Star Trek is “the most successful failure in history” because no one watched it, and it was canceled before it became popular in 170 countries

History called Star Trek “the most successful failure in television history” for a reason. The production went through a long and bumpy road before it gained cult status. There was a moment when faith in it was lost and it was close to being buried, but fans showed their strength and Star Trek went down in science fiction history.

What is the history of Star Trek? The original TV series was released in 1966 and aired on NBC. Although it was initially considered a success, the creators' joy did not last long, as viewership began to decline around the fourth episode. Slashfilm suggests that Star Trek may have been “too odd, too cerebral, or even too thoughtful” for the audience at the time.

Despite Star Trek's mediocre performance, NBC gave it another chance because the TV series attracted a younger audience, which the station had previously had considerable difficulty reaching. Star Trek was their solution. It was also helped by the involvement of fans who wrote letters emphasizing their enthusiasm for the series. These letters, along with the interest that Star Trek generated among educated people, engineers, and scientists, convinced NBC not to write it off just yet.

Star Trek: The Original Series, Gene Roddenberry, NBC, 1966

The fans managed to defend the TV series until the third season, which wouldn’t have been made without them. However, the team responsible for it had to work with a lower budget, as NBC didn’t want to invest much in a project that didn’t attract a large audience.

Unfortunately, nothing changed. Star Trek failed to win over audiences and after the third season the TV series was canceled in 1969. This was the end of a long and fierce battle for fans, or so it seemed until... Syndication proved to be Star Trek's salvation. Thanks to it, other stations obtained the rights to broadcast the TV series.

Star Trek suddenly began to appear everywhere, reaching a much wider audience than NBC alone could have. The sci-fi production conquered not only the American market, but also the European one, reaching 170 countries. The sudden explosion of the popularity of the TV series helped it, because instead of falling into the depths of television, ten years later it was rediscovered and the familiar characters returned, but this time to the big screen. In December 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released.

Star Trek: The Original Series, Gene Roddenberry, NBC, 1966

Since then, Star Trek has enjoyed continued success and has been further developed, becoming one of the most iconic science fiction series. Today, it is one of the most popular series, and it is hard to believe that there was a time when it was close to being buried.

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