Did ‘Star Trek’ Creator Gene Roddenberry Really Hate NBC?

Lately, I’ve been pouring over a bunch of interviews with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, written during a time when Gene was enjoying something of a Star Trek renaissance. After reading these interviews with Roddenberry, I think it’s fair to say that he didn’t have fond feelings for NBC, the network that originally aired

Star Trek, and cancelled it after just three seasons. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that Gene felt like he had handed the Peacock Network this amazing, wonderful gift and they pretty much just took a giant metaphorical space dookie on it.

After the original television series was canceled in 1969, the decade that followed saw the Star Trek fan base refuse to die. Reruns of the program, along with a new animated series in 1973 and novelizations that were either direct adaptations from the show or inspired by the original series, kept everyone’s hopes alive until

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released during the 1979 holiday season. And, while all of that was happening, Roddenberry had plenty of time to reflect on how the show had been mistreated by NBC executives, who had, according SlashFilm, “thought disparagingly that

Star Trek was for 12-year-olds.”

Paramount/Everett Collection

One article in particular, written by James Calloway in 1982 in the Raleigh, North Carolina News and Observer, goes a long way to paint the picture of just exactly how mistreated Gene felt. In that article, The Great Bird of the Galaxy pointed out that sacrifices had been made to produce

Star Trek to the network’s liking.

Gene declared, “Every member of our staff was in the hospital at one time or another for nervous exhaustion. There were three divorces out of the five people on my staff. I feel bitter about the time I never spent with my kids. I’ve made up for it in part, but it’s not entirely possible.”

So, Gene and his staff went through all that, and then NBC wanted to cancel Star Trek after the show’s second season. Could that cause him to hate the network? I’ll let you be the judge.

Ultimately, a slight uptick in the ratings and a grassroots letter-writing campaign saved the show and allowed Roddenberry and team to produce a third season. The victory was bittersweet however, as The History Channel reminded us not all that long ago that the network gave the program the unfavorable time slot of Friday nights at 10 PM during that final season.

And while fans of Star Trek often point out that the final season isn’t quite up to the high standard set by the first two, there are still some great episodes there. And thankfully Gene, at the very least, didn’t have to deal with network executives telling him that Mr. Spock needed to be removed from the program. Yep, they really asked him to do that at the beginning of the first season. He also didn’t have to fight battles with the network over issues like wanting to have an ethnically diverse cast. Those battles had been fought, and for the most part, they’d been won.

In that same 1982 News and Observer article, Gene made it very clear that he felt like both Desilu, the show’s production company, and NBC really didn’t like Star Trek

. And because of that, he and the rest of the creative team always carried a bit of a chip on their shoulders. Their motto was, “Let’s show the bastards. Let’s prove them wrong.”

And prove them wrong they did. So much so that Star Trek, at this point, is forever etched in the tapestry of our culture. And as time has gone on, further proving Gene’s point, the lines between fiction and reality have crossed time and time again. With all of the advances we’ve been seeing lately with AI, that holodeck from

Star Trek: The Next Generation can’t be too far away.

Strictly contestant Karen Carney 'exceeds expectations' as fans 'obsessed' with Birmingham-themed dance

Strictly Come Dancing fans were pleased to see the city of Birmingham being honoured on Saturday night

Former footballer and journalist Karen Carney and professional dance partner Carlos Gu earnt themselves a near-perfect score of 38 out of 40 after they performed the Argentine Tango to the Peaky Blinders theme tune Red Right Hand.

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Donning flat caps and smart waist coats, Solihull-born Karen, who also played for Birmingham City, and Carlos dedicated the dance to the people of Birmingham.

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During Saturday night's episode of Strictly Come Dancing, Karen admitted she is "obsessed" with Peaky Blinders, a TV series set in Birmingham in the early 1920s starring Cillian Murphy, and dedicated the dance to the people of Birmingham.

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Feeding back after their dance, Motsi says “what a night, another fabulous number, challenging choreography, amazing”. Shirley adds “smashed it, intensity and focus, sure-footed, loved the role reversal”.

Anton comments “she’s back and better than ever, extraordinarily good," while Craig concludes “wanted smoother passing of feet and looser leg but clean, confident, loved it”.

And Strictly fans raced to social media to share their love and "pride" for the dance. @ikin_rache6855 said: "By Order Of The Peaky Blinders our fellow Brummie smashed it!"

X user @aama25_em wrote: "That was an amazing dance. Karen will did smash the Peaky Blinders dance", while @blue_laur11 penned: "By order of the Peaky Blinders Karen and Carlos served !! I loved it for me dance of the night I love Peaky Blinders the dance was fantastic and Karen did amazingly."

@aama25_em wrote: "ARGENTINE TANGO PEAKY BLINDERS EDITION? MAJOR SLAY", and @lucymaygoodwin said: "As soon as I heard Karen Carney, Carlos, Argentine tango and peaky blinders, I was sold. Nailed it"

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@RyanSoapKing25 said: "As a fellow Brummie I am proud as punch for Karen right now. I'm OBSESSED with the whole Peaky Blinders theme. The concept was fantastic. What a dance!"

Strictly fan @scddevereaux said: "YASSSS (in a brummy accent)", and @darrenbizzle2 added: "Karen is definitely a dark horse and an exceptionally good dancer"

Upon learning the scores, @biscuitl9ver said: "That was such a well deserved score for Karen", and @carrie_walsh_ exclaimed: "I'm obsessssssed with Karen. Like I actually want to cry. That was so good"

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@kellyloumugg said: "Wow. Karen REALLY exceeded my expectations there!!!!! Bravo!"

This week in BBC Strictly Come Dancing, the contestants got into the festive spirit with a spooky Halloween-themed episode.

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During the Halloween special, Ellie and Vito performed to Abracadabra by Lady Gaga and received a score of 27, Vicky and Kai performed first on Saturday night, as they danced to Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler, garnering a healthy score of 31.

As of this week, the eliminated contestants are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley, Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova, Ross King and Jowita Przystal, and Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden.

After Saturday’s Halloween Spooktacular, fans will have to wait until Sunday night to find out who is being eliminated this week.

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Strictly Come Dancing The Results will be available to watch on BBC One at 7:30pm on Sunday, November 2.

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