Star Trek: Classic Trek

Star Trek originated in 1966 and was pitched to the network, by Roddenberry, as "Wagon Train to the stars". The crew of the Starship Enterprise was multi-ethnic and the storylines were designed to be sophisticated analogies of current earth problems, rectified by humanism and optimism.

The original series a.k.a. "Classic Trek" featured William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and tells the tale of the crew's five-year mission onboard the USS Enterprise. Also starring Leonard Nimoy as the Vulcan science officer Spock, and DeForest Kelley, as Dr. McCoy. The series was canceled in its third season due to low ratings. The network underestimated the fan base, which was able to resurrect the series in motion picture form. Buy -- Star Trek Now

Star Trek: The Animated Series

The animated series was produced by Filmation and ran for two seasons featuring most of the original cast performing the voices. The series was picked up after cancellation and run int he 80's on Nickelodeon, and then on the Sci-Fi channel in the 90s. Buy -- Star Trek: The Animated Series Now

Star Trek: The Next Generation

This series is set almost a century after the original series and features the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. The show premiered September 28, 1987 and ran for seven seasons, ending in 1994. The Next Generation had the highest ratings of any Trek series and was the #1 syndicated show for the last few years of its run. It is also the only Trek series to be nominated for an Emmy for Best Dramatic Series.

The series featured Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker. The show continued the ethnic diversity of the original season, encompassing Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) - an android, Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) - a Betazoid, and Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) - a Klingon. The multicultural crew continued to deal with contemporary political and social issues. Buy -- Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

This series is set in the same time frame as The Next Generation, and also ran for seven seasons with its debut in 1993. It is the only series to take place primarily on a space station and not a starship. The show is arguably the darkest in the series and chronicles the events centering on the Bajoran space station, Deep Space Nine. A stable wormhole providing access to the Gamma quadrant is discovered near the space station. Captain Benjamin Sisco (Avery Brooks) becomes the station's commanding officer, along with Bajoran Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). The series is the first Trek series to be produced without the input of Gene Roddenberry, who passed away October 24, 1999. Buy -- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Now

Star Trek Voyager

Star Trek Voyager premiered in 1995. It is only Star Trek series to feature a woman as the commanding officer. The series plot revolves around the Federation starship USS Voyager. The crew, while chasing a band of Maquis rebels, enters the dangerous space nebula known as the Badlands. Both ships are transported by a distant space probe, run by a powerful, but dying "Caretaker", to the Delta Quadrant, 75,000 light-years from Federation space. Crew members from both ships are kidnapped by the Caretaker and the crews must form a truce to rescue their fellow crewmen. The Maquis ship is destroyed in a battle with the warlike Kazons, an alien species in the Delta Quadrant. To prevent a Kazon aggression against the helpless world the Caretaker is trying to protect, the Voyager crew destroys the space probe. Without the probe, the crews can not return to Federation space the same way they came and are faced with the fact it will take 75 years to get back home. With the differences between them rendered meaningless by time and distance, the remaining Federation and Maquis crews unite aboard Voyager. The series revolves around their interactions and conflicts, among themselves and aliens they encounter on their voyage back to federation space. The show features Federation Captain Kathyrn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), First Officer, and former Maquis, Chakotay (Robert Beltran), Chief of Security Tuvok (Tim Russ)- a Vulcan, half Klingon/half Human Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) and the ship's Holographic Doctor (Robert Picardo). The crew picks up several passengers including Neelix (Ethan Phillips) a Talaxian, Kes (Jennifer Lien) an Ocampan and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) a Borg.

Star Trek: Enterprise

Enterprise is the Prequel to the other Star Trek Series and takes place ten years before the founding of the Federation. It debuted in 2001. Enterprise takes place 100 years before the adventures of Captain Kirk and crew and after the movie First Contact. Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the crew of the Starship Enterprise NX-01 begin the journey where no one has gone before. The series focuses on the establishment of the Federation and early exploration of the surrounding regions. It introduces several of the species that become the staple of future Trek story lines, like the Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans and Andorians. The show was cancelled after the fourth season due to low ratings. Buy -- Star Trek Enterprise

The Star Trek franchise is now owned by Paramount and is a multi-billion dollar industry. An entire subculture of Trekkies (or Trekkers) has emerged making an enormous fan base. In addition, many of the commonly used items in the Star Trek universe have found their way into mainstream every day life. Some of these, like computers and cell phones, are so integrated into society we can't possibly imagine living without them.

Many more Star Trek creations are moving from the science fiction realm to the factual such as bio-beds, hyposprays, and phasers. With an eleventh feature film in the works, the world of Star Trek continues to be ever popular and in high demand.