Season 1
Star Trek (also referred to as Star Trek: The Original Series) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry and set in the 23rd century which follows the adventures of the starship Enterprise and its crew, which included Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Scotty, Dr. Bones McCoy and Commander Uhura.
Though the title of the original program was simply Star Trek, it has acquired the retronym Star Trek: The Original Series (sometimes shortened to ST:TOS or TOS), in order to distinguish this first series from the sequels which followed (all of which comprise the Star Trek universe or franchise).
The series originally aired in the USA on NBC from 8 September, 1966 to 2 September, 1969. There are 79 hour-long episodes in three seasons.
Star Trek originally aired in South Africa on TV1 (which subsequently became SABC2), in the early eighties. It later aired on DStv's GO channel, on TopTV's Fox Retro channel and on FOX (DStv and TopTV). See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 1 premiered with a double bill on Fox Retro on Wednesday 7 March 2012, at 19h40. Thereafter new episodes broadcast weekly at 20h30, preceded by a repeat of the previous week's episode at 19h40.
The series premiered on FOX on Thursday 30 May 2013, at 16h25, later changing time to 14h05. New episodes broadcast daily, on weekdays. There are 29 episodes in the first season.
Synopsis
"Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. 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."
So began the words that launched a phenomenon. Arguably the most popular television show ever produced, Star Trek has entered into popular culture like few other shows. Its popularity would lead to it launching a successful movie franchise, as well as four spin-off shows.
After the show was cancelled, it was placed in syndication, where it spawned a strong fan following and later achieved iconic status as a worldwide television phenomenon.
Set in the 23rd century, Star Trek chronicles the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Captain James T. Kirk is ably assisted by his crew: half-human/half-Vulcan science officer Spock, Doctor McCoy, Chief Engineer Scott, Communications Officer Uhura, Navigator Sulu, and helmsman Chekov.
The show was not an immediate success, and it was only an unprecedented letter-writing campaign by fans that resulted in its being renewed for a third season. But even the dedicated fans couldn’t keep it on air for another season.
However, the show enjoyed huge success in reruns, leading to subsequent spin-offs in virtually every media format.
The pioneering TV programme really did go where no one had gone before, treading televisual territory that was controversial at the time.
It put the 20th century to shame with its portrayal of 23rd century equality and peaceful ideals: the show featured the world's first on-screen mixed-race kiss, and a Russian crew member became a fixture on board when the Cold War was at its height.
Upon completion of the third season of the epoch-making sci-fi serial, the majority of the cast signed on for a fourth, but it was eventually canned in favour of a big screen feature length film.
The resultant Star Trek: The Motion picture was released in 1979. It was one of six movies to focus on the adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew.
Next in line was The Wrath of Khan, released in 1982, third was The Search for Spock, released in 1984, and last was the Voyage Home, made in 1986.
These were followed by 1989's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, directed by William Shatner, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, which was in production when creator Gene Rodenberry passed away in 1991.
Neither the small nor the large screen adventures of the Enterprise ended with Rodenberry's death, however. With the magnificent success that the follow-up series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, had been enjoying since its debut in 1987, Paramount decided to make a picture in which Shatner's Captain Kirk and Patrick Stewart's Captain Picard both featured.
Star Trek Generations was released in 1994, and was followed by three more Next Generation movies: First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis. That brought the total to ten, and an eleventh was released in 2009 simply entitled Star Trek: a prequel to the first series in which Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto star as a young Kirk and Spock.
Seasons
Note: broadcast details for the original run of the show on the SABC are not available. Only the first season aired on GO before the channel changed its name to Vuzu and ditched the series. Only the first two seasons aired on Fox Retro before the show moved to FOX and began its run from the start again.
Season 1 (29 episodes)
Channel: TV1 | Broadcast details unavailable
Channel: GO | Premiere: 1 May 2008 | Finale: 13 Nov 2008 | Thursdays, 21h30
Channel: Fox Retro | Premiere: 7 Mar 2012 | Finale: 12 Sep 2012 | Wednesdays, 20h30
Channel: FOX | Premiere: 30 May 2013 | Finale: 9 Jul 2013 | Weekdays, 16h25/14h05
Season 2 (26 episodes)
Channel: TV1 | Broadcast details unavailable
Channel: Fox Retro | Premiere: 19 Sep 2012 | Finale: 13 Mar 2013 | Wednesdays, 20h30
Channel: FOX | Premiere: 10 Jul 2013 | Finale: 14 Aug 2013 | Weekdays, 14h05
Season 3 (24 episodes)
Channel: TV1 | Broadcast details unavailable
Channel: FOX | Premiere: 15 Aug 2013 | Finale: 17 Sep 2013 | Weekdays, 14h05