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David Eick
David Eick
David Eick
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David Eick (/ˈaɪk/) (born 1968) is an American writer and producer, best known as the executive producer of Battlestar Galactica, for which he also wrote several episodes. Eick executive produced Caprica and Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, and Produced Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, American Gothic and Cover Me.

Key Information

Education

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Eick graduated from the University of Redlands in 1990[1] with a B.A. in political science and a minor in business administration.

Battlestar Galactica franchise

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In 2003, Eick and Ronald D. Moore developed and executive produced Battlestar Galactica, a “re-imagining” of the 1978 series of the same name.

Originally created as a mini-series for Sci-Fi Channel, the remake ultimately became a critically acclaimed drama which ran four seasons, earning numerous awards[2] including 18 Emmy nominations, 4 Emmy wins, the Saturn Award for excellence in science fiction and the coveted Peabody Award recognizing "distinguished achievement and meritorious service". The show also won the American Film Institute Award in 2005 and 2006 for its "contribution to America’s cultural legacy", and was honored in 2009 by the United Nations.

In 2013, the Writers Guild of America recognized Battlestar on its list of The 101 Best-Written Television Series of All Time.[3]

In 2008, his production company David Eick Productions signed an overall deal with NBC.[4]

References

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David Eick

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from Grokipedia
David Eick (born October 26, 1968) is an American television producer and renowned for his contributions to and genre programming, particularly as of the critically acclaimed series Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009). Eick began his career in the early 1990s, producing made-for-television movies such as M.A.N.T.I.S. and five installments of the TV movie series, which paved the way for a one-season spin-off series in 1995. In 1995, he served as producer on the cult horror series , starring , which aired for one season but garnered strong critical praise for its atmospheric storytelling. By 2000, Eick had advanced to on Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family, a drama inspired by real events. His breakthrough came with , a reimagining of the 1978 series that he co-developed and executive produced alongside , earning the show 19 Primetime Emmy Award nominations over its four seasons on . Eick extended the franchise through spin-offs including the web series : The Resistance, the telemovie : Razor (2007), and the prequel series (2010), which explored the origins of the Cylon conflict. During the run of , Eick created and executive produced the revival (2007) on . Following , Eick executive produced the post-apocalyptic drama (2011–2015) on TNT, serving as for its later seasons. As owner of his , All That Jazz Entertainment, Eick has continued to develop genre projects, including selling a of Walking Tall to in 2021 and The Zone of Silence sci-fi drama to Peacock. Since 2024, he has served as a guest lecturer in TV writing and producing at the . His work often emphasizes innovative storytelling in science fiction and horror, contributing to a legacy of influential television series.

Early life and education

Early life

David Eick was born on October 26, 1968, in the United States. Eick grew up in , where he was raised by a single mother, an entrepreneur.

Education

David Eick attended the in . During his time there, he pursued studies in , supplemented by coursework in . He graduated in 1990 with a degree in .

Early career

Renaissance Pictures

David Eick joined Renaissance Pictures in early 1992 as executive assistant to Richard Lindheim, who was then executive vice president of creative affairs at Universal Television. Over the next six years, Eick rapidly advanced through several key roles, including production executive, director of development, vice president for television, and ultimately president for television, overseeing the company's television operations during a period of significant growth in syndicated programming. This progression highlighted his executive acumen in managing development and production for action-oriented series targeted at international syndication markets. Eick played a pivotal role in the development and production of Renaissance Pictures' flagship syndicated hits, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1999) and its spin-off Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001). As co-producer, he contributed to the five initial television movies that launched , including (1994), (1994), Hercules and the Circle of Fire (1994), (1994), and Hercules in the Maze of the (1994), as well as the first season of the series. He also served as co-producer on Xena: Warrior Princess, where he worked on the development of the series, which originated as a recurring character arc within . Eick also co-produced the science fiction made-for-TV movie M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994) for Fox. In 1995, he served as producer on the horror series American Gothic for CBS, which aired for one season. In his executive capacities, Eick oversaw worldwide production logistics for these fantasy-action series, ensuring efficient filming in New Zealand and coordination with international distributors. These experiences honed Eick's skills in high-volume television production, paving the way for his subsequent role at USA Networks.

USA Networks

In 1998, David Eick joined as senior vice president of original series development, serving in the role until 2000 and reporting to programming president Stephen Chao. In this position, he oversaw the creation of scripted content for the cable network, leveraging his prior experience at Pictures where he had managed high-profile syndicated series. During his tenure, Eick contributed to the network's strategy for expanding , focusing on dramas and comedies suited to cable audiences. Eick served as on the drama Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family, which aired from 2000 to 2001 and drew from real undercover operations to explore family dynamics in . Other series developed under his oversight included the action-drama The Huntress (2000–2001), featuring a mother-daughter bounty hunting team, and the comedy Manhattan, AZ (2000), a critically praised satirical take on small-town life starring . These projects exemplified 's push toward character-driven originals during the late and early . Following his departure from the senior VP role, Eick signed a multiyear overall development deal with in 2000, allowing him to produce content in partnership with the network's production arm. In 2003, he returned to (now under USA Cable Entertainment) as executive vice president of programming and in-house production, a position focused on spearheading original series and telefilms for both and the affiliated Sci Fi Channel. This role emphasized internal development to streamline content creation and align with the networks' growing emphasis on genre and event programming.

Battlestar Galactica franchise

Reimagined series

David Eick collaborated with to reimagine the 1978 series as a for the Sci-Fi Channel, with development beginning in 2003. Eick served as alongside Moore for the entire run, overseeing the production of the two-part and all four seasons of the series, which aired from 2004 to 2009 and comprised 73 episodes. Under Eick's production leadership, the series shifted from the original's episodic, campy format to a darker, serialized exploring themes of , , and moral ambiguity, influenced by the post-9/11 context in which Eick and Moore began discussions in late 2001. Eick managed key production elements, including casting decisions that prioritized experienced actors such as as Commander and as President , contributing to the show's grounded, character-driven tone despite its premise. In addition to his producing role, Eick contributed to the series' writing, authoring episodes including "Home, Part I" and "Home, Part II" in 2005, and "" in 2006. These scripts advanced the serialized storyline, delving into character backstories and Cylon-human conflicts central to the reimagined narrative. The series garnered significant acclaim for its innovative approach to television. It received 19 Primetime Emmy nominations across categories like and sound editing, winning four, including Outstanding Special for the miniseries in 2005. also earned a Peabody Award in 2006 for pushing the boundaries of the genre and making complex themes accessible. Further recognition included multiple for Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series from 2005 to 2009, AFI Television Awards naming it one of the top 10 programs in 2005 and 2006, and a spot on the Writers Guild of America's 101 Best-Written TV Series list in 2013.

Spin-offs

David Eick served as executive producer on , a prequel series to the reimagined that premiered on in 2010 and consisted of 18 episodes across one season. Set approximately 50 years before the events of the main series, explored the origins of the on the titular colony, focusing on the development of and its societal impacts through the intertwined stories of the Graystone and families. Development began in early 2006, driven by the success of , with Eick collaborating alongside to expand the franchise's backstory. Eick also executive produced the web series Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance in 2006, a 10-episode online miniseries that bridges the gap between seasons 2 and 3 of the main series, depicting a group's resistance against Cylon occupation on New Caprica. In 2007, Eick provided production oversight for Battlestar Galactica: Razor, a Syfy TV movie that expands the backstory of the battlestar Pegasus within the reimagined continuity. The 97-minute extended edition delved into key events during the initial Cylon attack and introduced elements like the hybrid that enriched the lore. Produced under Eick's David Eick Productions banner, Razor incorporated flashbacks and new narrative threads while maintaining the reimagined series' thematic depth on survival and moral ambiguity. Eick also executive produced Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome in 2012, initially released as a 10-part on before airing as a TV movie on . Centered on a young during the First Cylon War, the project featured a story co-developed by Eick, Michael Taylor, Bradley Thompson, and David Weddle, with Taylor adapting the teleplay. Directed by , it emphasized high-stakes space combat and Adama's early career, further illuminating the war's origins referenced in the core series. These spin-offs collectively expanded the universe by providing narratives that adhered to the established continuity, addressing fan interest in unexplored historical elements like Cylon evolution and colonial conflicts while avoiding contradictions with the main storyline. Through Eick's involvement, they sustained the franchise's exploration of technology, faith, and humanity beyond the 2004–2009 series run.

Later projects

Bionic Woman

David Eick served as executive producer and showrunner for the 2007 NBC remake of Bionic Woman, a science fiction series that reimagined the 1976 original with contemporary cybernetic enhancements powered by nanotechnology. The show starred British actress Michelle Ryan as Jaime Sommers, a bartender and surrogate mother who undergoes bionic reconstruction after a car accident, blending high-stakes action with dramatic personal stakes. Only eight episodes aired from September 2007 to January 2008, with production halted by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. The project originated in October 2006 when Eick, fresh from his success with Battlestar Galactica, partnered with screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis to pitch a modern update to NBC Universal Television Studio, securing a script commitment that emphasized themes of vulnerability and empowerment in a post-9/11 world. Eick oversaw the pilot's development and early episodes, focusing on an action-drama hybrid that incorporated intense fight sequences and ethical dilemmas surrounding cybernetic technology; his genre expertise from Battlestar Galactica informed the grounded portrayal of bionics as both gift and curse. Initially co-showrun with Glen Morgan, Eick assumed full showrunning duties in September 2007 following Morgan's departure due to creative differences. He also contributed directly to the writing, receiving story and teleplay credits for the third episode, "Second Chances," which explored Jaime's adjustment to her enhancements. Produced concurrently with the fourth season of , the series highlighted Eick's ability to manage multiple high-profile projects, with filming occurring in studios shared by both shows. Despite strong production values and initial buzz—debuting to solid ratings of 10.5 million viewers—the series faced mixed reviews, praised for its visual effects and Ryan's performance but criticized for uneven writing, predictable plots, and underdeveloped characters. Viewership declined sharply to around 5 million by mid-season, compounded by the strike's interruption, leading NBC to cancel the show in March 2008.

Falling Skies and others

David Eick served as an on the TNT science fiction series , which aired from 2011 to 2015 and spanned five seasons with 52 episodes, depicting a post-apocalyptic world where survivors resist an led by the Espheni. He joined the production ahead of season 3 in 2013, becoming for seasons 4 and 5, overseeing the narrative arc that escalated the human resistance's and explored themes of family resilience amid global catastrophe, while also contributing as a writer on episodes in seasons 4 and 5. Eick's involvement helped shape the series' ensemble-driven , drawing subtle influences from his prior work on alien conflict narratives in building tension through interpersonal dynamics and moral dilemmas during survival scenarios. Beyond Falling Skies, Eick maintained a selective involvement in other projects during the early , including a consulting producer credit on the 2012 Fox series Touch, where he contributed to one amid its exploration of interconnected human fates through a savant child's visions. In 2008, Eick signed a two-year overall deal with Universal, allowing him to develop projects under his production banner while continuing his genre work. In 2015, Eick developed a pilot for a drama centered on for , in collaboration with Joel Silver's Television, though it did not proceed to series. Following the conclusion of Falling Skies in 2015, his output shifted to a lower profile, with credits on the 2016–2018 Freeform sci-fi series Beyond as a writer and and no major new productions documented from 2020 through 2025. Throughout these later endeavors, Eick's projects consistently emphasized survival motifs, portraying human endurance against otherworldly threats through ensemble casts navigating ethical and existential challenges in dystopian settings.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0251594/
  2. https://www.fandango.com/people/david-eick-191430/biography
  3. https://www.tvinsider.com/people/david-eick/
  4. https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/glen-a-larson-dead-battlestar-galactica-magnum-p-i-quincy-knight-rider-1201357354/
  5. https://deadline.com/2015/10/elizabeth-bathory-drama-vampire-david-eick-joel-silver-cbs-1201568294/
  6. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/falling-skies-noah-wyle-why-564285/
  7. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-s-eick
  8. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0251594/bio/
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/arts/television/23rhod.html
  10. https://teachprivacy.com/battlestar-galactica-interview/
  11. https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/eick-takes-perth-berth-at-usa-1117477921/
  12. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/eick-david-1968
  13. https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/tv-and-cable-production-chart-abc-pictures-1200450227/
  14. https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/usa-likes-eick-for-inhouse-prod-n-1117888913/
  15. https://en.battlestarwiki.org/Eick
  16. https://www.nab.org/documents/newsroom/pressRelease.asp?id=1747
  17. https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/eick-inks-development-deal-at-usa-1117786965/
  18. https://www.wired.com/2003/08/fans-battle-tv-over-galactica/
  19. https://variety.com/2007/film/awards/battlestar-galactica-1200511001/
  20. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/arts/television/07TVCO.html
  21. https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/battlestar-galactica/
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407362/awards/
  23. https://variety.com/2006/scene/features/battlestar-spinoff-in-orbit-at-sci-fi-1200334977/
  24. https://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2006/04/26/sci-fi-channel-unveils-powerhouse-development-slate-21176/20060426scifi02/
  25. https://www.npr.org/2007/11/27/16649266/battlestar-galactica-takes-a-side-trip
  26. https://variety.com/2012/tv/news/galactica-spinoff-to-bow-on-machinima-1118061764/
  27. https://variety.com/2010/tv/news/syfy-greenlights-battlestar-spinoff-1118026203/
  28. https://collider.com/battlestar-galactica-spinoffs/
  29. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/inside-lost-battlestar-galactica-spin-000106030.html
  30. https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/bionic-skein-rebuilt-at-nbc-1117951588/
  31. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bionic-woman-158986/
  32. https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/bionic-woman-eick-says-series-cancelled-but-jaime-may-return-someday/
  33. https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/26/battlestars-starbuck-goes-bionic
  34. https://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/glen-morgan-exits-bionic-woman-1117971512/
  35. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0880557/fullcredits
  36. https://archive.nytimes.com/mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/bionic-woman-seems-dogged-by-mortal-flaws/
  37. https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/14/bionic-woman-season-1-review
  38. https://deadline.com/2013/05/david-eick-joins-tnts-falling-skies-as-new-showrunner-501923/
  39. https://app.productionbeast.com/18766-david-eick
  40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2944jhHb7s
  41. https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/david-eick-inks-nbc-writing-deal-1117984211/
  42. https://variety.com/exec/david-eick/
  43. https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-eick/credits/3030082913/
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