AMC Boards UFO Drama Produced By Battlestar Galactica's David Eick

With the exception of The Killing and the intriguing but underwatched Rubicon, AMC has racked up one hell of a track record in the drama department. Having one show that impacted the pop culture landscape as much as Mad Men would be impressive enough, but they've followed it up with the successes of Breaking Bad (probably the best show on television) and The Walking Dead. What I love about AMC beyond its good taste is its seeming lack of fear when it comes to experimenting with genre. Now they're expanding their line-up into one area they haven't explored yet: science fiction. Deadline reports that AMC has picked up a UFO drama called Thunderstruck, and it's bringing along a guy with some experience in the genre -- former Battlestar Galactica executive producer David Eick.

Thunderstruck was written by the feature film writing/directing team of Paul Boardman and Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). It will follow the events in a small Montana town after "powerful and enigmatic entities ... begin appearing all over the world," and one shows up in the town. Sounds like it's got the potential for a little bit of X-Files, a little bit of Twin Peaks, a little bit of Lost. Either way, I'm definitely intrigued by the prospect of AMC tackling science fiction. Maybe if these forays into geek-friendly genres by "respectable" cable nets keep up, we'll get the chance to see a full-on space opera on HBO or AMC or FX.

Derrickson will direct the pilot, and both he and Boardman will executive produce the show alongside Eick. Stay tuned to TV Blend for more on Thunderstruck as we learn it.