Since it first flickered into life back in ’66, the Star Trek franchise has grown into a true cultural phenomenon, spanning 700 episodes, 30 Emmy Awards and countless movies designed to go boldly where no one has gone before.
It’s the kind of series that pushes the envelope and helps redefine science fiction as we know it, so it’s only fitting that the property is to be honored with the prestigious 2018 Governors Award by the TV Academy. Per Deadline, the accolade recognizes the “visionary science-fiction television franchise and its legacy of boldly propelling science, society, and culture where no one has gone before.”
It’ll be presented to the franchise’s key creative players on September 8th during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
David Stapf, President of CBS Television Studios, also commented on the trailblazing nature of Star Trek, and how it’s inspired multiple generations with its forward-thinking and incredibly utopian outlook for humanity.
But this official description from the Academy sums it up best:
What began as a television show grew into an entertainment franchise that has consistently depicted humanity’s greatest hopes for a better tomorrow. Throughout the Gene Roddenberry-created Star Trek’s multiple series, viewers were exposed to a world where technology and science helped improve the human condition. Futuristic technological advancements featured in the show bear striking resemblances to the cell phones and virtual reality systems in use today.
Up next for the Star Trek franchise is the return of Discovery early next year, before Alex Kurtzman and CBS All Access double down on their fledgling Trek universe with multiple new TV shows, one of which will herald the long-anticipated return of Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard. And how exciting is that?
