Apple Orders Space Drama From Star Trek Veteran Ronald D. Moore

Apple has ordered a brand new science fiction television program direct to series from the mind Ronald D. Moore, one of the formative voices of 1990s era Star Trek who went on to develop the 2004 reboot of Battlestar Galactica for Syfy and Starz’s television adaptation of Outlander.

According to Deadline, the still-untitled new series will be a space-based drama that explores a world where the race for space that began during the Cold War never ended. The new series is written and created by Moore, along with Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, who are co-executive producers on Fargo. It is being produced by Moore’s Tall Ship Production and Sony Pictures Television.

This is the third original scripted series ordered by Apple recently since forming its worldwide video programming division. Apple has also ordered a reboot of the science fiction anthology series Amazing Stories from Steven Spielberg and Star Trek: Discovery co-creator Bryan Fuller, as well as a drama series from Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

Ronald D. Moore’s resume includes three Star Trek series. He began his career in 1989 as a writer on Star Trek: The Next Generation and became one of its defining voices, writing 27 episodes in total including the series finale “All Good Things…” He also co-wrote two of the Star Trek: The Next Generation movies, Star Trek: Generations and Star Trek: First Contact.

Moore went on to become co-executive producer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and had a brief stint writing on Star Trek: Voyager. In addition to developing the Battlestar Galactica reboot and Outlander, Moore also wrote and executive producers the upcoming anthology series Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams for Amazon.

In a moment of, one presumes, mutual admiration, the Star Trek: Discovery midseason finale included an Easter egg referencing Moore’s Battlestar Galactica reboot, specifically the Hugo Award-winning episode “33,” which Moore wrote.