal for CBS; it's business. But, for Star Trek fans, this is the latest decision in a series of decisions (or lack thereof) that hint at an apparent lack of attention being paid to the Star Trek franchise. It still smarts that CBS and Paramount didn't get their act together for the Star Trek 50th anniversary and for this TV show sooner (though, admittedly, CBS' non-compete clause with Paramount in regards to Star Trek does complicate things) .If they had, perhaps Fuller never would have signed on to do American Gods, which would have been sad, but arguably (depending on where your fannish interests lie) the preferable option.
This lack of interest from the corporate rights-holders/financial backers was one of the big reasons why Bryan Fuller was such a perfect choice for the Star Trek: Discovery showrunner job. He was excited. The fans were excited. And, after a year that was marked by corporate creators that didn't seem to care all that much about holding the rights to such an iconic, beloved storytelling universe (not to mention a financial powerhouse), we were finally thrown a bone.
CBS might have better things to worry about, but hiring someone like Bryan Fuller means hiring someone to care for you. It means hiring someone to belabor meticulously over every single creative, narrative, and logistical decision in a way that is not required, but sure is welcome when it comes to one of the great foundations of American pop culture. For a show that represents diversity, empathy, and curiosity in a year that could use more of all three of those things. That kind of attention to detail and passion is what you get when you hire Bryan Fuller. And, yes, it might take him longer than other TV showrunners, but, for many fans, that sacrifice is worth it.
I'm sure the creative team in place will do a fine job. They might even do a great job. Many of them were Fuller's collaborators on shows like Pushing Daisies and Hannibal. I am still excited for this show, but I am not done mourning the Star Trek: Discovery experience that could and arguably should have been. Because, in this day and age, for many fans, enjoying a TV show isn't just about the show itself. It's also about the discussion within the fandom and with the creators.
Aside from his impeccable narrative track record when it comes to creating weird, wonderful TV shows, Fuller is a great showrunner because he doesn't talk down to fans. He doesn't treat them like they are some kind of alien species to be kowtowed to in public, but condescended to in private. He listens, he respects, and he recognizes the power dynamic that exists between corporate creators and fandom. He doesn't treat it as a reflection of the respective groups' inherent worth, but rather the system of creation we live in. In these ways, Fuller is downright Star Trek-ian in his method of interacting with fandom.
I'll say it because maybe Bryan Fuller can't: he would have been worth the wait.