The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek — Season 1
About this season
In honor of the sci-fi franchise’s 55th anniversary this year and produced by The Nacelle Company, the project will feature interviews with cast, crew and experts as it explores pivotal moments in the franchise’s history, from its inception at Lucille Ball’s production company Desilu to recent film and television adaptations.
Episodes (4)
1. Lucy Loves Trek
6.5Aired 5 November 2021 • 43 min
It all began when Gene Roddenberry convinced Desilu to foot the bill for not one, but two "Star Trek" pilots; thanks to Desilu's boss, America's darling Lucille Ball, the world met Kirk, Spock and McCoy.
2. Saturday Morning Pinks
8.5Aired 12 November 2021 • 42 min
A cartoon version of Star Trek in the early 1970s featured original series creator Gene Roddenberry, writer D.C. Fontana, and the series' original stars.
3. Trekking Through the '70s: Phase II and The Motion Picture
6.5Aired 22 November 2021 • 43 min
Paramount wanted to launch a fourth network with the new Star Trek series Phase II as its flagship. When the network proved unworkable, Phase II appeared doomed - until Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind proved box office hits. Phase II became the 1979 blockbuster Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
4. Trek Goes to the Movies
7.0Aired 22 November 2021 • 43 min
The 1980s saw Paramount release three linked Star Trek movies to huge box-office success. The first, The Wrath of Khan, saw Ricardo Montalban as Khan, a villain from the original series, return. It was followed by The Search for Spock, directed by Leonard Nimoy. He returned to the director's chair for The Voyage Home, the biggest Star Trek success yet.