What the frak is this? According to a report from Deadline, Apple may have actually gotten its hand on a good show – a new space drama from “Battlestar Galactica” creator, Ronald D. Moore – to aid in its ambitions in building out its original video content. The still untitled series comes from Sony Pictures Television and Moore’s Tall Ship Productions, and has been given a straight-to-series order by Apple, the report claims.
The new series was both created and written by Moore along with “Fargo” co-executive producers Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi. All three will also be executive producers, along with Tall Ships’ Maril Davis (“Outlander”), says Deadline.
There’s not much information about the show’s plot, beyond the fact that is a space drama. The report describes the concept as an exploration of “what would have happened if the global space race had never ended.” Further details, including a premiere date, aren’t yet known.
Moore is best known for his reboot of “Battlestar Galactica,” and more recently, the popular period/time travel drama, “Outlander.” But his history in the space genre stretches back to his early days writing for “Star Trek” shows, including “The Next Generation,” “Deep Space Nine,” and “Voyager.” His return to space is certain to excite fans.
BSG, in particular, was critically acclaimed for its ability to tell a compelling story that also reflected the times – in its case, post-9/11 America. The show debuted with a miniseries in 2003 – nine months after the U.S. invasion of Iraq – and then raised complicated questions about how the government and military should handle terrorism. It also had viewers considering things like, at which point do we become the enemy ourselves (if not worse)?, in response.
That show has held up over time, including in the Trump era, given how the conflicts between the civilian government and military interests played out, along with the humans’ fear and desire to eradicate the “other” (i.e., the cylons) at all costs. With today’s rise in nationalism leading to closing borders and tighter immigration policies, BSG continues to feel relevant given its larger themes.
That gives us some reason to hope that Moore will again be able to tell a story that speaks to our current struggles, without hitting us over the head with a political viewpoint. In fact, the creator, speaking at this year’s Comic-con, said that if he wrote a 2010’s-era BSG, the show would be “fundamentally different” in terms of its reflection of modern-day politics. He noted, too, that the show would still ultimately have you sympathizing with the enemy – the way BSG did with the Cylons and the traitor to the human race, Gaius Baltar.
As for Apple, the company could certainly use a hit on its hands, at this point. Its earlier efforts, like the Shark Tank-esque “Planet of the Apps,” and “Carpool Karaoke” have been downright painful to watch.
Deadline also points out that Moore’s new space drama is the third original series ordered by Apple via its more recently formed worldwide video programming division that’s being headed by former Sony TV presidents Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg.
That group has already greenlit two seasons of a morning show drama series project, executive produced by and starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon; and a reimagined “Amazing Stories” – the classic anthology from Steven Spielberg and Bryan Fuller, another “Star Trek” vet.
Apple isn’t the only tech giant Moore is working with, however. He also co-wrote and exec produced the upcoming “Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams” for Amazon.
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