10 TV Shows That Wanted To Be Star Trek
7. Seaquest DSV
Seaquest DSV arrived in 1993, airing on NBC. It focused on the submersible vehicle Seaquest, which had been designed and built by its captain, Nathan Bridger, who was played by movie star Roy Scheider. The first season, though set in the near future, was almost as educational as it was entertaining, opting to deal with real-world scientific issues.
When the second season returned, Scheider was deeply frustrated to find that the network opted to move the show in a more science-fiction direction. Aliens were introduced to the storylines, including the finale which saw the vessel abducted and brought into the future. Scheider was publically vocal about his displeasure, which prompted the showrunners to release scathing responses.
Though the show attempted to skew toward a straight, darker tone, much like the then-airing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Scheider asked to be released from his contract due to, as he called it, the show's attempt at becoming a 'fourth generation Star Trek', leaving the show as a sort of '21 Jump Street meets Star Dreck.'
He was replaced with Michael Ironside for the third season, but failing ratings resulted in the show's cancellation.