Ten TV Series That "Everybody" Watched Including Me: Star Trek (#2)

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It's time for another one of those classic television shows that "everybody" watched, even me! Today's series needs so many disclaimers that it's scary. I might as well get right to the show so I can get right to the disclaimers! Here's today's series. #2: Star Trek Disclaimer #1: the ORIGINAL. Disclaimer #2: while this wasn't a favorite of my dad's (he usually controlled the TV), I did get to see it in its original run. Disclaimer #3: did I mention the ORIGINAL series? No, I will not put "TOS" or "the original series" after the title, anymore than I'll put "Sr." after Hank Williams' name!! And disclaimer #4: not everybody watched this "back then." It was hardly a ratings champion in any of its three years on the air in its original run. No, it was not the "dismal failure" that some have depicted it, but it went up against Bewitched and only beat it when Bewitched was in reruns. But something happened after Star Trek left the air: a different type of science fiction began to take hold. It had been promised in films like The Day the Earth Stood Still and the Irwin Allen series Lost in Space. Generally, however, at the time the movies had posters that looked like leftovers thrown together and given one color; while the TV series were sitcoms like It's About Time or I Dream of Jeannie. As science fiction moved into a new, more "sophisticated" era (culminating with Star Wars), people began to pine for the Starship Enterprise and its five-year mission. As a result, Star Trek took root in syndication reruns, where it was -- and remains -- a favorite. By the time Star Wars came around there was the "fan war": like Bewitched versus I Dream of Jeannie, one tended to be a Trekkie or a member of the Rebellion. The fandom had grown to the point where William Shatner spoofed the loyalty of Star Trek fans on an episode of SNL. Yes, it did tend to be a little hokey and utopian in places. But it was light years ahead of its time, as its longevity and countless spinoffs prove. Live long and prosper. Star Trek Aired on NBC 1966-1969 Some of the hilarious bloopers from the series: