Star Trek: Enterprise showrunner Manny Coto on having fun in the 4th season

(L-R) Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, Linda Park as Ensign Hoshi Sato and Anthony Montgomery as Ensign Travis Mayweather in Star Trek: Enterprise

Producer Manny Coto, the showrunner for Star Trek: Enterprise’s fourth and final season, has given a new interview in which he discusses his time on the series. In the interview, published by Looper yesterday, Coto reflects on the episodes he holds in high regard, and why part of his remit was having as much fun as he could with the show.

Coto gave the interview as part of a publicity tour for his upcoming science fiction TV crime drama, Next, about a cybersecurity team trying to track down a rogue AI. Coto is a writer and executive producer on the show, which stars John Slattery (Mad Men), Fernanda Andrade (The Devil Inside) and Michael Mosley (Castle, Criminal Minds).

Coto joined Star Trek: Enterprise as a writer in season three. He was elevated to showrunner for season four, but by then he and the crew were sure it would be the last. “I knew going in that season 4 was going to be the last season,” Coto told Looper. “Paramount basically all but told us that.”

While disappointing, knowing the show was ending was a blessing in disguise. According to Looper, since Coto knew a fifth season was “off the table”, he could focus on storytelling. He said, “I just set about trying to have as much fun and do as many interesting episodes as I possibly could.” And would he return to Trek, given the chance? “Oh, definitely,” he told Looper. “I would jump on it.”

Look out for Coto’s new series Next, premiering on Fox at 9pm ET on Tuesday, October 6th. And look out for a guest appearance from Enterprise’s own John Billingsley, who is set to appear in the pilot episode.