10 'What Ifs' That Could Have Changed The Course Of Star Trek
1. ...The Letter Campaign Had Failed?
Star Trek was dead as a doornail. The call was made, it was going to end after two fantastic seasons.
But never fear as Bjo and John Trimble spearheaded one of the most almightly letter writing campaigns in history, ensuring a third season would air - but in the "graveyard" Friday night slot.
Star Trek not being renewed for that final, budget restrained, season could well have meant a much earlier death for the franchise by approximately 55 years. No Picard, no Sisko, no Janeway (no Neelix!)... nothing.
The letter campaign is now legendary among fandom with it being a huge contributor to the turnaround decision of NBC to give Star Trek another chance. Imagine though five decades without the influence of Star Trek on sci-fi since we would be robbed of entire year of episodes, landmark events and Shatner's toupes. Star Wars might never have spawned in George Lucas' mind and the whole convention scene and geekdom might never have taken off in the way that it did.
The lack of episodes would have likely stopped the success in syndication and relegated Star Trek to an Irwin Allen Sunday lunchtime repeat schedule as a novelty show.