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Star Trek <span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span> This article is about the franchise. For the original series see Star Trek: The Original Series. For other uses see Star Trek (disambiguation)
 Star Trek is one of the most influential TV series in science fiction history. Created by Gene Roddenberry, the original series eventually led to five sequel series and ten movies, plus franchise novels, computer and video games, and fan fiction. Star Trek: The Original Series premiered in 1966 and ended in 1968, when it was canceled by its network, ostensibly due to lack of public interest. A series of sequels followed: Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999), Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001), and Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005), thanks to the outpouring of fan activity that ensued after the original series left the air. The Star Trek universe paints a utopian vision of humanity in the future, positing an interplanetary social system that includes The United Federation of Planets and Starfleet. The United Federation of Planets is a peaceful union of planets and species in the Milky Way galaxy's Alpha Quadrant, with a mission of peaceful exploration. Starfleet is a military organization, an extension of the Federation. Despite its goals of peace, the Federation is not without its enemies, and throughout the various series the ideals of Starfleet and the Federation conflict with different groups and species, some of which include: The Klingons, The Romulans, The Dominion, The Cardassians, and The Borg.
Star Trek (1966–1969)Set in the 23rd century, the show followed the adventures of the USS Enterprise on its five-year mission to "explore strange, new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before." The Enterprise is commanded by Captain Kirk, with Mr. Spock as the First Officer and Science Officer. Although the show lasted only three seasons, it sparked a franchise that would continue into the next century and expand far beyond its original vision.
Star Trek Series
Star Trek Films
Cultural ImpactStar Trek has had enormous impact on popular culture. It is one of the most influential and documented science fiction series in history, but its influence reaches far beyond the sci-fi genre. Star Trek is, in some ways, the unofficial representative for what many people think of when they think of science fiction. The show used a futuristic setting to tell stories that dealt with problems of the current era, ethics, and politics, via analogy and metaphor. After years of evil, invading aliens being the staple of sci-fi, Roddenberry's humanistic vision was breath of fresh air. Fans of the franchise identify with the optimistic concept that in the future the human race will be able to overcome the problems that hold humans back from their true destiny. The original series got off to a shaky start. Roddenberry's original title ideas included: Wagon Train to the Stars, and Horatio Hornblower in Space. Fortunately, Star Trek was the final choice. It was cancelled by NBC after its second poorly rated season, but due to fan requests, returned for a third and final season. Despite this apparently small fan base, the series struck enough of a chord with viewers that NASA was encouraged by a letter-writing campaign to name its first space shuttle orbiter Enterprise, after the series' flagship. Years after the original series ended, fan interest remained strong enough that Roddenberry was encouraged to produce the first motion picture, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, in 1979. The film was moderately successful; enough to further expand the franchise with the addition of several films and, in 1986, a second live-action series, Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series broke ground with its multiracial cast. It featured the very first kiss between a white man and a black woman on TV, when Captain Kirk kissed Lieutenant Uhura. In retrospect, the original series displays the hallmarks of '60s sexism, such as the womanizing Captain Kirk and the skimpy outfits of the female characters, but The Next Generation improved on its predecessor by placing females and males on equal footing in all arenas. Voyager went even further, with the first female captain as the lead character. The series has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has sparked college classes that discuss the show and aspects of the series. Its language has found its way into common speech, and classes have also been taught on the Klingon language. The science aspects of the series have inspired many people to follow careers in science and engineering fields; several famous scientists, including Stephen Hawking (who guest-starred on TNG as himself), are admitted fans of the series. Some fans are so devoted that they have created their own subculture, members of which are known as Trekkies. They are often ridiculed for knowing everything about the series, even the most obscure facts. Trekkies are known for attending conventions, writing their own fanzines, and producing masses of unofficial content relating to the series. These fans even inspired two humorous documentaries, Trekkies & Trekkies 2, documenting their unique subculture. Trekkies is only one of several films about the franchise. Numerous spoof films have been made, and references to the series have found their way into countless movies and TV series. Popular Culture
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