Actor Scott Bakula is officially planning a return to network television. He has signed on to star in and executive produce an untitled high-concept detective drama currently in early development at CBS. The project reunites Bakula with writer and producer Mike Sussman. The two previously collaborated on the UPN science fiction series Star Trek: Enterprise. Produced by Dean Devlin’s independent studio Electric Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based procedural marks a major broadcasting milestone for the production company. Electric Entertainment has historically focused on basic cable and streaming series such as Leverage and The Librarians.
According to reports from industry outlets, CBS has not yet announced a production timeline, official title, or scheduled release window for the new series. However, early descriptions tease that Bakula’s mysterious new character will be a significant departure from his previous role as Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride in NCIS: New Orleans. Insiders note the performance will serve as a playful nod to his iconic time-traveling role in NBC’s Quantum Leap.
The End of Star Trek: United and Fan Hopes
While the new CBS procedural offers an exciting vehicle for the five-time Emmy-nominated actor, the network commitment appears to definitively stall ongoing fan campaigns for a revival of Star Trek: Enterprise. The science fiction series marked its 25th anniversary on September 26, 2026, prompting renewed online enthusiasm for a potential sequel project.
Sussman previously developed a pitch titled Star Trek: United alongside Bakula. The proposed political thriller and family drama would have featured Captain Jonathan Archer returning to the franchise as the President of the United Federation of Planets. It drew thematic inspiration from prestige dramas like The West Wing and Homeland. The concept drew directly from a background Easter egg written by Sussman in the final season episode “In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II.”
Despite active discussions between Bakula and Sussman to revive the pitch following leadership shifts at Paramount, the project failed to advance past the initial stages. Studio executives passed on streaming funding during corporate budget cuts. With Bakula now committed to a high-priority broadcast pilot at CBS, industry analysts suggest the long-rumored return to the captain’s chair has been put on indefinite hold.
A Familiar Home at CBS
The new detective drama brings Bakula back to the network where he anchored NCIS: New Orleans for seven successful seasons from 2014 until its cancellation in 2021. Although the broader NCIS franchise recently revisited his character through a younger iteration played by actor Shea Buckner in the prequel series NCIS: Origins, Bakula’s new venture establishes an entirely fresh intellectual property for the network.
Beyond his upcoming role in the CBS procedural, Bakula is slated to appear in Netflix’s upcoming hockey coming-of-age drama The Sticks. As production details for the new Los Angeles detective series remain closely guarded, fans of the versatile actor will have to wait for CBS to confirm further casting and preliminary shooting schedules.
Key Details of the New CBS Procedural
- Star & Executive Producer: Scott Bakula
- Writer & Executive Producer: Michael Sussman
- Production Company: Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment
- Setting: Los Angeles, California
- Network: CBS (Early Development)
As Electric Entertainment makes its historic first leap into broadcast network television, the collaboration between Bakula and Sussman ensures that the upcoming procedural will draw significant viewer attention once production officially commences.
