They were the stars of the small screen in the early years of television, and much of the nation came to a halt whenever their shows aired. They strolled, sprinted, fought, laughed, cried and loved through worlds that took viewers to places past, present and future. As the originators of these innovative television formats, they provided an essential escape for millions of viewers who eagerly waited to watch them each week.
Pioneers of Television offers the inside stories of these formidable visionaries who recall the fledgling medium they shaped with their creativity, foresight and wisdom.
This episode looks at the development of the science fiction genre on US television in the 1950′s and 1960′s. Gene Roddenberry had long been working as writer in television but realized that the industry was not prepared to deal with major social issues such as race relations, drug addiction and war.
By setting his stories in a fictional future, he was able to do that and thus Star Trek was born. Somewhat surprisingly, its greatest competition came from Lost in Space produced by Irwin Allen who was also responsible for The Time Tunnel and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The classic series Twilight Zone set a very high bar that the others had to follow.
Released 18 Jan, 2011. 25 min. Director: Steve Boettcher. TV documentary.
