Updated: May 22, 2024

Star Trek, American television science-fiction series that ran on NBC for only three seasons (1966 to 69) but that became one of the most popular brands in the American entertainment industry.

Star Trek was created by American writer and producer Gene Roddenberry and chronicles the exploits of the crew of the starship USS Enterprise, whose five-year mission is to explore space and, as stated in the title sequence, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. The series takes place in the 23rd century, after a benign and advanced alien people, the Vulcans, has introduced their technologies to Earth, allowing humankind to embark on intergalactic travel at speeds faster than light. Commanded by the blustering Capt. James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner), the Enterprise engages in an altruistic research mission intended to document and observe the far reaches of space. Its crew encounters various alien life forms, not all of them as friendly as the Vulcans, most notably the Klingons, bellicose adversaries who frequently cross paths with the Enterprise. Kirks principal confidante is Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), a half-human, half-Vulcan whose actions are ruled by logic almost entirely unsullied by emotion. The pointedly multicultural crew also includes Bones McCoy (DeForest Kelley), the ships irascible doctor; Lieut. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols); Mr. Sulu (George Takei); Ensign Chekov (Walter Koenig); and Mr. Scott (James Doohan), the engineer who controls the Enterprises transporter (not to be confused with the transponder, a homing device), dematerializing and rematerializing his shipmates so that they can travel instantly through space.