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Star Trek is an American science-fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that ran from September 1966 to December 1967, and follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS) to distinguish the show within the media franchise that it began. One of the most influential, far reaching and positive science fiction shows ever on TV it's storylines were crafted by some of the most prominent SF writers, and the characters, ship, concepts and storylines all became iconic and were referenced multiple times by Mork, Mindy and others through the show.

About Star Trek[]

The show is set in the Milky Way galaxy, circa 2266–2269. The ship and crew are led by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), First Officer and Science Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Chief Medical Officer Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Shatner's voice-over introduction during each episode's opening credits stated the starship's purpose:

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.

Norway Productions and Desilu Productions produced the series from September 1966 to December 1967. Paramount Television produced the show from January 1968 to June 1969. Star Trek aired on NBC from September 8, 1966, to June 3, 1969. It was first broadcast on September 6, 1966, on Canada's CTV network. Star Trek's Nielsen ratings while on NBC were low, and the network cancelled it after three seasons and 79 episodes.

The original pilot starred Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike, Majel Barret as the Ships Number One, and Nimoy as its Science Officer. However, Hunter's private life meant he could not continue in the role, and sexist attitudes in the Network would not accept Barret as a female command officer, and she was 'recast' as Nurse Christine Chapel. Spock remained but also had to weather network executives, who were apprehensive that his vaguely "Satanic" appearance (with pointed ears and eyebrows) might prove upsetting to some viewers, and (according to Leonard Nimoy) they repeatedly urged Roddenberry to "drop the Martian." Roddenberry was also dismayed to discover that NBC's publicity department deliberately airbrushed out Spock's pointed ears and eyebrows from early publicity stills sent to network affiliates, because they feared that his "demonic" appearance might offend potential buyers in the religiously conservative southern states. Spock, however, went on to become one of the most popular characters on the show, as did McCoy's impassioned country-doctor personality. Spock, in fact, became a sex symbol of sorts—something no one connected with the show had expected. Leonard Nimoy noted that the question of Spock's extraordinary sex appeal emerged "almost any time I talked to someone in the press ... I never give it a thought ... to try to deal with the question of Mr. Spock as a sex symbol is silly."

Shatner took over as the new Captain, James Tiberius Kirk, and was well known in the trade, having appeared in several notable films, played Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway, and even turned down the part of Dr. Kildare. However, when roles became sparse he took the regular job after Jeffrey Hunter did not continue as Pike.

Star Trek made celebrities of its cast of largely unknown actors. DeForrest Kelley had appeared in many films and television shows, but mostly in smaller roles that showcased him as a villain. Nimoy also had previous television and film experience but was not well known either. Nimoy had partnered previously with Shatner in a 1964 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., "The Project Strigas Affair," and with Kelley (as a doctor) in a 1963 episode of The Virginian, "Man of Violence," both more than two years before Star Trek first aired. Before Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura became an iconic character for the American Black community still going through the tumult of Civil Rights in the 60s, and heavily influenced later celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, who took on her role as Guinan in The Next Generation due to Trek's influence on her childhood. It's mutli-racial cast, including George Takei as the dry witted, swashbuckling, Lt. Sulu was, and the 'Russian' Ensign Chekov, while not groundbreaking (even if it did include TV's first inter-racial kiss), was a rarity at the time, and it's storylines (if not the way it utilized it's cast members) made it clear that for humanity at least 'race' and nationality was no longer a consideration. The Human Race being just that.

After the original series ended, cast members found themselves typecast because of their defining roles in the show. (Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Michael Dorn stated in 1991, however: "If what happened to the first cast is called being typecast, then I want to be typecast. Of course, they didn't get the jobs after Trek. But they are making their sixth movie. Name me someone else in television who has made six movies!")

The three main characters were Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, with writers often playing the different personalities off each other: Kirk was passionate and often aggressive, but with a sly sense of humor; Spock was coolly logical; and McCoy was sardonic, emotional, and illogical, but always compassionate. In many stories the three clashed, with Kirk forced to make a tough decision while Spock advocated the logical but sometimes callous path and McCoy (or "Bones", as Kirk nicknamed him) insisted on doing whatever would cause the least harm. McCoy and Spock had a sparring relationship that masked their true affection and respect for each other, and their constant arguments became popular with viewers. The show so emphasized dialogue that writer and director Nicholas Meyer (involved with the Star Trek films) called it a radio drama, playing an episode for a film class without video to prove that the plot was still comprehensible.

Several years after it's cancellation, the series became a hit in broadcast syndication, remaining so throughout the 1970s, achieving cult classic status and a developing influence on popular culture. Star Trek eventually spawned a franchise, consisting of eight television series, 13 feature films, and numerous books, games, and toys, and is now widely considered one of the most popular and influential television series of all time.

Mork's Multiple References[]

  • Mork Runs Down ‎- In trying to stop a Gorgles ridden Mork running amok, Fred tries something he says he 'saw' on a TV Show and tries the 'Vulcan Neck Pinch' used by Spock (and other Vulcans) on Star Trek,
  • There's a New Mork in Town - Xerko's arrival brings with it a new 'Transporter Beam' the H28 that is very much like that used in Star Trek, and as he leaves he invokes the famous (actual non-line) from the show, "Beam Me Up, Scotty."
  • The Honeymoon (Part 3) ‎ - Trying to assuage her father's fears over her going on her honeymoon with Mork to Ork, Mindy calls back to Star Trek's famous voice over quoting that she's 'Boldly going where no man ever went before'.
  • Mork, Mindy, and Mearth Meet M.I.L.T. ‎- As Mork and Mearth beam back home from Ork, they discover the unreliable H28 beam has mixed up their packages with those belonging to a fellow traveler 'Captain Kirk' (William Shatner) beaming in to take back his champagne and glasses before heading off to the jacuzzi with his latest lady friend.
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