Things haven’t exactly been going smoothly behind the cameras on an upcoming NBC series. Writing on Deadline.com, Nellie Andreeva reports that the midseason drama “Believe,” co-created by J.J. Abrams and “Gravity” director Alfonso Cuaron, has undergone its second showrunner change.

Executive producer and showrunner Dave Erickson is leaving the show, and will be succeeded by co-executive producer and director Jonas Pate, who has also been named executive producer.

The change is “a rare case” of a director, rather than a writer, taking on the role of showrunner, Andreeva reports.

The first showrunner switch happened when original showrunner Mark Friedman left the project in July, the story notes.

Because of the latest switch, “Believe” will go on hiatus a week earlier than planned, to allow for some script work, and will resume production Jan. 6, the piece adds.

“NBC has not slated ‘Believe’ yet but had been looking to launch it after the Winter Olympics, using the sports event to promote the series and benefiting from the strong awards attention Cuaron is enjoying with ‘Gravity.’ NBC recently announced it would hold a ‘Believe’ panel at the upcoming January press tour,” Andreeva writes.

The report adds: “‘Believe’ is a very high-concept drama — it centers on a young girl with an extraordinary ability and a man sprung from prison who has been tasked with protecting her from the evil elements that hunt her power.”

Andreeva also notes: “As such, it has been a process after the pilot trying figure out what the series should be, which has proven a challenge.”

Alfonso Cuaron