The original Star Trek may have never taken home an Emmy, but the entire franchise is nabbing a big kudos from The Television Academy. It’s the recipient of the 2018 Governors Award.
The prize, picked by the academy board of governors, will be presented to CBS Television Studios during the Sept. 8 Creative Arts ceremony. CBS has been the longtime shepherd of the sprawling franchise, one that’s spanned 50 years on television across multiple series, 700 episodes and 13 motion pictures. (And while the original Star Trek may not have ever one an Emmy, the franchise has taken 30.)
“Star Trek is the first television program I can remember watching as a child, and has always been ahead of its time,” said Governors Award Committee chair Mark Spatny. “Not only have all the franchises promoted inclusiveness and acceptance of all people, and inspired creative thought about space exploration and our future, but the technical innovations sparked by the franchise are incredibly significant to the evolution of television production, and also to the communication and computer tools we use in our daily life. We are honored to present this award to a franchise that has made such a lasting contribution to both television and our society.”
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Star Trek has spent few moments outside the cultural conscious since Gene Roddenberry premiered the original in 1966. A string of successful rebooted films, with at least another still on deck, helped stir CBS into rebooting the TV franchise for streaming service All Access. Star Trek Discovery premiered last year.
“For over 50 years, Star Trek has captivated and connected fans from around the world. What the series always brilliantly illustrated is that, despite our greatest differences, we as people are more alike than we realize, and coming together in hopes of a better tomorrow is not just a possibility, but a necessity,” said David Stapf, president of CBS Television Studios. “The impact of Star Trek is far-reaching, and has inspired not only countless individuals, but great advancements in technology, science, health care, space exploration and more. We are so grateful to the brilliant minds and talented individuals, both in front of and behind the camera, who boldly tell stories that stand the test of time. Thank you to the Television Academy for honoring the historic Star Trek legacy and to everyone who has contributed to its success.”
