Star Trek initially presented itself as a five-year journey for the Starship Enterprise, but it was canceled after just three seasons. Many fans and those involved with the show believe the final season was its weakest, potentially the worst in the entire Star Trek history. The series debuted on NBC on September 8, 1966, and concluded on June 3, 1969, but this ending wasn’t planned. During the third season, creator Gene Roddenberry lost his role as showrunner, and the network significantly reduced the show’s funding. NBC officially canceled Star Trek in February 1969, forcing the show to end abruptly without a proper finale.
The final episode of the original Star Trek series, “Turnabout Intruder,” is widely considered one of the worst and failed to provide a satisfying conclusion for fans.
Star Trek: The Original Series Ended With a Whimper
As a critic, I have to say “Turnabout Intruder” is a rather peculiar way to end Star Trek: The Original Series. Airing way back in 1969, this episode – the 79th and final one – centers around Dr. Janice Lester, an old flame of Captain Kirk. She uses an alien device on the planet Camus II to switch bodies with Kirk, hoping to take command of the Enterprise. The whole thing is a classic body-swap story, but it leans heavily into comedy, largely thanks to Sandra Smith and William Shatner clearly having a blast playing each other’s roles. It’s definitely… a choice for a series finale!
Looking back at the episode now, it’s clear it relies heavily on outdated and sexist ideas common in the 1960s. It even implies that women weren’t suited to be Starfleet captains, and one character is portrayed as foolish for believing she could command a ship. While Captain Kathryn Janeway later challenged that notion, the show’s creators at the time seemed to believe women should only follow orders.
The timing of the cancellation couldn’t have been worse. The crew had just finished filming an episode on January 9, 1969, when NBC announced the show was ending. Because the final episode was already completed, the series didn’t have a proper finale and lacked closure. It’s consistently ranked as one of the worst episodes of the original Star Trek, and even among all Star Trek episodes, it’s near the bottom – and watching it doesn’t really change that impression.
“Turnabout Intruder” Remains One of Star Trek’s Worst Episodes, But the Best Was Still to Come
The Star Trek episode “Turnabout Intruder” is generally considered weak, and it hasn’t aged well. William Shatner was sick with the flu during filming, and Nichelle Nichols was absent, replaced by Barbara Baldavin as Uhura. While fan mail had helped the show survive its first two seasons, it couldn’t rescue this episode. The season was winding down, with Shatner scheduled to direct the next installment, “The Joy Machine.”
Despite enthusiastic fan mail, Star Trek’s initial TV ratings weren’t strong enough to save it from cancellation. The final episode, “Turnabout Intruder,” received an 8.8 rating, significantly lower than competing shows like Lancer (14.7) and The Mod Squad (15.2). Ratings had fallen, and the show wasn’t popular enough to continue airing. However, things dramatically changed in the 1970s. After being rerun, Star Trek gained a large international following and actually achieved higher ratings in syndication – meaning after its original run – than it ever did when it was first broadcast. The show’s 79 episodes across three seasons ultimately found a much wider audience.
When fans began organizing conventions, the first Star Trek gathering in 1972 drew thousands of attendees. This renewed interest led to the creation of Star Trek: The Animated Series in 1973. Then, in 1979, something unexpected happened: ten years after its cancellation due to low ratings, Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiered in theaters, giving the series a proper continuation. Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted on television in 1987, and today, Star Trek is a hugely successful, multi-billion-dollar franchise. While episodes like “Turnabout Intruder” are considered among the worst, and the original series briefly ended, it wasn’t the end of Star Trek – it was just the beginning.
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2026-06-03 21:14