Gretchen J. Berg
{{Short description|American writer and television producer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gretchen J. Berg
| image = Gretchen J, Berg at Star Trek- Discovery panel (36571420635) (cropped).jpg
| alt = A large table on a stage with the cast and crew of Star Trek Discovery, including Berg, seated before microphones during a panel in San Diego Comic-Con 2017
| caption = Gretchen J. Berg in Star Trek: Discovery panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2017
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|02|08}}
| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| nationality = American
| other_names = Gretchen Berg
| alma_mater = Northwestern University
| occupation = Writer/producer
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
Gretchen J. Berg (born February 8, 1971) is an American writer and television producer. She has worked extensively with her writer and producing partner Aaron Harberts on a number of television series including Pushing Daisies and Revenge. She was also one of the showrunners of Star Trek: Discovery alongside Harberts until their departure in June 2018.{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/star-trek-discovery-showrunners-alex-kurtzman-take-1120416 | title='Star Trek: Discovery' Showrunners Out; Alex Kurtzman to Take Over (Exclusive) | work=Hollywood Reporter | first=Lesley | last=Goldberg | date=June 14, 2018 | access-date=2018-06-15}} In 2019, the team of Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts joined Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist on NBC as writers and executive producers.{{cite news | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0073766/ | title=Recent project Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist | work=IMDb | last1=Thomas | first1=Galt | date=April 22, 2020 | accessdate=2020-04-22 }}
Career
Gretchen J. Berg was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and went on to attend Northwestern University.{{cite web |title=Berg, Gretchen J. |url=http://www.startrek.com/database_article/berg |publisher=StarTrek.com |accessdate=November 8, 2017 }} While there, she met future writing and producing partner Aaron Harberts. Their first work was on Beverly Hills, 90210.{{cite web |title=CBS All Access |url=https://cbspressexpress.com/TCA/cbs/pdf/cbs_tca_CBSAllAccess-StarTrek.pdf |publisher=CBS Press Express |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |archive-date=November 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108204956/https://cbspressexpress.com/TCA/cbs/pdf/cbs_tca_CBSAllAccess-StarTrek.pdf |url-status=dead }} Together the pair created the series Pepper Dennis on The WB and worked as executive producers. Berg and Harberts were also co-executive producers on Pushing Daisies and co-showrunners on the medical drama Mercy. In 2010, Berg and Harberts agreed a deal with the studio ABC in 2010 under a two-year deal, initially as executive producers on the midseason replacement Off the Map.{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Gretchen Berg And Aaron Harberts Sign Overall Deal At ABC Studios |url=https://deadline.com/2010/06/gretchen-berg-and-aaron-harberts-sign-overall-deal-at-abc-studios-45539/ |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=June 7, 2010 }} The duo became showrunners of the drama GCB, through their deal with ABC.{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Gretchen Berg And Aaron Harberts To Run ABC's Good Christian Belles |url=https://deadline.com/2011/05/gretchen-berg-and-aaron-harberts-to-run-abcs-good-christian-belles-131905/ |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=May 13, 2011 }}
Berg and Harberts worked with Mark Gordon in pitching work to television studios in 2012, with sales to both ABC and NBC.{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Mark Gordon Co., Writers Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts Sell Drama Co-Created By Josh Duhamel To ABC, Another To NBC |url=https://deadline.com/2012/11/mark-gordon-co-writers-gretchen-j-berg-aaron-harberts-sell-drama-co-created-by-josh-duhamel-to-abc-another-one-to-nbc-370998/ |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=November 13, 2012 }} Their deal with ABC was extended for a further two years in 2013, and moved to become executive producers from season three onwards of Revenge, where they previously had been consulting producers.{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts Sign New Overall Deal With ABC Studios, Will Be Executive Producers On ABC's Revenge |url=https://deadline.com/2013/05/gretchen-berg-aaron-harberts-sign-new-overall-deal-with-abc-studios-will-be-executive-producers-on-abcs-revenge-505588/ |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=May 21, 2013 }} Berg and Harberts were recruited as executive producers on Star Trek: Discovery, under showrunner Bryan Fuller. The trio had previously worked on Pushing Daisies together. They were two of several executive producers, alongside Heather Kadin and Akiva Goldsman. When Fuller stepped back from the showrunner role on Discovery, Berg and Harberts were promoted into the position together.{{cite news |last1=Birnbaum |first1=Debra |title=Bryan Fuller Stepping Back From Showrunner Role on Star Trek: Discovery (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/bryan-fuller-showrunner-star-trek-discovery-cbs-1201901398/ |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |work=Variety |date=October 26, 2016 }}{{cite news |last1=Lambe |first1=Stacy |title=The Women Behind Fall 2017's Best TV |url=http://www.cbs8.com/story/36432170/the-women-behind-fall-2017s-best-tv |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |work=CBS8 |date=September 22, 2017 }} But Berg and Harberts were later fired from Star Trek: Discovery due to alleged infighting and verbal altercations during production, with Harberts allegedly shouting expletives at a fellow writer.{{cite news | url=https://slate.com/culture/2018/06/star-trek-discovery-fires-showrunners-aaron-harberts-and-gretchen-berg.html | title=Star Trek: Discovery Replaces Its Showrunners, Reportedly Over Drama in the Writers Room | work=Slate | last1=Martinelli | first1=Marissa | date=June 15, 2018 | accessdate=2020-02-23 }}{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Lesley |date=June 14, 2018 |title='Star Trek: Discovery' Showrunners Out; Alex Kurtzman to Take Over (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/star-trek-discovery-showrunners-alex-kurtzman-take-1120416 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615211627/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/star-trek-discovery-showrunners-alex-kurtzman-take-1120416 |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}
Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts' most recent project is the current NBC musical comedy-drama series Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. As an executive producing and writing team, Berg and Harberts help navigate the decisions Zoey must make regarding whether to reveal her secrets, and the resulting impacts on her relationships. The characters on this hour-long musical drama express their inner-most feelings and desires to Zoey through frequent musical numbers. The first episode aired January 7, 2020.{{cite news | url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-berg-622359176/ | title=Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Official Work Status | work=LinkedIn | last1=Thomas | first1=Galt | date=April 22, 2020 | accessdate=2020-04-22 }}{{cite news | url=https://www.nbc.com/zoeys-extraordinary-playlist | title=Official show page by NBC | work=NBC | last1=Thomas | first1=Galt | date=April 22, 2020 | accessdate=2020-04-22 }}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- {{IMDb name | id=0073766 }}
- [https://www.gretchenjberg.com/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220122709/https://www.gretchenjberg.com/ |date=2019-02-20 }}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berg, Gretchen J.}}
Category:American science fiction writers
Category:Northwestern University alumni
Category:Writers from Pittsburgh
Category:Screenwriters from Pennsylvania
Category:Television producers from Pennsylvania
Category:American women television producers
Category:American women television writers
Category:American television writers