William Shatner is looking back on six decades of Star Trek and admitting that even he is amazed the franchise became a worldwide phenomenon.
The 95-year-old actor, forever associated with Captain James T. Kirk, reflected on the show’s 60-year history while discussing a new documentary about its impact on television and popular culture.
Star Trek survived against the odds
The original Star Trek had an uncertain beginning. Its first pilot was rejected, ratings were never dominant and NBC canceled the series after three seasons. Yet syndication introduced the show to new audiences and transformed it into one of entertainment’s most durable franchises.
Shatner described that longevity as something that could not easily be repeated. What began as a struggling science-fiction series eventually expanded into numerous television shows and feature films.
Shatner’s Captain Kirk became an icon
Shatner played Kirk in the original 1966 series and returned for seven films. His portrayal became so closely associated with Star Trek that later versions of the character inevitably invite comparisons.
Rather than focusing on imitation, Shatner’s advice for future actors is to concentrate on the story. For him, compelling storytelling has always been the central reason the franchise connected with viewers.
A new documentary examines the phenomenon
Shatner is an executive producer on The Sixty-Year Mission: How Star Trek Changed Television and the World, a documentary exploring the franchise’s cultural influence.
He pointed to stories of fans whose lives and careers were shaped by the optimistic future presented on screen. That impact, he suggested, is bigger than ratings, box office totals or the number of sequels.
Sixty years after the Enterprise first appeared on television, Star Trek continues to generate new projects — something its original cast could scarcely have predicted when the series was fighting simply to stay on the air.