Scott Bakula is stepping back into the procedural world, headlining and executive producing a new high-concept detective drama currently in development at CBS.
When Scott Bakula steps back onto a CBS set. he will be leaving the world of New Orleans naval investigations behind. The veteran actor is moving into the early stages of a new. high-concept detective procedural set in Los Angeles. signaling a potential return to the network that housed his seven-season run on NCIS: New Orleans.
The project marks a reunion with Michael Sussman, who serves as writer and executive producer. Their professional history runs deep; Sussman co-created the series Perception and previously worked as a writer-producer on Star Trek: Enterprise. one of the signature shows that defined Bakula’s career. The untitled drama is being developed through Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment. For the independent studio. which built its reputation on efficiently produced cable franchises like The Librarian and Leverage. this venture represents a milestone as their first broadcast series.
Bakula’s return to the procedural format comes with a deliberate pivot. Those close to the production note that his new character is a distinct departure from his previous role in the NCIS universe, promising a significant “leap” in tone and performance.
This project sits atop an extensive career that spans decades and formats. Bakula. a five-time Emmy nominee—earning four nods for his iconic work on Quantum Leap and one for his role in the HBO film Behind the Candelabra—has consistently moved between genres. from his tenure on UPN’s Star Trek: Enterprise to his lead role in the TNT comedy-drama Men of a Certain Age. His portfolio also includes a pending appearance in the Netflix hockey drama, The Sticks. Bakula is represented by CAA. Anonymous Content. and Hansen. Jacobson. Teller. while Sussman is represented by Echo Lake Entertainment and Myman Greenspan Fox.
The creative path taken by the production team suggests a focus on pedigree. By pairing a lead known for sustaining long-term procedural success with a writer whose credits include genre-heavy series like The Last Ship and 12 Monkeys. the project aims to carve out a specific space within the competitive Los Angeles detective landscape. For now. the drama remains in the early stages of development. marking the next chapter for a performer who has spent much of his career defining the network procedural.
Scott Bakula CBS detective drama Michael Sussman Electric Entertainment NCIS New Orleans