Network: NBC
Episodes: 79 (hour), three seasons
Show dates:
September 8, 1966 — June 3, 1969
Show status: Cancelled/ended
Performers include: Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, James Doohan, DeForest Kelly, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, George Takei, and Grace Lee Whitney.
Series Description: This science fiction series follows the story of the crew of the starship Enterprise as they travel on a five-year mission “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” The stories are typically a mixture of adventure and morality tales with a touch of humor.
The Enterprise is led by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), the half-human/half-Vulcan First Officer Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Chief medical officer Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), chief engineer Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), helmsman Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), communications officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), and navigator Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig).
Episode 79 – Turnabout Intruder
On a rescue mission, Kirk is reunited with Dr. Janice Lester, a woman with whom he was once intimately involved. In a private moment, Kirk learns that Lester has been driven mad by her frustration of being a woman in a male-dominated society. She traps Kirk in an alien device and trades minds with him.
Now in Kirk’s body, she claims that her former self is insane and tried to kill her. As Kirk, she takes command of the Enterprise and even charges some of the officers with treason. Fortunately, the real Kirk (in Lester’s body) prevents her from making the change permanent and captures her.
First aired: June 3, 1969.
The series became even more popular in syndicated reruns and fans began to hold conventions, write fan fiction and make their own costumes and collectibles.












Behind the Scenes
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• | The series was on the verge of cancellation after its second season but the network was convinced to renew it because of a massive letter-writing campaign. NBC moved it to a Friday night timeslot and, not surprisingly, viewership dropped even further. |
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• | John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd starred in a Saturday Night Live skit about NBC’s cancellation of Star Trek. In 1986, Shatner took part in a skit where he told convention attendees to “Get a life!” Later in the same episode, he played Kirk commanding his crew as they ran a themed restaurant on the Enterprise. |
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• | Shatner co-authored a series of Star Trek books that resurrected Kirk in the Next Generation future where he was reunited with some of his old crewmates. |
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• | In September 2006, Paramount began releasing remastered versions of Star Trek episodes in which the special effects were redone to take advantage of current technology. The original versions are still available on DVD. |
Happy 50 Year
why star trek being cancels for 3 seasons will they should reboot another star trek series for 6 seasons this year if cbs will work on it stop canceling star trek leave the trekkies alone
[…] marks the 46th anniversary of the original Star Trek’s debut on NBC. As Trekkies and Trekkers know all too well, the sci-fi series was a ratings […]