The best writers of "Star Trek"
This list includes writers from all of the Star Trek series, especially since many of them worked on more than one. Only writers who wrote more than one episode.
List activity
5.5K views
• 3 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
17 people
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Ron Moore was a member of the Kappa Alpha literary society during his time at Cornell University. He dropped out of college during his senior year, after which he moved to Los Angeles, California, with a friend in hopes of becoming a working writer. He was two weeks away from joining the United States Navy when Michael Piller, the co-executive producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), called with good news: his first script, "The Bonding," led to an assignment and a spot on the writing staff in 1989. By the end of the series, he was serving as a producer.
The end of TNG saw numerous accolades come Mr. Moore's way. As a member of the production team, he earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and, along with writing partner Brannon Braga, a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation for "All Good Things...," the series finale. They would go on to earn Hugo nominations for the first two TNG films, Star Trek: Generations (1994) and Star Trek: First Contact (1996). They also collaborated on the story for Mission: Impossible II (2000).
The end of TNG saw Mr. Moore assume the role of supervising producer on Rick Berman and Michael Piller's character-driven "Trek" spin-off, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993). He began by writing the 3rd-season premiere, "The Search, Part I," which saw the introduction of the U.S.S. "Defiant." He had originally intended to name Captain Sisko's starship "Valiant" after the ship mentioned in the second Star Trek (1966) pilot episode, which was titled "Where No Man Has Gone Before," but because Star Trek: Voyager (1995) was about to premiere, he changed it to "Defiant" in honor of the ship from "The Tholian Web."
As two of the most ardent Star Trek fans on DS9's writing staff, Mr. Moore and 'René Echevarria' were chosen to write the teleplay for "Trials and Tribble-ations" - DS9's tribute to TOS's 30th Anniversary. Besides bringing Captain Kirk and Captain Sisko together on-screen via some seamless Emmy-nominated visual effects, the episode also brought the pair a Hugo nomination. They would go on to write the series penultimate episode, "The Dogs of War," which introduced the new "Defiant," formerly the U.S.S. "Sao Paulo." The name of the ship and Sisko's line "Hello, ship" were a tribute to the Steve McQueen film The Sand Pebbles (1966). By the time DS9 ended, he was a co-executive producer and ready to move on to his third "Star Trek" series.
After a 2-episode stint as a co-executive producer on "Voyager," Mr. Moore said goodbye to the franchise. His first job after "Star Trek" was as a consulting producer on the final season of the Sci-Fi Channel's fantasy series Good vs Evil (1999). Eventually, he made his way to Jason Katims's teen SF-Drama series Roswell (1999). He joined TNG's Jonathan Frakes as a co-executive producer as well.
Thanks to his work on "Roswell," he was able to develop Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" as a pilot for the WB, but it was canceled before production began. Mr. Moore also served as a co-executive producer on "Roswell" when the series changed networks during the 2001-2002 television season. More recently, he was involved in the remake of _"Battlestar Galactica" (2003) (mini)_ for the sci-fi channel. writing the script for the mini-series and serving as executive producer on the subsequent series.Best Episodes:
Yesterday's Enterprise (10/10) with Behr/Manning/Beimler
All Good Things... (10/10) with Brannon Braga
Trials and Tribble-ations (10/10) with Rene Echevarria
Family (9.5/10)
The Defector (9.5/10)
Reunion (9.5/10) with Brannon Braga/Thomas and Jo Perry
Relics (9.5/10)
First Contact (9.5/10) with Piller/Menosky/Bischoff/Bailey
Data's Day (9/10) with Harold Apter
Our Man Bashir (9/10)
Rightful Heir (9/10)
The Die is Cast (9/10)
The Search: Part I (9/10)
The House of Quark (9/10)
Rejoined (9/10) with Rene Echevarria
Sons of Mogh (9/10)
The Pegasus (9/10)
Redemption II (9/10)
Redemption (9/10)
Gambit: Part II (9/10)
Tapestry (8.5/10)
Sins of the Father (8.5/10)
The Next Phase (8.5/10)
Thine Own Self (8.5/10)
Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places (8.5/10)
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine/Voyager)- Producer
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Graduate of Lehman College in New York City, Behr studied Mass Communications and Theater, and was offered a playwriting scholarship at Brandeis University. Instead, Behr elected to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in writing comedies for television and film. However, instead of comedies, Behr made his mark in television dramas. His first job as a television writer was for the James Garner television series Bret Maverick (1981), and he later served as story editor for the series Jessica Novak (1981). Behr's writer/producer credits also include the series Fame (1982), Once a Hero (1987) and The Bronx Zoo (1987).
Behr's relationship with Star Trek began as a producer for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) during its third season. At the end of the season, Behr left the series to pursue screen writing. Three of the feature films written during this period are currently in development.
Behr returned to Star Trek in 1993 as a supervising producer for the pilot of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and became a co-executive producer in the second season . His diverse talents and experiences as a writer led him to the position of executive producer late in the third season. Behr played a key role in the development of the popular alien race, the Ferengi. He wrote the book "The Rules of Acquisition", which is a humorous compilation of the guiding tenets of Ferengi culture. Behr also co-wrote a collection of short stories and fables based on the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition entitled "Legends of the Ferengi", which was published by Pocket Books.
After DS9 ended its seven-season run in 1999, Behr went on to produce other television fare such as the science fiction drama Now and Again (1999) and the Jason Alexander comedy Bob Patterson (2001).Best Episodes:
Yesterday's Enterprise (10/10) with Moore/Manning/Beimler
The Way of the Warrior (9.5/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
The Maquis: Part II (9.5/10)
Past Tense: Part II (9.5/10) with Rene Echevarria
Homefront (9.5/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Second Sight (9/10) with Mark Gehred-O'Connell & Robert Wolfe
The Adversary (9/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Paradise Lost (9/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Little Green Men (9/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Captain's Holiday (9/10)
Qpid (9/10)
The Jem'Hadar (8.5/10)
The Search: Part II (8.5/10)
Through the Looking Glass (8.5/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Rules of Acquisition (8.5/10)
The Homecoming (8.5/10)
Bar Association (8.5/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Heart of Stone (8.5/10) with Robert Hewitt Wolfe
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine)- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
After graduating with a degree in History from Duke University in 1984, Rene Echevarria moved to New York City to pursue a career in theater. He joined the Circle Repertory Lab Company in 1985, where he assistant directed a production of Victor Muniz' play "Darts", and acted in a production of Gorky's "Lower Depths". In 1986, he acted in Kristin McCloy's play "Isosceles" at the Chelsea Theater, and in 1987, he was seen in the La Mama Theater adaptation of Aeschuylus' "Oresteia". He collaborated with Kristin McCloy on the full-length play "Prepared", which was presented at the World's End Theater in London during 1988, and went on to be performed at that year's Edinburgh Festival. In 1989, he wrote a spec script for 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' called "The Offspring". He became a Story Editor for the show's sixth season, and Executive Story Editor during its seventh and final season, for which the show received an Emmy Nomination for Best Dramatic Series. Echevarria then took the job of Co-Supervising Producer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993). His 30-plus episodes of Star Trek have won him a Humanitas nomination, a Peabody nomination, two Hugo nominations, and a NASA Vision award for best depiction of humanity's future in space. In 1994, he received a Special Achievement award from the Latino Media Organization HAMAS.
With fellow Star Trek Producer 'Ken Biller', he developed the scenario for _Star Trek: The Experience (1998)_, a theme park attraction built by Paramount Parks at the Las Vegas Hilton. In 1999-2000, Echevarria was supervising producing on Paramount's short-lived but critically praised Now and Again (1999) on CBS. In July 2000, he signed on as co-executive producer of Dark Angel (2000) the science fiction series created by James Cameron for the Fox network, as part of an overall multiyear deal with 20th Century Fox Television to develop new projects for the studio.Best Episodes:
I, Borg (10/10)
Trials and Tribble-ations (10/10) with Ronald D. Moore
Lower Decks (9.5/10)
Past Tense: Part II (9.5/10) with Ira Steven Behr
Explorers (9.5/10)
Improbable Cause (9.5/10)
Birthright Part II (9/10)
Ship in a Bottle (9/10)
Rejoined (9/10) with Ronald D. Moore
Equilibrium (8.5/10)
Facets (8.5/10)
Mind's Eye (8.5/10)
The Offspring (8.5/10)
Preemptive Strike (8.5/10)
...Nor the Battle to the Strong (8.5/10)
True Q (8.5/10)
Crossfire (8.5/10)
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine)- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Peter Allan Fields was born on 12 May 1935. He was a writer and producer, known for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and McCloud (1970). He died on 19 June 2019 in the USA.Best Episodes:
The Inner Light (10/10) with Morgan Grendel
Duet (9.5/10)
Necessary Evil (9.5/10)
The Circle (9/10)
Half a Life (9/10)
Crossover (8.5/10) with Michael Piller
Dax (8.5/10) with D.C. Fontana
Blood Oath (8/10)
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine)- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Additional Crew
Melinda M. Snodgrass was born on 27 November 1951 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a writer, known for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Wild Cards and Odyssey 5 (2002).Best Episodes:
The Measure of a Man (9.5/10)
The High Ground (9.5/10)
The Ensigns of Command (9/10)
(The Next Generation)- Michael Taylor is known for Global Warming: The Signs and Science (2005), The Dead Zone (2002) and The Great Warming (2006).Episodes:
The Visitor (10/10)
(Deep Space Nine/Voyager) - Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Robert Hewitt Wolfe was born in 1964 in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Andromeda (2000) and Alphas (2011).Best Episodes:
The Way of the Warrior (9.5/10) with Ira Steven Behr
The Wire (9.5/10)
Homefront (9.5/10) with Ira Steven Behr
Second Skin (9.5/10)
Second Sight (9/10) with Mark Gehred-O'Connell & Ira Steven Behr
Shadowplay (9/10)
The Adversary (9/10) with Ira Steven Behr
In the Hands of the Prophets (9/10)
Paradise Lost (9/10) with Ira Steven Behr
Little Green Men (9/10) with Ira Steven Behr
Hard Time (9/10)
Past Tense: Part I (8.5/10)
Through the Looking Glass (8.5/10) with Ira Steven Behr
Invasive Procedures (8.5/10)
Bar Association (8.5/10) with Ira Steven Behr
Heart of Stone (8.5/10) with Ira Steven Behr
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine)- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Bradley Thompson is known for Battlestar Galactica (2004), For All Mankind (2019) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).Episodes:
The Assignment (9/10)- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
David Weddle is known for Battlestar Galactica (2004), For All Mankind (2019) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).Episodes:
The Assignment (9/10)- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Michael went to school in New York before taking a creative writing course. The professor for this course told everyone, "There are enough bad writers out there. There needn't be anymore". Michael recalls that the professor would rip up his writing and he would be so broken-hearted. This professor eventually chased him into journalism, where Michael won two Emmys for his work as a news producer. Michael went back to New York for a few years before seeing a "Chorus Line" show and deciding to pursue his writing career. He originally came back to Los Angeles as a censor for CBS in the late seventies. He eventually started writing spec scripts for such TV series as Simon & Simon (1981) and Cagney & Lacey (1981) before landing a role as a producer on Simon & Simon (1981). He worked his way through the producer ranks and jumped from series to series before being called in by long-time friend, Maurice Hurley, who was, at the time, writing and producing episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). Michael wrote a few episodes for season three (1989-90) before becoming a full-fledged Executive Producer. In 1992, Piller and Rick Berman (who was also Executive Producer) decided to create a new series based in the "Star Trek Universe". Thus, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) was created. Piller oversaw the writing, casting, budget, etc. for two season before Paramount called him in again to create a new series after Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) ended in 1994. Star Trek: Voyager (1995), created by Jeri Taylor, Pillar and Rick Berman, was born into the television universe, as the flagship for the new United Paramount Network (UPN), running until 2001. Piller left Star Trek: Voyager (1995) in 1996, after nine years of working in the Star Trek franchise. He created the ill-fated, but critically-acclaimed, western for UPN called Legend (1995), starring Richard Dean Anderson and John de Lancie. Also in 1996, Piller successfully sold his first feature film script entitled, "Oversight" (1998). It has yet to be produced. In 1997, he co-wrote Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), with Rick Berman, which was released in 1998. His most successful post-Trek outing was developing the Stephen King property, "The Dead Zone", along with his son Shawn Piller, for television. Piller died from cancer on November 2, 2005.Best Episodes:
The Best of Both Worlds: Part Two (10/10)
Ensign Ro (9.5/10)
First Contact (9.5/10) with Moore/Menosky/Bischoff/Bailey
The Perfect Mate (9.5/10)
The Best of Both Worlds: Part One (9.5/10)
Time's Arrow (9/10) with Joe Menosky
Melora (9/10) with Evan Somers & Steven Baum & James Crocker
The Masterpiece Society (9/10) with Adam Belanoff
Emissary (8.5/10)
Unification II (8.5/10)
Caretaker (8.5/10) with Jeri Taylor
Evolution (8.5/10)
Crossover (8.5/10) with Peter Allan Fields
Booby Trap (8.5/10) with Ron Roman/Richard Danus
A Man Alone (8/10)
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine/Voyager)
*He also co-wrote Yesterday's Enterprise(10/10), but is uncredited.- Writer
- Composer
Jerome Bixby was born on 11 January 1923 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He was a writer and composer, known for The Man from Earth (2007), Star Trek (1966) and Fantastic Voyage (1966). He died on 28 April 1998 in San Bernardino, California, USA.Episodes:
Mirror, Mirror (10/10)
By Any Other Name (9/10) with D.C. Fontana
(The Original Series)- Writer
- Producer
Paul Schneider was born on 4 August 1923 in Passaic, New Jersey, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Star Trek (1966), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) and Options (1989). He was married to Margaret Schneider. He died on 13 October 2008 in Riverside, California, USA.Episodes:
Balance of Terror (9.5/10)
The Squire of Gothos (9/10)
(The Original Series)- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Jeri Taylor was born on 30 June 1938 in Evansville, Indiana, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star Trek: Voyager (1995) and Quincy M.E. (1976). She was previously married to David Moessinger and Dick Enberg.Best Episodes:
Unification I (9.5/10)
The Wounded (9.5/10)
Chain of Command: Part II (9.5/10) -uncredited
The Drumhead (9.5/10)
The Outcast (9/10)
Eye of the Needle (9/10) with Bill Dial
Caretaker (8.5/10) with Michael Piller
The 37's (8.5/10) with Brannon Braga
Night Terrors (8.5/10) with Pamela Douglas
Silicon Avatar (8.5/10)
(The Next Generation/Voyager)- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Brannon Braga was born on 14 August 1965 in Bozeman, Montana, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987).Best Episodes:
Timescape (10/10)
All Good Things... (10/10) with Brannon Braga
Reunion (9.5/10) with Ronald D. Moore/Thomas and Jo Perry
Parallels (9.5/10)
Cause and Effect (9/10)
Birthright Part 1 (8.5/10)
Frame of Mind (8.5/10)
The 37's (8.5/10) with Jeri Taylor
Parallax (8.5/10)
Schisms (8.5/10)
Emanations (8/10)
(The Next Generation/Voyager/Enterprise)- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Naren Shankar is the Executive Producer/Showrunner of the critically acclaimed television adaptation of the international best-seller science fiction novel series, The Expanse, an Amazon Prime Original Series from Alcon Television Studios.
Naren spent eight seasons as a Writer-Executive Producer and Co- Showrunner of the most-watched show in the world, CSI:Crime Scene Investigation. In 2011 he helped launch NBC's Grimm as a Writer- Executive Producer.
Prior to CSI, Naren was an Executive Producer on the SyFy Channel cult hit series Farscape for The Jim Henson Company, and spent three seasons as a writer-producer on Showtime's The Outer Limits.
Naren began his career as a writer and science consultant for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he holds a PhD in Applied Physics & Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.
Naren has been honored with multiple Emmy nominations for Best Series, a WGA Award nomination for CSI's two-hour event "Grave Danger" directed by Quentin Tarantino, and has received WGC and Saturn Awards for The Outer Limits, CSI, and Farscape. The Expanse won a Hugo Award for "Leviathan Wakes" in 2017 and was nominated in 2019 for "Abaddon's Gate."
Naren has a small fraction of the cats that Ernest Hemingway did, which may be used as a proportionate measure of his talent. He resides with his wife in Beverly Hills, California.Best Episodes:
The Quickening (9.5/10)
Gambit: Part I (9/10)
Face of the Enemy (9/10)
Preemptive Strike (8.5/10)
Heroes and Demons (8.5/10)
Homeward (8.5/10)
(The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine/Voyager)- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
While in junior high school, he became interested in science fiction, and years later while reading a copy of 'Astounding Stories' when he was working as an airline pilot, he decided to give it up and become a writer. He moved West and joined the Los Angeles police force to gain experience that would help him toward a writing career in Hollywood. He began selling scripts for television shows such as 'Dragnet' and 'Naked City'. He was head writer on 'Have Gun Will Travel' for two years, winning the 'Writer's Guild Award' for 'Best Script'. He created and produced 'The Lieutenant' followed by 3 years of the 'Star Trek' television series and produced the films 'Pretty Maids All in a Row', the first 'Star Trek' film and was executive consultant on the following two.Best Episodes:
The Menagerie, Part II (10/10)
The Menagerie, Part I (9.5/10)
The City on the Edge of Forever (9.5/10)*
Space Seed (9/10)* with Gene L. Coon & Carey Wilber
Encounter at Farpoint (9/10) with D.C. Fontana
(The Original Series/The Next Generation)
*He also co-wrote The City on the Edge of Forever and Space Seed but is uncredited on both.- Writer
- Producer
- Make-Up Department
The son of U.S. Army Sgt Merle Jack ''Pug'' Coon and decorator Erma Gay Noakes, Eugene Lee Coon was born in Beatrice Nebraska on January 7, 1924. At four years old, he sang on the radio at WOAW-AM in Omaha. He knew twenty four songs, including one in French and one in German. As his boyhood went on, he was a member of The Gage County, Nebraska 4-H Club and had been a Boy Scout. Later he attended Omaha Technical High School, participating in ROTC and playing in the school band. During this time, he also was teenage newscaster for KWBE-AM in Beatrice. He later moved with his parents and younger brothers, Merle Jack Coon and Bloise Newell Coon, to Glendale, California. Another brother died at ten years old when they still living in Beatrice. His father found work here as a Poultryman and Gene himself transferred to Glendale High.
Coon served stateside in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years from 1942 to 1946. After his return from service, he studied radio communications at Glendale College and performed in a production of Ayn Rand's play "The Night of January 16th" before transferring to The University of Iowa. Coon returned to active duty during the Korean War from 1950 to 1952 after several years as a Reservist. There, he received further training as a war reporter as well as running a pharmacy and building houses. He wrote about many of his experiences in the novels "Meanwhile Back At The Front" and "The Short End of The Stick". Upon his demobilization, Coon found work first as a radio newscaster before turning to free-lance writing under his mentor, Los Angeles Times reporter, Gene Sherman. He also operated a pharmacy at the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and North Ardmore Avenue between 1954 and 1959. Sherman, in fact, covered his pharmacy exploits in Page 2 Cityside column for The L.A. Times. Sherman also allowed Coon to have a guest spot promoting "Meanwhile Back At The Front" in The Farmer's Market column he wrote using the pen name ''Dick Kidson''.
From 1956, Coon was primarily involved in scripting teleplays for popular western and action shows like Dragnet (1951),Wagon Train (1957), Maverick (1957) and Bonanza (1959). At Universal in the early 60's, he turned McHale's Navy (1962) from a one-hour drama into a successful 30-minute sitcom. Together with the writer Les Colodny, Coon floated the idea for The Munsters (1964) as a satirical spin-off from The Donna Reed Show (1958) to MCA chairman Lew Wasserman. The result was yet another hit show.
Often referred to as 'the forgotten Gene' (a reference to Gene Roddenberry), Gene Lee Coon was one of the most important creative minds behind Star Trek (1966). He is credited with inventing the Klingons and had a hand in creating Khan. He developed the interpersonal dynamics between Kirk, Spock and McCoy (in particular, the invariably humorous verbal banter). He established the enlightened image of Starfleeet/The United Federation of Planets and often ended episodes with an anti-war allegory. A robust-looking, heavy-set man possessed of seemingly boundless creative energy, Coon was a prodigious reader and an immensely focused writer of prolific output. It was said, that he authored his novels and teleplays by assuming a state of near self-hypnosis, which he himself called 'automatic writing'. In one instance, he managed to produce the script for the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark" in the course of a single weekend. Either as writer, or line producer, Coon had extensive, often critical input into some of the show's best-loved episodes, including "Arena", "Space Seed", "A Taste of Armageddon" , "The City of the Edge of Forever" (generally regarded as the best of the series), "Mirror, Mirror" and "The Doomsday Machine". Coon also often acted as a 'script doctor', doing uncredited rewrites. He left Star Trek in March 1968, likely the result of personality clashes with members of the cast (in fact, Coon had a reputation for not getting along with actors in general), but continued to write several more episodes under the pseudonym 'Lee Cronin' in order to fulfill his contract with Paramount.
After Star Trek, Coon worked as writer/producer on _"It Takes a Thief" (1968)_, while at the same time founding one of the first 'cartridge TV' video companies, UniTel Associates, with Colodny as executive vice president. He had, by then, also turned turn offers from D.C. Fontana to write for Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973).
A chain smoker of cigarillos for most of his life, the man whom fellow writer/producer Glen A. Larson referred to as 'the spirit and soul of Star Trek', died of lung and throat cancer -- one week after being diagnosed -- in July 1973, aged just 49. Another possible cause of his cancer was radiation from Nevada Bomb Testing Sites he attended with his mentor Gene Sherman and his first wife Joy in the 1950's.
On the weekend of March 2-4, 2018 there was a tribute in his hometown of Beatrice, Nebraska.Best Episodes:
The City on the Edge of Forever (9.5/10)*
Space Seed (9/10) with Carey Wilber & Gene Roddenberry
A Taste of Armageddon (9/10) with Robert Hamner
Errand of Mercy (8.5/10)
The Devil in the Dark (8.5/10)
(The Original Series)
*He also co-wrote The City on the Edge of Forever but is uncredited.