
This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of the premier of Star Trek and the launch of an amazing franchise—the
Next Generation itself already having passed the half-way mark towards that milestone. Though NBC aired the pilot episode on 8 September 1966, it was actually screened by a Canadian broadcaster two days prior.
Here and
here are some fun commemorations from earlier in the year. Although it only ran for three seasons before
being canceled (two years shy of its stated mission)—having been kept aloft by a tremendous fan-base, the cultural impact and
endurance (not to mention the
predictive aspect) of the show are immeasurable.