On this episode of 70s Trek we talk about the first Star Trek spin off. And it is not The Next Generation. The first, planned, live-action sequel to The Original Series was actually a show called Star Trek Phase II.
After spending two years looking for the right Star Trek film script in the mid 1970s, Paramount executives began to think that making a Trek movie might not work. Thus, they began to shift their thinking, and started looking at Star Trek from the view point of its origins: A television property.
While the Star Trek activity played itself out, Paramount was looking into creating a fourth television network. It was an idea the company had considered before. Now with Trek moving back toward being a TV show, it seemed natural to move forward with the new network with a new Star Trek TV show as its anchor.
Then on May 25, 1977, the movie Star Wars was released. This convinced studio execs to move forward with Trek as a TV show. The thinking by execs was that moviegoers had seen their science fiction movie and would not want to see another one again for some time.
Of course, they totally misread the audience.
From this frustration of not being able to develop Trek as a film, from thinking that they had missed their chance, and Paramount’s desire to start a new TV network, Star Trek Phase II was born.
