James R | On 08, Dec 2019

Star Trek: Discovery makes its UK TV debut this month, after E4 snapped up the linear rights to the show.

The new entry in the long-running sci-fi series first debuted on CBS All Access in the USA, 50 years after the show first premiered. Set before the events of the first Star Trek series, it features a new ship, a new crew, two diverse leads (Michelle Yeoh’s Captain Philippa Georgiou and Sonequa Martin-Green’s First Officer Michael Burnham), and some unexpected connections to the show’s canon.

The series premiered on Netflix in the UK, which holds the rights to show outside of America, with Season 2 arriving last year. The show will continue to premiere exclusively on Netflix UK, with Season 3 on the way, but now, those without Netflix can see the series for free on E4. The deal with CBS Studios International, inked this year, also gave the channel the UK rights to Matt LeBlanc sitcom Man With A Plan.

Season 1 will start on Sunday 15th December at 8pm. It will debut after a range of other Star Trek programming, from the 2009 JJ Abrams feature film at 5.30pm to six Star Trek-themed episodes of The Big Bang Theory, under the title “Beam Me Up… Sheldon”, including an episode featuring guest appearances by Wil Wheaton and Brent Spiner.

Episodes of Star Trek: Discovery will air weekly on E4.

 

Star Trek: Discovery is coming to E4 in the UK

15th October 2019

Star Trek: Discovery is coming to E4 next year.

The new entry in the long-running sci-fi series first debuted on CBS All Access in the USA, 50 years after the show first premiered. Set before the events of the first Star Trek series, it features a new ship, a new crew, two diverse leads (Michelle Yeoh’s Captain Philippa Georgiou and Sonequa Martin-Green’s First Officer Michael Burnham), and some unexpected connections to the show’s canon.

The series premiered on Netflix in the UK, which snapped up the rights to show outside of America. It has since aired its second season on CBS All Access and Netflix UK.

“This is TV Trek that’s every bit as good – and maybe better – than JJ Abram’s feature film reboot,” we wrote in our review.

Now, E4 has acquired the UK exclusive linear rights to the series. The deal with CBS Studios International also gives E4 the UK rights to sitcom Man With A Plan, starring Matt LeBlanc.

Barry Chamberlain, President of Sales, CBS Studios International, says: “We’re excited to bring the linear television rights for Star Trek: Discovery to the international market and launch in the UK with our valued friends at Channel 4. This agreement features the best of both worlds — premium subscription content from a global franchise and a very popular network comedy from America’s Most-Watched Network.  Channel 4 is already a licensee for several of our top-rated franchises, including The Good Fight and Charmed, and we are confident they will have continued success with Star Trek: Discovery and Man With A Plan.”

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