Star Trek: The Original Series
A 1960s TV series that launched a media franchise.
Star Trek: The Original Series is an American science fiction television show created by Gene Roddenberry. It chronicles the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. The name "The Original Series" (or TOS) was later added to set it apart from the larger media franchise it launched. The story takes place in the Milky Way galaxy around the years 2266 to 2269. The ship is commanded by Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner), with First Officer and Science Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Chief Medical Officer Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) as key crew members. Every episode begins with the famous "Where no man has gone before" speech.
The series was produced by Norway Productions and Desilu Productions from September 1966 to December 1967, then by Paramount Television from January 1968 to June 1969. It aired on NBC from September 8, 1966, to June 3, 1969, and had its first broadcast on Canada's CTV network on September 6, 1966. While on NBC, the show had low Nielsen ratings, leading the network to cancel it after three seasons and 79 episodes. In the United Kingdom, it did not air until July 12, 1969, when BBC One broadcast it, coinciding with the Apollo 11 moon landing. Through syndication in the 1970s, the series became an international hit, gained cult classic status, and steadily influenced popular culture. It eventually spawned a media franchise of 13 television series, 14 feature films, and countless books, games, and toys, and is now widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential television series ever made.
**Creation**
On March 11, 1964, Gene Roddenberry, a longtime science fiction fan, wrote a short treatment for a sci-fi television series he called *Star Trek*. It was set aboard a large starship named S.S. Yorktown in the 23rd century, with a crew dedicated to exploring the Milky Way. Roddenberry cited several influences, including A. E. van Vogt's tales of the spaceship *Space Beagle*, Eric Frank Russell's *Marathon* stories, and the 1956 film *Forbidden Planet*. Some also see parallels with the 1954 space opera *Rocky Jones, Space Ranger*, which shared elements like crew relationships, missions, bridge layout, and technology. Roddenberry also drew heavily from C. S. Forester's *Horatio Hornblower* novels, which feature a daring sea captain with broad authority on distant missions. He ofte
- created_by
- Gene Roddenberry
- first_aired
- September 8, 1966 (NBC)
- last_aired
- June 3, 1969
- network
- NBC
- number_of_seasons
- 3
- number_of_episodes
- 79
- setting
- Milky Way galaxy, c. 2266–2269
Lore & Background
The series was created by Gene Roddenberry, who drafted a short treatment on March 11, 1964. Roddenberry noted influences from A. E. van Vogt's tales, Eric Frank Russell's Marathon series, the film Forbidden Planet (1956), and C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels. He characterized the show as 'Wagon Train to the stars'. The first pilot, 'The Cage', was turned down by NBC as 'too cerebral', but the network paid for a second pilot, 'Where No Man Has Gone Before', which led to the series order.
Reader's Guide
Star Trek: The Original Series is widely considered one of the most popular and influential television series of all time. It spawned a media franchise consisting of 13 television series, 14 feature films, and numerous books, games, and toys. The show introduced iconic characters such as Captain James T. Kirk, Spock, and Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, and featured the first African-American woman in a major role on American television, Lt. Nyota Uhura. Its low Nielsen ratings led to cancellation after three seasons, but syndication made it an international success and a cult classic.
Did You Know?
- The series was first broadcast on September 6, 1966, on Canada's CTV network, two days before its NBC premiere.
- In the United Kingdom, the series was not broadcast until July 12, 1969, coinciding with the Apollo 11 mission.
- Lloyd Bridges was offered a starring role but declined, saying he had no desire to work in science fiction.
- The second pilot introduced Captain Kirk, Chief Engineer Scott, and Lt. Sulu, but not Dr. McCoy, who joined later.
More in Television series set in the 23rd century 1-20
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