Benko worked as editor for director Corey Allen on a television pilot called Infiltrator. This pilot did not sell but Allen called Benko to work for him on the pilot of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Encounter at Farpoint". Right at the start of TNG Benko asked to direct an episode having experiences as second unit director on segments of The Rockford Files, Kojak, and Battlestar Galactica. He also sold scripts to Magnum, P.I. and The Fall Guy and worked as an actor.