By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty
One of the most profitable and famous TV shows of all time, Star Trek, turns 60.
“Star Trek” launched on Sept. 8, 1966. Gene Roddenberry is the mastermind behind the original series. Gene Roddenberry died in 1991, but fans will forever be grateful for writing this series. There were 79 episodes during its three-season run.
“Live long and prosper, boldly go where no one has gone before,” is one of the known phrases of the show.
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy starred as Captain Kirk and Spock – two of the best-known characters of the show. Shatner, now 95, elaborated on the show’s poor ratings.
“The ratings weren’t very good,” Shatner said. “We were in the top 40 in popularity.”
It’s amazing how the show became so memorable after coming close to being canceled because of its ratings. Those are some of the best stories on TV. Some shows don’t start with strong ratings, but then gain momentum through writing, character development, syndication, and reruns.
Many factors can make a show resonate with a fanbase. Star Trek has a massive fanbase, and it reminds us that many fans still support the show 60 years later. The original series inspired generations of astronauts, engineers, and fans.
After the original series concluded, the franchise expanded into twelve separate television spinoffs. Nothing comes close to the original series. Not saying the spinoffs weren’t good because there were some solid ones, but the writing and cast of the original series are impeccable. It’s a tough act to follow.
In celebration of their 60th anniversary, many fans will watch or buy DVDs of the series and attend many public events surrounding the original cast.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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