On September 8, 1966, Star Trek, the original series, was first introduced to the American public and offered a vision of the idealized future of space travel. Set in the 23rd century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the starship Enterprise as they “seek a new life and bravely go where no man has gone before.” Although the science fiction TV show was set in a timeline in the distant future, many of the episodes focused on current issues of the 1960s, particularly the Cold War. The Cold War was an ongoing conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union since the final days of World War II. The Cold War reached its peak in the 1960s with the Cuban Missile Crisis, the emergence of the space race, and the Vietnam War. This conflict transcended all parts of society, and television was no exception. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the Star Trek series, was a former military pilot who firmly believed that "The strength of a civilization is not measured by its ability to fight wars, but rather by its ability to prevent them." Star Trek used its unique fascination with television to glorify American idealism along with open criticism of US Cold War foreign policy. The starship Enterprise was part of Starfleet, the scientific space exploration branch of the United Federation of Planets whose peaceful mission it is to explore the galaxy. Led by strong leader Captain James T. Kirk and his first officer, the Vulcan Spock, the Enterprise was made up of diverse groups of people from all branches of the Galaxy. The Federation represents the United States, a country that is a melting pot of different cultures that blend together to form one nation. The Fe...... middle of paper ......sode was written before the first season, but was published years later. Gene Roddenberry reminds viewers that although every citizen has the right to be critical of United States policy, the United States is a country based on freedom and gives its citizens the right to be free. Star Trek the original series was a groundbreaking television series that broke barriers between audiences and media. Using their unique genre of science fiction, the creators of Star Trek were able to show television audiences a glimpse of the idealistic future as well as showcasing lessons from contemporary times. Criticism of the Cold War was prevalent throughout the series which educated Americans about the real reality of the cost of war. Although the series only lasted three seasons, it left a lasting legacy that has spawned numerous spin-offs and films.