1976 was the year America celebrated its Bicentennial. It was also the year that a small movie called Rocky captured our hearts, and a computer company, Apple, was born in a California garage.
This was also the year that Star Trek reached it apex in terms of popularity. Its audience had grown considerably since entering syndication and now it was a firm part of American culture.
This fact was further illustrated when President Ford renamed the first NASA space shuttle Enterprise after the iconic starship from Trek.
But Star Trek got a further nod that it was reaching new heights when the late night comedy show, Saturday Night Live, did a sketch that parodied the show.
It featured John Belushi as Captain Kirk, Chevy Chase as Spock and Dan Aykroyd as Dr. McCoy and details The Last Voyage of the Starship Enterprise."
Guest host Elliot Gould plays a NBC executive boards the Enterprise and tells the crew that the show has been cancelled. It's all done for laughs, with a little message thrown in, as well. SNL writers pointed out the illogic of NBC cancelling the show because of ratings.
Of course, the show was broadcast on NBC, so it was a moment of youthful rebellion by the cast and crew. They were "giving it to the man!"
Belushi ends the bit as Kirk reading an entry into the Captain's log. "Except for one television network, we have found intelligence everywhere in the galaxy. Live long and prosper." Then the comedian added with a little wry smile, "Promise," which was a nod to Shatner's early 70s commercials for Promise margarine.
The sketch is classic SNL and is probably some of the best work by Belushi, Chase and Aykroyd. It is remembered by critics, entertainers and authors as one of the best skits ever performed on the show.
Co-hosts Bob Turner and Kelly Casto give us the history of the show and this skit.
