Manny Coto

Manny Coto was the showrunner for the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Biography
Shortly after graduating from the American Film Institute, Coto wrote and directed an episode of Tales from the Crypt. He went on to write and direct the feature films Dr. Giggles and Star Kid. He was a writer and producer on the recent incarnation of The Outer Limits, and also created the short-lived science fiction series Odyssey 5 for Showtime, whose cast would include Tamara Craig Thomas, Leslie Silva, and Peter Weller, the latter two of which Coto would work with again on Enterprise. (Coto would subsequently cast Weller again on other series -- see below).

Manny was brought into Star Trek for the third season of Star Trek: Enterprise and wrote several episodes. Showrunners Rick Berman and Brannon Braga were so impressed with his work, and his love for the original Star Trek, that he became the new executive producer for the fourth and final season.

His influence helped the show fulfill its initial purpose, a prequel to the beloved Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, through a series of episodes, many of them parts of two- or three-part arcs, that explored some of the missing links in the Trek mythology. Episodes focused on what became of the Augments between the Eugenics Wars and the return of Khan, why the Vulcans changed between Enterprise and TOS, why the Klingons of TOS look different from those in other appearances, how the threat of the Romulans helped to birth the Federation, and who created the transporter. Other homages to earlier Trek incarnations include the appearance of a TOS-era ship and the Enterprise crew donning original series uniforms, as well as a guest appearance by Next Generation cast member Brent Spiner.

Following the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise, Coto would be hired as an executive producer on the FOX series 24 in its fifth season. The cast at that time included Roger Cross, Gregory Itzin, Jude Ciccolella, and Glenn Morshower. During the season, Peter Weller would again be cast in a major role, as would Mark Sheppard, Ray Wise and Tzi Ma. Season six would introduce James Cromwell, Alexander Siddig, and Bob Gunton in major roles, as well as Raphael Sbarge, Megan Gallagher. Season seven would introduce Annie Wersching and Jeffrey Nordling in regular roles, along with Kurtwood Smith, John Billingsley, and Tony Todd in major roles, as well a one-time appearance by Connor Trinneer.

After an eight and final season of 24 (featuring Nazneen Contractor), Coto would become an executive producer on the Showtime series Dexter, where he yet again worked with Peter Weller, as well as Raphael Sbarge.

Filmography

 *  (director,, featuring Robert Curtis Brown)

Trivia

 * In the Star Trek: Legacy video game, the player encounters a Poseidon-class destroyer called USS Coto in the first mission of the Star Trek: Enterprise-era campaign. It is likely that the one of the game's producers or programmer named the vessel in honor of Coto's work on the series.

Writing credits

 * (Season 3)
 * (teleplay only)
 * (Season 4)
 * (with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens)
 * (story)
 * (story)
 * (story)
 * (with the Reeves-Stevenses)
 * (with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens)
 * (story)
 * (story)
 * (story)
 * (with the Reeves-Stevenses)
 * (with the Reeves-Stevenses)
 * (with the Reeves-Stevenses)

Appearances

 * as an Earth Starfleet vice admiral