Brannon Braga
Encyclopedia
Brannon Braga is an American
television
producer
and screenwriter
, currently working as showrunner and executive producer
on Terra Nova
. Braga is probably best known for his work with the Star Trek
franchise, having worked on three of the four modern Star Trek television series since 1990 and two of the Star Trek feature films, as well as being co-creator and an executive producer of Star Trek: Enterprise
. In fact, he has more writing credits than anyone else associated with the franchise. He was also creator and producer of the short-lived alien invasion drama Threshold
. Braga received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Kent State University Stark in 2005.
. His first assignment was rewriting a script called "Reunion
" with staff writer Ronald D. Moore
, then doing a solo rewrite on a spec script
titled "Identity Crisis
". This led to a staff position in 1991 as a script-writer, resulting in credits for a number of popular episodes including "Cause and Effect", "Frame of Mind
" and "Parallels
".
At the start of The Next Generation' s final season, Braga (now a co-producer) and Moore (whom he had worked with a few times in the intervening four years) were picked to write a script for the first cinema appearance of The Next Generation crew, Star Trek Generations, which they developed over the final year. They were again picked to write the script for the series finale "All Good Things...", for which they won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
.
as a producer. In 1996, Braga and Moore collaborated again, on the second The Next Generation film, Star Trek: First Contact
, which received the second highest gross of all the Star Trek films. After the departure of Jeri Taylor
at the end of Voyager's fourth season in 1998, Braga became an executive producer and was effectively running the show on Voyager. Series lead Kate Mulgrew
responded positively to the change, in particular liking the direction he was taking her character:
Braga and Moore again collaborated in 1999, on the Mission: Impossible II
screenplay. Although their draft was not the final one used, it did earn them a story credit in the film. They were approached to do a third Star Trek film starring The Next Generation cast, but declined.
When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
ended in 1999, Moore transferred over to the creative staff of Voyager as a co-executive producer, but quickly departed citing problems working with his old writing partner, Braga:
The two would say years later that they had repaired their friendship.
with Rick Berman
. From the series debut in September 2001 until the end of the third season in May 2004, Braga was the executive producer in charge of the day to day running of the show, handing over the reins of the writing staff to Manny Coto
for season four. However, due to declining viewing figures, Enterprise was canceled by UPN
during season four, which was allowed to complete.
called Threshold
, which debuted in September 2005. Braga formed his own production company, Braga Productions to facilitate this project. Set in the modern day, the series focuses on a group of experts who are investigating an alien craft discovered in the Atlantic Ocean. The series was first shown on Friday nights, but was moved to Tuesday in an attempt to improve its ratings. This effort did not succeed, and CBS
cancelled the series on November 23, 2005.
The concept of Threshold was created by David S. Goyer
(co-writer of Batman Begins
, writer or co-writer of the Blade
films, director of Blade: Trinity
) and David Heyman
(producer of the Harry Potter
films). Threshold did earn some good reviews during its run, including four out of four stars from 'USA Today'.
real time action/drama series, 24
, writing episodes in the seventh and eight seasons.
and was an executive producer of the ABC
science fiction series FlashForward, which was adapted from the Robert J. Sawyer
novel of the same name. The series debuted on September 24, 2009. Braga co-wrote the pilot episode "No More Good Days" with fellow executive producer Goyer, and he, Goyer, and Sawyer shared a Hugo Award nomination in the Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form category for that episode. Goyer and a third executive producer, Marc Guggenheim
, co-wrote the teleplay for the series' second episode "White to Play," based on a story Goyer co-wrote with Braga. Braga remained contractually tied to 24
and was not available to work as a senior writer for FlashForward once it was ordered to series. On May 13, 2010, it was reported that FlashForward would not be renewed for a second season. The show was canceled due to critical and commercial struggles.
, Braga has often been the subject of heated fan criticism, especially with regards to his showrunning duties on Voyager and Enterprise. Responding to accusations from Star Trek fandom that he was responsible for Star Treks declining ratings and eventual cancellation, Braga commented:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, currently working as showrunner and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
on Terra Nova
Terra Nova (TV series)
Terra Nova is an American science fiction drama television series that airs on Fox on Monday nights. It premiered September 26, 2011 with a one-and-a-half-hour episode...
. Braga is probably best known for his work with the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise, having worked on three of the four modern Star Trek television series since 1990 and two of the Star Trek feature films, as well as being co-creator and an executive producer of Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
. In fact, he has more writing credits than anyone else associated with the franchise. He was also creator and producer of the short-lived alien invasion drama Threshold
Threshold (TV series)
Threshold was a science fiction drama television series that first aired on CBS in September 2005. Produced by Brannon Braga, David S. Goyer and David Heyman, the series focuses on a secret government project investigating the first contact with an extraterrestrial species.The series was first...
. Braga received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Kent State University Stark in 2005.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
In 1990, Braga received an eight-week internship from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, joining the writing team of Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. His first assignment was rewriting a script called "Reunion
Reunion (TNG episode)
"Reunion" an episode of the fourth season of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:In this installment of the series, the Captain of the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise Jean-Luc Picard is called on to arbitrate a power struggle over the...
" with staff writer Ronald D. Moore
Ronald D. Moore
Ronald Dowl Moore is an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on Star Trek and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, for which he won a Peabody Award for creative excellence in 2005 and an Emmy Award in 2008.-Early life and...
, then doing a solo rewrite on a spec script
Spec script
A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio....
titled "Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis (TNG episode)
"Identity Crisis" is the 92nd episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Plot:Geordi La Forge’s friend and former crewmate, Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten, has come aboard the Enterprise-D; she is concerned that she and La Forge are the only two members...
". This led to a staff position in 1991 as a script-writer, resulting in credits for a number of popular episodes including "Cause and Effect", "Frame of Mind
Frame of Mind (TNG episode)
"Frame of Mind" is the 21st episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.In the episode, Commander Riker switches between mental realities: performing in one of Beverly's plays, preparing for an undercover away mission and being an inmate in an...
" and "Parallels
Parallels (TNG episode)
"Parallels" is the 163rd episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:After returning from a bat'leth tournament, Worf finds himself shifting between various realities of existence.-Plot:...
".
At the start of The Next Generation
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
.
Star Trek: Voyager
After The Next Generation concluded in 1994, Braga joined the creative staff on Star Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
as a producer. In 1996, Braga and Moore collaborated again, on the second The Next Generation film, Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
, which received the second highest gross of all the Star Trek films. After the departure of Jeri Taylor
Jeri Taylor
Jeri Taylor is a television scriptwriter and producer who is known for her contributions to the Star Trek series. She is an alumna of Indiana University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.-Star Trek screenwriting:...
at the end of Voyager's fourth season in 1998, Braga became an executive producer and was effectively running the show on Voyager. Series lead Kate Mulgrew
Kate Mulgrew
Katherine Kiernan Maria "Kate" Mulgrew is an American actress, most noted for her roles on Star Trek: Voyager as Captain Kathryn Janeway and Ryan's Hope as Mary Ryan...
responded positively to the change, in particular liking the direction he was taking her character:
- The scripts I think are terrific this season; Brannon is incredibly smart, and dark and creative and funny in a way that I love ... It's rather naughty and mischievous, which is just so provocative and fascinating. He knows Janeway's voice and Mulgrew's voice, and has married them very nicely. ... Janeway in seasons one, two, and three was a little goody-two-shoes for my taste, not really who Mulgrew is as Janeway. Brannon has watched me closely as an actress in the last four years, so he knows where I can go, and what my strengths are.
Braga and Moore again collaborated in 1999, on the Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
screenplay. Although their draft was not the final one used, it did earn them a story credit in the film. They were approached to do a third Star Trek film starring The Next Generation cast, but declined.
When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
ended in 1999, Moore transferred over to the creative staff of Voyager as a co-executive producer, but quickly departed citing problems working with his old writing partner, Braga:
- I have very hurt feelings about Brannon. What happened between he and I is just between he and I. It was a breakdown of trust. I would have quit any show where I was not allowed to participate in the process like that. I wasn’t allowed to participate in the process, and I wasn’t part of the show. I felt like I was freelancing my own show. ... I was very disappointed that my long-time friend and writing partner acted in that manner, that crossed lines to the point where I felt like I had to walk away from STAR TREK, which was something that meant a lot to me for a very long time, from my childhood right through my entire professional career.
The two would say years later that they had repaired their friendship.
Star Trek: Enterprise
When Voyager concluded in 2001, Braga developed Star Trek: EnterpriseStar Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
with Rick Berman
Rick Berman
Richard Keith “Rick” Berman is an American television producer. He is most famous for his work as the executive producer of several of the Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager; and, several of the Star Trek theatrical productions, and...
. From the series debut in September 2001 until the end of the third season in May 2004, Braga was the executive producer in charge of the day to day running of the show, handing over the reins of the writing staff to Manny Coto
Manny Coto
Manny Coto is an American writer, director and producer of films and television programs.Coto was the executive producer and showrunner of Star Trek: Enterprise in its final season, and executive producer of four seasons of 24...
for season four. However, due to declining viewing figures, Enterprise was canceled by UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
during season four, which was allowed to complete.
Threshold
Before the cancellation of Enterprise, Braga started developing a new science fiction series for CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
called Threshold
Threshold (TV series)
Threshold was a science fiction drama television series that first aired on CBS in September 2005. Produced by Brannon Braga, David S. Goyer and David Heyman, the series focuses on a secret government project investigating the first contact with an extraterrestrial species.The series was first...
, which debuted in September 2005. Braga formed his own production company, Braga Productions to facilitate this project. Set in the modern day, the series focuses on a group of experts who are investigating an alien craft discovered in the Atlantic Ocean. The series was first shown on Friday nights, but was moved to Tuesday in an attempt to improve its ratings. This effort did not succeed, and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
cancelled the series on November 23, 2005.
The concept of Threshold was created by David S. Goyer
David S. Goyer
David Samuel Goyer is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.-Early life:Goyer was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Hebrew school and has described himself as "half Jewish"...
(co-writer of Batman Begins
Batman Begins
Batman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
, writer or co-writer of the Blade
Blade (film)
Blade is a 1998 vampire superhero action horror starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide...
films, director of Blade: Trinity
Blade: Trinity
Blade: Trinity is a 2004 American superhero vampire action film, written and directed by David S. Goyer, who also wrote the screenplays to the first two Blade films...
) and David Heyman
David Heyman
David Jonathan Heyman is a British film producer and the founder of Heyday Films. He obtained the film rights to the Harry Potter series in 1999 and has produced all eight installments in the series of films.-Life and career:...
(producer of the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
films). Threshold did earn some good reviews during its run, including four out of four stars from 'USA Today'.
24: (Season 7-8)
Brannon Braga served as an executive producer on the FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
real time action/drama series, 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, writing episodes in the seventh and eight seasons.
FlashForward
Brannon Braga shared a "Created for Television" credit with David S. GoyerDavid S. Goyer
David Samuel Goyer is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.-Early life:Goyer was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Hebrew school and has described himself as "half Jewish"...
and was an executive producer of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
science fiction series FlashForward, which was adapted from the Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer
Robert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...
novel of the same name. The series debuted on September 24, 2009. Braga co-wrote the pilot episode "No More Good Days" with fellow executive producer Goyer, and he, Goyer, and Sawyer shared a Hugo Award nomination in the Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form category for that episode. Goyer and a third executive producer, Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim is an American television writer-producer and a writer for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. His brother is screenwriter Eric Guggenheim.-Television:...
, co-wrote the teleplay for the series' second episode "White to Play," based on a story Goyer co-wrote with Braga. Braga remained contractually tied to 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
and was not available to work as a senior writer for FlashForward once it was ordered to series. On May 13, 2010, it was reported that FlashForward would not be renewed for a second season. The show was canceled due to critical and commercial struggles.
Criticism
Along with Star Trek franchise head and Enterprise co-creator Rick BermanRick Berman
Richard Keith “Rick” Berman is an American television producer. He is most famous for his work as the executive producer of several of the Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager; and, several of the Star Trek theatrical productions, and...
, Braga has often been the subject of heated fan criticism, especially with regards to his showrunning duties on Voyager and Enterprise. Responding to accusations from Star Trek fandom that he was responsible for Star Treks declining ratings and eventual cancellation, Braga commented:
- It's not a pleasant thing to think of yourself [as] to blame. There are other factors involved with Star Trek losing its audience appeal over the years, but [...] I will take my share of the blame creatively. It's almost impossible for me to sit here and say 'yes, I did this, that, and this wrong' and I'm certainly not going to get on the internet and look at what the fans think, because that would be too painful. But give it a little more time [and] I'm sure I can look back and figure out what the fuck I did wrong."
External links
- Brannon Braga - profile on the official Star Trek site.
- Brannon Braga - profile on TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Brannon Braga - on Star Trek as atheist mythology