WI: The Enterprise completes its five year mission (Star Trek survives for 5 seasons)

Who should be captain of the Enterprise-D in this timeline's TNG?

  • Patrick Stewart (same as OTL)

    Votes: 50 68.5%
  • Patrick Bauchau

    Votes: 6 8.2%
  • Yaphet Kotto

    Votes: 5 6.8%
  • Rutger Hauer

    Votes: 11 15.1%
  • Someone else (specify who in the comments)

    Votes: 1 1.4%

  • Total voters
    73
  • Poll closed .
Well Mr Muskie it seems you have done it- lets hope it's not a poisoned chalice with the various problems you are inheriting in America - perhaps we can suggest looking to Star Trek for an example of how people can co-operate and get on diplomatically together?
Unfortunately Muskie is getting a poisoned chalice with the OPEC embargo, a recession at the start of his term that never really goes away, and half of the country that doesn't believe he really won. Reagan '76 is very likely now ITTL
 
1972 Congressional Elections
Entering the 1972 election, the Democrats had a majority of 268-167 in the House of Representatives. The Democrats lost 20 seats, many of them in the South, but still kept their majority, with a 248-187 margin. Morris Udall is the Speaker of the House, and Gerald Ford is Republican minority leader.

In the Senate, the Democrats started out with 58 seats, the Republicans had 41 seats, and there was one independent (Harry Byrd from Virginia). Democrats won the following seats:

Colorado: Floyd Haskell (D) def. Gordon Allott (R-inc)
Delaware: Joseph Biden (D) def. J. Caleb Boggs (R-inc)
Iowa: Richard Clark (D) def. Jack Miller (R-inc)
Maine: William Hathaway (D) def. Margaret Chase Smith (R-inc)
South Dakota: James Abourezk (D) def. Robert W. Hirsch (R)

Republicans won the following seats:

New Mexico: Pete Domenici (R) def. Jack Daniels (D)
North Carolina: Jesse Helms (R) def. Nick Galifianakis (D)
Oklahoma: Dewey Barlett (R) def. Ed Edmondson (D)
Virginia: William L. Scott (R) def. William B. Spong (D-inc).

So the Democrats gained one seat and have a majority of 59. The Republicans have 40 seats, with Harry Byrd remaining independent

D: 59
R: 40
I: 1

Mike Mansfield is the Democratic majority leader in the Senate, while Hugh Scott is the Republican minority leader.
 
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Chapter 79: Rest of 1972
The aftermath of the 1972 election, plus another pretty good part for Leonard Nimoy. The 1972 election aftermath is similar to the 2000 election aftermath IRL, just in reverse, because Nixon fears that the Democrats will investigate him for Watergate and the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and Laos upon leaving office.

NIXON LAWSUIT OVER CALIFORNIA ELECTION REACHES SUPREME COURT

December 1, 1972

President Nixon has argued that the California election should be ruled invalid, and a new election called, citing irregularities in the counts in parts of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Nixon v. Muskie will be heard by the Supreme Court in an emergency hearing on Monday. Last month, President-elect Muskie won California after two days of suspense, by 2,515 votes out of over 8 million cast in the country's largest state. President Nixon is arguing that Democrats stuffed the ballot boxes in black precincts in Los Angeles and Asian precincts in San Francisco, and is seeking injunctive relief. "We have evidence that the processes governing the election in California were corrupt, that President Nixon won the state and reelection, and we will present it in front of the Supreme Court," said John Mitchell, President Nixon's chairman of his reelection campaign and former Attorney General. It is unlikely that President Nixon will succeed in the courts, as no court has ever overruled an election. The closest scenario in American history to the 1972 election result was all the way back in 1876, when Rutherford B. Hayes was given the Presidency in exchange for removing federal troops from the South to end Reconstruction, but Mitchell accepts that a reversal of the results is unlikely. "We'll try, but I cannot see the Supreme Court changing the result," Mitchell said.


SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF MUSKIE IN ELECTION CASE

December 8, 1972

After three days of arguments in front of the Supreme Court, the court found that President Nixon's arguments over election fraud in California had no standing, and that President-elect Muskie was duly elected. By a 7-2 margin, the Court determined in Nixon v. Muskie that California's election processes were legal. Chief Justice Burger, writing the majority opinion for the seven justices, found that "President Nixon's lawyer, John Mitchell, presented specious and circumstantial evidence of election irregularities that did not nearly stand the test of scrutiny required for a second, replacement election to be held in the state of California." Joining Justice Burger in the majority were Associate Justices Harry Blackmun, William Douglas, William Brennan, Potter Stewart, Thurgood Marshall, and Lewis Powell. Dissenting were Byron White and William Rehnquist. In his dissent, Rehnquist argued that "President Nixon's lawyer presented compelling evidence. We have the records that certain precincts in California had more than 100% of the registered voters cast ballots in various precincts in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and most of those extra votes were for candidate Muskie." Thus ends perhaps the most dramatic election in our lifetimes, at least going back to the election of 1916 for some of our older readers, which ironically, was also decided in California in favor of a Democrat, Woodrow Wilson.


PRESIDENT-ELECT MUSKIE TO CONGRESS: DO NOT RELITIGATE NIXON ADMINISTRATION

December 11, 1972

President-elect Muskie pleaded with some of the more liberal members of the House and Senate, where Democrats hold a majority, not to open investigations into President Nixon's conduct over Watergate and his conduct in prosecuting the Vietnam War. "The President-elect prefers to engage in his domestic policy, since we are entering a recession, and to continue monitoring the situation in Vietnam, which seems to have no end in sight," said Muskie chief of staff Leon Billings. "We believe that President Nixon received a just form of punishment for his behavior: an electoral defeat." Some younger members of the House, such as Charles Rangel, representing a Harlem district in New York City, and Ron Dellums of California, are demanding Speaker of the House Morris Udall fully review the Watergate break-in this past June, arguing that President Nixon led a coverup in an attempted circumvention of the American political system. In the Senate, Alaska senator Mike Gravel agrees with his younger House colleagues, and is planning to ask Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and Edward Kennedy to open probes into President Nixon's behavior in Cambodia and Laos, which he considers an illegal expansion of the war in Southeast Asia. Gravel is reportedly so upset with President Nixon's conduct that he is asking to refer both the Watergate break-in and the Cambodia-Laos interventions to the Department of Justice for possible criminal investigation.


NIMOY INTERESTED IN PARAMOUNT GREAT GATSBY PRODUCTION, OTHER PROJECTS

December 22, 1972

Leonard Nimoy, the last man to win Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards, is looking to branch out into more film work. He reportedly wants to play roles in two potential Paramount Pictures future releases: The Great Gatsby and a potential Godfather sequel. Nimoy's agent told Variety, "Leonard is extremely happy to continue working in both feature films and television. However, with Mission: Impossible's run seemingly winding down, it appears that my client will be working more in films. Leonard has a good relationship with Paramount and would like to make movies under that banner." Nimoy won last April for his portrayal of Motel Kamozil in Fiddler on the Roof, which surprised many observers, but he has been largely quiet since them, only preferring occasional television work. "Leonard needed some time off with his family. He took a vacation to Hawaii and recharged his batteries after over five years of practically nonstop work on Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Fiddler," his agent said. "At some point, he would like to play Tevye, either on Broadway or in another Fiddler movie, because he has not gotten the chance to do so yet, and he feels that he honored his parents with the performances."
 
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I'm wondering how fast I should zip through 1973. Not a lot is going to happen in Trek in 1973 because TAS won't get off the ground until 1974 ITTL. Most of 1973 is going to be the first year of the Muskie administration ITTL and I can simply do a full-year summary of what happens. Hint: The Democratic Congress doesn't take Muskie's advice and they go after a defeated Nixon anyway, causing a backlash with the economy in recession and getting worse after the 1973 OPEC oil shock (which occurs the same way ITTL)
 

marathag

Banned
getting worse after the 1973 OPEC oil shock (which occurs the same way ITTL)
Does the US still do emergency military shipments into Israel, and block direct help from the USSR for Egypt when they were on the ropes?
Kissinger was the right man at the right place to have kept things from spinning out to WWIII
 
Wonder if the Americans can flip Egypt back to supporting them if they offer tons and tons of aid in exchange at least an armistice with Israel?

Perhaps a look at related comics and media in 1973? The 5 year series, plus movie, plus upcoming cartoon should generate some tie-in Merch.

What about other sci-fi?

Wasn't there a travelling exhibition of Trek stuff after the show ended OTL? I know they lent models and stuff out? Perhaps Paramount/Roddenberry send Keoing and Doonhan out on the road to keep interest alive?
 
Chapter 80: The Inauguration of Edmund Sixtus Muskie
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On January 20, 1973, Edmund Sixtus Muskie, Democrat from Maine, was inaugurated as the 38th President of the United States. Here are some excerpts from President Muskie's Inaugural Address, in front of a packed Capitol Hill.

Chief Justice Warren Burger: It is my duty as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to administer the Presidential oath of office. President-elect Muskie, repeat the following after me. I, Edmund Sixtus Muskie...(Muskie places hand on Bible)
Muskie: I, Edmund Sixtus Muskie...
Burger: Do solemnly swear...
Muskie: Do solemnly swear...
Burger: That I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States...
Muskie: That I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States...
Burger: And will to the best of my ability...
Muskie: And will to the best of my ability...
Burger: Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States...
Muskie: Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States...
Burger: So help me God.
Muskie: So help me God.
Burger: Congratulations, Mr. President.

Excerpts from the Muskie inaugural address:

President Muskie: I am honored to be standing here at the Capitol, where many wise men have stood before, to accept the duty of the Presidency. I would not be standing here without the support of my wife Jane, who has been my love and my closest friend for going on a quarter-century. I thank the people of the great state of Maine, who believed in my abilities to represent them honorably and effectively both in local government, as their governor, and in the United States Congress.

The campaign for the Presidency last autumn divided the nation in ways I did not know possible, before I ran for the office. However, we must unify and move beyond the divisions that damaged our United States. I will be a President for all Americans, the Americans who voted for me in November, and those who voted for the outgoing President, Mr. Nixon. We must move forward, where no one has gone before, in this nation of ours. We hold the truth and light of this nation, this unique experiment in democracy, as central to our ideals to consistently improve our standard of life beyond the previous generation. I believe in the idea that the next generation of Americans should always achieve a higher standard of living than the previous generation, and I will continue in the tradition of the Great Society, championed by President Johnson, who I understand is in poor health back home in Texas and unfortunately could not make it to today's proceedings. I propose an expansion of Medicare and Medicaid, Great Society programs, to include any family with at least one child and any American below the established poverty line. No American in need should ever be served poorly by his or her government, or shortchanged due to race, gender, or creed. I also propose an expansion of the Social Security program created by another Democratic president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which will allow Americans to increase the amount of money they place into their retirement accounts (crowd applauds).

We must expand the war against poverty, and start a new initiative for a cleaner Earth, by converting our dirtier industries to modern, late 20th century technological marvels of American innovation. I believe the imagination of the American people will allow us to achieve both of these objectives. The Earth's environment is precious, as we only have one Planet Earth to protect and cherish, and we must reduce our dependence on foreign oil in order to accomplish this goal. We will also continue the development of the space shuttle program, started by my predecessor, Mr. Nixon, with a goal of launching the first shuttle into Earth orbit by 1976. I will also make a promise similar to one of my predecessors, President Kennedy, who was tragically taken from us by an assassin's bullet. I challenge the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the American people to land a man on Mars by the end of the 20th century, just like we landed a man on the moon at the end of the last decade (crowd applauds). I also challenge NASA to improve cooperation with our Soviet counterparts. The race for space must be a peaceful endeavor, if we are ever to move beyond this globe to the final frontier.

I support the Nixon administration's policy of detente and will do my best to continue this posture towards Moscow and Peking. One mistake by any person in power in Washington or Moscow could equal the end of civilization, and I support arms control treaties with the Russians that will reduce both of our nuclear stockpiles (crowd applauds). One of my first goals in foreign policy will involve direct negotiations with the USSR to accomplish this end and continue the thawing of relations that President Nixon began early in his administration.

We must not re-litigate the past, which is checkered and full of flaws. Instead, we must acknowledge the past, learn lessons from our mistakes, and move forward with that wisdom into this new American era. My predecessor served the American people in the best way he knew how, and we must acknowledge his efforts, even if many Americans disagreed with his policies. President Nixon approached the job with honor and respect, like almost all of the other Presidents who preceded him, and we must hold no ill will towards him or his administration, if we are to advance into the future. If we point the spear at our enemy with the object of revenge, we are actually pointing the spear at ourselves.

It has been 28 years since we fought the last world war, and almost 20 years since we ended hostilities in Korea. Both of those conflicts were concluded, and had a finite end, either in American victory or in armistice that ensured freedom from communism for our stalwart allies in Seoul. I will propose a similar solution in Vietnam to ensure that South Vietnam does not fall to communism, as South Korea did not 20 years ago (crowd applauds). I will maintain a force of advisers in South Vietnam, both military and diplomatic, to ensure that the Saigon government is both protected from North Vietnamese attack and accomplishes reforms that are inclusive of the entire South Vietnamese population, not just those who currently hold power (crowd applauds). An independent South Vietnam is possible, but the war cannot be won with arms alone. We must win the war of hearts and minds for the Saigon government to build trust, and my administration will place a greater emphasis on this aspect of the conflict (crowd applauds).

Lastly, I must thank the American people for believing that I am worthy of this opportunity to serve them. The United States is controlled by the consent of the governed, not by a monarch or dictator, like in the Warsaw Pact countries. This aspect of the great American experiment allowed the United States to become the leader of the free world, and I am honored to become its steward. Thank you.
 
Does the US still do emergency military shipments into Israel, and block direct help from the USSR for Egypt when they were on the ropes?
Kissinger was the right man at the right place to have kept things from spinning out to WWIII
Muskie was very pro-Israel so he would try to pull off similar moves in this respect...

To Ogrebear: One of Muskie's important policy objectives will be to immediately bring Israel and Egypt to the table for talks following the Yom Kippur War. The question is, will Israel and Egypt be ready for Muskie's entreaties so soon.

Doohan and Koenig are at Star Trek conventions like they are IRL, and Doohan is often the main celebrity at the cons. Nichols attends the conventions that are held in New York, but since she is very busy on Broadway, she won't be able to attend them in other places. Takei also attends conventions before he becomes a political officeholder later in 1973. Kelley attends conventions when he is able to, but he is busy with Columbo. Shatner and Nimoy largely attend the conventions in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles only (the biggies).

The Enterprise AMT kit becomes a huge seller ITTL, along with the Klingon D7 and Romulan Bird of Prey. They become like GI Joe toys IRL in terms of their proliferation among American children. Roddenberry tries to branch out the Enterprise kit, the D7 and the BoP to Legos as well. Star Trek also achieves a bigger niche in the Marvel Comic Universe (I believe Star Trek comics are produced by Marvel from 1979 on). Gold Key lasts until 1978 (they were the original producer of Star Trek comics) before they are bought out by Marvel in 1978 ITTL because Marvel wants the Trek property for their comics. So ITTL, there could be Star Trek/MCU crossover movies in the 21st century when Marvel really hits it big in theatres...

Other sci-fi: I'm still debating whether to have Lucas make a Flash Gordon movie. He's making American Graffiti at this time so he'd have to squeeze this in sometime between 1974-1975 if he wants to buy the property from De Laurentiis.

--Doctor Who becomes a big hit on PBS with Tom Baker starting in 1974...

--Planet of the Apes and Logan's Run still largely occur as they do IRL...
 
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I'm thinking about doing a double blind what if ITTL regarding what people ITTL would have thought if our history occurred, since TTL is sort of a science-fiction work set in a parallel universe
 
Just had a crazy idea.
One of Shatner' s non Star Trek movies was 1980's "The Kidnapping of the President ".
Since Shatner is doing Six Million Dollar Man , have Lee Major do Kidnapping .
 
Just had a crazy idea.
One of Shatner' s non Star Trek movies was 1980's "The Kidnapping of the President ".
Since Shatner is doing Six Million Dollar Man , have Lee Major do Kidnapping .
Sure, why not? Lee Majors could play TJ Hooker too because Shatner will make a lot more $ ITTL’s movies so he doesn’t need as much TV work. Shatner will also make more off Star Trek in syndication because he signed a deal for 20% of the series’ profits if it ever made a profit, and ITTL, it does so a lot faster.

Shatner can’t make Six Million Dollar Man after 1977 which is when they put TMP into production so Lee Majors replaces him in the Steve Austin role and the series lasts until 1979-1980
 
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Sure, why not? Lee Majors could play TJ Hooker too because Shatner will make a lot more $ ITTL’s movies so he doesn’t need as much TV work. Shatner will also make more off Star Trek in syndication because he signed a deal for 20% of the series’ profits if it ever made a profit, and ITTL, it does so a lot faster.

Shatner can’t make Six Million Dollar Man after 1977 which is when they put TMP into production so Lee Majors replaces him in the Steve Austin role and the series lasts until 1979-1980

Perhaps just have Steve Majors play James Summers, and The Bionic Woman never airs, as that would allow Shatner to return for cameos and TV movies to team up James and Steve in the nineties.
 
Perhaps just have Steve Majors play James Summers, and The Bionic Woman never airs, as that would allow Shatner to return for cameos and TV movies to team up James and Steve in the nineties.
Sounds like a possible idea. Maybe Summers also becomes an astronaut and is crippled, and they have to do the same surgeries on him ITTL's Six Million Dollar Man so we have two bionic men in the series.

As an aside, I wish more readers on AH would take notice that I created a President Muskie situation, which has hardly been tried on the site. So in that respect I am breaking new ground
 
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Sure, why not? Lee Majors could play TJ Hooker too because Shatner will make a lot more $ ITTL’s movies so he doesn’t need as much TV work. Shatner will also make more off Star Trek in syndication because he signed a deal for 20% of the series’ profits if it ever made a profit, and ITTL, it does so a lot faster.

Shatner can’t make Six Million Dollar Man after 1977 which is when they put TMP into production so Lee Majors replaces him in the Steve Austin role and the series lasts until 1979-1980
Many stars have been able to do a movie while working on a TV show - perhaps Shatner's Agent can find a way to make the schedule work?

Or create a Bionic Woman to carry the series while Shatner is part time for a while? Then have them together after he's done shooting?
 
Shatner can’t make Six Million Dollar Man after 1977 which is when they put TMP into production so Lee Majors replaces him in the Steve Austin role and the series lasts until 1979-1980
Summers also becomes an astronaut and is crippled, and they have to do the same surgeries on him ITTL's Six Million Dollar Man so we have two bionic men in the series.
Many stars have been able to do a movie while working on a TV show - perhaps Shatner's Agent can find a way to make the schedule work?
Have Shatner get upset that the Star Trek shoot , runs over and he can not do Kidnapping .
Like the idea to replace Shatner with Majors .
Would recommend that someone else get hired as Producer for season 5 of Six Million Dollar Man.
It OTL, it was a old Friend Fred Freberger , who idea of stories were more for children then adults ,
 
Chapter 81: February and March 1973
The Democrats in Congress don't listen to President Muskie's advice to bury the hatchet, plus Robert Justman returns to offer his thoughts on Star Trek. First, the major members of the Muskie cabinet or officers in the administration that will or could be referenced in this TL, along with Vice President Sanford. Muskie looked up to LBJ a lot so he decides to staff most of his admin with LBJ holdovers:

WH Chief of Staff: Leon Billings (was Muskie's CoS in the Senate IRL)
WH Press Secretary: George Christian (LBJ's last press secretary)
National Security Adviser: William Bundy (McGeorge Bundy's brother, part of LBJ's admin as an assistant Secretary of State IRL)

Secretary of State: Roswell Gilpatric (was a deputy Secretary of State under LBJ IRL)
Secretary of Defense: Cyrus Vance (was Carter's Secretary of Defense IRL)
Secretary of the Treasury: Joseph Barr (was LBJ's last Treasury Secretary IRL)
Attorney General: Warren Christopher (was Ramsey Clark's deputy AG in the LBJ administration IRL)
Secretary of the Interior: Howard Samuels (was a deputy Secretary of the Interior in LBJ's admin I believe)
Secretary of Agriculture: Orville Freeman (was LBJ's Ag secretary IRL)
Secretary of Labor: Millard Cass (was a deputy secretary of labor in the LBJ administration IRL)
HUD: Robert C. Wood (LBJ's last HUD secretary IRL)
FBI Director: William Mark Felt

GILPATRIC, THO SIGN AGREEMENT IN PARIS

February 15, 1973

President Muskie's secretary of state, Mr. Roswell Gilpatric, and North Vietnamese diplomat Mr. Le Duc Tho have signed another armistice to end hostilities in Southeast Asia. The main particulars of the deal involved an American drawdown to 75,000 troops as an adviser force in Saigon, in exchange for removal of all North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam's borders. "The North Vietnamese realized that the war grinding on is a useless endeavor to them as well," Mr. Gilpatric said. "We informed the North Vietnamese they we were not afraid to escalate as well to remove them from the South again. We have ensured the freedom of South Vietnam from the Communist yoke." Tho grudgingly agreed to the deal after he received signals from North Vietnamese general secretary Vo Nguyen Giap that another offensive could not be sustained beyond June, with Giap fearing a counter-invasion of the North by the South Vietnamese ARVN, aided by the US Air Force. "The North Vietnamese were finally spent, both in terms of manpower and arms," Mr. Gilpatric said. "We offered them less than favorable terms, compared to the armistice achieved in 1970. We intend to develop Saigon as an Asian economic power, similar to Singapore and Seoul, now that we believe a more lasting peace is possible."


NIXON ACTIVITIES REFERRED TO DOJ FOR INVESTIGATION; MITCHELL, KLEINDIENST INDICTED

March 1, 1973

Democratic Speaker of the House Morris Udall has referred former President Nixon's administration and its activities both in the Vietnam War and the Watergate burglary for investigation by the Department of Justice, led by newly appointed Attorney General Warren Christopher. Speaker Udall believes that Nixon's behavior in both matters is illegal, and is seeking prosecution both of Nixon and cabinet officials in the previous administration. "President Nixon and his cabinet behaved in a criminal way, and we believe that they must be punished for their actions," Speaker Udall said. "Otherwise, we will have no accountability for a future Imperial Presidency, which could cause the country to run amok and basic democracy to be eroded." The Muskie Department of Justice has also indicted Nixon attorneys general John Mitchell for obstructing an investigation into international financier Robert Vesco, and Richard Kleindienst for instructing former United States District Attorney of Maryland George Beall to slow-walk the investigation into former Vice President Agnew. Mitchell and Kleindienst were both arraigned in District of Columbia Superior Court for one count of obstruction of justice. "We do not intend to stop there," Udall said. "We believe that other individuals in the Nixon administration were directed to act illegally, and this Congress will hold hearings into those matters."


JUSTMAN: TREK WOULD HAVE DIED IF IT ONLY LASTED TWO OR THREE SEASONS

March 15, 1973

Star Trek's former producer and showrunner, Robert Justman, talked to Variety about the phenomenon that still exists regarding the show, even though it has been off the air for nearly two years. Justman told Variety, "I still love the show, and catch it in reruns in syndication. Speaking of which, I helped get it into syndication with that third season. If we didn't have the fans mail NBC to demand a third season, we wouldn't have gotten the show into reruns, and Star Trek would be as dead as The Outer Limits or Lost In Space." Justman's direction for the series was pivotal in earning Trek acclaim, when NBC told series creator Gene Roddenberry to step aside after the second season, due to creative differences between Roddenberry and the network. "Gene was lucky that I was there to pick up the baton," Justman said. "Otherwise, Star Trek would be a deceased property. Even if we lasted three seasons, we would only have about 80 episodes for syndication, and it is questionable whether a chain of local networks would have picked the series up in reruns. Additionally, if we had only produced three seasons, the fans of the show would probably get sick of watching the same 80 episodes over and over again. My leadership allowed Star Trek to exceed the 100 episode mark, and eventually the series made 129, 130 episodes, easily enough to be rebroadcast on local TV to gain an even larger following." The back story behind Justman controlling Star Trek in its third and fourth seasons is interesting. In exchange for a favorable time slot at 8:00 PM on Mondays, NBC told Gene Roddenberry to surrender control of the property for the third season, because the producers of Laugh-In were concerned about their time slot, and because Roddenberry was dealing with a divorce proceeding. Justman took over and the rest is history. "I told DC Fontana to write Star Trek as a Western in space," Justman said. "We introduced more gunboat diplomacy and created new angles that Roddenberry would not have touched if he were in charge of the series, and we freshened it up, so it could last longer."


MAILBAG (after Six Million Dollar Man pilot):

I question the decision to cast William Shatner as a bionic man. Surely, Lee Majors is younger, taller, more attractive, and sexier than Shatner. Plus, Shatner always has problems with his weight and needs a hairpiece. How viable is it for a middle-aged man like Shatner to be a bionic man, with a toupee that could fly off while he is running, and has problems staying in shape? Many fans saw the change in Shatner's waistline when he was making episodes of Star Trek during the course of a season. I hope that Shatner has a good workout program where he can focus on his fitness four or five days per week. (Anonymous female fan, California).
 
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Note: Conventional wisdom back in this period was a show had to last at least four or five seasons to turn a profit, with the high ratings required of it, to become successful both in its initial run and in reruns. Series that lasted for three or fewer seasons and lost money for the studio and network, like Star Trek, were considered unsuccessful. When Star Trek was cancelled in 1969, everyone assumed that the series was dead for good. Few anticipated that the show would become a cultural icon in syndication, because very few series succeeded in reruns. The actors involved in Star Trek, even Shatner, were scrambling for their next paycheck, except for Leonard Nimoy, who was simply able to walk across one of the Paramount sound stages to his next acting job at Mission: Impossible. This was considered a promotion and an advance in Nimoy's career at the time. Even successful series back in this era like Mannix (8 seasons) and Marcus Welby M.D. (7 seasons, with a #1 Nielsen rating in Season 2) were either not remade (Mannix) or struggled to return in two future films (Welby). This is why I wrote Justman back in, because these views from a TV producer at the time would be common and usually correct...
 
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