10 TV Shows That Wanted To Be Star Trek
5. Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica owes more than a passing debt to both Star Trek and Star Wars. Coming in the '70s, it borrows heavily from both, though the apocalyptic setting was its own individual contribution to the genre. The series, opening with the destruction of most of mankind, is a parable about the dangers of over-reliance on technology. This is seemingly at odds with Roddenberry's vision.
However, it stars Lorne Greene as Commander Adama - a no-nonsense leader, from whom all of the crew draw their strength. There are clear hints of James T. Kirk in the character, coming on the heels of both the Original Series and the Animated Series.
The series is deeply rooted in the '70s aesthetic, so in a way it also served as something of an inspiration for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, though the effects available on a TV budget were, to put it mildly, lacking. The ambition was greater than the execution. Having said that, Battlestar Galactica is far from a failed copy of Star Trek.
The idea behind the show, drawn from Glen A. Larson's own religious upbringing, would go on to inspire Trek-writer Ronald D. Moore to reboot the franchise in 2003. The result was one of the greatest television series of recent years, offering a grim look at humanity from the inside out.