---
title: "Star Trek"
year: 1966
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/star-trek-1966"
fi1m_score: 83
critics_score: 82
critics_reviews: 6
published: "2026-09-16T15:52:01.472886+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-16T15:52:02.531037+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Star Trek (1966)

Created by Gene Roddenberry · 50m · MPA TV-PG · Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama

**Fi1m score: 83** · Critics 82 from 6 reviews

*In a sentence:* We would happily explore space with this crew, though meetings might take a while

> *Star Trek* makes its hopeful outlook persuasive through William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley. The moral lessons can be blunt, but the pleasure of watching these three disagree survives the dated effects.

## Synopsis

James T. Kirk (William Shatner) sets out to explore the unknown with Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Their encounters bring danger, unfamiliar technology and questions about how they should treat the people they meet. Scott (James Doohan), Sulu (George Takei) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) are among the companions sharing those adventures. The explorers must decide how to respond to threats without abandoning the curiosity that brings them there. Different judgements within the group complicate the decisions, while the gadgets at their disposal cannot settle every question.

## Review

Gene Roddenberry’s [*Star Trek*](https://film.one/film/star-trek) is worth watching for the company, even when the story needs patience. Its optimism becomes convincing because William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley make disagreement enjoyable: these people can argue without making us wish they would separate. The science-fiction adventures give them questions about responsibility and other people’s rights, and the strongest passages allow those questions to cause trouble. We recommend it warmly, with a warning that some lessons arrive already underlined.

William Shatner gives James T. Kirk an impatience that keeps discussion from settling into a lecture. Leonard Nimoy’s Spock can make a restrained response feel as pointed as an interruption, while DeForest Kelley’s Dr. McCoy supplies the irritation that polite reasoning leaves out. We laughed at their exchanges because DeForest Kelley makes exasperation sound so affectionate, without asking Leonard Nimoy to soften his delivery. All three actors help us believe that these people would choose to spend more time together, even after a conversation that has tested everyone’s patience.

Gerald Perry Finnerman is among the cinematographers, and the photography gives the performances the attention they need. Faces remain interesting when the effects have stopped being persuasive; a doubtful look is often enough to hold a scene together. Walter M. Jefferies’s production design gives the actors a coherent place to work, even when we remain conscious of the scenery. The programme becomes easier to accept once we stop inspecting every surface and attend to the people using it.

John Hanley and John M. Foley are among the editors, and the cutting is strongest when it lets a disagreement gather pace. The pauses give the actors room, although not every stretch of explanation earns that room. Alexander Courage, one of the composers, helps make the adventure feel inviting rather than forbidding, an important contribution to the programme’s optimism. At times the musical insistence makes a modest threat seem overannounced.

The weak point is how readily a moral problem can become a demonstration. Once the characters seem assigned to particular opinions, their arguments lose some of the untidiness that makes the better exchanges pleasurable. The theatrical acting can be funny, but broad playing and a blunt lesson together can make an episode feel laborious. Those are the stretches when the characters seem to be explaining something we have already understood.

Against science fiction that treats every encounter as an excuse for a fight, the curiosity here remains appealing. The writers include D. C. Fontana, Gene L. Coon and Theodore Sturgeon, and the adventures have enough variety of tone to withstand some repeated habits. At its best, the programme gets suspense out of a decision that cannot be made comfortably, then lets the actors make that discomfort recognisable. Its hopefulness seems earned whenever a character has to work at understanding someone else.

Watch an episode at a time, and give the talk as much attention as the danger. The unevenness is easier to forgive when William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley can establish their rhythm without a long sitting exposing every repeated move. If the arguments between those three make you smile, there is plenty here worth forgiving.

*Fi1m score 83, published 16 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are uniformly positive about the original Star Trek, with praise centring on its ideas, characters and confidence in a better future. Most critics value the moral storytelling and ensemble performances, with the chemistry between Kirk, Spock and McCoy receiving particular attention. The retrospective reviews emphasise how well the plotting and performances hold up, while also recognising the series’ influence on science fiction and its willingness to address social questions.

Reservations are limited, chiefly concerning modest production values and effects that show their age; critics generally find that the writing and cast compensate. The spread is fairly narrow, with no outright dissent, though The Hollywood Reporter’s contemporary premiere review offers more restrained approval, concentrating on suspense, gadgetry and effective direction. Den of Geek takes a different focus, praising the remastered effects for improving the images without compromising the programme’s spirit.

### Reviews we read (6)

- **Empire**, Angie Errigo (90/100, inferred): The review praises the landmark 1966 series as a pioneering sci-fi phenomenon with strong characters, moral tales, and optimistic vision, crediting its enduring appeal despite modest production values and initial ratings struggles. It highlights the first season's strong episodes and the contributions of writers and cast. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/star-trek-original-series-season-one-review/)
- **The Guardian** (90/100, inferred): The review calls the original Star Trek series a groundbreaking classic whose influence endures through its innovative storytelling and effects. It singles out the unbeatable trio of leads—Kirk, Spock, and McCoy—for their chemistry and the show's bold social themes, including racial diversity and progressive ideas. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/mar/05/star-trek-box-set-review-groundbreaking-classic)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the original series for its ambitious ideas-driven storytelling and strong ensemble cast despite low-budget effects and production challenges. The review highlights how the show's schematic character dynamics and mix of drama and camp have aged well as a foundational sci-fi classic. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-the-original-series-the-complete-first-seaso-1798199911)
- **The Times** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds real thrill in rewatching the episodes from the first series of the 1966 show. The bulk are skilfully plotted and magnificently played, with standout performances in episodes like Space Seed and The City on the Edge of Forever; the series invented modern science fiction as we know it. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/article/star-trek-the-original-series-season-1-pg-5fmf70khv0h)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Bill Ornstein (70/100, inferred): The original 1966 review of the premiere episode finds suspense and gadgetry that will appeal to sci-fi fans, with Mark Daniels directing effectively to build tension. It concludes the show should be a winner. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/star-trek-1966-original-tv-778275/)
- **Den of Geek**, James Hunt (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the remastered versions of the original Star Trek series for their subtle CGI updates and improved visuals that better realize the original intentions while preserving the show's spirit. The enduring cultural impact and strong storytelling of the 1966-1968 series are highlighted as reasons it remains iconic. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-trek-the-remastered-series-seasons-1-2-3-review/)

## Details

- **Created by:** Gene Roddenberry
- **Creator:** Gene Roddenberry
- **Director:** Marc Daniels, Joseph Pevney, Ralph Senensky, Vincent McEveety, Herb Wallerstein, Jud Taylor, John Meredyth Lucas, Marvin J. Chomsky, James Goldstone, Gerd Oswald, Robert Butler, David Alexander, Herschel Daugherty, Anton Leader, John Erman, James Komack, Joseph Sargent, Donnie McDougall, Gene Nelson, Leo Penn, Robert Gist, Harvey Hart, Lawrence Dobkin, Michael O'Herlihy, Robert Sparr, Herbert Kenwith, John Newland, Murray Golden
- **Writer:** Gene L. Coon, Gene Roddenberry, D. C. Fontana, John Meredyth Lucas, Jerome Bixby, Margaret Armen, Robert Bloch, Jerry Sohl, Oliver Crawford, David Gerrold, Arthur Heinemann, Theodore Sturgeon, Paul Schneider, Jean Lisette Aroeste, Art Wallace, Steven W. Carabatsos, Leroy Cronin, David P. Harmon, Don Ingalls, Shimon Wincelberg, George F. Slavin, Joyce Muskat, Richard Matheson, Norman Spinrad, Edward J. Lakso, Don Mankiewicz, Samuel A. Peeples, Judy Burns, Chet Richards, John D. F. Black, Max Simon Ehrlich, George Clayton Johnson, Stanley Adams, Boris Sobelman, Arthur Singer, Robert Hamner, Rik Vollaerts, Jeremy Tarcher, Lee Erwin, Gilbert Ralston, Stephen Kandel, Meyer Dolinsky, Fredric Brown, John T. Dugan, Carey Wilber, Barry Trivers, Adrian Spies, Laurence N. Wolfe, Harlan Ellison, Shari Lewis, John Kneubuhl, Robert Sabaroff
- **Cinematography:** Gerald Perry Finnerman, Al Francis, Keith C. Smith, Walter M. Jefferies, Ernest Haller, William E. Snyder
- **Editor:** Fabien D. Tordjmann, Bruce Schoengarth, Donald R. Rode, James Ballas, Bill Brame, Robert L. Swanson, Frank P. Keller, Grant Hoag, John M. Foley, John Hanley, Leo H. Shreve
- **Music:** Alexander Courage, Fred Steiner, Gerald Fried, George Duning, Sol Kaplan, Joseph Mullendore, Samuel Matlovsky
- **Production design:** Walter M. Jefferies
- **Costume design:** William Ware Theiss
- **Producer:** Edward K. Milkis, John Meredyth Lucas, John D. F. Black
- **Cast:** William Shatner as James T. Kirk; Leonard Nimoy as Spock; DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy; James Doohan as Scott; Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov; George Takei as Sulu; Nichelle Nichols as Uhura; Susan Oliver as Vina  (archive footage)
- **Runtime:** 50m
- **Certificate (MPA):** TV-PG
- **Release (the US):** 8 September 1966
- **Genres:** Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama

## Where to watch in the US

- Paramount+: streaming, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Amazon Prime Video: buy, sd

*Checked 2026-09-16.*

Also available in: AT, AU, CA, CH, DE, FR, GB, IE, IT, NO, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- TCA Heritage Award 2014: TCA Heritage Award (nominated)
- Saturn Awards 2004: Best Retro Television Series on DVD (won)
- Primetime Emmy Awards 1969: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (nominated)
- Hugo Awards 1968: Best Dramatic Presentation (won)
- Primetime Emmy Awards 1967: Outstanding Drama Series (nominated); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Forbidden Planet* (1956): An exploratory crew encounters problems its equipment cannot help it understand.
- *The Twilight Zone* (1959), Fi1m 84: Compact moral puzzles, with more unease and less confidence in humanity. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md)
- *Solaris* (1972): For the moments when exploration becomes an uncomfortable examination of the explorer.
- *Planetes* (2003): Workplace friction and space travel, with patient attention to ordinary human needs.
- *Arrival* (2016), Fi1m 86: A more intimate account of the patience needed to understand strangers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/arrival.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/star-trek-1966