Today In STAR TREK History: June 3rd

You mean... we're cancelled?

Welcome to our round-up of the Star Trek episodes which received their premiere broadcast on this day throughout the show's long history, along with anything else of note that may have taken place. All viewing figures quoted are for U.S. premiere broadcast (unless noted).

June 3rd
On this day in 1969 Star Trek: The Original Series aired its series finale with an episode titled Turnabout Intruder. The seventy-ninth episode overall and the twenty-fourth and final episode of the third season, Turnabout Intruder saw a woman switch bodies with Captain Kirk and then try to take over command of the Enterprise.

Originally scheduled to air at 10pm on Friday, March 28, 1969, NBC pre-empted it with a special report on former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had died earlier that day. On June 3, 1969, after an absence of two months, Star Trek was brought back on a new night and time: Tuesdays at 7:30pm. Turnabout Intruder was the only first-run episode to be shown in this new time slot, the following weeks would be a selection of repeats.

In Theory, the 25th and penultimate episode of the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, premeired on June 3, 1991 and was notable for being the directorial debut of Patrick Stewart. The episode itself would see Data (Brent Spiner) accept the affections of shipmate Jenna D'Sora (Michele Scarabelli) and pursue a romantic relationship with her. However, Jenna soon comprehends the downside of a "programmed" relationship.

9.8 million viewers were watching the couple attempt to work out their problems whilst the Enterprise finds itself in an area of space rendered deadly by a nebula that is tearing small gaps in the fabric of space, deforming any matter that comes into contact with them.

Join us again next time for another round-up of the episodes broadcast, the movie's released, the special events, the birthday's celebrated and anything else of note that went down on this day in Star Trek history.